ASMFC 2024 Spring Meeting

April 29 - May 2

Westin Crystal City
1800 Richmond Highway
Arlington, VA  22202

Final Agenda

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 main board materials have been combined into 2 documents: Main Meeting Materials & Supplemental Materials.

Live-Streaming

Webinar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6595956399847660630

Webinar ID 385-329-571

Phone: 415.655.0060, access code 439-781-011 

For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN.

Each day, the webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the first 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), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.

Meeting Process

Board chairs will ask both in-person and virtual board members if they wish to speak. In-person members can simply raise their hands at the meeting without logging on to the webinar, while virtual members will raise their hands on the webinar. The chair will work with staff to compile the list of speakers, balancing the flow of questions/comments between in-person and virtual attendees. The same process will be used for public comment. 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. 

Public Comment Guidelines

To provide 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 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 three weeks prior to the start of a meeting week (April 8) will be included in the briefing materials.
2. Comments received by 5 PM on Tuesday, April 23 will be included in supplemental materials.
3. Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, April 26 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.

General Background Materials

• Official Roster
• Travel Authorization Form
• Travel Reimbursement Guidelines
• Travel Voucher
• Proxy Form
• AP Nomination Form
• Financial Disclosures and Conflict of Interest Policy & Form
• Compact, Rules and Regulations
• ISFMP Charter
• 2024-2028 Strategic Plan
• 2024 Action Plan
• Appeals Process
• Conservation Equivalency Guidance Document
• Status of the Stocks
• Assessment Schedule
• 2024 Winter Meeting Summary

Monday, April 29

Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Coordinating Council  Supplemental

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. McNamee)
• Council Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2023
• Public Comment
• Consider Funding Decision Document and FY2025 Request for Proposals (J. Simpson) Action
• Update on Program and Committee Activities (G. White, J. Simpson)
• Other Business/Adjourn

Tuesday, April 30

American Lobster Management Board  Supplemental  Supplemental 2

• Welcome/Call to Order (P. Keliher)                                                                     
• Board Consent                                                                                                      
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from January and March 2024
• Public Comment                                                                                                  
• Progress Update on Benchmark Stock Assessment for American Lobster (T. Pugh)
  
• American Lobster Technical Committee Report on Northern Edge Lobster Population and Fishery (T. Pugh)
• Consider Sending Comments to New England Fishery Management Council on Scallop Action Possible Action                                                                                             
• Plan Development Team Report on Conservation Measures for Lobster Conservation Management Areas 2 and 3 (C. Starks)
• Reports from Lobster Conservation Management Teams 2 and 3
• Elect Vice-Chair Action                                                                                       
• Other Business/Adjourn

Sciaenids Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Haymans)                                                                       
• Board Consent                                                                                                      
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2023                                          
• Public Comment                                                                                                  
• Consider Spot Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year (T. Bauer) Action                       
• Progress Update on Red Drum, Atlantic Croaker, and Spot Benchmark Stock Assessments (J. Kipp)
• Elect Vice-Chair Action                                                                                       
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board  Supplemental  Supplemental 2

• Welcome/Call to Order (C. McManus)                                                                       
• Board Consent                                                                                                             
• Approval of Agenda
• Approval of Proceedings from October 2023                                                                
• Public Comment                                                                                                        
• Review Report on Acoustic Survey of Overwintering Atlantic Menhaden Offshore of New Jersey (G. Nesslage)
• Updates from State Management Programs                                                            
  • Maryland (L. Fegley)
  • Virginia (P. Geer)
• Progress Update on 2025 Stock Assessments (K. Drew)                                             
  • Ecological Reference Point Benchmark Assessment
  • Atlantic Menhaden Single-Species Assessment Update
• Elect Vice-Chair Action                                                                                               
• Other Business/Adjourn

Law Enforcement Committee
(A portion of this meeting will be closed session for Committee members and the LEC Coordinator only)

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Snellbaker)                                                                  
• Committee Consent (J. Snellbaker)         
  • Approval of Agenda
• Public Comment                                                                                                     
• Introductions                                                                                                           
• Update on Changes to Enforceability Guidelines (J. Snellbaker)                           
• North American Wildlife Law Enforcement Accreditation NAWLEA (J. Cobb)       
• American Eel/Elver Fishery (R. Beal)
• Review and Discuss Commission Species                                                               
  • Atlantic Striped Bass Draft Addendum II (E. Franke)
  • Atlantic Cobia FMP Update (E. Franke)
  • Other Species
• Meeting Recess/Reconvene May 1 at 8 a.m.

