Council Actions

Alexandria, VA — FEBRUARY 22, 2013 — The Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved Addendum XXIII

The states of Delaware to North Carolina (North of Hatteras), which predominantly fish in federal waters, have indicated their intention to adopt the identical measures proposed for federal waters (12.5” minimum size limit and a season of May 19 – October 14 and November 1 – December 31) which remain unchanged from 2012 with the exception of a bag limit reduction from 25 to 20 fish. The northern states (Massachusetts to New Jersey) will be developing regional regulations to achieve a 32% reduction in harvest, with the intention of implementing consistent regulations throughout the region. The Board will meet by conference call to finalize the northern state measures; information on the meeting will be posted to the Commission’s website (www.asmfc.org) under Meetings when it becomes available. (12.5” minimum size limit, 20 fish bag limit, and open season); this fishery predominantly occurs in federal waters.

In a related action, the Board increased the 2013 black sea bass acceptable biological catch (ABC) from 4.5 million pounds to 5.5 million pounds, with a recreational harvest limit (RHL) of 2.26 million pounds and a commercial quota of 2.17 million pounds. This action was based in part on recent past fishery performance and a favorable stock response in terms of maintaining or increasing abundance. Based on the 2012 stock assessment update, black sea bass is rebuilt and is not subject to overfishing; spawning stock is currently at 102% of the management program’s target. The action is consistent with that of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This increase in ABC helped to alleviate the required reductions in the recreational fishery.

The Board also initiated the development of Draft Addendum XXIV to the Summer Flounder FMP. The Draft Addendum will propose a mechanism to allow states access to RHL that is projected to not be harvested in 2013. For example, following the implementation of each state’s measures, recreational harvest will be projected. This projected harvest will be compared to the total RHL (2.5 million fish) to determine the amount of fish available to the states to allow for the more equitable distribution of fishing opportunities in the 2013 summer flounder recreational fishery while accounting for regional differences in fish size and availability.

Finally, the Board adopted use of the following measures by states in the northern region (Massachusetts – New York) for the 2013 scup recreational fishery: a 45 fish bag limit for the party and charter boat bonus season for one Wave (two month period); a 10” minimum size limit for all anglers; a 9” minimum size limit for shore-based anglers at approved designated sites in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut; a 30 fish bag limit for all anglers outside of party and charter boat bonus season. The season remains at May 1 to December 31. For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, ISFMP Director, at tkerns@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

 

 

February 21, 2013 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Alexandria, Va. — The Atlantic States Marine Commission approved a resolution to ban the import and use of Asian horseshoe crab as bait in state water fisheries along the Atlantic Coast. The resolution responds to a report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) regarding the importation of Asian horseshoe crabs in 2011 and 2012 into New York State and their reported use as bait in eel and whelk fisheries.  Further, there are reports of emerging interest on the part of bait dealers from the Mid-Atlantic to import Asian horseshoe crabs for the eel and whelk markets, and of the willingness of Asian fishermen to provide this supply.

Both the IUCN and Commission believe the importation of Asian native horseshoe crabs pose a significant threat to the welfare and survival of the wildlife resources of the United States, even if the imported horseshoe crabs are not alive when they are placed into the marine environment due to the introduction of parasites, pathogens and non-native species into American waters. Following is the full resolution:

Resolution 13-01: Resolution to Ban the Import and Use of Asian Horseshoe Crabs as Bait

Whereas, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) is comprised of representatives of the fifteen Atlantic coastal states and is charged with management of fisheries resources, marine, shell, and anadromous; and

Whereas, one of those fisheries resources is the Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) which is managed for its ecological services, use as bait, and in the biomedical industry; and

Whereas, horseshoe crabs are used as bait in fisheries for American eel and whelk fisheries; and

Whereas, bait shortages motivated seafood dealers in the State of New York to import 2,000 non-native Asian horseshoe crabs in 2011, and 7,400 kilograms of non-native Asian horseshoe crabs in 2012 for use as bait in state waters; and

Whereas, three species of Asian horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus gigas, Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, and Tachypleus tridentatus) pose a potential threat to the marine resources and human health along the Atlantic coast of the United States; and

Whereas, recent evidence presented in 2011 suggests that the populations of these three species of Asian horseshoe crabs are in decline; and

Whereas, it will take the United States Fish and Wildlife Service up to a year to add the species to the Injurious Wildlife list of the Lacey Act so importation can be regulated on a federal level; and

Whereas, in the meantime measures should be put in place to address the issue; and

Whereas, one species of parasitic flatworm lays eggs in tough cocoons on the shell of the Asian horseshoe crab, which can easily survive and hatch even if the host crab is killed; and

Whereas, the introduction of such or similar parasites would have detrimental effects on the American horseshoe crab population, and

Whereas, detrimental impacts on American horseshoe crab populations will likely impact food availability for migratory shorebirds, including red knots; and

Whereas, one species of Asian horseshoe crab (C. rotundicauda) is known to contain the powerful, potentially painful, neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (TTX); and,

Whereas, the potential for TTX accumulation in commonly consumed seafood product (whelk and eel) and subsequent human illness is unknown; and

Now, therefore be it resolved that the Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Management Board recommend to its member states that they take any and all action to ban the importation and use of Asian horseshoe crabs as bait as soon as possible.

