Saving Seafood

Council Actions

Commercial Closure of the Golden Tilefish Hook-and-Line Component in South Atlantic Federal Waters on August 14, 2018

August 10, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

WHAT/WHEN:
The commercial hook-and-line component for golden tilefish in federal waters of the South Atlantic will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 14, 2018.
WHY THIS CLOSURE IS HAPPENING:
The 2018 commercial catch limit for the golden tilefish hook-and-line component is 78,328 pounds gutted weight. Commercial landings are projected to reach the commercial catch limit on August 14, 2018. According to the accountability measure, harvest must close to prevent the catch limit from being exceeded.
DURING AND AFTER THE CLOSURE:
  • The commercial hook-and-line component closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a federal commercial South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper permit.
  • The prohibition on sale or purchase during the closure does not apply to fish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, on August 14, 2018, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.
  • The commercial longline component for South Atlantic golden tilefish closed on March 25, 2018, for the remainder of the fishing year. Therefore, because the commercial longline component is already closed, and the commercial hook-and-line component will close on August 14, 2018, all commercial fishing for South Atlantic golden tilefish will close effective 12:01 a.m., local time, August 14, 2018.
  • During the commercial closure, harvest or possession of golden tilefish in or from federal waters is limited to the recreational bag and possession limits when the recreational sector is open.
  • Harvest by the commercial hook-and-line and longline components will reopen at 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2019.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the existing regulations. The complete list of regulations can be found in the Federal Register or at

ASMFC American Eel Board Approves Addendum V

August 10, 2018 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s American Eel Management Board approved Addendum V to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eel. The Addendum increases the yellow eel coastwide cap starting in 2019 to 916,473 pounds. This modest increase in the cap (less than 1%) reflects a correction in the historical harvest. Further, the Addendum adjusts the method (management trigger) to reduce total landings to the coastwide cap when the cap has been exceeded and removes the implementation of state-by-state allocations if the management trigger is met. Lastly, the Addendum maintains Maine’s glass eel quota of 9,688 pounds.

The Addendum responds to concerns with the previous Addendum’s (IV) yellow eel management triggers given the timing and precision of landings data and the challenges of state-by-state quota management. Under Addendum IV, management action would have be triggered when (1) the coastwide cap is exceeded by more than 10% in a given year; or (2) the coastwide cap is exceeded in two consecutive years, regardless of the percent overage. If either of these triggers had been met, state-by-state quotas would have been required to be implemented.

Under Addendum V, management action will now be initiated if the yellow eel coastwide cap is exceeded by 10% in two consecutive years.  If the management trigger is exceeded, only those states accounting for more than 1% of the total yellow eel landings will be responsible for adjusting their measures. A workgroup will be formed to define the process to equitably reduce landings among the affected states when the management trigger has been met.

The Board slightly modified the glass eel aquaculture provisions, maintaining the 200 pound limit for glass eel harvest but modifying the criteria for evaluating the proposed harvest area’s contribution to the overall population consistent with the recommendations of the Technical Committee. Under the revised provisions, the Board approved Maine’s glass eel aquaculture proposal for the 2019 fishing season, allowing for an additional 200 pounds of glass eels to be harvested for development in domestic aquaculture facilities. This amount is in addition to the Maine’s glass eel quota.

The implementation date for Addendum V is January 1, 2019. The Addendum will be posted to the Commission’s website by the end of August at http://www.asmfc.org/species/american-eel under Managements Plans.  For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Atlantic Herring Area 1A Trimester 2 Effort Controls Measures Maintained

August 9, 2018 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s Atlantic Herring Section members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts reviewed the effort control measures for the 2018 Area 1A Trimester 2 (June 1 – September 30) fishery. The states agreed to maintain the existing Area 1A Trimester 2 Days Out Measures, which are outlined below.

Days Out of the Fishery

  • Vessels with a herring Category A permit that have declared into the Trimester 2 Area 1A fishery may land herring five (5) consecutive days a week. One landing per 24 hour period.Vessels are prohibited from landing or possessing herring caught from Area 1A during a day out of the fishery.
    • Landing days in New Hampshire and Massachusetts begin on Monday of each week at 12:01 a.m.
    • Landings days in Maine begin on Sunday of each week at 6:00 p.m.
  • Small mesh bottom trawl vessels with a herring Category C or D permit that have declared into the Trimester 2 fishery may land herring seven (7) consecutive days a week.

