States Schedule Public Hearings on Atlantic Menhaden Addendum I
Public Comment Accepted Until July 14, 2004
Atlantic coastal states from Rhode Island through North Carolina have
scheduled the dates and times of their hearings to gather public comment on
Draft Addendum I to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for
Atlantic Menhaden. Following are the details of the scheduled hearings:
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
June 22, 2004; 6:00 PM
URI Narragansett Bay Campus
Corless Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Jason McNamee at (401)423-1943
Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection
June 23, 2004; 6:00 PM
Marine Headquarters
Boating Education Center
333 Ferry Rd.
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Contact: David Simpson at (860)434-6043
New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation
June 21, 2004; 7:30 PM
Bureau of Marine Resources Headquarters
205 North Belle Meade Road
East Setauket, New York
Contact: Peter Anderson at (631)444-0453
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
July 8, 2004; 7:00 PM
2600 Washington Avenue, 4th floor
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Rob O’Reilly at 757 247 2248
North Carolina Division Marine Fisheries
June 29, 2004; 6:00 PM
Center for Marine Science and Technology
3rd Floor library Conference Room (room 306)
Carteret Community College Campus
3505 Arendell St.
Morehead City, North Carolina
Contact: Trish Murphy at (252)726-7021
Addendum I proposes modifications to the plan’s biological reference
points, schedule for stock assessments and habitat section. This action is
based in part on the recommendations of the Menhaden Technical Committee in
its 2003 stock assessment, which found that menhaden are not overfished and
overfishing is not occurring on a coastwide basis. Peer-reviewed this past
October by the Southeast Data, Assessment and Review Panel, the assessment
uses a new modeling approach (Forward Projection Model) and fecundity-based
biological reference points to determine stock status. These reference
points are more accurate and take into account the number of mature ova
(eggs). This is a significant departure from the way menhaden assessments
have been conducted in the past.
The Addendum also proposes changes to the plan’s fishing mortality target
and threshold levels as recommended by the Menhaden Technical Committee and
supported by the peer review. Rather than conducting a full-scale annual
assessment, the addendum proposes a three-year assessment cycle to allow
for the increased complexity and data requirements of the new model. The
Technical Committee will continue to meet annually to review the current
year’s landings and indices. A new assessment may be initiated if there are
indications of a significant change in stock status.
Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on
the Draft Addendum either by attending public hearings or providing written
comments. Copies of the Addendum can be obtained via the Commission’s
website at
Commission at (202)289-6400. Public comment will be accepted until July 14,
2004 and should be forwarded to Nancy Wallace, Fishery Management Plan
Coordinator, at 1444 Eye Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005;
(202)289-6051 (fax) or
co******@as***.org
subject line: menhaden. For more
information, please contact Nancy Wallace at (202)289-6400.
States Schedule Public Hearings on Atlantic Menhaden Addendum I
Public Comment Accepted Until July 14, 2004
Atlantic coastal states from Rhode Island through North Carolina have
scheduled the dates and times of their hearings to gather public comment on
Draft Addendum I to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for
Atlantic Menhaden. Following are the details of the scheduled hearings:
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
June 22, 2004; 6:00 PM
URI Narragansett Bay Campus
Corless Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Jason McNamee at (401)423-1943
Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection
June 23, 2004; 6:00 PM
Marine Headquarters
Boating Education Center
333 Ferry Rd.
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Contact: David Simpson at (860)434-6043
New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation
June 21, 2004; 7:30 PM
Bureau of Marine Resources Headquarters
205 North Belle Meade Road
East Setauket, New York
Contact: Peter Anderson at (631)444-0453
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
July 8, 2004; 7:00 PM
2600 Washington Avenue, 4th floor
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Rob O’Reilly at 757 247 2248
North Carolina Division Marine Fisheries
June 29, 2004; 6:00 PM
Center for Marine Science and Technology
3rd Floor library Conference Room (room 306)
Carteret Community College Campus
3505 Arendell St.
Morehead City, North Carolina
Contact: Trish Murphy at (252)726-7021
Addendum I proposes modifications to the plan’s biological reference
points, schedule for stock assessments and habitat section. This action is
based in part on the recommendations of the Menhaden Technical Committee in
its 2003 stock assessment, which found that menhaden are not overfished and
overfishing is not occurring on a coastwide basis. Peer-reviewed this past
October by the Southeast Data, Assessment and Review Panel, the assessment
uses a new modeling approach (Forward Projection Model) and fecundity-based
biological reference points to determine stock status. These reference
points are more accurate and take into account the number of mature ova
(eggs). This is a significant departure from the way menhaden assessments
have been conducted in the past.
The Addendum also proposes changes to the plan’s fishing mortality target
and threshold levels as recommended by the Menhaden Technical Committee and
supported by the peer review. Rather than conducting a full-scale annual
assessment, the addendum proposes a three-year assessment cycle to allow
for the increased complexity and data requirements of the new model. The
Technical Committee will continue to meet annually to review the current
year’s landings and indices. A new assessment may be initiated if there are
indications of a significant change in stock status.
Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on
the Draft Addendum either by attending public hearings or providing written
comments. Copies of the Addendum can be obtained via the Commission’s
website at
Commission at (202)289-6400. Public comment will be accepted until July 14,
2004 and should be forwarded to Nancy Wallace, Fishery Management Plan
Coordinator, at 1444 Eye Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005;
(202)289-6051 (fax) or
co******@as***.org
subject line: menhaden. For more
information, please contact Nancy Wallace at (202)289-6400.