The New England Fishery Management Council has issued the Meeting Agenda for the April 27-29, 2010 at the Mystic Hilton in Mystic, Connecticut. Location:
Mystic Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan Boulevard
Mystic, CT 06355
Telephone (860) 572-0731 | Fax (860) 572-0328
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
8:30 a.m. Introductions and Announcements (Council Chairman John Pappalardo)
8:35 Reports on Recent Activities
Council Chairman, Executive Director, NMFS Regional Administrator, NOAA General Counsel, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement/VMS, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
10:20 Review Experimental Fishery Permit (EFP) Applications (Council Deputy Director Chris Kellogg)
Review and discussion of Council comments on EFPs as appropriate
10:30 Consideration of policy changes to the NEFMC Handbook (Council Executive Director Paul Howard)
Review and possible approval of changes proposed by the Council’s Executive Committee
11:00 Herring Committee Report (Doug Grout)
Review of committee discussions concerning a recommendation to the Northeast Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) about the schedule for the next Atlantic herring benchmark stock assessment, followed by consideration of a Council recommendation; review of discussions to date on the development of Amendment 5 to the Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP)
12:30 p.m. Lunch Break
1:30 Habitat Committee Report (David Preble)
Review of progress to date on the Omnibus Amendment 2 alternatives to minimize the adverse effects of fishing on essential fish habitat
3:30 Monkfish Committee Report (Terry Stockwell)
Consideration of public comments, committee and advisory panel recommendations and Mid-Atlantic Council actions, and approval of final action on measures to be included in Amendment 5 to the Monkfish FMP; measures include annual catch limits and accountability measures, days-at-sea and trip limits for 2011-2013, and other modifications to the current management measures
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
8:30 a.m. Interspecies Committee Report (Frank Blount)
Review discussions and any recommendations for:
FMP restructuring and/or consolidation;
Accumulation limits for the multi-species fishery (to control the potential concentration of landings onto a small number of vessels), including possible control dates for the limits;
An Interspecies Committee work plan
11:00 “Goals and Concerns of Fishery Stakeholders in the Development of Catch Share Management in New England” (Dr. Robert Pomeroy, University of CT and Dr. Richard Pollnac, University of RI)
Presentation of outcomes from a Sea Grant-led study that focused on the goals and concerns of groundfish and monkfish stakeholders in the development of catch-share management in New England
12:00 p.m. Lunch Break
1:00 Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Report (Dr. Steve Cadrin, NEFSC)
Review of SSC recommendations for revised red crab and skate Acceptable Biological Catch levels
2:30 Skate Action (Andrew Applegate)
Presentation of Skate Plan Development Team analyses for a range of possession limit and discard estimates (work completed as the result of SSC-recommended changes to the Skate ABC); discussion will include possible modification of skate fishery management measures
4:00 Red Crab Action (Chris Kellogg)
Consideration of modifications to the red crab management measures as the result of changes to the revised Acceptable Biological Catch recommended by the SSC
Thursday, April 28, 2010
8:30 a.m. Groundfish Committee Report (Rip Cunningham)
Discuss and possibly select alternative rebuilding strategies for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder
Review Magnuson-Stevens Act vessel buyback provisions and specifically discuss a multi-species vessel buyback program
Develop a process for approval of additional sectors for FY 2011
11:00 General Counsel Review (Mitch MacDonald, Office of NOAA General Counsel, Northeast Region)
Review of case developments or regulatory issues arising during the past six months, including a summary of cases initiated or concluded, and an update on any reported decisions
11:45 Open Period for Public Comments (John Pappalardo)
Opportunity for the public to provide brief comments on items relevant to Council business, but not otherwise listed on the agenda
12:00 p.m. Lunch Break
1:00 Joint Groundfish/Scallop Oversight Committee Report (Rip Cunningham)
Update on the development of an amendment to facilitate the transfer of groundfish between the multi-species and scallop fisheries; this could include Council review and approval of draft goals and objectives and the initial identification of management alternatives
3:30 Other Business
Times listed next to the agenda items are estimates and are subject to change.
This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Council member financial disclosure forms are available for examination at the meeting.
Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subjects of formal action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305 (c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency.
Documents pertaining to Council actions are available for review prior to a final vote by the Council. Please call (978) 465-0492 for copies or check the Council website at www.nefmc.org. Please note that if you are submitting comments for Council consideration at this meeting they must be received at the office at least three business days prior to the start of the meeting.
Notice Issue Date: April 6, 2010
New England Fishery Management Council
50 Water Street, Mill 2
Newburyport, MA 01950
Tel (978) 465-0492 | Fax (978) 465-3116