Saving Seafood

Council Actions

Council Receives Skate, Whiting, and Monkfish Monitoring Reports, Discusses Path Forward; Reviews Monkfish RSA Status

September 25, 2024 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council received annual reports for three of its fisheries – skates, whiting, and monkfish – when it met September 24-26, 2024 in Gloucester, Massachusetts. It then discussed options for standardizing and streamlining these reports in the future.

The Council also reviewed the status of the Monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program and agreed to ask NOAA Fisheries to pause issuing solicitations for new RSA projects until outstanding economic and programmatic issues can be addressed by: (1) the New England and Mid-Atlantic Councils, which jointly manage monkfish; and (2) the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) of NOAA Fisheries. The two Councils also will ask GARFO to consider enabling partners involved in the two current monkfish RSA projects to continue selling RSA days-at-sea into Monkfish. NOAA Fisheries photo 2025 and 2026 if needed.

FISHERY MONITORING REPORTS: Here’s how to access the three monitoring reports and presentations.

• Skate Annual Monitoring Report for Fishing Year 2023: This report provides an update on the status of the seven species in the skate complex (see graphic next page). It also includes information on landings and discards in the skate wing and skate bait fisheries, impacts from other fisheries on skates, research updates, and more. The report is posted here with an accompanying presentation.

• Small-Mesh Multispecies (Whiting) Annual Monitoring Report for Fishing Year 2023: This report was produced in a presentation format. It contains stock status and fishery information, including economic and effort trends, for northern silver hake, southern whiting, which folds in offshore hake, northern red hake, and southern red hake.

• 2024 Monkfish Fishery Performance Report: This report provides an overview of the biology, stock condition, management system, and fishery performance for monkfish, with an emphasis on the 2022 and 2023 fishing years. The report is posted here, along with a presentation.

Land Acknowledgement Highlights Indigenous Roots and Equity at Western Pacific Council’s 200th Meeting

September 25, 2024 — Themes of cultural recognition, indigenous legacies and ocean security sparked the opening of the 200th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council here Monday.

Chair Will Sword opened the historic session with a prayer in Samoan reminding members of their mission as servants entrusted with maximizing the use of spiritual gifts. “The Council’s acknowledgement of the place and people continues its commitment to incorporating indigenous knowledge into fisheries management for the region,” Sword added.

Shae Kamaka‘ala, Chair of the Council’s Indigenous Rights Committee, welcomed members in recognizing that the region encompassing the Council’s jurisdiction has indigenous, ancestral caretakers and pays respect to these longstanding cultural roots. Her remarks included a statement that “Hawai‘i remains an illegally occupied state of the United States government.”

“It is important for the Council to make a conscious effort to ensure equity in our work and recognize the existence and sovereignty of the indigenous people of the Western Pacific,” commented Kitty Simonds, Council Executive Director.

The Council welcomed Rear Admiral Sean Regan, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) District 14, whose career includes service at the White House as Director of Maritime Security Policy, Arctic Region, on the President’s National Security Staff (NSS); advisor to the National Security Advisor, Homeland Security Advisor and the President. The Admiral said he appreciated the response the USCG has received from the people in the region and that he was favorably impressed by the Council’s work in protecting fisheries. 

Admiral Regan emphasized the USCG’s mission is to “protect those who serve on the sea, protect against threats emanating from the sea and protect the sea itself.” 

Captain Jennifer Conklin described the USCG’s “Operation Blue Pacific,” underscoring its role as a persistent presence of the U.S. government as a trusted partner in enhancing the safety, security and prosperity of the region.

  

During the meeting, Nate Ilaoa from American Samoa complained that the USCG’s response to American Samoa has not been sufficient. He said that the Deeds of Cession grants powers to the United States, but also requires protections. He requested the USCG to protect American Samoa from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and foreign incursions and said the territory’s citizens deserve better.

The Council recommended collaboration with USCG to develop a plan for providing assets and resources to the territory, while also making certification courses more accessible to its citizens.

 

Action Items

The Council approved a 493,000-pound annual catch limit (ACL) for the deep-seven bottomfish complex in the main Hawaiian Islands for fishing years 2024-2025 to 2026-2027. Catch limits are determined by subtracting the overfishing limit plus scientific uncertainty factors from the acceptable biological catch, then further adjusting for SEEM (Social, Economic, Ecological and Management) variables.

 

In 2019, the Guam bottomfish fishery was declared overfished, which required the Council to rebuild the stock, per the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Council developed a rebuilding plan that set an ACL of 31,000 pounds, with in-season monitoring that would close the fishery if the limit is exceeded. A stock assessment update presented in June 2024 found that while Guam has not overfished, it also has not met the rebuilding threshold.

