MAFMC and ASMFC Approve Changes to Process for Setting Recreational Management Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Bluefish

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board (Policy Board) have approved modifications to the process for setting recreational measures (bag, size, and season limits), as well as the recreational accountability measures, for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The Council recommended these changes through a framework action, and the Policy Board adopted these changes through Addendum XXXVI to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Addendum III to the Bluefish FMP. These changes are part of a broader long-term effort by both the Council and Commission to improve recreational management of these jointly managed species.

The current process for setting recreational measures, referred to as the Percent Change Approach, was implemented in 2023 and will sunset at the end of 2025. During a joint meeting last week in Galloway, New Jersey, the Council and Policy Board discussed several options to improve or replace the Percent Change Approach for 2026 and beyond. After reviewing public comments and recommendations from technical committees and advisory panels, the Council and Policy Board agreed to maintain the current process with several modifications based on lessons learned over the past few years. These changes will be implemented in two phases.

The first phase of changes aims to better account for stock status when setting measures and will create more opportunities for stability in management measures. The current system uses three biomass categories to guide whether measures should change; the revised approach adds a fourth category for stocks near their biomass target and establishes a separate process for overfished stocks. These changes will take effect starting with the 2026 recreational measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The Council and Policy Board delayed the implementation of these changes for bluefish until 2028 to allow time for development of an appropriate methodology for evaluating the impacts of measures on bluefish harvest and discards. The bluefish stock has been under a rebuilding plan since 2022, and recreational measures will continue to be set based on the rebuilding plan until the stock is declared rebuilt.

The second phase of modifications, which will be implemented for setting 2030 recreational measures and beyond, will update the process to use a catch-based target. Unlike the current process – which focuses on achieving a specific level of predicted harvest – a catch-based approach aims to achieve a target level of total dead catch, including both harvest and dead discards. This approach will allow for more explicit consideration of how measures affect discards. Some advisors and members of the public raised concerns about the potential for this change to create greater instability in management measures. After extensive discussion of each approach, the Council and Policy Board delayed the transition to a catch-based target until 2030 to allow time for additional analysis on the potential impacts to measures.

The Council and Policy Board also approved changes to the recreational accountability measures. These changes will be effective starting in 2026 for all four species. Under these revisions, when an accountability measure is triggered due to recent overages of the recreational annual catch limits, managers will also consider if those overages contributed to overfishing when determining the appropriate response.

The Council will submit the framework to the National Marine Fisheries Service for review and implementation, while the Commission’s measures are final for state waters. Additional information about this action is available on the Council and Commission websites.

Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment

In other related business, the Council and Policy Board also reviewed scoping comments on the Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment from public hearings and written comments, as well as input provided by the joint Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass and Bluefish Advisory Panels and the Fishery Management Action Team/Plan Development Team. Based on these comments, the Council and Policy Board agreed that recreational sector separation and recreational data collection should be addressed separately. Further development of the amendment will focus on management options for recreational sector separation, including mode management, as well as consideration of for-hire permitting and reporting requirements.

The Council and Policy Board separated out the recreational data collection and use issue from the amendment due to concerns that the complexity of this issue would cause significant delays in the amendment timeline. Council and Policy Board members also noted there is a need to more clearly define the objectives for recreational data collection improvement. This issue will be explored through a white paper which will consider the feasibility of various approaches and help the Council and Policy Board clarify goals for a potential future action. Additional information and updates are available on the Council and Commission action pages.

Press Contacts:

• MAFMC: Mary Sabo, 302-526-5261

• ASMFC: Tina Berger, 703-842-0749

February 2025 Council Meeting Summary

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met by webinar February 11-12, 2025. The following is a summary of actions taken and issues considered during the meeting. Presentations, briefing materials, motions, and webinar recordings are available on the Council’s February 2025 meeting page. A PDF version of this meeting summary is available here.

