International & Trade

July 31, 2024 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for ASMFC’s 2024 Summer Meeting are now available at https://www.asmfc.org/home/2024-summer-meeting under the relevant committee/board meeting headers. The combined supplemental materials can be found at http://asmfc.org/files/2024SummerMeeting/ASMFC2024SummerMtgSupplementalMaterials_August2024.pdf.  

Supplemental materials include:

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Revised Draft Proceedings from April 2024 and Public Comment

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Draft FMP Review for the 2023 Fishing Year; Memo: Work Group Recommendations on Stock Assessment and Public Scoping Tasks; and June and July Meeting Summaries of the Atlantic Striped Bass Board Work Group on Recreational Release Mortality     

American Lobster Management Board – Revised Draft Agenda & Meeting Overview; Canada/United States Dialogue on Lobster Management; and Public Comment

Executive Committee – S. 4113: State Boating Act

Coastal Pelagics Management Board – Draft Cobia FMP Review for the 2023 Fishing Year and Memo: Advisory Panel Recommendations on Cobia Draft Addendum II Options

ISFMP Policy Board – Summary of Changes to the Stock Assessment Schedule  

As a reminder, the Commission’s Public Comment Guidelines are:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide an opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs 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, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. Chairs will have flexibility in deciding 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, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.