March 24, 2014 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's April 2014 meeting in Montauk, New York.
April 8 -10, 2014
Montauk Yacht Club
32 Star Island Road
Montauk, NY 11954
Telephone 631-668-3100
For online access to the meeting, enter as a guest at:
http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/april2014/
Briefing materials will be posted as they become available at:
http://www.mafmc.org/briefing/april-2014
Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, April 8
8:30am – 12:15pm: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Offshore Wind Leasing Workshop (Location: Vanderbilt Room)
– A Workshop to Discuss the Offshore Wind Energy Leasing Process and Best Management Practices.
– Note: This workshop is sponsored by BOEM and is not a part of the official Council meeting agenda. Council members and all other interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Brian Hooker at brian.hooker@boem.gov.
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: River Herring & Shad Committee
– Review and approve terms of reference and scope of work for Committee
2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Executive Committee
– Develop Council position on MSA Reauthorization issues
Wednesday, April 9
9:00 a.m.: Council Convenes
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: SAW/SARC Presentation – Jim Weinberg, NEFSC
– Summary of SAW/SARC 58 (butterfish, tilefish, northern shrimp)
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Tilefish Management Measures for 2015 – 2017
–Review SSC and Tilefish Monitoring Committee's recommendations for 2015 – 2017 harvest levels and management measures
–Adopt recommendations for 2015 – 2017 harvest levels and management measures
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Lunch
1:00 p.m.: Council Convenes
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Update on Scup GRA Framework (8)
– Review and discuss comments received from Advisors on modifications to Scup GRAs
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Update on Deep Sea Coral Amendment
– Review progress update on initial analysis of current alternatives
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: MRIP Presentation – Gordon Colvin, NMFS
– Update on overall implementation
– Review results of for-hire reporting pilot projects
– Discuss possible changes to for-hire reporting
4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Who Fishes There? Establishing a baseline of spatial fishing revenue along the Atlantic coast – A. Justin Kirkpatrick – NEFSC
– A GIS application that will identify areas important to specific fishing communities, species, gears, and seasons to establish a baseline of commercial fishing effort for BOEM.
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Listening Session – Tom Watson, UK Fishery Liaison Officer
– Managing navigational hazards for fishermen during wind farm construction
– Data collection by fishing vessels concerning commercial species behavior in and around wind farms
Thursday, April 10
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.: Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology Amendment – Doug Potts, GARFO
– Amendment review and approval
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Costs Associated with Current Observer Program
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Business Session
– Approve December 2013 and February 2014 minutes
– Organizational Reports
–NMFS Regional Administrator
–NMFS NEFSC Director
–NOAA Office of General Counsel
–Federal Enforcement Officials (NMFS and USCG)
–ASMFC Executive Director
– Liaison Reports
–New England Council (February 25-26, 2014)
–South Atlantic Council (March 3-7, 2014)
– Executive Director's Report – Chris Moore
–Discuss RSA permitting cycle
–Surfclam/Ocean Quahog industry concerns regarding NEFMC Habitat Amendment
–Discuss planning for Summer Flounder Amendment
– Science Report – Rich Seagraves
– Committee Reports
–River Herring & Shad Committee
–Executive Committee
–Spiny Dogfish Committee
– Continuing and New Business
View a PDF of the schedule here