Highlights

During this meeting, the Council:

• Requested that NOAA Fisheries establish control dates for federally permitted recreational for-hire participants in the summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish fisheries

• Reviewed and provided feedback on a preliminary range of alternatives for the Spiny Dogfish Accountability Measures Framework

• Reviewed the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM) 3-year Review Report

• Received a presentation on a new database that compiles literature on the impacts of fishing gear on marine habitats

• Received updates on several Northeast Fisheries Science Center surveys and related topics

• Received a presentation on the LOC-NESS project, which aims to advance research into marine carbon dioxide removal approaches

• Appointed Dr. Holly Kindsvater (Virginia Tech University) and Dr. Yong Chen (Stony Brook University) to the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee

Recreational For-Hire Control Dates 

The Council voted to request that NOAA Fisheries establish control dates for federally permitted recreational for-hire participants in the summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish fisheries. A control date is a notice to the public that the Council may consider developing management measures to limit participation in the fishery in the future, and in doing so may use the control date as a reference point when determining fishery access criteria.

The Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment, which is currently in the scoping phase of development, will consider options for managing for-hire recreational fisheries separately from other recreational fishing modes (referred to as sector separation), as well as options related to recreational data collection and reporting. The Council and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Policy Board may consider whether modified requirements or access limitations for for-hire permits are needed to achieve the amendment’s objectives. Control dates are intended to discourage speculative entry or fishing activity while managers consider if, and how, participation in the fishery may be affected.

The control dates will be published as soon as possible in the Federal Register, along with a request for public comments on this issue. Publication of a control date does not have any immediate impact on fishery participants or fishing privileges. The Council may choose to incorporate the control dates into federal qualification criteria if measures to limit fishery access are developed in the future, but the Council is not bound to these dates and could use alternative dates or criteria. The Council may also choose to take no further action on federal for-hire access criteria. The motion made at this meeting to establish control dates applies only to federal for-hire permits; however, the Council and Policy Board may also discuss options for state level for-hire permits later in the amendment development process.

Spiny Dogfish Accountability Measures Framework

The Council reviewed and provided feedback on several preliminary alternatives to be further developed as part of Spiny Dogfish Accountability Measures Framework. The Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) currently requires pound for pound paybacks of any Annual Catch Limit (ACL) overages as an accountability measure. This framework adjustment will consider if there are some circumstances where modified/relaxed payback accountability measures may be sufficient. Per Council discussion at the meeting, staff will work with the Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee to ensure the development of a reasonable range of alternative accountability measures and related impact analyses. Both the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils will review a revised set of alternatives in June 2025. Final action is expected in late 2025, and the Spiny Dogfish Advisory Panel will also have an opportunity to provide advice on the action.

Fishing Gear Effects Database

Fishing Gear Effects Database

Council staff and Dr. David Stevenson provided an overview of a new database that compiles literature on the impacts of fishing gear on marine habitats throughout the U.S. and territories. Developed with funding provided by the Mid-Atlantic Council and NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation, the Fishing Gear Effects on Marine Habitats Database provides an easily accessible and searchable tool to assist Council/NOAA staff, researchers, and stakeholders in evaluating/managing the adverse effects of fishing gears on marine/estuarine habitats. The online application offers search and filter tools, detailed reference pages, and a map of study locations. Users can also submit new references for review via an online form.

Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology 3-Year Review

Photo Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Council staff summarized recent performance of the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM) based on a 3-Year Review report. This review considered SBRM operation from July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2022, though only the last year could be fully analyzed due to COVID-19 impacts on observer deployment. Fewer SBRM precision targets were met in that last year compared to the average found in the previous 3-Year Review, likely due to a mix of COVID-19 data gaps disrupting analyses of where to place observers, as well as general funding limitations. While not part of the SBRM performance criteria, the review noted that several stocks’ discard estimates in recent assessments have been relatively imprecise. The majority of stocks, however, had discard estimates with less than a 30% coefficient of variation (CV) (above a 30% CV is a common threshold indicating precision concern). Section 9 of the report includes a variety of recommendations for future operations.