Weekly Landing Limit

  • Vessels with a herring Category A permit may harvest up to 640,000 lbs (16 trucks) per harvester vessel, per week.
  • 160,000 lbs (4 trucks) out of the 640,000 lbs weekly limit can be transferred to a carrier vessel (see below).

At-Sea Transfer and Carrier Restrictions
The following applies to harvester vessels with a herring Category A permit and carrier vessels landing herring caught in Area 1A to a Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts port.

  • A harvester vessel can transfer herring at-sea to another catcher vessel.
  • A harvester vessel is limited to making at-sea transfers to only one carrier vessel per week.
  • Carrier vessels are limited to receiving at-sea transfers from one catcher vessel per week and can land once per 24 hour period. A carrier vessel may land up to 160,000 lbs (4 trucks) per week. The carrier limit of 4 trucks is not in addition to the harvester weekly landing limit. Carrier vessel: a vessel with no gear on board capable of catching or processing fish. Harvester vessel: a vessel that is required to report the catch it has aboard as the harvesting vessel on the Federal Vessel Trip Report.

The Area 1A sub-annual catch limit (ACL) is 32,084 metric tons (mt) after adjusting for a carryover from 2016 and the research set-aside. The Section allocated 72.8% of the sub-ACL to Trimester 2 and 27.2% to Trimester 3. After incorporating the 295 mt fixed gear set-aside and the 8% buffer (Area 1A closes at 92% of the sub-ACL), the seasonal quotas are 21,291 mt for Trimester 2 and 7,955 mt for Trimester 3.

These effort controls are projected to extend the Trimester 2 fishery through the beginning of September. Landings will be monitored closely and the fishery will be adjusted to zero landing days when the trimester’s quota is projected to be reached.

Due to the results of the 2018 Atlantic Herring Stock Assessment, which indicate poor recruitment and spawning stock biomass, the New England Fishery Management Council has recommended that the Regional Administrator allow for an in-season adjustment to the 2018 Atlantic herring sub-ACLs. The intent of this in-season adjustment is to reduce the severity of catch reductions in 2019. Following action from NOAA Fisheries to adjust the 2018 sub-ACLs, the Atlantic Herring Section members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts will reconvene via conference call to review fishing effort measures. Forty-eight hour notice will be provided before a Days Out Meeting.

Fishermen are prohibited from landing more than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring per trip from Area 1A on no landing days. Please contact Megan Ware, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at mware@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740 for more information.

A PDF of the announcement can be found at – http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5b6b5e15AtlHerringDaysOutTri2_Aug2018.pdf.

NEFMC SSC – Listen Live – Wednesday, August 15, 2018, Groundfish Issues

August 8, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will meet on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 to discuss groundfish-related issues.  The public is invited to attend in person or listen live via webinar or telephone.  Here are the details.
 
MEETING LOCATION:  Hilton Garden Inn, Boston Logan Airport, 100 Boardman Street, Boston, MA.  Hotel information is available here.
 
START TIME:  9:30 a.m.
 
WEBINAR REGISTRATION:  Online access to the meeting will be available at Listen Live. There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.
 
CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone, dial +1 (415) 930-5321. The access code is 523-918-908.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.
 
AGENDA:  The SSC will:
  • Review recent stock assessment information from the U.S./Canada Transboundary Resource Assessment Committee and Groundfish Plan Development Team (PDT) and then;
  • Recommend the overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable biological catch (ABC) for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder for the 2019 and 2020 fishing years;
  • Review 2017 operational assessments for ocean pout, Georges Bank winter flounder, witch flounder, Northern windowpane flounder, and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder;
  • Comment on the rebuilding alternatives under development by the PDT for the above-mentioned stocks to advise the Council on their technical basis; and
  • Discuss other business as necessary.
COMMENTS:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 5 p.m. on Friday, August 10, 2018.  Address comments to Council Chairman Dr. John Quinn or Executive Director Tom Nies and email them to comments@nefmc.org.  The address for mailing comments via the U.S. Postal Service is:  New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill #2, Newburyport, MA  01950.
 
MATERIALS:  Meeting materials will be posted on the Council’s website at SSC August 15, 2018 documents.
QUESTIONS:  Contact Joan O’Leary at (978) 465-0492 ext. 106, joleary@nefmc.org or Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.

 

Atlantic Sea Scallop RSA Competition Underway; 2019-2020 Proposals Due by October 1, 2018

August 6, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The federal competition for 2019-2020 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Awards is now open.