The Council recommended increasing the rebuilding plan ACL to 34,500 pounds, allowing for continued fishing while seeking to ensure the stock is rebuilt by 2031. This option would also apply a three-year catch-averaging formula that would result in reducing subsequent catch limits by the average amount overfished. 

The Council meeting will continue daily at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom through Wednesday September 25.

Council Elects Rick Bellavance and Daniel Salerno as Chair and Vice Chair for 2024-2025; Welcomes Bill Lucey and Ted Platz

September 24, 2024 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council opened its September 24-26, 2024 meeting in Gloucester, Massachusetts by holding its annual election of officers after first congratulating three reappointed Council members and welcoming two new ones to the table. The recently announced appointments were for:

• Geoff Smith of Maine, who was reappointed to serve a second three-year term on the Council;

• Togue Brawn of Maine, who also was reappointed to serve a second term;

• Mike Pierdinock of Massachusetts, who was reappointed to serve a second term;

• Bill Lucey of Connecticut, who was appointed to his first term on the Council; and

• Ted Platz of Rhode Island, who was appointed to his first term.

Each New England state receives one obligatory seat on the Council, and the other appointments are for at large seats. Togue is filling an at-large seat, while the other four appointees are filling obligatory seats for their respective states. The new terms run from August 11, 2024 through August 10, 2027.

LEADERSHIP: The Council elected Rick Bellavance of Rhode Island and Daniel Salerno of New Hampshire by acclimation to lead the Council as chair and vice chair for the year ahead.

 

Council Approves Proposed Changes to Snapper Grouper Fishery; Receives Red Snapper Notification

September 23, 2024 —

Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved two amendments to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan that, if approved by the Secretary of Commerce, would modify current federal regulations for species in the snapper grouper management complex. The Council considered input received during public comment and recommendations from its Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel and Scientific and Statistical Committee before taking action during its quarterly meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. The following amendments were approved:

Regulatory Amendment 36 – Gag and Black Grouper Recreational Vessel Limits and On-Demand Gear for Black Sea Bass Pot Fishery

The amendment would revise the recreational vessel limits for Gag and Black Grouper. To remain consistent with a bag limit of one Gag or Black Grouper, the amendment would change the aggregate private recreational vessel limit to two fish of either species per day. For-hire (charter and headboat) would have the same vessel limit per trip.

Gag are currently overfished and experiencing overfishing. Black Grouper are included in the amendment due to misidentification issues that occur in some areas within the region. The Council will address Black Grouper regulations again following the results of a management strategy evaluation underway for the species.

The amendment would also revise transit stowage requirements for commercial black sea bass pots with on-demand (ropeless) gear.

Amendment 55 – Scamp, Yellowmouth Grouper, and the Other Shallow Water Grouper Complex

Scamp and Yellowmouth Grouper are overfished, but overfishing is not occurring. A rebuilding plan is needed to address the overfished stock status. Measures proposed in Amendment 55 would establish a Scamp and Yellowmouth Grouper Complex. A rebuilding plan would be established for the new management complex along with catch levels, sector allocations, and accountability measures.

Updates would be made to the Other Shallow Water Grouper Complex (Rock Hind, Red Hind, Coney, Graysby, and Yellowfin Grouper), to remove Yellowmouth Grouper.

Red Snapper

During its meeting, the Council received a litigation briefing from NOAA General Counsel noting there are three Red Snapper cases currently under litigation. One lawsuit alleges that NOAA Fisheries violated the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act because it failed to address overfishing of Red Snapper. The settlement agreement for this case was approved on August 22, 2024, and includes NOAA Fisheries agreeing to complete and submit a Secretarial amendment to end overfishing of Red Snapper. The Final Rule for the amendment must be submitted to the Federal Register by June 6, 2025.

 

The Council will be able to comment on the Secretarial amendment, and there will be opportunities for public comment prior to implementation. For additional details, see the Fishery Bulletin from NOAA Fisheries.

 

Other Business

The Council continued discussion of management measures proposed for the Black Sea Bass fishery that will be addressed in Snapper Grouper Amendment 56. The amendment will also consider revised catch level recommendations and status determination reference points. The Scientific and Statistical Committee will discuss Black Sea Bass during its October 22-24, 2024 meeting and provide recommendations for the Council to consider when it meets again in December. Public scoping meetings on proposed measures are tentatively scheduled for early 2025.

