Council Actions

July 3, 2014 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The Council Report summarizes major actions approved at NEFMC meetings or highlights items of interest to stakeholders.

At its June 17-19, 2014 meeting in Portland, ME, the Council:

Initiated Framework Adjustment 26 to the Sea Scallop FMP

Worked further on Amendment 18, Approved Framework 52, and initiated Framework 53 to the Ground-fish FMP

Voted to move the Vessel 
Baseline Amendment forward for public review

Read the full report here

 

June 27, 2014 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

As part of its FishTank Forum, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute will host a series of public listening sessions about the New England Fishery Management Council’s proposed Habitat Amendment — Omnibus Habitat Amendment 2. Michelle Bachman, who is the Council’s Habitat Fishery Analyst,will frame the discussion by outlining what’s in the document and addressing audience questions. She can be reached at mbachman@nefmc.org or 978.465.0492, ext. 120.

Attend and take the opportunity to learn more about the habitat proposals before the public hearings and comment periods are scheduled. The intent of the sessions is to help anyone who might be interested to fully understand the scope of the proposals, the details, and how they might affect fishing in your area. Click http://www.nefmc.org/habitat/ to review a draft version of the Habitat Amendment.

July 9 –   Cape May, NJ (Congress Hall, 200 Congress Pl.)
July 10 – Norfolk, VA (Courtyard by Marriott, 520 Plume St.)
July 16 – Rockland, ME (Maine Lighthouse Museum, One Park Dr.)
July 17 – Portsmouth, NH (Hilton Garden Inn, 100 High St.)
July 22 – New Bedford, MA (Fairfield Inn and Suites, 185 MacArthur Dr.)
July 23 – Gloucester, MA (Gloucester House Restaurant, 63 Rogers St.)
July 24 – Narragansett, RI (Superior Trawl, 55 State St.)

All sessions will be held from 5:30-8:30 and refreshments will be served.

 

 

June 25, 2014 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC):

Newburyport, MA Federal fishery managers received a report prepared by a team of technical experts who evaluated the performance of the sea scallop day boat fleet that has been governed by an Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) management program since 2010. The report, drafted at the direction of the New England Fishery Management Council to monitor trends associated with IFQ management, was presetned at its meeting late last week in Portland, ME.

Read the full released from the NEFMC

June 19, 2014 — The New England Fishery Management Council is asking the federal government to consider allowing fishermen to catch more haddock in the Gulf of Maine this year.

The council voted Wednesday to ask the National Marine Fisheries Service to raise the haddock catch limit for the 2014 fishing year. The fishing year began May 1 and ends April 30, 2015.

The catch limit is currently close to 700,000 pounds.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Portland Press Herald

PORTLAND, Maine — June 16, 2014 — Portland, Maine is hosting a meeting of the New England Fishery Management Council this week that will consider numerous issues related to the northeastern fishing industry.

The meeting takes place from June 17 to 19. The council — an inter-governmental body that represents state and federal interests — will consider a request for emergency action regarding the Atlantic herring fishery.

Read the full story from The Associated Press at the Daily Reporter

June 13, 2014 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC):

To Interested Parties:

The public is invited to attend the June 17-19, 2014 New England Fishery Management Council meeting.
It will be held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring Street, Portland, ME 04101. For further information
about the location, click Holiday Inn by the Bay.

Agenda: On Tuesday, the meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. On Wednesday and Thursday, it will start at 8:30 a.m.
To access the meeting agenda, click this link Revised June Council Meeting Agenda.

Webinar: The webinar will be activated about one-half hour prior to the start time of the meeting each day and will end
at approximately 5:00-5:30 p.m. daily.

Webinar Registration: For online access to the meeting, please register by clicking on
https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/570009535. Once registered, you will receive an email confirmation
with the information you will need to join the webinar.

Charges for Listening: There are no charges for accessing the webinar via your computer.
If you would like to listen to the meeting on your telephone, however, please be aware
that regular phone charges will apply.

Toll: +1 (951) 266-6126
Access Code: 328-871-818

Meeting Materials: Meeting documents will be posted on the Council’s website at www.nefmc.org.
Check for them on the Calendar or What’s New/Helpful Information pages.

Questions: If you have questions prior to the meeting, feel free to call Pat Fiorelli at the Council office at
(978-465-0492, ext. 106) or pfiorelli@nefmc.org. During the meeting, please contact Pat at 617.548.5786
or use the email address

June 3, 2014 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

NOAA Fisheries Recreational Fisheries Policy
 
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 – 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Radisson Hotel of Freehold (map)
50 Gibson Place, Freehold, NJ  07728; tel: 732-780-3400
 
Webinar: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/june2014

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries will host a public listening session on June 11th from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel in Freehold, New Jersey (in conjunction with the June Council meeting). NOAA Fisheries is seeking input from anglers and other interested stakeholders on what should be included in a National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy. The listening session will begin with a presentation from NOAA Fisheries, followed by an opportunity for stakeholders to share their opinions and ideas for the policy.
 
The listening session will be broadcast live via webinar (select "enter as guest"). Webinar participants may submit questions and comments during the listening session by through the webinar's chat function.
 
