The agenda is subject to change. 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 Board meeting documents have been combined into two documents: Main Meeting Materials and Supplemental Materials. Not included in the Supplemental Materials are the materials for the Atlantic Striped Bass Board, which can be found here and below. Links to individual board/committee materials can be found below.
Annual Meeting Registration
All meetings are open to the public free of charge. However, if you plan on attending any of the Annual Meeting social events, please help us prepare for these events by registering TODAY. Click here to access the fillable registration form; once completed email to Lisa Hartman.
Live-Streaming
Board meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning Monday, October 28th at 8:30 a.m. and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 12:15 p.m.) on Thursday, October 31st. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible.
Public Comment Guidelines
With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in 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 already 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).
Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of a meeting week will be included in the briefing materials.
Comments received by 5:00 PM on October 22, 2019 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting and a limited number of copies will be provided at the meeting.
Following the October 22, 2019 deadline, the commenter will be responsible for distributing the information to the management board prior to the board meeting or providing enough copies for the management board consideration at the meeting (a minimum of 50 copies).
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, fax, and email.
Progress Update on 2019 Atlantic Herring Area 1A Fishery Performance (R. Zobel)
Update on Development of New England Fishery Management Council’s (NEFMC) Georges Bank Spawning Protection Discussion Document (D. Boelke) Possible Action
Review and Set 2020-2021 Atlantic Herring Fishery Specifications (K. Rootes-Murdy) Final Action
Update on Maine Enforcement Efforts on Quota Violation (R. Beal)
Consider Postponed Motion from April 2019 (C. Batsavage)Final Action Move to require, for state waters, the use of circle hooks on lines intended to catch sharks.
Law Enforcement Committee Report (M. Robson)
Advisory Panel Report (K. Rootes-Murdy)
Set Coastal Sharks Fishery Specifications for 2020 Action
Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance
Status Update on State Implementation of North Atlantic Shortfin Mako Recreational Measures