Northeast Fisheries Science Center Survey Update

Dr. Kathryn Ford provided an update on several Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) fishery-independent surveys and related topics. The presentation included updates on 2024 survey performance, planning efforts for 2025, as well as an update on contingency planning for the Henry B. Biglow bottom trawl survey vessel. Dr. Ford also summarized recent discussions by the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP) and NTAP Working Group on developing an Industry-Based Survey, noting that the group continues to meet every three weeks to refine a phased pilot project design. Finally, the presentation included updates on several other survey related topics, including the National Survey and Data Acquisition Program and plans for offshore wind survey mitigation.

LOC-NESS Project

The Council received a presentation from Dr. Adam Subhas on the LOC-NESS project (short for Locking Ocean Carbon in the Northeast Shelf and Slope). This project aims to advance research into marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) approaches, such as ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), a potential type of mCDR that de-acidifies sea water while storing carbon away from the atmosphere. As a supplement to emissions reductions, OAE may help to mitigate the effects of climate change on the environment and society.

SSC Membership

The Council appointed two new members to its Scientific and Statistical Committee:

• Dr. Holly Kindsvater is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech. Dr. Kindsvater’s research is focused on fisheries ecology and evolution, including marine and freshwater species. Her lab studies the connection between evolution and ecology to solve conservation challenges related to fisheries and climate change.

• Dr. Yong Chen is a professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University. His lab focuses on fisheries population dynamics, quantitative fisheries ecology, and stock assessments and management. His research investigates the interactions of commercial fishing, environmental drivers and dynamics of fisheries populations and communities.

The Council also approved reappointment of 13 existing SSC members. All new and reappointed members will begin serving a three-year term effective March 1, 2025.

Upcoming Meetings

The next Council meeting will be held April 8-10, 2025 in Galloway, New Jersey. A complete list of upcoming meetings can be found at https://www.mafmc.org/council-events.

October 2024 Council Meeting Summary

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met October 8-10, 2024, in Dewey Beach, DE. The following is a summary of actions taken and issues considered during the meeting. Presentations, briefing materials, motions, and webinar recordings are available at http://www.mafmc.org/briefing/october-2024.

• October 2024 Council Meeting Summary (PDF)

Highlights

During this meeting, the Council:

• Reviewed and approved a strategic plan for 2025-2029

• Adopted butterfish specifications for 2025-2026

• Recommended status quo 2025 specifications for Atlantic mackerel in 2025

• Deferred action on 2025 spiny dogfish specifications pending further consideration by the Scientific and Statistical Committee

• Received an update on the private recreational tilefish permitting and reporting program and considered recommendations for improving angler awareness and compliance

• Recommended that NOAA Fisheries pause soliciting for new monkfish RSA projects until the program’s underlying economic and programmatic issues are addressed

• Received a presentation on a proposed rule to modify and/or expand reporting requirements for Atlantic HMS species and agreed to submit comments

• Received an overview of draft outcomes, recommendations, and possible action items from the 8th National Scientific Coordination Subcommittee (SCS) Workshop

• Received presentations on several topics related to offshore wind energy development

• Received an update from the NOAA Fisheries regional office on habitat and offshore wind activities of interest in the Mid-Atlantic region

• Approved several changes to the guidelines for the Council’s three awards

• Reviewed and provided feedback on proposed actions and deliverables for the 2025 Implementation Plan (Executive Committee)

2025-2029 Strategic Plan

The Council reviewed and approved a strategic plan for 2025-2029. The plan builds upon the foundation of the 2020-2024 plan, integrating lessons learned, progress achieved, and input from Council members and stakeholders. The document is organized around five goal areas: Communication, Science, Management, Ecosystem and Governance. The Council will use the plan to guide its management activities and operations over the next five years. The final document will be posted at https://www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan in the coming weeks.

