ARLINGTON, VA (ASMFC), March 1, 2012 – Atlantic coastal states from Maine through Georgia have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the Public Information Document (PID) for Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden. The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled meetings follow.
Maine Department of Marine Resources
April 4, 2012; 6 – 9 PM
Casco Bay Lines Conference Room
56 Commercial Street
Portland, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553
New Hampshire Fish and Game
April 3, 2012; 7 – 9 PM
Urban Forestry Center
45 Elwyn Road
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Contact: Doug Grout at 603.868.1095
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
April 2, 2012; 6 PM
Plymouth Public Library
Otto Fehlow Room
132 South Street
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Contact: David Pierce at 617-626-1532
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
March 28, 2012; 6 PM
URI Narragansett Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Jason McNamee at 401.423.1943
New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation
March 27, 2012; 7 PM
Marine Resources Headquarters
205 North Belle Mead Rd, Suite 1
East Setauket, New York
Contact: Steve Heins at 631.444.0435
New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife
March 21, 2012; 7- 10 PM
Ocean County Administration Building
101 Hooper Avenue
Public Hearing Room #119
Toms River, New Jersey
Contact: Peter Himchak AT 609.748.2020
Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources & Environmental Control
March 28, 2012; 6 – 8 PM
Lewes Field Facility
901 Pilottown Road
Lewes, Delaware
Contact: John Clark at 302.739.9914
Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources
March 19, 2012; 6 PM
Easton High School Cafeteria
723 Mecklenburg Avenue
Easton, Maryland
Contact: Lynn Fegley at 410.260.8285
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
March 22, 2012; 6 PM
2600 Washington Avenue, Fourth Floor
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Jack Travelstead at 757.247.2247
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
March 27, 2012; 6 PM
NC Division of Marine Fisheries
Central District Office
5285 Highway 70 West
Morehead City, North Carolina
Contact: Trish Murphey at 252.808.8091
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
March 30, 2012; 10 AM
Marine Advisory Council Meeting
217 Fort Johnson Road
Charleston, South Carolina
Contact: Mel Bell at 843.953.9007
Georgia Coastal Resources Division
March 29, 2012; 5 – 7 PM
Richmond Hill City Center (located in Gregory Park)
520 Cedar Street
Richmond Hill, Georgia
Contact: Doug Haymans at 912.264.7218
The Commission's Atlantic Menhaden Management Board approved the Public Information Document (PID) for Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden for public comment and review. As the first step in the development of Amendment 2, the PID presents the current status of the fishery and resource, and solicits public input on which major issues and alternatives should be included for consideration and analysis in Draft Amendment 2.
The PID's primary focus is to initiate discussion on the timing and implementation of achieving the new fishing mortality threshold (F = 1.32) and target (F = 0.62) reference points recently adopted through Addendum V. Since fishing mortality in 2008 (the latest year in the assessment) is estimated at 2.28, overfishing is occurring, however, the stock is not overfished. The goal of the new reference points is to increase abundance, spawning stock biomass, and menhaden availability as a forage species. The PID also seeks public input on a more timely and comprehensive catch reporting system, and scopes potential options to be used in managing Atlantic menhaden commercial bait and reduction fisheries as well as recreational fishery.
Alongside the development of Amendment 2, the peer-reviewed stock assessment will be updated with data through 2011 to provide a more recent estimate of fishing mortality. Results of the assessment update will be used to estimate the harvest reductions needed to achieve the new threshold and target fishing mortality rates. Therefore, preliminary harvest reductions are provided in the PID but will likely change based on the results of the stock assessment update.
Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the PID by either attending public hearings or providing written comments. Copies of the PID are available here or by contacting the Commission at 703.842.0740. The public comment deadline is 5:00 PM (EST) on April 20, 2012 and should be forwarded to Mike Waine, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at mwaine@asmfc.org (Subject line: Menhaden PID).