March 12, 2015 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
Please find below the preliminary agenda and public comment guidelines for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2015 Spring Meeting, May 4-7, 2015 in Alexandria, Virginia. The agenda is also available online at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-spring-meeting. Meeting materials will be made available April 24, 2015 on the Commission website at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-spring-meeting.
Preliminary Agenda
The agenda is subject to change. Bulleted items represent the anticipated major issues to be discussed or acted upon at the meeting. The final agenda will include additional items and may revise the bulleted items provided below. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein.
Monday, May 4, 2015
12:45 – 2:15 p.m.
Atlantic Herring Section
– Review and Consider Approval of Draft Amendment 3 for Public Comment
– Review and Consider Approval of the 2014 FMP Review and State Compliance
2:30 – 5:00 p.m.
American Lobster Management Board
– Consider Final Approval of Draft Addendum XXIV
– Review and Consider Approval of the Draft Jonah Crab Fishery Management Plan for Public Comment
– Review and Consider Approval of Nominations to the Jonah Crab Advisory Panel
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Atlantic Menhaden Management Board
– Review Technical Committee Report on Biological Reference Points and Stock Projections
– Consider Approval of 2015 Fishery Specifications
– Discuss Next Steps for Management Based on Results of the Benchmark Assessment/ERP Term of Reference and the Technical Committee Report
11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Blank Rome Workshop
– Budget Status
– Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization
– Horseshoe Crab Trawl Survey Funding
– Committee Membership Updates
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Law Enforcement Committee (LEC)
– Review Draft Management Measures for Jonah Crab
– Review 2015 Action Plan Tasks
– Update LEC Representatives to Species Boards/Appoint Alternates
– Reports on Outside Law Enforcement Advisory Committee Activities (AFWA/NACLAC/Councils)
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board
– Review Technical Committee Report on Progress of the Development of Reference Points for Chesapeake Bay, Hudson River, and Delaware Bay
– Update on State Implementation of Addendum IV
3:45 – 5:15 p.m.
NOAA Fisheries Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) Update
– Progress Report on Changes and Improvements to MRIP
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Annual Awards of Excellence Reception
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Executive Committee
– Review Suggested Changes to Commission Guidance Documents
– Update on Staffing
– Presentation of FY16 Budget
– Review Revised on Language on Appeal Criteria
– Update on 2015 Annual Meeting
8:30 a.m. – Noon
Law Enforcement Committee (continued)
10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Interstate Fisheries Management Program (ISFMP) Policy Board
– Update from Executive Committee
– Review and Discuss 2014 Commissioner Survey Results
– Review and Approve Stock Status Definition Revisions
– Review and Discuss the Northeast Regional Ocean Council Spatial Characterization of Commercial Fisheries
– Committee on Economics and Social Sciences Report
– Assessment and Science Committee Report
– Law Enforcement Committee Report
12:45 – 2:15 p.m.
Legislative and Governor’s Appointee Luncheon
12:45 – 2:15 p.m.
Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) Executive Committee
– ACCSP Status Report (Program and Committee updates)
– Independent Program Review Progress
– APAIS Update
– Governance Review Update
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Shad and River Herring Management Board
– Review the River Herring Technical Working Group Conservation Plan
– Update on Shad and River Herring Related Activities of the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils (If Necessary)
3:45 – 5:15 p.m.
ACCSP Coordinating Council
– ACCSP Status Report (Program and Committee Updates)
– Independent Program Review Progress
– Review and Consider Approval of 2015 Request for Proposals and Funding Decision Document ACTION
Thursday, May 7, 2015
8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Tautog Management Board
– Review Technical Committee Report on Reference Point and Regional Stock Definitions
– Consider Initiation of an Addendum to respond to the 2015 Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review
10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board*
*This meeting is tentative pending a successful Mid-Atlantic Council SSC meeting the week of March 16th.
11:45 a.m. – Noon
ISFMP Policy Board (If Necessary)
Noon – 12:15 p.m.
Business Session (If Necessary)
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. Board chairs will use a speaker sign-up list in deciding 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.
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 3 weeks prior to the start of a meeting week will be included in the briefing materials.
2. Comments received by 5:00 PM on the Tuesday immediately preceding the scheduled ASMFC Meeting (in this case, the Tuesday deadline will be April 28, 2015) will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting and a limited number of copies will be provided at the meeting.
3. Following the Tuesday, April 28, 2015 5:00 PM deadline, the commenter will be responsible for distributing the information to the management board prior to the board meeting or providing enough copies for the management board consideration at the meeting (a minimum of 50 copies).
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, fax, and email.