The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met via webinar June 16-18, 2020. Presentations, briefing materials, and webinar recordings are available on the meeting page.
Summary of Actions Taken and Issues Considered
During this meeting, the Council:
Reviewed scoping comments and provided input on draft alternatives for the Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocation Amendment*
Received preliminary results of an updated summer flounder commercial/recreational allocation model*
Provided input on the range of alternatives to be considered in the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/Recreational Allocation Amendment*
Reviewed a draft outline of topics under consideration through the Recreational Reform Initiative and directed staff to determine which items could be addressed through a framework/addendum and which would require an amendment*
Revised the range of alternatives to be considered in the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment and directed the Fishery Management Action Team to incorporate alternatives that would allow states to have a minimum default allocation*
Adopted Illex squid specifications for 2021, including an Acceptable Biological Catch of 30,000 metric tons and a quota of 28,644 metric tons, and recommended additional measures to help avoid overages
Received four presentations on habitat-related updates and activities within the region
Reviewed a report on commercial landings of unmanaged species from Maine through North Carolina and commercial landings of the species managed through the Council’s Unmanaged Forage Omnibus Amendment
Approved changes to the Overfishing Limit Coefficient of Variation guidance document as recommended by the Scientific and Statistical Committee
Received an update on planning for a Research Set-Aside Workshop and discussed the feasibility of holding an in-person workshop in the fall
Directed staff to draft a letter expressing concern about the redeployment of observers and at-sea monitors on fishing vessels beginning July 1 during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
Reviewed several hybrid meeting options and agreed to continue meeting via webinar for the near term to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19
Reviewed Executive Order 13921 on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth and briefly discussed next steps for developing a response
* Items denoted with an asterisk (*) were undertaken during joint meetings with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board and Bluefish Management Board.