Council Supports Alternative 1 to Monkfish Framework 3

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) met in Annapolis, MD last week and, among other actions, approved Alternative 1 to Framework 3 of the Joint Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This Alternative would remove the provision included in the multi-species regulations that specifies: “Vessels that are required by another fishery management plan to use a Northeast (NE) multi-species day at sea (DAS) may elect to use a NE multi-species Category ‘B’ DAS to satisfy this requirement.” If adopted, this alternative would prohibit the targeting of monkfish on a B-regular DAS, or using B-regular DAS to satisfy the requirement to use a multispecies DAS when on a monkfish DAS. The New England Council will address this same Framework at its meeting next week in Portland, ME. The Council also developed its position regarding Amendment 1 to the New England Council’s Herring FMP. In a letter sent to the New England Council, the Council requested modification of the proposed qualifying dates for inclusion in the limited access program for herring in Areas 2 and 3, modification of the mackerel set-aside provisions included in the Amendment, and deletion, or at least delay, in the implementation of the sector allocation measures addressed in the proposed action. Framework 6 to the Council’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP was reviewed. This Framework is designed to modify the current system of conservation equivalency (individual state-by-state recreational allocation of summer flounder) so as to allow adjacent states to form voluntary multi-state regions for purposes of developing uniform regional conservation equivalency measures in lieu of individual state measures. If ultimately approved, this measure will compliment and support the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP’s Addendum XVII which allows for the voluntary formation of multistate conservation equivalency regions. This Framework will be reviewed a second time at the Council’s next meeting (March 14 – 16, Cape May, NJ).

In other Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP action, the Council addressed Amendment 15 in a prescoping session. There were 17 major plan actions identified for further consideration. It is anticipated that a draft scoping document will be available for consideration at the Council’s August meeting. It was also recommended by the Council that it use all appropriate venues to communicate and address with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) any issues that the Council has regarding NMFS’ Highly Migratory Species comment and consultation program.

The Council received a presentation from the United States Coast Guard concerning rules based on the Maritime Transportation Safety Act of 2002 that require the installation and use of Automated Identification Systems (AIS) on fishing vessels of 65 feet or more in length, and it also received a report on the results of the 42nd Stock Assessment Review Committee dealing with Atlantic mackerel, Illex squid, and whiting. During this meeting, the Council convened six Committee meetings: Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish; Bycatch; Magnuson-Stevens Act; Ecosystems; Executive; and, Highly Migratory.

Council Supports Alternative 1 to Monkfish Framework 3

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) met in Annapolis, MD last week and, among other actions, approved Alternative 1 to Framework 3 of the Joint Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This Alternative would remove the provision included in the multi-species regulations that specifies: “Vessels that are required by another fishery management plan to use a Northeast (NE) multi-species day at sea (DAS) may elect to use a NE multi-species Category ‘B’ DAS to satisfy this requirement.” If adopted, this alternative would prohibit the targeting of monkfish on a B-regular DAS, or using B-regular DAS to satisfy the requirement to use a multispecies DAS when on a monkfish DAS. The New England Council will address this same Framework at its meeting next week in Portland, ME. The Council also developed its position regarding Amendment 1 to the New England Council’s Herring FMP. In a letter sent to the New England Council, the Council requested modification of the proposed qualifying dates for inclusion in the limited access program for herring in Areas 2 and 3, modification of the mackerel set-aside provisions included in the Amendment, and deletion, or at least delay, in the implementation of the sector allocation measures addressed in the proposed action. Framework 6 to the Council’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP was reviewed. This Framework is designed to modify the current system of conservation equivalency (individual state-by-state recreational allocation of summer flounder) so as to allow adjacent states to form voluntary multi-state regions for purposes of developing uniform regional conservation equivalency measures in lieu of individual state measures. If ultimately approved, this measure will compliment and support the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP’s Addendum XVII which allows for the voluntary formation of multistate conservation equivalency regions. This Framework will be reviewed a second time at the Council’s next meeting (March 14 – 16, Cape May, NJ).

In other Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP action, the Council addressed Amendment 15 in a prescoping session. There were 17 major plan actions identified for further consideration. It is anticipated that a draft scoping document will be available for consideration at the Council’s August meeting. It was also recommended by the Council that it use all appropriate venues to communicate and address with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) any issues that the Council has regarding NMFS’ Highly Migratory Species comment and consultation program.

The Council received a presentation from the United States Coast Guard concerning rules based on the Maritime Transportation Safety Act of 2002 that require the installation and use of Automated Identification Systems (AIS) on fishing vessels of 65 feet or more in length, and it also received a report on the results of the 42nd Stock Assessment Review Committee dealing with Atlantic mackerel, Illex squid, and whiting. During this meeting, the Council convened six Committee meetings: Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish; Bycatch; Magnuson-Stevens Act; Ecosystems; Executive; and, Highly Migratory.