Horseshoe Crab Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Davis)             
• Board Consent                                          
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2023
• Public Comment                                      
• Consider 2024 Horseshoe Crab Stock Assessment Update (K. Rodrigue) Action      
• Discuss Horseshoe Crab Bait Demand (C. Starks)                                                      
  • Possible Impact of State Harvest Regulations on Bait Demand
• Adaptive Resource Management Subcommittee (ARM) Report (J. Sweka)
  • Technical Response to External Review of ARM Framework Revision
• Update on Horseshoe Crab Management Objectives Workshop (C. Starks)            
• Elect Vice-Chair Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Wednesday, May 1

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

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Cimino)                                                                            
• Board Consent                                                                                                            
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Meeting Summary from January 2024                                      
• Public Comment                                      
• Review FY25 Budget
• Legislative Update
• Future Annual Meetings Update
• Executive Director Performance Review (Closed Session)
• Other Business/Adjourn

Law Enforcement Committee (continued) 
(A portion of this meeting will be closed session for Committee members and the LEC Coordinator only)

• Reconvene
• Review and Discuss Ongoing Enforcement Activities (Closed Session)                  
• Review and Discuss Commission Species (continued)                                           
  • American Lobster FMP/Mitchel Provision (C. Stark)
  • Horseshoe Crab FMP (C. Stark)
• State Agency Reports                                                                                              
• Elect Vice Chair
• Other Business/Adjourn

Coastal Pelagics Management Board  Supplemental

• Welcome/Call to Order (S. Woodward)
• Board Consent                                                                                                                  
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from January 2024                                                
• Public Comment                                                                                                              
• Consider Approval of Atlantic Cobia Draft Addendum II on Recreational Allocation, Harvest Target Evaluation, and Measures Setting for Public Comment (E. Franke) Action
• Presentation of Spanish Mackerel White Paper (E. Franke)
• Update from South Atlantic Fishery Management Council on Mackerel Port Meetings (J. Carmichael)
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board  Supplemental

• Welcome/Call to Order (M. Ware)                                                                            
• Board Consent                                                                                                            
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from March 2024                                                  
• Public Comment                                                                                                         
• Consider Revised Addendum II State Implementation Plans Final Action               
  • Overview of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Potomac River Fisheries Commission Plan Revisions (K. Kuhn, M. Luisi, I. Braun-Ricks)
  • Consider Approval of State Implementation Plans
• Presentation of Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Release Mortality Study (M. Armstrong)
• Discuss Recreational Release Mortality Workgroup Task Potential Action                   
  • Overview of Past Board Discussion (E. Franke)
  • Consider Tasking for Recreational Release Mortality Workgroup
• Review and Populate Advisory Panel Membership (T. Berger) Action                    
• Elect Vice-Chair Action                                                                                             
• Other Business/Adjourn

American Eel Management Board  Supplemental  Supplemental 2

• Welcome/Call to Order (K. Kuhn)                                                                                
• Board Consent                                                                                                             
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from January 2024
• Public Comment                                                                                                          
• Consider Addendum VI on Maine Glass Eel Quota for Final Approval Final Action
  • Review Options and Public Comment Summary (C. Starks)
  • Advisory Panel Report (M. Feigenbaum)
  • Consider Approval of Addendum VI
• Consider Addendum VII on Yellow Eel Yellow Eel Coastwide Cap and Monitoring for Final Approval Final Action
  • Review Options and Public Comment Summary (C. Starks)
  • Advisory Panel Report (M. Feigenbaum)
  • Consider Approval of Addendum VII
• Elect Vice-Chair Action                                                                                               
• Other Business/Adjourn

Thursday, May 2

Coastal Sharks Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (M. Luisi)                                                                               
• Board Consent                                                                                                             
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2023
• Public Comment                                                                                                          
• Progress Update on Ongoing Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan Actions (K. Brewster-Geisz)
• Consider Implementing Complementary State Waters Measures to Prohibit Retention of Oceanic Whitetip Sharks (C. Starks) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Spiny Dogfish Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (P. Geer)                                                                              
• Board Consent                                                                                                            
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from January 2024                                                
• Public Comment                                                                                                          
• Review Action by the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils (MAFMC and NEFMC) to Reduce Sturgeon Bycatch and Consider Complementary Action Possible Action    
  • Review MAFMC and NEFMC Final Action (K. Cisneros)
  • Review Consistency of Federal and State Management of Spiny Dogfish (J. Boyle)
• Other Business/Adjourn
  

Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board  Supplemental

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Cimino)                                                                             
• Board Consent                                                                                                             
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from January 2024
• Public Comment                                                                                                          
• Executive Committee Report (J. Cimino)
• 2024 State of the Ecosystem Report (S. Gaichas)                                                       
• Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel Progress Report for Industry- Base Survey Pilot Program (D. Salerno/H. Hart)
• Consider Revised Guidelines for Resource Managers on the Enforceability of Fishery Management Measures (K. Blanchard) Final Action
• Stock Assessment Updates (K. Drew)                                                                         
• Review Noncompliance Findings, If Necessary Action                                                             
• Other Business/Adjourn

 Commission Business Session                                                                                                                          

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Cimino)
• Board Consent                                                                                                                               
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from January 2024
• Consider Noncompliance Recommendations, if necessary Final Action
• Other Business/Adjourn