The deadline for submitting full proposals is 5 p.m., Monday, October 1, 2018.

The New England Fishery Management Council sets research priorities for this industry-funded program, while NOAA Fisheries, through the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, manages the RSA competition and administers the program.

During its June meeting in Portland, ME, the Council approved two categories of priorities for this latest RSA cycle. These include: (1) “high” priorities, which are ranked; and (2) “general research areas,” which are not ranked in any order of preference.

Each year during the specification-setting process, the Council “sets aside” 1.25 million pounds scallops to carry out the program. Awards are made in pounds, not dollars, and no federal funding is provided. Instead, proceeds generated from the sale of set-aside scallops are used to fund research activities and compensate participating vessels.

The New England Council established the Scallop RSA Program to address research questions that support management of the scallop resource. The work is conducted collaboratively between fishermen and scientists. Research results directly contribute to stock assessments and help the Council better manage the fishery overall.

Council Chairman Dr. John Quinn called the RSA program “one of the flagships of the scallop fishery.”

Read the full release here

Red Snapper Opening Offers Opportunity for Limited Harvest and Improved Data Collection

August 3, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Recreational fishermen gearing up for the upcoming red snapper mini-season are reminded that the weekend openings provide more than just an opportunity to land a nice red snapper for dinner. The season also provides an important window for data collection crucial to red snapper management and fishermen can help in a number of ways. The recreational fishery will open for two consecutive 3-day weekends: August 10-12, 2018 and August 17-19, 2018 with a 1 fish per person per day bag limit and no minimum size limit. The commercial fishery is currently open with a 75 pound (gutted weight) trip limit, no minimum size limit, and will close when the commercial annual catch limit of 124,815 pounds whole weight (12,854 fish) is met or by December 31, 2018. The recreational annual catch limit is 42,510 fish.

During the opening, state marine resource agencies along with NOAA Fisheries will have personnel stationed along the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and the east coast of Florida to gather information from fishermen as they return from their fishing trips. In addition to cooperating with these efforts, recreational fishermen can also take the initiative to report their fishing activities via a mobile app as they occur offshore and keep a personal log for future reference.

Recreational anglers now have the opportunity to report and log information about their recreational trips and catches through the MyFishCount electronic reporting mobile app. The app is available for free download at the Google Play and App Store, or through the MyFishCount website at www.myfishcount.com. In addition to providing information to fishery scientists and managers, anglers have the ability to access information about their previous trips and catches.

The MyFishCount app is easy to use and instructional videos are available via YouTube. To learn more, visit https://www.myfishcount.com or http://safmc.net/electronic-reporting-projects/myfishcount/.

The MyFishCount project was developed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council in conjunction with Angler Action (Snook and Gamefish Foundation) and Elemental Methods with funding from NOAA Fisheries. The project is designed to help provide information not previously captured in current monitoring programs. Once a personal MyFishCount account is established, fishermen may report information about their fishing activities, including species kept and released, the length and number of fish released, catch location, depth fished, gear used, release treatment, reason for release and more. Anglers can also report trips that had to be abandoned due to poor weather conditions, which was an important data point collected in the 2017 red snapper mini-season that contributed to the decision to allow for additional fishing days.

MyFishCount participants are able to record their fishing trips throughout the year, regardless of the species targeted or location fished, and will have access to their stored information. The 2018 red snapper mini-season offers an excellent opportunity for recreational fishermen to open an account and participate in the new pilot project.

Fishermen heading back to boat ramps and marinas during the red snapper mini-season are encouraged to assist state marine resource agency staff and NOAA Fisheries personnel with expanded efforts to collect information, even if the MyFishCount app has been used offshore. Pausing to provide answers to a few questions or allowing staff to quickly take biological samples such as otoliths (ear bones) from red snapper catches will provide valuable data that may be used in future stock assessments and management decisions. Carcass collection sites with freezers and catch cards for recording information about the fish will also be established by some states.

In addition, law enforcement personnel will have a higher presence on the water. Safety will be a primary focus for enforcement officers as fishermen head offshore, along with ensuring regulations are being followed.

It may seem simple, but good angler ethics and best practices will go a long way in making a good fishing trip a great one. Know the rules. For example, the use of non-stainless steel circle hooks is required when targeting snapper grouper species (including red snapper) when fishing with natural baits in waters North of 28 degrees latitude (a line just south of Melbourne, Florida). Dehooking devices are also required onboard.

