Council Meeting in Annapolis, MD: December 9-12, 2013

The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's December meeting in Annapolis, Maryland. 

December 9-12, 2013

Westin Annapolis Hotel
100 Westgate Circle
Annapolis, Maryland, 21401
Telephone (410) 972- 4300

Webinar Link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/dec2013/ (select "enter as a guest").

Briefing Book: Briefing materials will be posted in late November on the December 2013 Council meeting page. 

Agenda: Download the agenda as a PDF, or see the agenda below.

Meeting Agenda

Monday, December 9

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  Highly Migratory Species Committee

  • Develop Council comments on HMS Draft Amendment 7 (bluefin tuna management measures) for submission to NMFS on December 10

Tuesday, December 10

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.  Executive Committee [CLOSED SESSION]

  • Ricks E Savage Award Nominations

9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Executive Committee [OPEN SESSION]

  • Review Draft Implementation Plan and public comments
  • Approve 2014 Implementation Plan for Council consideration

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m.   Council Convenes

1:00 p.m. - 1:10 p.m.  Council Photo

1:10 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.  Framework 9 to the Mackerel, Squid, Butterfish FMP

  • First Meeting - Review and approve options to address unobserved slippage on observed trips

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.  River Herring and Shad Approach

  • Review and adopt plan to move forward with the river herring and shad strategy implementing motion made at October 2013 meeting

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.  Data Portal Presentation - Rutgers and Nature Conservancy

  • Review project goals, methods and illustrative draft maps of Mid-Atlantic fishing activity summarized by port and gear groups (Rutgers University and Nature Conservancy staff)
  • Provide advice to project team on best approaches and opportunities for engaging fishermen to review, discuss and improve project data and maps

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.  Surfclam Presentation - Bonnie McCay and Eric Powell

  • Report of the NSF Coupled Natural and Human Systems surfclam study: climate change and responses in a coupled marine system
  • Update on the NSC Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCeMFiS)

Wednesday, December 11

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.  Demersal Committee Meeting as a Committee of the Whole  with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's  Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Boards

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Finalize Summer Flounder 2014 Recreational Management  Measures

  • Review Monitoring Committee and Advisory Panel recommendations for 2014
  • Adopt recommendations for 2014 management measures

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Finalize Black Sea Bass 2014 Management Measures

  • Review Monitoring Committee and Advisory Panel recommendations for 2014
  • Adopt recommendations for 2014 management measures

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Finalize Scup 2014 Recreational Management Measures

  • Review Monitoring Committee and Advisory Panel recommendations for 2014
  • Adopt recommendations for 2014 management measures

Thursday, December 12

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.  Spiny Dogfish Trip Limits

  • Review options for trip limits in federal waters for the 2014-2015 fishing years

9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Stakeholder Survey on Ecosystem-based Fisheries   Management Presentation - Ingrid Biedron

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Business Session

  • Organizational Reports
    • NMFS Regional Administrator
      • Update on forms and process for data collection for the surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries
    • NMFS NEFSC Director
    • NOAA Office of General Counsel
    • Federal Enforcement Officials (NMFS and USCG)
    • ASMFC Executive Director
    • Liaison Reports
      • South Atlantic Council
      • New England Council
  • Executive Director's Report - Chris Moore
  • Science Report - Rich Seagraves
  • Committee Reports
    • HMS Committee
    • Executive Committee
  • Continuing and New Business

Please Note: The above agenda items may not be taken in the order in which they appear and are subject to change as necessary. Other items may be added, but the Council cannot take action on such items even if the item requires emergency action without additional public notice. Non-emergency matters not contained in this agenda may come before the Council and / or its Committees for discussion, but these matters may not be the subject of formal Council or Committee action during this meeting. Council and Committee actions will be restricted to the issues specifically listed in this agenda. Any issues requiring emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act that arise after publication of the Federal Register Notice for this meeting may be acted upon provided that the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. The meeting may be closed to discuss employment or other internal administrative matters.