2025-2026 Butterfish Specifications

The Council reviewed the stock status and performance of the butterfish fishery and adopted multi-year specifications for 2025-2026. Based on the recommendations provided by the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), the Council adopted Acceptable Biological Catches (ABC) of 17,115 metric tons (MT) for 2025 and 13,842 MT for 2026. These ABCs are products of the Council’s risk policy and projections using the 2024 management track assessment, which found the butterfish stock is above its target biomass. The Council is removing a 5% management uncertainty buffer given catches appear well constrained. After potential discards are deducted, the commercial quotas would be 11,324 MT (25.0 million pounds) in 2025 and 8,051 MT (17.7 million pounds) in 2026 (both substantially above recent landings).

The Council also considered a modification to the butterfish mesh regulations to add flexibility in the types of mesh that can be used for directed fishing. The Council deferred action until the next meeting after NMFS raised concerns about enforcement’s ability to discern differences in some relevant mesh configurations. A Law Enforcement Committee meeting will be held in November 2024 to further evaluate any issues.

2025 Atlantic Mackerel Specifications

The Council reviewed the stock status and performance of the Atlantic mackerel fishery and recommended maintaining the previously adopted 2025 specifications and management measures, including a commercial quota of 868 MT. Next year’s 2025 stock assessment will assess rebuilding progress and will be used to inform 2026-2027 specifications.

2025 Spiny Dogfish Specifications

The Council reviewed the stock status and performance of the spiny dogfish fishery and deferred action on modifying 2025 spiny dogfish specifications until the next meeting. Updated catch information led to lower projections for 2025, and industry provided input that the resulting lower quotas could collapse the spiny dogfish fishery by forcing the last processor out of business. The Council requested its SSC calculate an ABC equal to the catch associated with a 50% probability of overfishing under a suspension of the Council’s risk policy (which would otherwise dictate a lower 46% chance of overfishing and a lower catch). 

Private Recreational Tilefish Permitting, Reporting, and Program Evaluation

In August 2020, new recreational permitting and reporting requirements were introduced for private tilefish anglers. During this meeting, the Council received several presentations offering key insights into the program's performance and areas for improvement. These included an overview of the Council’s historical and recent efforts, followed by an update from the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) on the current status of permitting and reporting. The GARFO update  provided detailed information on the number of permits issued, recreational trips taken, and landings reported since the program's inception.

Dr. Willy Goldsmith (Pelagic Strategies) and Jill Stevenson (Stevenson Sustainability Consulting) also presented a final evaluation of the angler permit and reporting program. The report highlighted significant gaps in the program, pointing to persistently low compliance and annual reporting rates. The evaluation provided actionable recommendations for enhancing the program’s effectiveness.

Following the presentations and subsequent discussion, the Council endorsed several recommendations identified through program evaluation final report.  These recommendations will be incorporated into the Council’s 2025 Implementation Plan, aiming to address the identified challenges and improve the overall compliance and efficiency of the tilefish permitting and reporting program.

Monkfish Fishery Performance Report and Monkfish Research Set Aside Improvements

The Council reviewed recent monkfish fishery performance and several ongoing efforts to improve the Monkfish Research Set Aside (RSA) program. The Council mirrored a motion from the New England Fishery Management Council recommending that NMFS pause soliciting for new monkfish RSA projects until the program’s underlying economic and programmatic issues are addressed. The Councils also requested that NMFS consider letting the two current Monkfish RSA projects continue selling RSA days-at-sea into 2025 and 2026 to fund their work on developing monkfish catch per unit of effort (CPUE) indices in support of upcoming assessments.

Proposed Rule: Electronic Reporting Requirements for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species

Guy DuBeck and Karyl Brewster-Geisz from NOAA Fisheries Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) presented an update on a recent proposed rule on electronic reporting. The proposed rule is intended to modify and/or expand reporting requirements for Atlantic HMS, including reporting by commercial, for-hire, and private recreational vessel owners and dealers. Following the presentation, the Council agreed it would be important to provided formal written comments on the proposed rule given the Councils existing electronic reporting requirements and the overlap in stakeholders. 

