Arlington, VA – This spring, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will begin work on the 2014 benchmark stock assessment for tautog (Tautoga onitis). The assessment will be used to evaluate the health of the tautog stock and inform the management of this species. The Commission’s stock assessment process and meetings are open to the public, with the exception of discussions of confidential data, when the public will be asked to leave the room. The Commission welcomes the submission of data sources that will improve the accuracy of the assessment. This includes, but is not limited to, data on landings…
Press Releases
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Data Sought for Assessment
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Portland, ME – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section approved a total allowable catch (TAC) of 625 mt, representing a 72% reduction from last year’s quota. The TAC is further subdivided into a research set aside of 5.44 mt, a trawl fishery TAC of 539.02 mt, and a trap fishery TAC of 80.54 mt. Each fishery will close when 85% of its TAC is projected to be reached and a 4-day advance notice will be issued prior to the closure of each fishery. The trawl fishery will begin on Jan 22, 2013, with two landing days (Monday…
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Addendum Refines Annual Specification Process
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Philadelphia, PA – The Commission’s Winter Flounder Management Board has approved Addendum II to Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for the Inshore Stocks of Winter Flounder. The Addendum modifies the commercial and recreational management requirements for the Gulf of Maine (GOM) stock in response to updated stock status information and recent federal action to increase the GOM winter flounder state waters’ estimated harvest level. Specifically, the commercial trip limit has been increased to 500 pounds per trip and the recreational season has been expanded to year round. These measures apply only to GOM state waters’ fisheries until…
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Philadelphia, PA – The Commission’s Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Sharks Management Board approved spiny dogfish quotas for the 2013/14, 2014/15, and 2015/16 fishing seasons (May 1 – April 30), with a maximum possession limit of 4,000 pounds per day for the northern region states (Maine through Connecticut). The approved quotas represent an approximately five million pound increase in quota over the 2012/13 season. State-specific shares for the northern region and southern states (New York through North Carolina) are provided in the table below. Any overages from the previous fishing seasons will be paid back by the region or state in…
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Philadelphia, PA – The Commission’s South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board has approved the Draft Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Black Drum for public comment. The Draft FMP solicits comment on a range of issues, including management goals and objectives; recreational and commercial management measures; flexibility to react to new assessment information; de minimis levels and exemptions; monitoring requirements and recommendations; and recommended measures for implementation by NOAA Fisheries in federal waters. The FMP was initiated in response to concern regarding significant increases in harvest in recent years and the fact that the fishery primarily targets juveniles. Further, the…
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Philadelphia, PA – The Commission’s American Lobster Board has approved Draft Addendum XIX to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster for public comment and review. The Draft Addendum proposes to change 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. In approving Addendum XVIII in August 2012, the American Lobster Management Board inadvertently failed to include a proposed change to LCMA 3’s transfer tax. Since this issue will be considered in the upcoming…
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ME, NH, and MA Schedule Hearings for Early October
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