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/
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.
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.