Plan ahead and have the equipment needed to properly release a fish. Know how to properly handle a fish and if snapping a photo of your catch, be ready with your camera before the fish comes onboard. Catch and release is okay, but move off of an area to avoid releasing too many fish. To help you plan ahead and prepare for a successful trip, check out the list of Best Fishing Practices and other information now available from the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/2018-red-snapper-season/. The website also includes additional details on data collection efforts by state marine resources agencies during the 2018 red snapper season, including carcass collection sites.

The Council is currently considering options for requiring best fishing practices to reduce the number of released fish and release mortality for species in the snapper grouper management complex. Public scoping webinars are scheduled for August 7th and 8th, and written public comment is being accepted until August 17, 2018. Learn more at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council: US Billfish is Sustainable, Provides Fresh Seafood and Local Revenue

August 2, 2018 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is disappointed that America’s seafood consumers may soon be deprived of sustainably harvested domestic marlin products should President Trump sign legislation to prohibit interstate commerce of billfish (not including swordfish) landed in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The bill, introduced by U.S. Rep. Darren Soto’s (D-Fla.), passed the House on June 26 and the Senate on July 30 and is now headed to the president.

“It is upsetting, in this era of tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the $12 billion US seafood trade deficit, that highly monitored US Pacific Island fishing and seafood communities may suffer hardship should this legislation become law,” notes Kitty M. Simonds, executive director of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.

Under current law, billfish caught by U.S. vessels that are landed in Hawaii or other U.S. Pacific Islands may be sold to markets on the U.S. mainland. More than 550,000 pounds of American-caught billfish landed in the U.S. Pacific Islands are annually marketed in the continental United States. The billfish is worth approximately $830,000 in 2017 dockside value. When the dockside value is expanded through wholesale and retail markets, the estimated annual value is approximately $2.5 million.

The commercial harvest of Atlantic billfish has been prohibited in the United States since 1988 because several Atlantic billfish species are overfished and/or subject to overfishing (e.g., blue marlin, white marlin and East Atlantic sailfish). By contrast, Pacific and Western Pacific billfish populations are not overfished nor subject to overfishing, with the exception of striped marlin, due to international fishing. A Billfish Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is required to accompany billfish to any dealer or processor who subsequently receives or possesses the billfish. The COE documents the vessel, homeport, port of offloading and date of offloading and ensures the fish is not from the Atlantic or foreign fisheries.

Chris Oliver, NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, in December 2017, said he has “full confidence in these existing management processes to sustainably manage billfish populations.”

Congresswomen Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii), Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam) and Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa), in an Additional Views statement on H.R. 4528, said the legislation “will negatively impact the livelihoods of fishermen in Hawaii, Guam and the Pacific Insular Areas by closing off the only off-island market for U.S.-caught billfish.” Acknowledging that several Atlantic billfish species are subject to overfishing, the Congresswomen said, “We support needed-conservation efforts in the Atlantic, but do not believe that Pacific fisheries need to be targeted in order to achieve these goals.”

Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, in a June 5, 2018, letter to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, said “we believe the legislation would not advance the conservation of billfish significantly, and would block a small amount of sustainably harvested domestic product from entering commerce on the U.S. mainland.”

NMFS estimates that the United States imports more than 80 percent of the seafood consumed in the nation (www.fishwatch.gov/sustainable-seafood/the-global-picture). According to NMFS data, the United States imported more than 6 billion pounds of seafood valued at more than $21.5 billion in 2017, which is more imported seafood than at any point in the nation’s history.

For more information, go to www.wpcouncil.org/billfish.

Serving Blue Martin Tempura at the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council’s booth during the 2003 NOAA Fish Fry are (i-r) Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds, Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans, NOAA Administrator Conrad C. Lautenbacher, and Honolulu Chef Russel Siu.

ASMFC 2018 Summer Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

August 2, 2018 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Meeting are now available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2018-summer-meeting for the following Boards/Sections (click on “Supplemental” following each relevant committee header to access the information). For ease of access, supplemental meeting materials have been combined into one PDF – http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/2018SummerMeeting/2018SummerMeetingSupplemental.pdf.