Scientific Coordination Subcommittee 8th National Workshop Outcomes

The Council received an overview of draft outcomes, recommendations, and possible action items from the 8th National Scientific Coordination Subcommittee (SCS) Workshop. The SCS is a subcommittee of the Council Coordination Committee (CCC) and consists of the chairs and other selected members of the SSCs from each of the eight regional fishery management councils. The 8th SCS workshop was hosted by the New England Fishery Management Council and was held on August 26-28, 2024, in Boston, Massachusetts. The theme for the workshop was “Applying Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Control Rules in a Changing Environment” with the goal of providing actionable guidance to support the Councils in their management considerations given the environmental change and scientific uncertainty each region is experiencing.  The Council will receive an update on the final workshop recommendations and action items once the proceedings report is available in the spring of 2025.

Offshore Wind Energy Updates

The Council received presentations on several topics related to offshore wind energy development, including updates from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, the New Jersey Offshore Wind Research and Monitoring Initiative, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, and the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office. Council members expressed concern about observations this summer of dead Atlantic croaker near pile driving activities for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project and dead hake near pile driving activities for Revolution Wind. Council members asked about the causes of these fish kills and how to prevent similar issues in the future. BOEM staff indicated that evaluations of the potential causes, including necropsies, are ongoing. Council members and public comments also expressed concerns that offshore wind energy development may be contributing to reduced squid catches in recent years.

Habitat Updates

Karen Greene, with NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) Habitat and Ecosystem Services Division (HESD), provided project updates on port development (including Key Bridge collapse recovery efforts), infrastructure, energy, and U.S Army Corps of Engineers federal navigation and civil work projects within the Mid-Atlantic. Of note, the Environmental Protection Agency is considering a possible offshore fishery enhancement beneficial use site using dredged material from the New York Bight, as the Historic Area Remediation Site (HARS) is nearing capacity. In addition, several hydropower dams on the Delaware River and Susquehanna River are under consideration for hydropower retrofits and/or relicensing; HESD is engaging in discussions to ensure safe and efficient upstream and downstream passage of diadromous species, while balancing invasive species concerns. NOAA/US Fish and Wildlife Service also released a guidance document on tidal wetland restoration in the Mid-Atlantic that stresses more holistic marsh restoration approaches.

Council Awards Discussion

The Council approved several changes to the guidelines for the Council’s three awards (Ricks E Savage Award, Award of Excellence, James A. Ruhle Cooperative Research Award). The approved changes are intended to clarify the purpose of each award and improve the nomination and selection procedures. The revised guidelines include updated/expanded award descriptions for the Ricks E Savage Award and the Award of Excellence. Additionally, the Council endorsed staff’s recommendation to shift the timing for the Ricks E Savage Award due to the February meeting being held virtually beginning in 2025. Under the revised process, the Executive Committee will review nominations for the Ricks E Savage Award at the October meeting, and the award will be presented at the December meeting. The revised guidelines also specify that any nominations received throughout the year for the Award of Excellence and Cooperative Research Award will be considered at the October meeting. Additional information about Council awards is available at https://www.mafmc.org/awards.

Executive Committee – 2025 Implementation Plan

The Executive Committee met to review and provide feedback on a draft list of actions and deliverables for the 2025 Implementation Plan. The Council develops Implementation Plans each year to ensure progress toward achieving the goals and objectives of its 5-year strategic plan. During the meeting, the Committee received a progress update on the 2024 Implementation Plan and then reviewed a draft list of actions and deliverables for 2025. The full Council will review a draft 2025 Implementation Plan at the December meeting.

Next Meeting

The next Council meeting will be held December 9-12, 2024, in Annapolis, Maryland. A complete list of upcoming meetings can be found at https://www.mafmc.org/council-events.

