South Atlantic Council Seeks Input on Proposed Changes to Atlantic Cobia Management

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is soliciting public input on proposed management changes for Atlantic cobia as they consider revising the current management system. Public hearings will be held via webinar with public listening stations beginning January 22, 2018.

NEFMC to Hold Two Mid-Atlantic Port Meetings to Gather Public Input for Independent Program Review

The New England Fishery Management Council has scheduled two port meetings in the Mid-Atlantic region to gather public input for their ongoing independent program review. The meetings will be held on January 8 in Montauk, NY and January 9 in Cape May, NJ.

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Quotas for Squid and Butterfish

NOAA Fisheries proposes squid and butterfish quotas for the 2018-2020 fishing years and will maintain the mackerel quotas previously set for 2018.Comments on this rule must be received by 5 pm on January 12, 2018.

October 2017 Council Meeting Summary

The following summary highlights actions taken and issues considered at the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s October 2017 meeting in Riverhead, NY. Presentations, briefing materials, and webinar recordings are available on the Council website at http://www.mafmc.org/briefing/october-2017.

Open October 2017 Council Meeting Summary (pdf)

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule for Mid-Atlantic Council Fishery Management Plans

NOAA Fisheries is requesting comments on a proposed rule to implement the Omnibus Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) Framework Adjustment for the Mid-Atlantic Council's fishery management plans. Comments are due August 18, 2017.

Mid-Atlantic Council to Hold Scoping Hearings for Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Excessive Shares Amendment

The Council will hold four scoping hearings in July to solicit public input on the Excessive Shares Amendment to the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog FMP. Written comments may be submitted through July 21, 2017.

Notice of availability: Blueline Tilefish Amendment to the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan

NOAA Fisheries has published a notice of availability for Amendment 6 to the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan (previously referred to as the "Blueline Tilefish Amendment"). Comments on the amendment will be accepted through August 14, 2017.

Mid-Atlantic Council to Hold Hearings on New Jersey Special Management Zones

The Council will hold public hearings November 15-17, 2016 to gather public comments on a request by the State of New Jersey to designate 13 artificial reef sites as Special Management Zones. Written comments will be accepted until Friday, November 25, 2016, 11:59 p.m. EST.

NOAA Fisheries Announces Public Hearing and Comment Period for Industry-Funded Monitoring Amendment

NOAA Fisheries has announced public hearings and the opportunity to comment on the various amendment alternatives for future industry-funded monitoring programs. Public hearings will be held October 4 through November 1. Comments may be submitted by mail or online until November 7.

Publication: A Framework for Incorporating Species, Fleet, Habitat, and Climate Interactions into Fishery Management

The following article was published in Frontiers in Marine Science, section Marine Ecosystem Ecology.

A Framework for Incorporating Species, Fleet, Habitat, and Climate Interactions into Fishery Management

Sarah K. Gaichas, Richard J. Seagraves, Jessica M. Coakley, Geret S. DePiper, Vincent G. Guida, Jonathan A. Hare, Paul J. Rago, and Michael J. Wilberg.

Abstract

Marine ecosystems are characterized by many complex interactions. Fisheries managers face the challenge of maintaining or restoring sustainability for individual living resources which are affected by both ecological and economic interactions with other species, through processes like predation and fishing fleet interactions. These species interactions are further complicated by interactions with habitats that are changing due to both human activities and climate change. Often, fishery management systems designed to promote sustainability of individual resources have few tools or processes that also address interactions between species, fleets, habitat, and climate. Here, we review existing and potential fishery assessment and management information and tools, and we develop a potential framework for addressing interactions in management at the request of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. The structured framework can be used to first prioritize interactions, second specify key questions regarding high priority interactions, and third tailor appropriate analyses to address them. The primary tools for the initial steps in the framework are risk assessment and Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE). Finally, implemented management would be evaluated to ensure that objectives are being met, or to adjust measures as conditions change. In the final section, we outline an example to illustrate how a structured decision making process within the framework could work.

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