Final Agenda

Please note that minor changes have been made to the time and schedule for meetings on Monday, February 1 and Tuesday, February 2.

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.

For ease of access, all meeting materials have been combined into three documents: Main Meeting Materials, Supplemental Meeting Materials, and Supplemental2 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. 

Live-Streaming

Public Comment Guidelines

To provide a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board  approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings. Please note these guidelines have been modified to adapt to meetings via webinar:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide an opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide 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). 

1. Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of the webinar (January 11) will be included in the briefing materials.
2. Comments received by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, January 26 will be included in the supplemental materials.
3. Comments received by 10:00 AM on Friday, January 29 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
• 2021 Action Plan
• Appeals Process
• Conservation Equivalency Guidance Document
• Stock Status Overview
• Assessment Schedule
• 79th Annual Meeting Summary

Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board  Supplemental  Supplemental2  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (A. Nowalsky)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from August 2020
• Public Comment
• 2021 Recreational Management Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass (D. Colson Leaning, S. Lewis)
  • Consider State Proposals for Adjusting 2021 Recreational Measures Possible Final Action
  • Consider Virginia Proposal for Wave 1 Recreational Black Sea Bass Fishery Final Action
• Recess for ISFMP Policy Board & Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management (MAFMC) Discussion on Recreational Management Reform Initiative; Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Board & MAFMC to Reconvene at 1:00 p.m.

Interstate Fishery Management Program Policy Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio1  Audio2

• Welcome/Call to Order (P. Keliher, ASMFC)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from August 2020
• Public Comment
• Review State Membership on Species Management Boards (T. Kerns) Action
  • Review State Declared Species of Interest
• Discuss Recreational Management Reform Initiative (J. Beaty) Possible Action (This agenda item will be discussed jointly with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Coucil.)
• Recess until Thursday, February 4 at 1:45 p.m.

Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board and MAFMC  Supplemental  Supplemental2  Presentations  Audio

• Reconvene as a Joint Meeting with MAFMC
• Consider Draft Addendum XXXIII and Council Amendment on Black Sea Bass Commercial State Allocations for Final Approval (S. Lewis, C. Starks) Final Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

American Lobster Management Board  Supplemental  Supplemental2  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. McKiernan)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2020
• Public Comment
• Review and Discuss Proposed Rule and Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Proposed Modifications for 2021 (J. Anderson)
• Consider Management Response to the 2020 American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review (D. McKiernan) Possible Action
  • Review Stock Status, Reference Points and Assessment Recommendations (C. Starks)
  • Discuss Development of Draft Addendum XXVII on Gulf of Maine Resiliency (C. Starks)
• Discuss Potential for Conducting a Management Strategy Evaluation for the American Lobster Fishery (B. Shank/J. Kipp)
• Discuss Executive Order on Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (C. Starks) Possible Action
• Review and Populate Jonah Crab Advisory Panel Membership (T. Berger) Action
• Elect Vice-Chair Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Winter Flounder Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Borden)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2020
• Public Comment
• Consider Specifications for the 2021 Fishing Year (D. Colson Leaning) Final Action
  • Technical Committee Report
  • Advisory Panel Report  
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (S. Woodward)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2020
• Public Comment
• Review Recent Fishery Performance Relative to Commercial Allocations (K. Rootes-Murdy)
• 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 October 2020
• Public Comment
• Set Sub-Annual Catch Limit for 2021-2023 Fishing Years (K. Rootes-Murdy) Final Action
• Update on Amendment 8 and Consider Impacts to the Area 1A Fishery (K. Rootes-Murdy)
• Update on New England Fishery Management Council and Commission Coordination Discussions (R. Beal)
• Other Business/Adjourn

Executive Committee  Supplemental  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (P. Keliher)
• Committee Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Meeting Summary from October 2020
• Public Comment
• Update on Second Round of CARES Act Assistance (R. Beal)
• Legislative and Appropriations Update (R. Beal)
• Review Letter to the Office of Management and Budget Regarding Commission’s FY22 Funding Priorities (R. Beal)
• Discuss Legislative Committee Membership (R. Beal)
• Future Annual Meeting Update (L. Leach)
• Other Business/Adjourn

Coastal Sharks Management Board  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (C. Batsavage)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from February 2020
• Public Comment
• Review NOAA Fisheries Cooperative Shark Tagging Program (C. McCandless)
• Update from NOAA Fisheries on Highly Migratory Species Management (K. Brewster-Geisz)
• Review and Populate Advisory Panel Membership (T. Berger) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program Coordinating Council  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Carmichael)
• Council Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from October 2020
• Public Comment
• Review Project and Program Funding (G. White) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board  Supplemental  Supplemental2  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Borden)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval Proceedings from October 2020
• Public Comment
• Review Technical Committee Report on Release Mortality Sensitivity Runs (K. Sullivan)
• Consider Stock Assessment Update Timeline (K. Drew) Action
• Discuss Circle Hook Implementation (T. Kerns) Possible Final Action
• Consider Draft Amendment 7 Public Information Document for Public Comment (T. Kerns)
• Review and Populate Advisory Panel Membership (T. Berger) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Shad and River Herring Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (M. Armstrong)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from August 2020
• Public Comment
• Consider Management Response to 2020 Shad Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review (M. Armstrong)
  • Review Technical Committee Recommendations (B. Neilan)
  • Advisory Panel Report (P. Lyons Gromen)
• Review Technical Committee Recommendations on Improvements to Amendments 2 and 3 (B. Neilan) Possible Action
• Consider Shad Habitat Plan Updates Action
  • Review Technical Committee Recommendations (B. Neilan)
• Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance for the 2019 Fishing Year (C. Starks) Action
• Review and Populate Advisory Panel Membership (T. Berger) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Bluefish Management Board  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio

• Welcome/Call to Order (C. Batsavage)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from August 2020
• Public Comment
• Consider Revisions to the Addendum l Biological Monitoring Program (D. Colson Leaning) Final Action
• Review and Populate Advisory Panel Membership (T. Berger) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board  Risk & Uncertainty Decision Tool  Supplemental  Presentations  Audio1  Audio2

• Reconvene from February 1, 2021
• Public Comment
• Executive Committee Report (P. Keliher)
• Progress Update on the Risk and Uncertainty Policy (J. McNamee)
  • Review Draft of the Risk and Uncertainty Policy
  • Discuss Steps to Consider Final Approval of the Policy
• Review and Discuss 2020 Commissioner Survey Results (D. Tompkins)
• Review State Membership on Species Management Boards (T. Kerns) Action
  • Review Pennsylvania’s Membership on the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board
• Discuss Commission Process for Working on Recreational Reform Issues with the MAFMC (T. Kerns)
• Discuss Possible Reporting Programs to Capture Recreational Release Data (T. Kerns)
• Committee Reports Action
  • Habitat Committee (L. Havel)
  • Artificial Reef Committee (L. Havel)
  • Atlantic Coast Fisheries Habitat Partnership (L. Havel)
• Review Noncompliance Findings (if Necessary) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Business Session

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