Final Agenda

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. It is our intent to begin at the scheduled start time for each meeting, however, if meetings run late the next meeting may start later than originally planned.  

Please note there has been a change in meeting times and the order of meetings on Wednesday (August 5) and a slight shift in meeting times on Thursday (August 6).

For ease of access, all meeting documents, with the exception of the materials for the Shad Management Board (for the main meeting materials) and Atlantic Menhaden Board materials (for supplemental), have been combined into two documents: Main Meeting Materials and Supplemental Materials. Links to individual board/committee materials can be found below. For those Boards that have FMP Reviews and Compliance Reports on their agendas, the compliance reports are not posted due to their large file sizes. If you would like a copy of a specific state's or jurisdiction's compliance report, please contact the respective FMP Coordinator. 

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. Please note these guidelines have been modified to adapt to meetings via webinar.

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). 

1. Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of the webinar (July 13) will be included in the briefing materials.

2. Comments received by 5 PM on the Tuesday, July 28 will be included in the supplemental materials.

3. Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, July 31 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.

Comments should be submitted via email at comments@asmfc.org. All comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.

General Background Materials

• Official Roster
• Proxy Form
• AP Nomination Form
• Financial Disclosures and Conflict of Interest Policy & Form
• Compact, Rules and Regulations
• ISFMP Charter
• 2019-2023 Strategic Plan
• 2020 Action Plan
• Appeals Process
• Conservation Equivalency Guidance Document
• Stock Status Overview
• Assessment Schedule
• 2020 Spring Meeting Summary

Monday, August 3

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio1  Audio2

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Borden)
  • Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from May 2020
• Public Comment
• Consider Approval of 2019 Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance (M. Appelman) Action
• Discuss Work Group Report on Issues to be Considered in the Next Management Document (M. Ware, M. Gary)
• Recess (Reconvene August 4 at 3:00 p.m.)

Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) Coordinating Council  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (L. Fegley)
• Council Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from May 2020
• Public Comment
• Review and Discuss ACCSP Governance Survey Results (G. White)
• Committee and Program Updates (J. Simpson, G. White)
• Status of 2020 Action Plan Items (G. White)
• Other Business/Adjourn

South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (L. Fegley)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Meeting Summary from February 2020
• Public Comment
• Consider Draft Addendum l to Amendment 1 to the Cobia Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Public Comment (M. Schmidtke) Action
• Consider Approval of Atlantic Cobia Commercial Trigger Level (A. Giuliano) Action
• Discuss Timeline for Submitting Atlantic Cobia Amendment 1 Implementation Plans (M. Schmidtke)
• Review Terms of Reference for Red Drum Simulation Assessment (J. Kipp) Action
• Elect Vice-Chair (L. Fegley) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Tuesday, August 4

8:30 AM - Noon

Shad & River Herring Management Board  Peer Review & Assessment Reports  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (M. Armstrong)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2019
• Public Comment
• Consider 2020 Shad Benchmark Stock Assessment Action
  • Presentation of Stock Assessment Report (M. Bailey)
  • Presentation of Peer Review Panel Report (K. Limburg)
  • Consider Acceptance of Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report for Management Use (M. Armstrong)
  • Consider Management Response to the Assessment and Peer Review (M. Armstrong)
• Break (15 minutes)
• Consider State Proposals to Resolve Inconsistencies with Amendments 2 and 3 Final Action
  • Presentation of State Proposals and Technical Committee Recommendations (K. Sprankle)
  • Presentation of Advisory Panel Comments on State Proposals and Technical Committee Recommendations (P. Lyons Gromen)
  • Consider Approval of State Proposals
• Update on River Herring Technical Expert Work Group Activities (C. Starks)
• Update on Timeline for Shad Habitat Plan Updates (C. Starks)
• Elect Vice-Chair (M. Armstrong) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn                        

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio1  Audio 2

• Welcome/Call to Order (S. Woodward)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from May 2020
• Public Comment
• Review Ecological Reference Point Work Group Analysis (M. Cieri)
• Consider Postponed Motion from February 2020 (S. Woodward) Final Action
  • Move to Adopt:      
    • An Atlantic menhaden ecological reference point F target equal to the maximum F on Atlantic menhaden that maintains Atlantic striped bass at its biomass target when striped bass is fished at its F target and all other ERP species as defined in the NWACS-MICE model are fished at their status quo F rates.
    • An Atlantic menhaden ecological reference point F threshold equal to the maximum F on Atlantic menhaden that maintains Atlantic striped bass at its biomass threshold when striped bass is fished at its F target and other ERP species as defined in the NWACS-MICE model are fished at their status quo F rates.
• Recess (Reconvene August 5 at 2:45 p.m.)