 

The Council approved a motion to amend both the Coral and Shrimp Fishery Management Plans to establish a Shrimp Fishery Access Area along the eastern edge of the Northern Oculina Coral Habitat Area of Particular Concern, located off the central east coast of Florida. The designated area would allow access to historical fishing areas used by the rock shrimp fishery while minimizing impacts on deepwater coral.

 

A listening session hosted by the Marine Recreational Information Program, administered by NOAA Fisheries, was held during the meeting week. Fishery managers use data from the program to make management decisions affecting recreational fisheries. Council members received an update on a large-scale study being conducted to determine differences in recreational fishing effort estimates between different survey designs. The program is also re-evaluating approaches to data collection partnerships. Council members provided an extensive list of recommendations and members of the public also provided input.

 

New Chair and Vice-Chair

During the meeting the Council elected Trish Murphey, representative for the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and former vice-chair as the new chair of the Council. She replaces Dr. Carolyn Belcher. Jessica McCawley, state representative for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission was elected vice chair. Both will serve two-year terms.

 

Additional information about the Council’s September meeting, including final committee reports, is available from the Council’s website at: https://safmc.net/events/september-2024-council-meeting/. The next meeting of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is scheduled for December 2-6, 2024, in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

Photo credit: SC Sea Grant; Return ‘Em Right

Pacific Island Voices Call for Balance in Conservation and Fisheries Management at AFS Annual Meeting

September 23, 2024 — The following was released by Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council was well-represented at the 154th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society (AFS), held Sept. 15-19, 2024 in Honolulu. The theme was “Conserving Fishes and Fishing Traditions through Knowledge Co-Production.”

Council members and advisors participated in a session on “Large Blue-Water Marine Protected Areas: Benefits and Costs,” which drew around 70 attendees. Dr. Ray Hilborn, a member of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), chaired the session and provided a talk evaluating impacts the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) has had on yellowfin and bigeye tuna stocks and resulting catch rates. Hilborn countered an October 2022 paper that claimed the 2016 expansion of PMNM had ‘spillover benefits’ for tuna fisheries, arguing that increased tuna catch rates were due to a pre-existing rise in tuna biomass, not the expansion. “Considering how little yellowfin tuna was caught in the Monument Expansion Area, it is just biologically impossible to attribute catch rate increases to the expansion without considering broader regional dynamics,” Hilborn explained.

Presentations from Council members and advisors Will Sword, Archie Soliai, John Gourley, Eric Kingma and Nate Ilaoa highlighted the impact of Marine National Monuments on Pacific Island communities. They raised concerns about expanding large closed areas in U.S. Pacific waters. American Samoa Advisory Panel member Ilaoa likened the push to close more waters to colonialism, arguing that Pacific Islanders are being forced to meet the national ‘30 by 30’ goal—protecting 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030—at great cost to their local economies.

A proposed designation of the Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) as a National Marine Sanctuary could potentially shut down tuna fishing in the remaining open waters 50 to 200 nautical miles seaward of Palmyra and Howland/Baker Atolls. Tuna-rich U.S. waters around Jarvis, Johnston and Wake Islands are already closed to fishing. Hilborn noted that none of the tuna species are at risk of overfishing and recent studies concluded closures in nearby Kiribati had zero conservation benefit. Soliai, Council vice chair from American Samoa, pointed out that “Pacific Islanders already carry the disproportionate burden of this 30 by 30 initiative, because 90% of this goal is already in our waters.”

Ilaoa and Soliai stressed that the economy of American Samoa relies heavily on the tuna industry, which provides thousands of jobs and sustains the territory’s shrinking population. The territory’s last remaining tuna cannery depends on a steady supply of U.S.-caught fish and helps subsidize shipping for most goods, keeping costs affordable for residents. Closing more waters to U.S.-flagged vessels could devastate the local economy, as international agreements already limit their access to the high seas. The United States has also not distinguished an American Samoa purse seine fishery, which could add some relief to international restrictions.

“They are shoving this down our brown throats,” said Ilaoa. “This Administration seems willing to destroy our American Samoa tuna industry, crippling our already struggling economy, just to look good to some people on the mainland thinking they’re protecting something.”

As the lead keynote speaker at the plenary, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa faculty Kawika Winter, said, “We don’t need more marine protected areas, we need more marine RESPECTED areas.”

Council advisors and staff also participated in other symposia, sharing insights on incorporating social, economic and ecological knowledge into management, engaging fishing communities in science and management, and undergraduate fisheries curriculum. Meeting attendees gave presentations, joined discussion panels and promoted the Council’s work through an exhibit.