ASMFC and MAFMC Approve Changes to Summer Flounder Commercial Mesh Size Exemptions

PDF Version

Annapolis, MD – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board (Board) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) have jointly approved modifications to two exemptions from the summer flounder commercial minimum mesh size requirements. The Board adopted these changes through Addendum XXXV to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, and the Council recommended identical measures through a framework action which will be submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service for review and implementation. 

Current regulations for the summer flounder trawl fishery require a minimum mesh size of 5.5-inch diamond mesh or 6.0-inch square mesh to retain more than 200 pounds of summer flounder from November through April, or 100 pounds of summer flounder from May through October. The Small Mesh Exemption Program provides an exemption from these requirements for authorized vessels fishing in a designated area from November 1 through April 30. This exemption is designed to allow vessels to retain some bycatch of summer flounder while operating in other small-mesh fisheries. Through this action, the Board and Council agreed to expand the exemption area by moving the boundary of the northern portion of the area approximately five miles west, then connecting the western boundary to the southern scup Gear Restricted Area. While this has the appearance of notably increasing the size of the exemption area, a large portion of the area overlaps with the Frank R. Lautenberg deep sea coral zone, where bottom tending gear is already prohibited. The intent of this change is to increase economic opportunities for industry while continuing to protect the summer flounder stock and prevent regulatory discards.

The Board and Council also voted to implement a tiered monitoring approach for the Small Mesh Exemption Program. Current regulations allow the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office Regional Administrator to terminate the program for the remainder of the season if vessels fishing under the exemption are discarding on average more than 10%, by weight, of their entire catch of summer flounder per trip. Under the new tiered monitoring approach, the discard trigger will be increased to 25%, and once the trigger is reached, a more detailed review of discards will be conducted to determine whether the exemption should be rescinded. The intent of this review is to allow for a more comprehensive consideration of the drivers of, and appropriate response to, discards.

Finally, the Board and Council approved a revised definition of the term “flynet” as it relates to the flynet exemption from the summer flounder commercial minimum mesh size requirements. The revised definition encompasses similar high-rise net types which have very large mesh in the wings, with mesh size decreasing through the body of the net. These nets are not designed to catch flatfish and generally catch small amounts of summer flounder.

Addendum XXXV, including the map showing the approved boundaries, will be posted at https://asmfc.org/species/summer-flounder under Management Plans and FMP Reviews once the map is finalized. Updates on the Council’s framework will be posted at https://www.mafmc.org/actions/summer-flounder-commercial-mesh-exemptions.

For more information, please contact either Chelsea Tuohy, ASMFC Fishery Management Plan Coordinator at ctuohy@asmfc.org or Kiley Dancy, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, at kdancy@mafmc.org.

Request for Proposals: Evaluation of Low-Profile Gillnets to Mitigate Sturgeon Bycatch in the Commercial Spiny Dogfish Fishery

Summary: The Mid‐Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) seeks a highly qualified contractor to evaluate the use of low-profile gillnets to mitigate sturgeon bycatch in the commercial spiny dogfish fishery.

Proposal Submission Deadline: April 15, 2024

Details: Request for Proposals: Evaluation of Low-Profile Gillnets to Mitigate Sturgeon Bycatch in the Commercial Spiny Dogfish Fishery

February 2024 Council Meeting Summary

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met February 6-7, 2024, in Arlington, VA. The following summary describes actions taken and issues considered during the meeting. Presentations, briefing materials, motions, and webinar recordings are available at on the February 2024 Council Meeting Page.

• February 2024 Council Meeting Summary (pdf) 

HIGHLIGHTS

During this meeting, the Council:

• Approved a public hearing document for the Surfclam Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements Amendment, with the addition of an industry-drafted alternative

• Received an update on an action to reduce sturgeon bycatch and endorsed several packages of alternatives for further technical analysis

• Recommended the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP) develop a pilot project to test the viability of an industry-based survey

• Received updates on offshore wind development in the region

• Received a presentation on the black sea bass research track assessment

• Received an update on efforts to increase awareness and compliance with recreational tilefish permitting and reporting requirements