For more information, please contact Marin Hawk, Fishery Management Coordinator, at mhawk@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.               

 

 

Alexandria, VA – FEBRUARY 21, 2013 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s American Eel Management Board approved Draft Addendum III to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eel for public comment. The Draft Addendum proposes a wide range of management options with the goal of reducing mortality and increasing the conservation of American eel stocks across all life stages. Specific management options focus on both the commercial (glass, yellow, and silver eel life stages) and recreational American eel fisheries. The document also proposes increased monitoring by the states and recommendations to improve American eel habitat.

Draft Addendum III responds to the findings of the 2012 benchmark stock assessment indicating the American eel population in U.S. waters is depleted. The stock has declined in recent decades and the prevalence of significant downward trends in multiple surveys across the coast is cause for concern. Causes of decline are likely due to a combination of historical overfishing, habitat loss, food web alterations, predation, turbine mortality, environmental changes, toxins and contaminants, and disease.

Commercial regulations vary by state. Glass eel fisheries currently occur in Maine and South Carolina. Significant yellow eel fisheries occur in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, the Potomac River, Virginia, and North Carolina. Although commercial fishery landings and effort in recent times have declined in most regions, current levels of fishing effort may still be too high given the depleted nature of the stock. States and jurisdictions are required to annually report on commercial harvest and monitor juvenile abundance. The recreational fishery is currently regulated by a 50 fish per day creel limit and a six inch size minimum, although recreational harvest is believed to be low.

It is anticipated that the majority of Atlantic coastal states will be conducting hearings on the Draft Addendum. A subsequent press release will announce the Draft Addendum’s availability as well as the details of the scheduled hearings. Final action on the Addendum is scheduled to occur in May. For more information, please contact Kate Taylor, Senior Fishery Management Coordinator, at ktaylor@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.     

 

       

February 21, 2013 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Alexandria, Va. — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Sharks Management Board approved Draft Addendum II to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Coastal Sharks for public comment. The Draft Addendum proposes measures to establish state shares for smooth dogfish and allow commercial fishermen to process smooth dogfish at sea with a 12% maximum fin-to-carcass ratio, consistent with the Shark Conservation Act of 2010.

The purpose of the Addendum is to preserve the historical distribution of smooth dogfish landings prior to the implementation of a federal quota for smooth dogfish (also known as smoothhound) and to ensure consistency between the state and federal plans. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Highly Migratory Species Division (HMS) is working to amend the HMS Fishery Management Plan to include measures from the Shark Conservation Act. This rule will also include a federal smoothhound shark quota.

It is anticipated that several states will be conducting public hearings on the Draft Addendum; information on those hearings will be released when it is finalized. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The Draft Addendum will be available on the Commission website (www.asmfc.org) under Breaking News by February 26, 2013. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM (EST) on March 28, 2013 and should be forwarded to Marin Hawk, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or mhawk@asmfc.org (Subject line: Smooth Dogfish Draft Addendum II).  

 

 

 

February 20, 2013 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Alexandria, Va. — The Commission’s American Lobster Board approved Addendum XIX to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. The Addendum modifies the transfer tax for Lobster Conservation Management Area 3 (LCMA 3 – offshore waters) to a single conservation tax of 10% for full business or partial trap sales within the area. This measure will be considered by NOAA Fisheries as part of its upcoming federal rule-making process.
 
The Addendum is the second in a series of addenda that respond to the depleted condition of the Southern New England (SNE) lobster resource by scaling the capacity of the SNE fishery to the size the SNE resource.  Since the scope of the SNE resource encompasses all or part of six of the seven LCMAs established by Amendment 3, additional addenda will be developed to address effort reductions in the remaining LCMAs (4, 5, and 6).  The Board will continue to work on draft Addendum XXI to refine and develop a definition of ownership for the purposes of measures contained in the addendum.
 