Executive Committee – Delaware Appeal Criterion 1 Clarification

Atlantic Herring Section – SARC 65 DRAFT Atlantic Herring Assessment for 2018 and Public Commen

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Public Comment

American Eel Management Board – Technical Committee Task List and Maryland Update of 2017 Eel Harvest

Coastal Sharks Management Board –  Technical Committee Task List &  Draft Addendum V

Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Technical Committee Task List; Memo on 2019 Summer Flounder Recreational Management; FMP Reviews for Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass

South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board – Atlantic Croaker & Spot Traffic Light Analysis Update Results; Atlantic Croaker and Spot Plan Development Team Recommendations for Management Response; FMP Reviews for Atlantic Croaker and Red Drum; Technical Committee Task List

As a reminder, Board meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning August 7th at 10:15 a.m. and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 1:45 p.m.) on August 9th. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board/section deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. Go here – https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3101304879756771073 – to register for the webinar.

SAFMC Seeks Applicants for Federal Fishery Advisory Panels and Workgroup

August 2, 2018 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently soliciting applicants for open advisory panel seats as well as fishing representatives to serve on the System Management Plan Workgroup. The Workgroup will address future needs of managed areas in federal waters in the South Atlantic. The Council’s advisory panel members provide information and guidance in the development and implementation of federal fishery management plans.

The Council has 13 advisory panels composed of individuals who are engaged in the harvest of managed species, or are knowledgeable and interested in the conservation and management of the fishery or managed species. Members include recreational and commercial fishermen, seafood dealers and processors, scientists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as environmental groups, fishing organizations, etc., and concerned citizens.

Advisory panel members are appointed by the Council and serve for a three-year period, based on the frequency of meetings. As those appointments expire, members currently serving on an AP may reapply for their positions. These seats are also open to new applicants. Members may serve three consecutive terms before reaching their multi-term limit. The Council’s advisory panels generally meet no more than once or twice each year and are compensated for travel and per diem expenses for all meetings.

Read the full release here

NEFMC: Atlantic Herring Research Set-Aside Competition Underway; Proposals Due by September 20, 2018

August 1, 2018 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The federal competition for 2019-2021 Atlantic Herring Research Set-Aside (RSA) Awards is now open. The deadline for submitting full proposals is 5 p.m., Thursday, September 20, 2018.

The New England Fishery Management Council established the RSA program in 2007 under Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. Under the program, the Council sets aside 0% to 3% of the annual catch limit (ACL) from each herring management area to support research identified by the Council as priority projects. NOAA Fisheries manages the RSA competition and administers the program.

IMPORTANT: The amount of quota that will be set aside for 2019-2021 projects is not known yet and will be determined only after the Council sets specifications for the next three fishing years. The Council will receive an update on 2019-2021 specifications during its September meeting in Plymouth, MA and then take final action in December at its meeting in Newport, RI. RSA proposals are due before the Council takes final action.

During the 2016-2018 specification-setting process, the Council elected to set aside the maximum level of 3% for RSA compensation. The Council once again will need to specify the percentage allocated to the RSA Program in the 2019-2021 specifications package.

Atlantic Herring Research Set-Aside Priorities

The Council adopted five research priorities for the 2019-2021 Atlantic Herring RSA Program when it met back in December 2017. These – in no particular order of priority – cover the following scope:

  • Portside sampling and bycatch avoidance projects primarily related to haddock and river herring/shad;
  • Stock structure and spatial management projects – in particular, continued work on:
    • distinguishing among subcomponents of the herring resource – Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and Southern New England – and identifying stocks of origin from mixed catches,
    • identifying the relative size of stock components, movements, and mixing rates,
    • ascertaining the degree of homing, and
    • investigating potential effects of climate change;
  • Research spawning dynamics, including projects related to life history, gear interactions, and spatial patterns, including studies to evaluate whether gear interactions disrupt spawning and negatively affect recruitment due to egg disposition and survival;
  • Localized depletion studies to evaluate the influence of potential localized depletion of herring on predators; and
  • Projects designed to evaluate discard rates and mortality of released fish in the purse seine fishery.

NOTE: RSA compensation fishing is exempt from: (1) the Area 1A January-May seasonal closure and the Area 1B January-April seasonal closure; and (2) area closures that occur when a sub-ACL has been reached.

2018 Assessment Results, Amendment 8

The Council is awaiting results from the 2018 benchmark stock assessment for Atlantic herring. The stock’s status will factor into the Council’s decision-making for 2019-2021 specifications. Information about the assessment is available at SAW/SARC 65 and 2018 benchmarks.

The Council also is scheduled to take final action on Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Herring FMP in late September and may select a new acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rule. Control rules guide the specification-setting process. Learn more at Amendment 8.

View the release in its entirety here.