• Received a briefing on the Magnuson-Stevens Act financial disclosure and recusal requirements, as well as a review of the litigation process for Council actions

• Recognized Captain Jimmy Ruhle posthumously as the as the namesake and first recipient of a new cooperative research award

Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements Amendment

The Council reviewed a draft public hearing document for the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Species Separation Requirements Amendment. The goal of this action is to address issues related to mixed catches of the two species occurring in these fisheries. After reviewing input from the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Committee and Advisory Panel, which met the prior day, the Council agreed with the Committee’s recommendation to include a new, industry-member recommended alternative in the document prior to going out for public comment. Once the Fishery Management Action Team completes analysis of this new alternative, the Council will schedule a public comment period and hold public hearings. The input received from the public will be summarized and provided to the Council for consideration and final action.  Additional information can be found at the action page for this amendment.

Sturgeon Framework

The Council reviewed and endorsed several packages of alternatives for further technical analysis to include both   their sturgeon bycatch reduction potentials and fishery impacts. The Council also requested inclusion of a sub-alternative where a gear alternative with an overnight-soak prohibition (which should reduce sturgeon bycatch and associated mortalities) would not apply to fishing with gillnet mesh less than 5.25 inches. These measures would generally only apply in areas and times of higher observed sturgeon bycatch, and under this sub-alternative fishermen could either fish larger mesh during the day or fish 5-inch mesh overnight. The document reviewed by the Council detailed potential area and time restrictions for the alternatives and also included potential fishery closures in areas and times of higher observed sturgeon bycatch. On March 5, 2024, the Spiny Dogfish and Monkfish Advisory Panels will review the alternatives/impacts and make recommendations regarding preferred alternatives. On March 13, 2024, the Spiny Dogfish and Monkfish Committees will consider the alternatives/impacts, Advisory Panel input, and public input before making recommendations to the Councils (this action is joint with the New England Council). These meetings will be webinars and connection details are on the Councils’ calendars. The Councils are scheduled to take final action at their respective April 2024 meetings. Additional information is available at the action page for this framework.

White Paper: Draft Proposed Plan for a Novel Industry Based Multispecies Bottom Trawl Survey on the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf

Dr. Kathryn Ford presented a white paper titled “Draft Proposed Plan for a Novel Industry Based Multispecies Bottom Trawl Survey on the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf,” which was recently developed by the Northeast Fishery Science Center (NEFSC) in coordination with the joint Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils’ Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP). The paper describes a draft plan for an industry-based multispecies bottom trawl survey (IBS) that would operate in parallel to the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s (NEFSC) multispecies bottom trawl survey (BTS). As a result of the presentation and subsequent discussion, the Council passed a motion recommending that NTAP develop a pilot project to test the viability of an industry-based survey as described in the white paper and provide a progress report of the draft pilot project to the Council at the April 2024 meeting.

Offshore Wind Updates

The Council received updates on offshore wind energy development from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and a state-led working group which is seeking to establish a regional third-party administrator for fisheries compensation funds. The Council also received a presentation on the fisheries compensation program for the Vineyard Wind 1 project which is currently under construction off Massachusetts. They also received updates on the Kitty Hawk Wind project off North Carolina and the Community Offshore Wind project off New Jersey, both of which are in the planning stages.

Black Sea Bass Assessment

The Council received a presentation on the black sea bass research track assessment which passed peer review in December 2023. Several improvements were made to the assessment, including moving to a new modeling framework that accounts for differences in productivity and movement between regions and combining multiple fishery-independent surveys into one aggregate abundance index. In addition, the assessment now includes bottom temperature as a factor influencing recruitment, making this the first assessment in this region to directly incorporate an environmental variable. This research track assessment will inform a June 2024 management track assessment that will provide updated estimates of stock status using data through 2023 and be used to set management measures for future years.

