The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) met on September 27 in Plymouth, Massachusettsto review recommendations from their Groundfish and Habitat Committees.
In a continuing effort to make Council meetings more accessible, the New England Fishery Management Council has begun posting the audio for meetings held between the first and second Council meetings at which initial and final action is taken on framework adjustments. Their current focus will be on groundfish and scallops, but the same will hold true for other important FMP-related meetings that occur prior to final action by the Council. The Counci's ability to do this will be contingent on staff resources and logistics.
Today the Council made available the complete audio from yesterday's Groundfish Committee meetings, which include discussions related to closed areas, among other significant topics. Saving Seafood will post highlights from those meetings next week.
The following are excerpts from the September 27 Council meeting discussion on increased access to closed areas. The Environmental Defense Fund supported the proposal. The Conservation Law Foundation argued the motion violates the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and predicted legal action. The Pew Environment Group said the use of sector operations plans to achieve this goal is not legitimate and predicted lawsuits against sector operations plans that would keep vessels tied to docks next May 1.
WASHINGTON — Oct. 12, 2012- The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) met on September 27 in Plymouth, Massachusettsto review recommendations from their Groundfish and Habitat Committees.
The Council's afternoon review of the Habitat Committee's report dealt almost exclusively with Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) closures and aimed to draft adverse effects minimization alternatives as a part of Omnibus EFH Amendment 2. That same morning, the Groundfish Committee approached the council with recommendations that asked for an increase in access to the groundfish closed areas as a way of mitigating the low allowable biological catch (ABC) limits that are expected for fishing year 2013. Several access area-related comments made during those discussions can be found below.
Listen to John Bullard, the Regional Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Northeast Regional Office, comment on the need for a timely reassessment of closed areas access. This comment was made during the Council's review of the NEFMC's Habitat Committee report.
Listen to Habitat Committee Chair, Dave Preble, comment on the Council's lack of punctuality in drafting Omnibus EFH Amendment 2 and how this relates to Council resources.
Listen to Emilie Litsinger, of the Environmental Defense Fund, address the reevaluation of New England's closed area network, with regard to the groundfish fishery.
Listen to Maggie Raymond, of the Associated Fisheries of Maine, discuss her transition from closed area advocate to sector operations skeptic.
Listen to Peter Shelley, of the Conservation Law Foundation, threaten legal action during his condemnation of the Council's approach to Omnibus EFH Amendment 2 in relation to the groundfish fishery.
Listen to former Massachusetts State Representative and Waterfront attorney, John Quinn, refute Peter Shelley's argument as he enters into the record National Standard 8 and his NEFMC oath of office.
Listen to Peter Baker, the Northeast Fisheries Director for the PEW Environment Group, express his disapproval of addressing this issue in Council sector operations plan.