The Westin Alexandria

400 Courthouse Square
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

703.253.8600

Final Agenda

The agenda is subject to change. 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.

For ease of access, all Board/Section meeting documents, with the exception of the Shad & River Herring Board materials and the submitted public comment portion of the Atlantic Menhaden Board materials, have been combined into two documents - Main Meeting Materials 1 and Main Meeting Materials 2. Main Meeting Materials 1 includes all boards/sections meeting on January 31 and Main Meeting Materials 2 are materials for the remainder of the week. Additionally, supplemental materials have been combined into document - Supplemental Materials. Links to individual board/committee materials can be found below.

Live-Streaming

Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning at 8:00 a.m. on January 31st and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 3:00 p.m.) on Thursday February 2^nd. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board/section deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast, the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible. Please go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2958062690378327044 to register.

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 January 24, 2017 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, January 24, 2017 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.

General Background Materials

ASMFC Appeals Process

Final Agenda

January 30

January 31

Atlantic Herring Section  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (R. White)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Consider Approval of Draft Addendum I for Public Comment Action
  • Plan Development Team Report (A. Harp)
• Other Business/Adjourn

Tautog Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (A. Nowalsky)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Tagging Trial Report (A. Harp)
• Technical Committee Harvest Reduction and Projection Analysis (J. McNamee)
  • Methodology
  • Harvest Reduction Analysis for Massachusetts-Rhode Island, Long Island Sound and New Jersey-New York Bight
  • Projection Analysis to Achieve spawning Stock Biomass Threshold for All Regions
• Plan Development Team (PDT) Report on Regional Working Groups (A. Harp, A. Nowalsky)
  • Overview of Topics and Working Group Input by Region
  • PDT/Working Group Recommendations on Harvest Reduction Options for Draft Amendment 1
  • Board Guidance to the PDT on Draft Amendment 1
• Other Business/Adjourn

Winter Flounder Management Board  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (M. Gibson)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from February 2016
• Public Comment
• Consider Specifications for the 2017 Fishing Year (A. Harp) Final Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

American Lobster Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Borden)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Consider American Lobster Draft Addendum XXV for Public Comment (M. Ware) Action
  • Addendum XXV Subcommittee Report
  • Plan Development Team Report
• Technical Committee Report Possible Action
  • Report on the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank (GOM/GBK) Stock (K. Reardon)
  • Discuss Next Steps in Management of GOM/GBK Stock (D. Borden)
• Consider Action to Address Data Deficiencies in the Lobster Fishery (M. Ware) Possible Action
• Jonah Crab Draft Addendum II for Final Approval Final Action
  • Review Issues and Management Options (M. Ware)
  • Review Public Comment (M. Ware)
  • Law Enforcement Committee Report (M. Robson)
  • Consider Final Approval of Addendum II
• Technical Committee Report
  • Potential Impacts to Lobster Fishery from the New England Fishery Management Council’s Deep-Sea Coral Amendment (K. Reardon)
• Other Business/Adjourn

American Eel Management Board  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Clark)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from August 2016
• Public Comment
• Review 2017 Stock Assessment Update Schedule (K. Anstead)
• Review Technical Committee Report (K. Rootes-Murdy)
  • Review Young-of-the-Year Surveys and Maine Life Cycle Survey
• Other Business/Adjourn

February 1

Executive Committee  Supplemental
(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for Committee members and Commissioners only)

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Grout)
• Committee Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Meeting Summary from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Review and Consider Approval of FY16 Audit (L. Leach) Action
• Finalize ASMFC Standard Meeting Practices Document (R. Beal) Action
• Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program Update
• Discuss the Use of Management Boards and Sections for Species Management
• Other Business/Adjourn

Shad and River Herring Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Clark)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Consider Approval of Shad and River Herring Sustainability Fishery Management Plans (SFMPs) Final Action
• Review SFMPs and Technical Committee Memo (B. Chase)
  • New York - Updated River Herring SFMP
  • Delaware River Basin Cooperative – Updated Shad SFMP
  • Maine - Updated River Herring SFMP  
• Consider Approval of Florida’s American Shad Habitat Plan Final Action
• Review Habitat Plan and Technical Committee Memo (B. Chase)
• Elect Vice-Chair Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

• Welcome/Introductions (D. Grout)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Review and Discuss the National Academies of Sciences Report Review of the Marine Recreational Information Program
• Other Business/Adjourn

Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Grout)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Executive Committee Update (D. Grout)
• Discuss Illegal Fishing Activities and Policies and Associated Impacts on Quotas (J. McNamee)
• Discuss Possible Policy Implications of Safe Harbor Landings Guidance Document (J. Gilmore)
• Climate Change Working Group Update (D. Grout)
• Coastal Sharks Update (A. Harp)
  • Set Commercial Possession Limit for Blacknose Sharks South of 34˚00’  Final Action
  • Discuss NOAA Fisheries Proposal to List the Oceanic Whitetip Shark as Threatened
• Review Non-Compliance Findings, If Necessary Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board  Submitted Public Comment  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio
 

• Welcome/Call to Order (R. Ballou)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Review Socioeconomic Study of the Atlantic Menhaden Commercial Fishery (J. Harrison, J. Whitehead)
• Public Comment Summary of Draft Amendment 3 Public Information Document
  • Review Public Comment (M. Ware)
  • Review Advisory Panel Report (J. Kaelin)
• Provide Guidance to the Plan Development Team on Draft Amendment 3 (R. Ballou) Possible Action
• Discuss Allowance of Cast Nets under the Bycatch Provision of Amendment 2 (M. Ware) Possible Action
• Review and Populate Advisory Panel Membership (T. Berger) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

February 2

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board  Supplemental   Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (M. Luisi)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Summer Flounder Draft Addendum XXVIII for Final Approval (K. Rootes-Murdy) Final Action
  • Review Options
  • Public Comment Summary
  • Technical Committee Report
  • Advisory Panel Report
  • Consider Final Approval of Addendum XXVIII
• Update on 2015 Black Sea Bass Commercial Landings and 2017 Harvest Specifications (K. Rootes-Murdy)
• Consider Scup Draft Addendum XXIX for Public Comment Action
• Set 2017 Scup Recreational Fishery Specifications (K. Rootes-Murdy) Final Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Gilmore)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Technical Committee Report (N. Lengyel)
  • Review Projected Fishing Mortality and Recommended Data Sets for Conservation Equivalency Proposals
• Review and Consider Approval of 2018 Atlantic Striped Bass Benchmark Stock Assessment Terms of Reference (K. Drew) Action
• Review and Populate the Atlantic Striped Bass Stock Assessment Subcommittee Membership (M. Appelman) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Estes)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2016
• Public Comment
• Public Comment Summary of the Draft Cobia Public Information Document (L. Daniel)
  • Review Public Comment
  • Advisory Panel Report
  • Provide Guidance to the Plan Development Team for the Draft Cobia Fishery Management Plan (J. Estes)
• 2016 Red Drum Stock Assessment Reports Final Action
  • Stock Assessment Report (A. Giuliano)
  • Peer Review Panel Report (P. Campfield)
  • Consider Approval of Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report for Management Use
  • Consider Management Response to 2016 Red Drum Stock Assessment (J. Estes)
• Progress Report on Spot and Atlantic Croaker Stock Benchmark Stock Assessments (J. Kipp)
• Consider 2016 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance for Spot (M. Schmidtke) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn