The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Management Board members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts met September 19 via webinar to set effort control measures for the 2024 Area 1A fishery for Season 2 (October 1 – December 31).
Press Releases
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The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission approved Amendment 4 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Northern Shrimp. In response to the continued poor condition of the northern shrimp stock, Amendment 4 modifies the first objective of the FMP to recognize the influence of environmental conditions on stock productivity and lengthens the amount of time the Northern Shrimp Section can set a moratorium from one year to up to five years. The Section can call a meeting at any time to review information relative to the fishery and the resource and initiate management action if necessary.
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The Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Management Board approved Addendum IX to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Horseshoe Crabs. The Addendum allows the Board to set specifications for male-only harvest. It also establishes a method for managing male-only harvest limits during multi-year specifications periods, reestablishes seasonal harvest restrictions, and clarifies policy related to harvest caps for Maryland and Virginia.
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The Commission’s Sciaenids Management Board initiated Draft Addendum II to Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Red Drum. The Draft Addendum will consider a number of changes to the management programs for the southern (South Carolina to Florida) and northern (New Jersey to North Carolina) stocks of red drum in response to the findings of the 2024 Red Drum Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report.
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On May 6, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission presented its Annual Awards of Excellence to a number of individuals for their outstanding contributions to the management, legislative, scientific, outreach, and law enforcement efforts along the Atlantic coast.
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The Commission’s American Lobster Management Board approved Addendum XXXII to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. The Addendum repeals all gauge and escape vent size measures from Addendum XXVII. Measures related to the v-notch possession definition and the issuance of trap tags are maintained.
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The MAFMC and ASMFC Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board (Policy Board) have approved modifications to the process for setting recreational measures (bag, size, and season limits), as well as the recreational accountability measures, for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The MAFMC recommended these changes through a framework action, and the Policy Board adopted these changes through Addendum XXXVI to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Addendum III to the Bluefish FMP. These changes are part of a broader long-term effort by both the MAFMC and ASMFC to improve recreational…
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One virtual public hearing has been scheduled to gather input on Draft Addendum XXXII to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. The Draft Addendum considers repealing all Addendum XXVII measures pertaining to scheduled increases in gauge and escape vent size limits.
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Public comments accepted from March 20 to April 16, 2025
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