Recreational Tilefish Permitting and Reporting Updates

The Council received an update from staff on two outreach/program evaluation efforts related to recreational tilefish permitting and reporting requirements. The goal of the first project is to engage anglers through different outreach initiatives to raise awareness about the permitting and reporting requirements and promote the use of the eFin Logbook reporting app. The goal of the second project is to conduct a series of in-person meetings with recreational tilefish community leaders to evaluate the MAFMC private angler tilefish permitting and reporting requirements and identify potential strategies for increased participation and compliance. Learn more about tilefish permitting and reporting requirements here.

Legal Review/Financial Disclosure/Recusal Training

John Almeida with the NOAA Office of General Counsel provided a briefing on the Magnuson-Stevens Act financial disclosure and recusal requirements, as well as a review of the litigation process for federal fishery regulations.

Awards

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council named Captain Jimmy Ruhle as the first recipient and namesake of a new award that recognizes outstanding contributions to cooperative fisheries research in the Mid-Atlantic region. Jimmy Ruhle was a lifelong commercial fisherman, a former Council member, and a trailblazer in cooperative fisheries research. He had an instrumental role in the creation and success of the Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) Mid-Atlantic/Southern New England trawl survey, a cooperative fishery-independent survey of coastal waters from Cape Hatteras north to Cape Cod. Since 2007, the survey has been conducted biannually aboard Jimmy’s vessel, the F/V Darana R, by a team of Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) researchers working in partnership with Jimmy and his crew. Data from the survey have improved the assessments of several Council-managed species, including black sea bass, butterfish, longfin squid, scup, and summer flounder. After Jimmy’s death in 2023, the Council decided to create a new award to honor his legacy. The award will be given to individuals or groups who have demonstrated exceptional collaboration, dedication, or innovation in their research, or in recognition of cooperative research projects that have made significant contributions to the understanding or management of Mid-Atlantic fisheries.

Next Meeting

The next Council meeting will be held April 9-11, 2024, in Atlantic City, NJ. A complete list of upcoming meetings can be found at https://www.mafmc.org/council-events.

Captain Jimmy Ruhle Honored Posthumously with New Cooperative Research Award

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Captain Jimmy Ruhle aboard his vessel, the F/V Darana R.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council named Captain Jimmy Ruhle as the first recipient and namesake of a new award that recognizes outstanding contributions to cooperative fisheries research in the Mid-Atlantic region. His son, Captain Robert Ruhle, accepted the award on his father’s behalf during the Council’s meeting last week in Arlington, Virginia. 

Jimmy Ruhle was a lifelong commercial fisherman, a former Council member, and a trailblazer in cooperative fisheries research. He had an instrumental role in the creation and success of the Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) Mid-Atlantic/Southern New England trawl survey, a cooperative fishery-independent survey of coastal waters from Cape Hatteras north to Cape Cod. Since 2007, the survey has been conducted biannually aboard Jimmy’s vessel, the F/V Darana R, by a team of Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) researchers working in partnership with Jimmy and his crew. Data from the survey have improved the assessments of several Council-managed species, including black sea bass, butterfish, longfin squid, scup, and summer flounder.

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The award was presented to Jimmy’s son and current Council member, Robert Ruhle, during the February 2024 Council Meeting in Arlington, Virginia.

“The NEAMAP survey not only helps to fill gaps in survey data for nearshore waters, but it has also raised industry confidence in the data used for management decisions,” said Council Executive Director Chris Moore. “These successes would not have been possible without Jimmy’s passion, hard work, and long-term commitment to cooperative research.”

After Jimmy’s death in 2023, the Council decided to create a new award to honor his legacy. The James A. Ruhle Cooperative Research Award will be given to individuals or groups who have demonstrated exceptional collaboration, dedication, or innovation in their research, or in recognition of cooperative research projects that have made significant contributions to the understanding or management of Mid-Atlantic fisheries.

“Throughout his life, Jimmy demonstrated the powerful potential for cooperative research to improve fisheries science and management,” said Council Chair Wes Townsend. “This award symbolizes our recognition and gratitude for Jimmy’s tremendous contributions to cooperative research in our region.”