Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Atlantic Herring Section approved Addendum VI to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Herring. The Addendum improves alignment between state and federal Atlantic herring management by allowing the use of consistent tools across all four management areas of the species range. The Addendum’s measures include (1) seasonal splitting of the annual catch limit sub-components (sub-ACLs) for Areas 1B, 2, and 3; (2) up to 10% carryover of a sub- ACL for all management areas; (3) the establishment of triggers to initiate the closing of directed fisheries, and (4) using the annual specification process…
Management Measures and Pending Actions
A list of proposed regulatory changes or management actions currently under consideration by the Commission.
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Please note this press release revises the May 22nd release, which incorrectly characterized the status of the Gulf of Maine Winter Flounder stock as in poor condition when in fact the status for that stock unit is unknown. Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Winter Flounder Management Board has approved Addendum III to Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for the Inshore Stocks of Winter Flounder. The Addendum establishes an annual specification process to set commercial and recreational management measures for the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) fisheries. Each year, with advice from the Winter…
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Alexandria, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has approved the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Black Drum. The FMP requires all states to maintain current regulations for black drum and implement a maximum possession limit and minimum size limit (of no less than 12 inches) by January 1, 2014. States will be required to further increase the minimum size limit (to no less than 14 inches) by January 1, 2016. Further, the FMP establishes a management framework to address future concerns or changes in the fishery or population. This will be particularly important as the Commission works…
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Sharks Management Board has approved Addendum II to the Atlantic Coastal Sharks Fishery Management Plan. The Addendum allocates state shares of smoothhound sharks (also known as smooth dogfish) and changes the maximum fin-to-carcass ratio for smoothhound shark processing-at-sea. The Addendum was developed in anticipation of NOAA Fisheries upcoming federal smoothhound shark quota, establishing state shares to prevent one region from harvesting the quota and excluding other regions (Table 1). The shares were established based on historical landings from 1998-2010. The Addendum also addresses changes to the maximum fin-to-carcass ratio for smoothhound…
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s Atlantic Herring Section has approved Draft Addendum VI to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Herring for public comment. The Draft Addendum proposes several changes to the management program, including (1) seasonal splitting of the annual catch limit sub-components (sub-ACLs) for Areas 1B, 2, and 3; (2) up to 10% carryover of a sub- ACL for all management areas; (3) the establishment of triggers to initiate the closing of directed fisheries, (4) a research set-aside of up to 3% of the sub-ACLs, and (5) using the annual specification process to set triggers and…
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Alexandria, VA – The Commission’s American Lobster Management Board approved Addendum XX to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster. The Addendum formalizes measures outlined in an agreement between the offshore lobster fishery and groundfish sector trawl fishermen for bottom sharing in Closed Area II of Georges Bank in order to prevent gear conflicts and to protect large concentrations of egg bearing females. The agreement specifies certain times of year when lobster trap gear and sector trawl fishermen may fish in (or not fish in) certain portions of Closed Area II. The fishing industry developed this…
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New York & New Jersey May Modify Regulations to Access Additional Fish
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Arlington, VA –The Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section has extended the number of allowed landing days for the 2013 northern shrimp trawl fishery. Effective March 13, 2013, the trap and trawl fisheries will be able to land shrimp seven days a week (Monday through Sunday). Additionally, the trap and trawl fisheries will close effective 2359 hours (EST) on April 12, 2013. The Section maintained the requirement to have each fishery close when 85% of its total allowable catch (TAC) is projected to be reached and a 4- day advance notice will be issued prior to the closure of each fishery. Finally,…
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