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board (continued)  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio1  Audio2

• Reconvene
• Consider Postponed Motions from April 2019 (D. Borden) Action
  • Main Motion: Move to initiate an Amendment to the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery Management Plan to address the needed consideration for change on the issues of fishery goals and objectives, empirical/biological/spatial reference points, management triggers, rebuilding biomass, and area-specific management. Work on this Amendment will begin upon the completion of the previously discussed addendum to the management plan.
  • Motion to Amend: Move to amend to add reallocation of commercial quota between states.
• Consider Postponed Motion from February 2020 (D. Borden) Action
  • Move to task the Plan Review Team to review state reductions in the Fishery Management Plan Review of the 2020 fishing year. If a state is below their predicted target reduction, the Board may direct a state to modify measures for the following fishing year to achieve the target reduction.
• Elect Vice-Chair (D. Borden) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Wednesday, August 5

Executive Committee  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (P. Keliher)
• Committee Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Meeting Summary from February 2020
• Public Comment
• Administrative Oversight Committee Report (S. Woodward) Action
  • Consider FY21 Budget
  • Consider Policy on Commission Contracts (L. Leach)
• U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Update (R. Beal)
• Consider Management and Science Committee Recommendations Regarding Improvements to Advisory Panel and Public Input Process (K. Knowlton/S. Murray) Action
• Update on Pennsylvania's Particiaption on the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board (R. Beal)
• Consider Dividing South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries management oard into Two Management Boards (R. Beal)
• Discuss Executive Director’s Annual Performance Review (CLOSED SESSION)
• Other Business/Adjourn

Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (P. Keliher)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from February and July 2020
• Public Comment
• Executive Committee Report Possible Action (P. Keliher)
• Progress Update on the Risk and Uncertainty Policy (J. McNamee)
• Committee Reports
  • Assessment Science Committee (S. Murray) Action
  • Habitat Committee (L. Havel)
  • Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (L. Havel)
• Review Noncompliance Findings (if necessary) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Herring Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (C. Patterson)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from May 2020
• Public Comment
• Review the 2020 Atlantic Herring Management Track Assessment and Peer Review Reports (J. Deroba)
• Progress Update on 2020 Area 1A Fishery (R. Zobel)
• Elect Vice-Chair (C. Patterson) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board (continued)  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio1  Audio 2

• Reconvene
• Consider Postponed Motions from February 2020, continued
• Discuss Timeline and Tasking to Set the 2021-2022 Fishery Specifications (C. Flora)
• Elect Vice-Chair (S. Woodward) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Business Session (this meeting was not held since there were no pending noncompliance actions)

• Welcome/Call to Order (P. Keliher)
• Committee Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from February 2020
• Public Comment
• Consider Noncompliance Findings (if necessary) Final Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Thursday, August 6

ASMFC Bluefish Management Board and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC)  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (C. Batsavage/M. Luisi)
• Board Consent
• Approval of Agenda
• Approval of Proceedings from May 2020
• Public Comment
• Review Plan Development Team/Fishery Management Action Team (PDT/FMAT) Discussion Document on Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Draft Amendment (D. Colson Leaning, M. Seeley)
• Provide Guidance to PDT/FMAT on Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Draft Amendment (Batsavage, M. Luisi)
• Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance (D. Colson Leaning) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board and MAFMC  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (A. Nowalsky/M. Luisi)
• Board Consent
• Approval of Agenda
• Approval of Proceedings from May 2020
• Public Comment
• Consider Draft Addendum XXXIII for Public Comment (C. Starks) Action
  • Black Sea Bass Commercial Allocation
• Recess

ASMFC Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board and MAFMC (continued)  Supplemental  Audio

• Reconvene
• Consider Draft Addendum XXXIII for Public Comment, continued
  • Black Sea Bass Commercial Allocation
• Update on Recreational Reform Initiative (J. Beaty) Possible Action
• Review and Consider Approval of Massachusetts 2020 Black Sea Bass Recreational Conservation Equivalency Proposal (N. Meserve) Final Action
  • Summary of Technical Committee, Advisory Panel and Law Enforcement Committee Comments (C. Starks)
• Other Business/Adjourn