About the National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy
NOAA Fisheries is developing a recreational saltwater fisheries policy as part of its Recreational Fisheries Initiative, which was launched in 2009 with the objective of strengthening the Agency's partnership with the recreational fishing community. The policy will outline a set of principles that guide recreational management decisions and will serve as the underpinning to Agency's the recreational fisheries action agenda.
 
Beginning in June, NOAA Fisheries will hold a series of town hall meetings in conjunction with Council meetings to gather stakeholders' input and ideas for the policy. Additional information about the policy and how to provide comments is available here.
 
Related Links
– Recreational Fisheries Policy
– Public Town Halls: Complete Schedule
– National Policy Fact Sheet

Contacts
For questions about the recreational fisheries policy:

– Russ Dunn, NOAA Fisheries, National Policy Advisor – (727) 551-5740, russell.dunn@noaa.gov
– Danielle Rioux, NOAA Fisheries, Policy Specialist – (301) 427-8516, danielle.rioux@noaa.gov
 
For questions about the Council meeting, or for assistance with connecting to the webinar:

Mary Clark, MAFMC, Communications Program Coordinator – (302) 526-5261, mclark@mafmc.org

About Listening Sessions
Listening sessions are held during each Council meeting as an open and informal opportunity for the public to interact with Council members and leadership, as well as with experts in a range of relevant fields. Most listening sessions focus on a specific topic of current interest. Listening sessions are always accessible via webinar. 

 

June 2, 2014 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is distributing a revised agenda for its June 17-19, 2014 meeting in Portland, ME. Two changes have been made. First, the Omnibus Vessel Baseline Amendment discussion will now take place on Thursday, June 19 at 8:30 a.m.
 
Also, an additional agenda item has been added on June 18 at 2:30 p.m. At this time, the Council will consider an emergency action request to modify the fishing year 2015 management measures associated with the haddock catch cap for the Atlantic herring midwater trawl fishery. Requests for emergency action may be added to the agenda within 14 days of the meeting, as authorized by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

View the revised NEFMC agenda here

*Updated 6/6/14

 

May 28, 2014 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC):

To All Stakeholders and Interested Parties:
 
The public is invited to attend the June 17-19, 2014 New England Fishery Management Council meeting. It will be held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring Street, Portland, ME 04101. For further information about the location, click Holiday Inn by the Bay .
 
Agenda: On Tuesday, the meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. On Wednesday and Thursday, it will start at 8:30 a.m. To access the meeting agenda, click this link June 17-19, 2014 NEFMC Council Meeting agenda.
 
Webinar: The webinar will be activated about one-half hour prior to the start time of the meeting each day and will end at approximately 5:00-5:30 p.m. daily.
 
Webinar Registration: For online access to the meeting, please register by clicking on https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/570009535. Once registered, you will receive an email confirmation with the information you will need to join the webinar.
 
Charges for Listening: There are no charges for accessing the webinar via your computer. If you would like to listen to the meeting on your telephone, however, please be aware that regular phone charges will apply.
 
Toll: +1 (951) 266-6126
Access Code: 328-871-818
 
Meeting Materials: Meeting documents will be posted on the Council’s website at www.nefmc.org. Check for them on the Calendar or What’s New/Helpful Information pages.
 
Questions: If you have questions prior to the meeting, feel free to call Pat Fiorelli at the Council office at (978-465-0492, ext. 106) or pfiorelli@nefmc.org. During the meeting, please contact Pat at 617.548.5786 or use the email address.
 
Note – If you wish to listen in to the presentation NOAA Fisheries Plans to Develop a National Policy for Recreational Fishing, you must re-register for GoToWebinar. Click on https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/402231135.

May 28, 2014 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

Date: Monday, June 9, 2014
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Hampton Inn and Suites
2100 Post Road
Warwick, RI 02886
Phone: (401) 739-8888; Fax: (401) 739-1550

Agenda:
The Council’s Groundfish Oversight Committee will meet primarily to discuss alternatives under development in Amendment 18 (A18) and Framework Adjustment 52 (FW 52). Specifically, they will:

• Discuss draft alternatives for consideration in A18, review work from the Groundfish Plan Development Team (PDT) related to A18, and develop recommendations to the Council on the A18 alternatives to include in the DEIS for analysis.

• Discuss draft alternatives for consideration in FW 52, review work from the PDT related to FW 52, and possibly make recommendations to the Council on preferred FW 52 alternatives.

• Discuss possible items for inclusion in Framework Adjustment 53, which will be initiated at the June Council meeting.

• Other business may be discussed.

Directions:
From I-95 North or South: Take Exit 13 (Airport Connector). Follow straight and take the Post Road Exit. At the bottom of the exit ramp bear left at the traffic light and the hotel is one block on the right side.

Shuttle Service: The hotel has a complimentary shuttle to/from the airport. Proceed to the baggage claim area to call the hotel for pickup.

Flying? Fly into T.F. Green (PVD) Airport which is located just a few minutes from the hotel.

Parking? Parking is complimentary at the hotel.

Internet Availability? Wireless internet is available and complimentary throughout the hotel and guest rooms.

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. This schedule is subject to change.
If you have questions, please call the Council office for final confirmation of meeting times, dates and locations.

Note: if you are submitting comments for Council consideration at this meeting they must be received at the office by 12 p.m. EST on Thursday, June 5, 2014.

Read the release here