Arlington, VA – In June, NOAA Fisheries announced it will provide funding to the Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) beginning in FY2015. NEAMAP is a cooperative state/federal fishery-independent survey and research program for coastal waters from Maine to North Carolina. Information from the NEAMAP surveys is critical to understanding the distribution, abundance, and condition of marine fish and shellfish populations throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. The Program is comprised of three surveys: the Maine-New Hampshire Inshore Trawl Survey, the Massachusetts Inshore Trawl Survey, and the Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) Nearshore Trawl Survey, which samples inshore waters from Martha’s…
Press Releases
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Arlington, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has begun work on a red drum benchmark stock assessment. The assessment will evaluate the health of the Atlantic coast red drum population and inform the management of the species. The Commission’s stock assessment process and meetings are open to the public (with the exception of discussion of confidential data). The Commission welcomes the submission of data sets that will improve the accuracy of the assessment. These include, but are not limited to data on growth, maturation, migration, genetics, stock enhancement, tagging, recruitment, natural mortality, and abundance/biomass. An essential need is…
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Portsmouth, NH – The Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section approved development of Draft Amendment 3 to consider establishing a limited entry program for the northern shrimp fishery. While the fishery is managed through a total allowable catch and defined season, it remains an open access fishery and has experienced significant fluctuations in participation over the last 30 years. This open access, coupled with continued concern about the health of the stock, led the Section to move forward on a limited entry program to further control effort in the fishery. A limited entry program will consider the appropriate number of participants in…
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board met to review and consider approval of Draft Addendum IV to Amendment 6 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass for public comment. The Draft Addendum will propose new fishing mortality reference points, as recommended by the 2013 benchmark stock assessment, and associated management measures to achieve the proposed target fishing mortality rate. While the Board did not approve the document for public comment, it approved substantive changes to the document and will reconsider a revised draft for public comment at the Commission’s Summer Meeting in August.…
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board accepted the 2014 Fishery Management Plan Review detailing the results of the 2013 fishing year and implementation of Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden. Total 2013 harvest excluding bycatch was 166,077 metric tons (mt), 2.8% below the coastwide total allowable catch (TAC) of 170,800 mt established through Amendment 2. In 2013, the reduction fishery harvested 131,034 mt while the bait fishery harvested approximately 35,043 mt. A total of 1,942 metric tons were harvested under the 6,000 pound bycatch allowance with approximately 91% of bycatch coming from…
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Alexandria, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission presented Michael P. Luisi, Paul Caruso, Dr. Robert Latour, Cheri Patterson, and the state and federal members of the joint enforcement team Operation Lookout with its Annual Awards of Excellence for their outstanding contributions to fisheries management, science, and law enforcement along the Atlantic coast. “Every year a great many people contribute to the success of fisheries management along the Atlantic coast. The Commission’s Annual Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding efforts by professionals who have made a difference in the way we manage and conserve our fisheries,” said ASMFC Chair Louis…
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Draft Addendum Explores Use of a Traffic Light Approach to Assess Stock Condition and Initiate Management Response
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Atlantic Herring Section approved the Public Information Document (PID) for Draft Amendment 3 to the Interstate Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for public comment. Draft Amendment 3 was initiated to strengthen spawning sea herring protections in Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) and address concerns raised by the commercial Atlantic herring industry. The PID presents four issues the Commission is seeking public input on to better inform the development of management measures for the Atlantic herring fishery. The issues focus on (1) spawning area boundaries and closures in Area 1A, (2) a fixed gear…
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Spiny Dogfish Board initiated Draft Addendum V to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Spiny Dogfish. The Draft Addendum seeks to ensure consistency with the Shark Conservation Act of 2010. The Act was signed into law to close loopholes in the U.S. shark finning regulations. Specifically, the Act prohibits the removal of any fins of the shark (including the tail) while at sea (with an exemption for smooth dogfish). Fins must remain naturally attached to the corresponding carcass through landing of the fish (including while aboard a fishing vessel or transferred at sea from…
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