The Board also approved Draft Addendum XX for public comment. The Draft Addendum proposes to formalize measures outlined in an agreement between the offshore lobster fishery and groundfish sector trawl fishermen for bottom sharing in Closed Area II of Georges Bank in order to prevent gear conflicts and to protect large concentrations of egg bearing females. The agreement specifies certain times of year when lobster trap gear and sector trawl fishermen may fish in (or not fish in) in certain portions of Closed Area II.  The fishing industry developed this agreement in anticipation of the final approval of the New England Fishery Management Council’s (NEFMC) Groundfish Framework 48 which contains measures to help mitigate the economic impact of the dramatic reductions in groundfish annual catch limits for the 2013 fishing year which begins May 1, 2013.  If approved, groundfish sectors may request, through their operations plans, access to areas currently closed solely to reduce fishing mortality.  In addition, the NEFMC explicitly considered potential gear conflicts and included language in the Framework that states “when considering sector requests for access to closed areas, NMFS Regional Office should include, inter alia, consideration of the potential for gear conflicts, shifts in fishing effort out of the closed areas and impacts on protected species and lobsters.”

 

 

February 21, 2013 — The Council Report  summarizes major actions approved at NEFMC meetings or highlights items of interest to stakeholders. 

At its January 29-31, 2013 meeting the Council:

– Took final action on herring specifications for 2013-2015 and several other measures that would help fishermen maximize their catches.

– Voted on the Gulf of Maine cod and Georges Bank cod acceptable biological catches.

– Planned next steps for the EFH Amendment.

– Herring Fishery Gets Additional 16,600 mt in 2013

– Cod Stocks Take a Big Hit

– Industry to Pay Observers Costs

– Development of Area Management Alternatives Underway

– Tom Nies Named NEFMC Executive Director

 

Read the Council Report here

 

 

FEBRUARY 13, 2013 – Supplemental meeting materials for the Commission's 2013 Winter Meeting have been released the following Boards/Sections  (click on "Supplemental Material" following each relevant board header to access information). CDs with the full meeting materials (original plus supplemental) will be available at the meeting.

American Lobster Board – Revised Meeting Overview; Draft Addendum XX
 
Sturgeon Board – Revised Agenda and Meeting Overview; Revised AP Nomination
 
Atlantic Menhaden Board – Review of Amendment 2 Management Sections; TAC Set Aside for Episodic Events; Draft Proceedings from December 14, 2012
 
Horseshoe Crab Board – IUCN Correspondence and Technical Committee Report, Importation of Asian Horseshoe Crabs; The Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act of 2012; State Statutes Concerning Non-native Species
 
American Eel Board – Advisory Panel Member Input on Draft Addendum; AP Nominations
 
ISFMP Policy Board – Draft Harbor Deepening Report; MSC Report on Climate Change, Stock Distributions, and State Quota Allocations
 
Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board – Technical Committee Analysis of 2013 Recreational Scup Management Options for the Northern Region; RI Public Hearing Summary; Black Sea Bass Recreational Measures in 2013
 
Spiny Dogfish & Coastal Sharks Board – ASMFC Comments Amendment 5 to the Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan Proposed Rule; State Compliance Reports for 2011

 

View the supplemental meeting materials here 

 

 

 

 

Arlington, VA — February 8, 2013 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section has increased the number of allowed landing days for the 2013 northern shrimp trawl fishery.

Effective February 11, 2013, the trawl fishery will be able to land shrimp on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The Section’s action is based on observed low landings since the start of the northern shrimp trawl season on January 22nd and the desire to provide trawl fishermen with greater flexibility and safer access to the resource. Landing days for the trap fishery, which began on February 5th, remain unchanged with trappers landing on every day but Sunday.

The Section maintained the requirement to have each fishery close when 85% of its total allowable catch (TAC) is projected to be reached (trawl fishery TAC is 539.02 mt and the trap fishery TAC is 80.54 mt) and a 4-day advance notice will be issued prior to the closure of each fishery.

For more information, please contact Mike Waine, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at mwaine@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEBRUARY 5, 2013 — The final agenda and meeting materials for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's 2013 Winter Meeting can be obtained here. Some documents may be large, so please be patient downloading. Meeting materials are also available on CD-ROM; to obtain a CD please contact Cindy Robertson at crobertson@asmfc.org. Supplemental materials will be posted to the website next Wednesday, February 13.

Please note Wednesday’s schedule has been adjusted to allow for the addition of a Horseshoe Crab Management Board meeting at 10 a.m.  Be advised the schedule is subject to change; the order in which the agenda items are listed is subject to change, and other agenda items or meetings may be added as necessary.
 
Meeting proceedings will be broadcast via webinar beginning 9:30 AM on February 19th and continuing daily until the meeting adjourns around 2 PM on February 21st. 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 with streaming the broadcast, the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible.

 

Register for the webinar here

View a PDF of the meeting notice and agenda here