The following summary highlights actions and issues considered at the Council's June 8-11 meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
This week the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved an amendment to protect deep sea corals from the impacts of bottom-tending fishing gear in the Mid-Atlantic.
The following summary highlights Council actions and issues considered at the April 14-16, 2015 Council Meeting held in Long Branch, New Jersey.
NOAA Fisheries is proposing to implement measures to enhance catch monitoring and address slippage in the Atlantic mackerel fishery. Comments on the proposed rule are due June 18.
The Council is collecting scoping comments for a potential amendment that would consider options for reducing the capacities of the longfin squid and Illex squid fleets. The deadline to submit written comments is May 11.
Members of the public are invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Council’s next listening session at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2015 in Long Branch, New Jersey to provide input for the development of a Squid Capacity Amendment.
The Council has scheduled six scoping hearings between April 6 and April 21, 2015 to gather input for a potential amendment that would address capacity of the longfin squid and Illex squid fleets. Written scoping comments can also be submitted HERE.
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold six public hearings in January to gather public comments on the Deep Sea Corals Amendment to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Hearings will be held January 12 – 20, 2015, and written comments will be accepted until January 28, 2015.
NOAA Fisheries has published proposed specifications for the Atlantic mackerel, squid and butterfish fisheries for fishing year 2015. The deadline to submit public comments on December 15, 2014.
NOAA Fisheries has announced the transfer of 1,900 metric tons of butterfish to the butterfish directed fishery from the butterfish mortality cap on the longfin squid fishery.
NOAA Fisheries has announced the closure of the longfin squid fishery for the remainder of Trimester 2. Vessels issued Federal moratorium longfin squid permits, with some exemptions, may not fish for, catch, possess or land more than 2,500 lb of longfin per trip or calendar day until Trimester 3 begins on September 1, 2014.
Last month the Northeast Fisheries Science Center released a new butterfish stock assessment which concluded that the stock is not overfished and that overfishing is not occurring. The fishery's status had previously been characterized as "unknown."
The following summary highlights Council actions and issues considered at the Council's meeting on April 8 - 10, 2014 in Montauk, New York.
NOAA Fisheries has published 2014 specifications for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish. Specifications are effective April 4, 2014 through December 31, 2014.
The Council is accepting applications from individuals interested in serving on its newly-formed river herring and shad advisory panel. Deadline: February 28, 2014.
NOAA Fisheries has announced the 2014 specifications for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish. Proposed measures include a 24% increase in the butterfish landings quota and a 236-metric ton cap on river herring and shad catch in the mackerel fishery.
December 9-11, 2013
Annapolis, Maryland
On November 7, 2013, NOAA Fisheries, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, partially approved Amendment 14 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan.
NOAA Fisheries has announced that all permitted vessels in the Northeast region are now authorized to participate in electronic trip reporting (eVTR).
During the October Council meeting in Philadelphia, PA, the Council addressed a range of issues, including specifications for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, bluefish, and spiny dogfish. Check out the October Meeting Summary to learn more.