Fishery Council Celebrates 200th Meeting Milestone

September 20, 2024 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council: 

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is set to hold its 200th meeting next week, a significant milestone in its 48-year history. The meeting will take place September 23-25, 2024, at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom.

The meeting will feature insights from the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS):

  • Rear Admiral Sean Regan, 14th Coast Guard District, Department of Homeland Security
  • Sam Rauch, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, NMFS/NOAA, Department of Commerce

On Monday, RADM Regan and staff will present the Coast Guard’s Pacific Blue Mission and other issues central to maintaining security and sustainability in the U.S. Pacific region. On Tuesday, Eric Kingma, Executive Director of the Hawaii Longline Association, will present a check to NMFS, aimed at supporting fisheries development in the U.S. Pacific Territories— investing in capacity building in our region. Sam Rauch will share updates on national and international fisheries priorities, and the successes of the Magnuson-Stevens Act to sustainably manage fisheries. No fish stocks are overfished in the Western Pacific Region, except striped marlin due to international fishing pressure, and very few others on the U.S. continent and the Caribbean.

Council Chair Will Sword said, “I’m proud of the Council’s accomplishments throughout the years, achieving many of our conservation goals through sustainable management of the region’s large and small fisheries. We have met the challenges of mitigating protected species interactions, growing capacity in our communities and supporting the continuation of cultural values and management through the melding of Western and indigenous methods. We face many challenges, particularly the changing of the world’s climate, which will be devastating to our islands, and we will confront them with the support of our extensive array of advisors and our government.”

Action Items

The Council will make decisions affecting the future of regional fisheries, including specifying catch limits for bottomfish stocks in the main Hawaiian Islands and Guam, and striped marlin in the Western and Central North Pacific. These discussions will consider scientific data, stock status, economic and ecological impacts, as well as input from advisory bodies, when making decisions and recommendations.

Global Seafood Trade and Policy Discussions

Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of ongoing discussions about the seafood trade, labeling and foreign competition, including hearing updates from Council meetings with the Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, World Wildlife Fund and the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Council members and industry advisors met with several federal agencies and a non-governmental organization to discuss strategies to address unfair foreign practices affecting Pacific tuna fisheries. Participants addressed the importance of the United States enforcing seafood regulations, such as Marine Mammal Protection Act import provisions, as well as the need for clear product origin labeling to better inform consumers.

Join us in celebrating 48 years of progress either in-person or online via Webex (https://tinyurl.com/200CouncilMtg). The complete agenda and meeting documents are available at www.wpcouncil.org/event/200th-council-meeting. Opportunities to make public comments on agenda items are provided throughout the meetin

Draft Agenda and Meeting Materials for the October 3 Webinar of the Sciaenids Management Board Now Available

September 19, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The draft agenda, meeting materials, and webinar information for the upcoming meeting of the Sciaenids Management Board are now available at https://asmfc.org/calendar/10/2024/Sciaenids-Management-Board/2376. Please note there are two separate links to meeting materials: the Draft Agenda and Meeting Materials and the Risk and Uncertainty Tool Spreadsheet (in excel format).

 
The purpose of the meeting is to reintroduce the Risk and Uncertainty Decision Tool to the Board and seek its guidance on the initial inputs to the tool. The Risk and Uncertainty Decision Tool uses information on stock status, model uncertainty, ecosystem considerations, and socioeconomic factors to recommend the probability of success that management actions should strive to achieve. The Board will provide initial guidance on how to weight these different factors within the tool at this meeting. The final recommended probability will be determined by the results of the Red Drum Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review and the Board’s final decisions on weighting, both of which will be presented and discussed at the Commission’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Annapolis, Maryland.
 
Webinar Information
To register for the webinar, please go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2780599376940485726(Webinar ID: 215-972-339). If you are joining the webinar but will not be using voice over internet protocol (VoIP) via your computer, you can also call in at 213.929.4212, access code 332-825-134. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN.
 
Meeting Process
The Board Chair will provide an opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of the meeting. The Board Chair will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the Board Chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.
 
The webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting so that people can troubleshoot any connectivity or audio issues they may encounter.  If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.
 
Public Comment Guidelines
With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings:
For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. The Board Chair will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the Board Chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.
For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, the Board Chair will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. The Board Chair has the flexibility to decide how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment will not provide additional insight to the board.
For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, the Board Chair has the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.
In addition, the following timeline has been established for the submission of written comment for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action)
 
1.    Comments received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 26 will be included in supplemental materials.
2.    Comments received by 10 a.m. on Monday, September 30 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.
 
The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.  As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail and email.
 
