November 21, 2014 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC):
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has scheduled the Data Workshop for the upcoming bluefish benchmark stock assessment. The assessment will evaluate the health of the Bluefish population and inform the management of the species. The Commission’s stock assessment process and meetings are open to the public (with the exception of discussion
of confidential data).
The Commission welcomes the submission of data sets that will improve the accuracy of the assessment. These include, but are not limited to data on growth, maturation, migration, genetics, stock enhancement, tagging, recruitment, natural mortality, and abundance/biomass. An essential need is information on the adult component of the stock as well as spawning stock condition. For data sets to be considered, the data must be sent in the required format, with accompanying methods description, to the Commission by January 16, 2015. For those interested in submitting data, including the appropriate format, and/or attending the Bluefish Data Workshop, please contact Katie Drew, Senior Stock Assessment Scientist, at kdrew@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740. The deadline for data submission is January 16, 2015. All available data will be reviewed and vetted by the Commission’s Bluefish Technical Committee and Stock Assessment Working Group for possible use in the assessment.
The Data Workshop will be conducted February 18-20, 2015 in Providence, Rhode Island. A subsequent press release will announce the specific location of the Data Workshop. The Assessment Workshop will be conducted in spring 2015, with the peer review being conducted through NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center Stock Assessment Review Committee (SARC) from June 2-5, 2015. For more information on the bluefish stock assessment process, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at krootes-murdy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.