Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved Addendum XXIII to the Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Addendum allows for the use of regional measures to manage the 2013 black sea bass recreational fishery. The FMP, adopted in the 1996, only allowed for the use of coastwide measures. However, the application of coastwide measures (minimum size, possession limit, and seasons) given the wide geographic range of this species and its varying size composition and availability by state/region has the potential to effect states in different ways. The Addendum seeks to…
Press Releases
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Sharks Management Board approved Draft Addendum II to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Coastal Sharks for public comment. The Draft Addendum proposes measures to establish state shares for smooth dogfish and allow commercial fishermen to process smooth dogfish at sea with a 12% maximum fin-to-carcass ratio, consistent with the Shark Conservation Act of 2010. The purpose of the Addendum is to preserve the historical distribution of smooth dogfish landings prior to the implementation of a federal quota for smooth dogfish (also known as smoothhound) and to ensure consistency between…
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Alexandria, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Commission approved a resolution to ban the import and use of Asian horseshoe crab as bait in state water fisheries along the Atlantic Coast. The resolution responds to a report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) regarding the importation of Asian horseshoe crabs in 2011 and 2012 into New York State and their reported use as bait in eel and whelk fisheries. Further, there are reports of emerging interest on the part of bait dealers from the Mid-Atlantic to import Asian horseshoe crabs for the eel and whelk markets,…
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Alexandria, VA –The Commission’s American Eel Management Board approved Draft Addendum III to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eel for public comment. The Draft Addendum proposes a wide range of management options with the goal of reducing mortality and increasing the conservation of American eel stocks across all life stages. Specific management options focus on both the commercial (glass, yellow, and silver eel life stages) and recreational American eel fisheries. The document also proposes increased monitoring by the states and recommendations to improve American eel habitat. Draft Addendum III responds to the findings of the 2012 benchmark stock…
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Sharks Management Board approved Draft Addendum II to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Coastal Sharks for public comment. The Draft Addendum proposes measures to establish state shares for smooth dogfish and allow commercial fishermen to process smooth dogfish at sea with a 12% maximum fin-to-carcass ratio, consistent with the Shark Conservation Act of 2010. The purpose of the Addendum is to preserve the historical distribution of smooth dogfish landings prior to the implementation of a federal quota for smooth dogfish (also known as smoothhound) and to ensure consistency between…
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Atlantic Herring Section has set the annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2013 – 2015 fishing seasons at 107,800 metric tons (mt), an 18% increase from 2010 – 2012 limits. For all three years, the ACL is further subdivided by Atlantic herring management areas as follows: Area 1A = 31,200 mt, Area 1B = 4,600 mt, Area 2 = 30,000 mt, and Area 3 = 42,000 mt. The Area 1A sub-ACL will be distributed seasonally with 72.8% available from June 1 – September 30 and 27.2 % available from October 1 – December 31. The…
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s American Lobster Board approved Addendum XIX to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. The Addendum modifies the transfer tax for Lobster Conservation Management Area 3 (LCMA 3 – offshore waters) to a single conservation tax of 10% for full business or partial trap sales within the area. This measure will be considered by NOAA Fisheries as part of its upcoming federal rule-making process. The Addendum is the second in a series of addenda that respond to the depleted condition of the Southern New England (SNE) lobster resource by scaling the…
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Landing Days Set for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Effective February 11
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