For more information, please contact Tracey Bauer, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, attbauer@asmfc.org.

Meeting Summary and Presentations from the September 13 Meeting of the Northern Shrimp Section Now Available

September 17, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The meeting summary, motions and presentations from the September 13th meeting of the Northern Shrimp Section are available on the Commission’s Meeting Archives webpage at https://asmfc.org/calendar/meeting-archive or through the following links:

Mid-Atlantic Council Seeks Contractor to Develop a Framework to Evaluate Changes in Stock Distribution

September 16, 2024 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Climate-driven changes in species distributions create uncertainties in the fisheries management process, in some cases leading to governance challenges as species move across jurisdictional boundaries. Species distribution changes can also have important effects on fishery behavior, fishing locations, and market/shoreside trends. Understanding these dynamics and their impacts will be critical for reducing uncertainties in the management process and for developing climate resilient management and governance strategies.

The Mid‐Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) is seeking a highly qualified contractor to develop a framework for evaluating and monitoring species distribution changes. This project will be conducted in two phases. During the first phase, the contractor will develop a comprehensive synthesis of data and other information regarding stock and fishery distribution trends for Mid-Atlantic Council managed species. During the second phase, the contractor will develop a framework to monitor changes in species distributions and fishery locations, including appropriate indicators and metrics designed to indicate potential governance issues for managers. The contractor will test the application of this framework with a sub-set of species managed by, or of interest to, the Mid-Atlantic Council. The outcomes of this work will inform a Council policy for monitoring and responding to changes in stock and fishery distributions.

Complete details about the scope of work, contractor qualifications, and proposal submission instructions can be found in the request for proposals (RFP). Proposals are due October 18, 2024.

NEFMC September 24-26, 2024 Meeting – Gloucester, MA – Listen Live, View Documents

September 16, 2024 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a three-day meeting from Tuesday, September 24 through Thursday, September 26, 2024.  This will be an in-person meeting coupled with a webinar option for individuals who cannot or prefer not to attend in person.  Please participate remotely if you do not feel well.

 

LOCATION:  Beauport Hotel, Gloucester, Massachusetts.

 

START TIME:  9:00 a.m. all three days.  The webinar will end shortly after the Council adjourns each day.

 

COUNCIL PUBLIC OUTREACH:  Join the Council on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. for an informational exchange to foster open lines of communication among Council members, staff, industry, and meeting attendees.  The event will be held at the Beauport Hotel.  All are welcome.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES:  The Council wants to hear from you.  Here’s how you can let the Council know what you think.

 

  • WRITE A LETTER:  The deadline for submitting written comments for consideration at this meeting is 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 19, 2024. Please note that written comments must address items listed on the agenda for this meeting.

 

  • TALK TO THE COUNCIL:  You’ll be able to address the Council directly through two different avenues:

 

  1. By commenting on motions at the discretion of the Council chair (if commenting remotely, raise your hand on the webinar and unmute yourself when called upon); and

 

  1. By speaking during the open period for public comment.  Here are the Guidelines for Providing Public Comment.

 

  • OPEN PERIOD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:  On Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., the Council will offer the public an opportunity to provide comments on issues relevant to Council business but not listed on this agenda.  Given the Council’s busy meeting schedule, we ask that you limit remarks to 3-5 minutes.

 

    • SIGN UP:  Interested in speaking?  If attending in person, fill out the sign-up sheet on the table at the entrance to the Council meeting room.  To speak remotely, email Janice Plante at jplante@nefmc.org to get on the list.

 

WEBINAR REGISTRATION:  Online access to the meeting is available at Listen Live.  There is no charge to access the meeting through this webinar.

 

 

  • We have a Help Desk in case you get stuck joining the webinar or have trouble along the way.  Just email helpdesk@nefmc.org and we’ll get right back to you.

 

CALL-IN OPTION:  To listen by telephone without joining the webinar, dial +1 (562) 247-8422.  The access code is 530-706-239.  Please be aware that if you dial in, your regular phone charges will apply.  This phone number provides a “listen-only” option without the webinar component.  You will not be able to speak if you do not first join the webinar.

 

AGENDA:  All meeting materials and the agenda are available on the Council’s website at NEFMC September 24-26, 2024 meeting webpage.  Additional documents will be posted as they become available.

 

THREE MEETING OUTLOOK:  A copy of the New England Council’s Three Meeting Outlook is available HERE.

 

COUNCIL MEETING QUESTIONS:  Anyone with questions prior to or during the Council meeting should contact Janice Plante at (607) 592-4817, jplante@nefmc.org.