Council Meeting in Virginia Beach, VA: May 2-4, 2006

The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s May 2006 meeting to be held at Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel, 36th & Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 (telephone 757-425-9000), May 2-4, 2006. Below is the meeting agenda.

Tuesday, May 2

8:30 – 2:00 p.m. Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM) Committee

• Review Fishery Management Action Team’s progress report on development of SBRM Amendment

• Continue discussions related to issues to address in SBRM Amendment AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSIONS

NOTE – the Research Set Aside Committee will be meeting privately with officials from NMFS

1:00 – 5:00 p.m. RSA Committee

• Review technically evaluated 2007 RSA project proposals

• Provide recommendations regarding which proposals best meet Council priorities for 2007

2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Protected Resources Committee

• Review most recent update of Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan

• Consider establishing a Committee advisory panel

3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish Committee

• Review and update progress on Amendment 10

• Initiate discussion regarding changes to 2007 specification

7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Scoping Meeting for Amendment 15 to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea

Bass FMP

Wednesday, May 3

8:30 – 10:00 a.m. SCOQ/Tilefish Committee

• Review status of stock update for tilefish

• Review current tilefish management practice

• Review Monitoring Committee’s recommendation regarding tilefish harvest level for

2006 / 2007 and beyond

• Develop recommendations regarding tilefish harvest level for 2006 / 2007 and beyond for Council consideration and action

10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Ad Hoc MSA Reauthorization Committee

• Review House versions of MSA Reauthorization Bills

• Develop comments for Congressional feedback

11:30 – 12:00 p.m. Ecosystems Committee

• Develop strategies to reduce bycatch mortality through the adoption and use of circle hooks in selected recreational fisheries

12:00 -1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. Council Convenes

1:00 – 3:30 p.m. Business Session

• Approve March 2006 Council meeting minutes

• Review March actions

Organizational Reports

• NMFS Regional Administrator

• NMFS NEFSC Director

• NOAA Office of General Counsel

• Federal Enforcement (NMFS and USCG)

• ASMFC

Council Liaison Report

• New England Council

Executive Director’s Report – Mr. Furlong

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Establish Tilefish Harvest Levels for 2006 / 2007 fishing year and beyond

• Review SCOQ/Tilefish Committee’s recommendations regarding tilefish harvest level for 2006 / 2007 fishing year and beyond

• Adopt tilefish harvest level for 2006 / 2007 fishing year and beyond

Thursday, May 4

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Executive Committee

• Review actions taken at April Northeast Regional Coordinating Council meeting

9:00 a.m. Council Convenes

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. USCG Presentation on Rescue 21

10:00 – 12:00 p.m. Committee reports

• Trawl Survey

• NMFS Highly Migratory Species

• Bycatch

• Research Set Aside

• Protected Resources

• Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish

• SCOQ/Tilefish

• Ad Hoc MSA Reauthorization

• Ecosystems

• Executive

Continuing and New Business

• Consider nominees and select backfill for David Conover vacancy to Science and Statistical Committee

The above agenda items may not be taken in the order in which they appear and are subject to change as necessary. Other items may be added, but the Council cannot take action on such items even if the item requires emergency action without additional public notice. Non-emergency matters not contained in this agenda may come before the Council and / or its Committees for discussion, but these matters may not be the subject of formal Council or Committee action during this meeting. Council and

Committee actions will be restricted to the issues specifically listed in this agenda. Any issues requiring emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act that arise after publication of the Federal Register Notice for this meeting may be acted to address the emergency. The meeting may be closed to discuss employment or other internal administrative matters.

Council Meeting in Virginia Beach, VA: May 2-4, 2006

The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s May 2006 meeting to be held at Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel, 36th & Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 (telephone 757-425-9000), May 2-4, 2006. Below is the meeting agenda.

Tuesday, May 2

8:30 – 2:00 p.m. Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM) Committee

• Review Fishery Management Action Team’s progress report on development of SBRM Amendment

• Continue discussions related to issues to address in SBRM Amendment AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSIONS

NOTE – the Research Set Aside Committee will be meeting privately with officials from NMFS

1:00 – 5:00 p.m. RSA Committee

• Review technically evaluated 2007 RSA project proposals

• Provide recommendations regarding which proposals best meet Council priorities for 2007

2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Protected Resources Committee

• Review most recent update of Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan

• Consider establishing a Committee advisory panel

3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish Committee

• Review and update progress on Amendment 10

• Initiate discussion regarding changes to 2007 specification

7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Scoping Meeting for Amendment 15 to the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea

Bass FMP

Wednesday, May 3

8:30 – 10:00 a.m. SCOQ/Tilefish Committee

• Review status of stock update for tilefish

• Review current tilefish management practice

• Review Monitoring Committee’s recommendation regarding tilefish harvest level for

2006 / 2007 and beyond

• Develop recommendations regarding tilefish harvest level for 2006 / 2007 and beyond for Council consideration and action

10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Ad Hoc MSA Reauthorization Committee

• Review House versions of MSA Reauthorization Bills

• Develop comments for Congressional feedback

11:30 – 12:00 p.m. Ecosystems Committee

• Develop strategies to reduce bycatch mortality through the adoption and use of circle hooks in selected recreational fisheries

12:00 -1:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 p.m. Council Convenes

1:00 – 3:30 p.m. Business Session

• Approve March 2006 Council meeting minutes

• Review March actions

Organizational Reports

• NMFS Regional Administrator

• NMFS NEFSC Director

• NOAA Office of General Counsel

• Federal Enforcement (NMFS and USCG)

• ASMFC

Council Liaison Report

• New England Council

Executive Director’s Report – Mr. Furlong

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Establish Tilefish Harvest Levels for 2006 / 2007 fishing year and beyond

• Review SCOQ/Tilefish Committee’s recommendations regarding tilefish harvest level for 2006 / 2007 fishing year and beyond

• Adopt tilefish harvest level for 2006 / 2007 fishing year and beyond

Thursday, May 4

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Executive Committee

• Review actions taken at April Northeast Regional Coordinating Council meeting

9:00 a.m. Council Convenes

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. USCG Presentation on Rescue 21

10:00 – 12:00 p.m. Committee reports

• Trawl Survey

• NMFS Highly Migratory Species

• Bycatch

• Research Set Aside

• Protected Resources

• Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish

• SCOQ/Tilefish

• Ad Hoc MSA Reauthorization

• Ecosystems

• Executive

Continuing and New Business

• Consider nominees and select backfill for David Conover vacancy to Science and Statistical Committee

The above agenda items may not be taken in the order in which they appear and are subject to change as necessary. Other items may be added, but the Council cannot take action on such items even if the item requires emergency action without additional public notice. Non-emergency matters not contained in this agenda may come before the Council and / or its Committees for discussion, but these matters may not be the subject of formal Council or Committee action during this meeting. Council and

Committee actions will be restricted to the issues specifically listed in this agenda. Any issues requiring emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act that arise after publication of the Federal Register Notice for this meeting may be acted to address the emergency. The meeting may be closed to discuss employment or other internal administrative matters.