Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Amendment 15

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) proposes to develop Amendment 15 to its Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass in order to address a wide range of issues relating to the management of these three species. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) and the Council coordinate and complement the management of all three species. Therefore, the Council and Commission will jointly participate in the amendment development and approval process. The Council is beginning the process of gathering information and is seeking input on the range of issues to be considered during the development of Amendment 15.

A series of 11 scoping meetings will provide stakeholder groups and interested parties the opportunity to provide comments during the 90-day public comment period. The scoping document will be distributed to all entities on the Council’s mailing list and will be available at all of the scoping meetings. This document is also available via the Internet at http://www.mafmc.org/midatlantic/comments/comments.htm, and can be obtained on request from the Council office at the Council’s address given below. Dates and locations for the scoping meetings are as follows:

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
April 20, 2006, 6:00 PM
Radisson Plymouth Harbor
180 Water Street
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Contact: David Pierce, (617) 626-1532

Maryland Department of Natural Resources
April 10, 2006, 6:30 PM
Ocean Pines Library
11107 Cathell Road
Ocean Pines, Maryland
Contact: Howard J. King, III, (410) 260-8281

Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
April 10, 2006, 6:00 PM
URI Narragansett Bay Campus
Corless Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Brian Murphy, (401) 423-1941

Virginia Marine Resources Commission
April 4, 2006, 7:00 PM
2600 Washington Ave, 4th floor
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Jack Travelstead, (757) 247-2247

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
April 11, 2006, 7:00 PM
DEP, Marine Headquarters
333 Ferry Road
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Contact: Dave Simpson, (860) 434-6043

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
May 2, 2006, 7:00 PM
Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel
36th & Atlantic Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Contact: Dan Furlong, (302) 674-2331

New York Department of Environmental Conservation
Date, time, and location to be determined. Check with the ASMFC at www.asmfc.org for updated meeting information.
Contact: Gordon Colvin (631) 444-0433

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
April 3, 2006, 7:00 PM
Roanoke Island Festival Park
One Festival Park
Manteo, North Carolina
Contact: Red Munden, (252) 726-7021

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
April 18, 2006, 7:00 PM
Ocean County Complex
118 Washington Street
Toms River, NJ
Contact: Tom McCloy, (609) 292-7794

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
April 4, 2006, 7:00 PM
Carteret Community College
CMAST Building, Room 306
Morehead City, NC
Contact: Red Munden, (252) 726-7021

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
April 18, 2006, 7:00 PM
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Richardson and Robbins Building Auditorium
89 Kings Highway
Dover, Delaware
Contact: Rick Cole, (302) 739-4782

Your comments are invited.

In addition to providing information and comments at the above scoping meetings, you may submit written comments on or before 5:00 p.m., local time, on June 30, 2006 to:

Daniel T. Furlong
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
Room 2115 Federal Building
300 South New Street
Dover, Delaware 19904-6790
Telephone: (302) 674-2331
Fax: (302) 674-5399

Comments may also be sent via fax at the above fax number or by e-mail to FS*****@NO**.GOV. Please note on your correspondence and in the subject line of e-mail comments the following identifier: “Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Amendment 15 Scoping Comments.”

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Amendment 15
Scoping Meetings and Comments: April 1 to June 30, 2006

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) proposes to develop Amendment 15 to its Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass in order to address a wide range of issues relating to the management of these three species. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) and the Council coordinate and complement the management of all three species. Therefore, the Council and Commission will jointly participate in the amendment development and approval process. The Council is beginning the process of gathering information and is seeking input on the range of issues to be considered during the development of Amendment 15.

A series of 11 scoping meetings will provide stakeholder groups and interested parties the opportunity to provide comments during the 90-day public comment period. The scoping document will be distributed to all entities on the Council’s mailing list and will be available at all of the scoping meetings. This document is also available via the Internet at http://www.mafmc.org/midatlantic/comments/comments.htm, and can be obtained on request from the Council office at the Council’s address given below. Dates and locations for the scoping meetings are as follows:

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
April 20, 2006, 6:00 PM
Radisson Plymouth Harbor
180 Water Street
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Contact: David Pierce, (617) 626-1532

Maryland Department of Natural Resources
April 10, 2006, 6:30 PM
Ocean Pines Library
11107 Cathell Road
Ocean Pines, Maryland
Contact: Howard J. King, III, (410) 260-8281

Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
April 10, 2006, 6:00 PM
URI Narragansett Bay Campus
Corless Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Brian Murphy, (401) 423-1941

Virginia Marine Resources Commission
April 4, 2006, 7:00 PM
2600 Washington Ave, 4th floor
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Jack Travelstead, (757) 247-2247

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
April 11, 2006, 7:00 PM
DEP, Marine Headquarters
333 Ferry Road
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Contact: Dave Simpson, (860) 434-6043

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
May 2, 2006, 7:00 PM
Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel
36th & Atlantic Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Contact: Dan Furlong, (302) 674-2331

New York Department of Environmental Conservation
Date, time, and location to be determined. Check with the ASMFC at www.asmfc.org for updated meeting information.
Contact: Gordon Colvin (631) 444-0433

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
April 3, 2006, 7:00 PM
Roanoke Island Festival Park
One Festival Park
Manteo, North Carolina
Contact: Red Munden, (252) 726-7021

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
April 18, 2006, 7:00 PM
Ocean County Complex
118 Washington Street
Toms River, NJ
Contact: Tom McCloy, (609) 292-7794

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
April 4, 2006, 7:00 PM
Carteret Community College
CMAST Building, Room 306
Morehead City, NC
Contact: Red Munden, (252) 726-7021

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
April 18, 2006, 7:00 PM
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Richardson and Robbins Building Auditorium
89 Kings Highway
Dover, Delaware
Contact: Rick Cole, (302) 739-4782

Your comments are invited.

In addition to providing information and comments at the above scoping meetings, you may submit written comments on or before 5:00 p.m., local time, on June 30, 2006 to:

Daniel T. Furlong
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
Room 2115 Federal Building
300 South New Street
Dover, Delaware 19904-6790
Telephone: (302) 674-2331
Fax: (302) 674-5399

Comments may also be sent via fax at the above fax number or by e-mail to FS*****@NO**.GOV. Please note on your correspondence and in the subject line of e-mail comments the following identifier: “Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Amendment 15 Scoping Comments.”