Atlantic States
Marine Fisheries

Commission

2024 Annual Meeting

Event Date:

Oct 21 –

Oct 24, 2024

Location:

The Westin Annapolis, 100 Westgate Circle, Annapolis, Maryland

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  1. Meeting Info
  2. Meeting Agenda
  3. Pending Actions
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Meeting Information

A logo for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's 82nd annual meeting for 2024 in Annapolis, Maryland.

82nd Annual Meeting, October 21 – 24, 2024, at The Westin Annapolis, 100 Westgate Circle, Annapolis, Maryland.

Read the Meeting Summary
Final Agenda

For ease of use, Board and Council meeting materials have been combined into five documents: October 21, October 22, October 23 and October 24 and Supplemental Materials. The combined documents do not include materials for ACFHP Steering Committee, Law Enforcement Committee, and the Habitat Committee.

Background Materials

Pending Actions

Action

Status

Meeting Agenda

The agenda is subject to change. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein.

Monday, October 21

9 – 9:30 AM — Atlantic Herring Management Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (D. Grout)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from August 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Set Specifications for the 2025-2027 Fishing Years (E. Franke) Final Action
  • Set Quota Period for the 2025 Area 1A Fishery (E. Franke) Final Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Presentations
  3. Audio

9:45 AM – 12:15 PM — American Lobster Management Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (P. Keliher)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from August 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Progress Update on Benchmark Stock Assessment for American Lobster (T. Pugh)
  • Consider Annual Data Update of American Lobster Indices (T. Pugh)
  • Consider Addendum XXXI on Postponing Implementation of Addendum XXVII Measures for Final Approval Final Action
    • Review Options and Public Comment Summary (C. Starks)
    • Review Advisory Panel Report (C. Starks)
    • Consider Final Approval of Addendum XXXI
  • Consider Fishery Management Plan Reviews and State Compliance Reports for American Lobster and Jonah Crab for the 2023 Fishing Year (C. Starks) Action
  • Discuss Vessel Tracking Requirements of Addendum XXIX (C. Starks) Possible Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Presentations
  3. Audio

10 AM – 5 PM — Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) Steering Committee

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  • Welcome and Introductions (J. Coakley)
  • Committee Consent (J. Coakley)
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Spring 2023 Meeting Minutes
    • Approval of New England Fishery Management Council Membership
  • Review of 2023-2024 Action Plan
    • Discuss Items for the Next Action Plan (2025-2026)
  • Project Updates (S. Kaalstad)
    • Recently Completed and Active On-the-Ground Restoration Projects
    • FY25 Proposed/Approved Projects
  • Outreach and Communications
  • FY26 ACFHP Project Funding (S. Kaalstad)
    • RFP Development
    • NFHP Requirements
    • ACE Act Alignment
    • Timelines
    • Review of FY26 Online Application Form
  • Adjourn/Reconvene on October 22
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Presentations

1:15 – 2:45 PM — Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program Coordinating Council

  • Welcome/Call to Order (J. McNamee)
  • Council Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from April 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Consider FY2025 Project and Administrative Proposals for Funding (J. Simpson) Action
  • Program and Committee Updates
  • Elect Vice Chair
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Presentations
  3. Audio

3 – 5 PM — Horseshoe Crab Management Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (J. Davis)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from April 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Consider Stakeholder Workshop Report on Delaware Bay Management Objectives (K. Weaver) Possible Action
  • Set 2025 Delaware Bay Bait Harvest Specifications Final Action
    • Review Horseshoe Crab and Red Knot Abundance Estimates and Model Results from the Adaptive Resource Management Framework (J. Sweka)
    • Set 2025 Specifications (C. Starks)
  • Consider Approval of Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for 2023 Fishing Year (C. Starks) Action
  • Elect Vice-Chair Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Supplemental
  3. Supplemental 2
  4. Presentations
  5. Audio

Tuesday, October 22

8:30 – 11:30 AM — Sciaenids Management Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (D. Haymans)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
  • Public Comment
  • Consider 2024 Red Drum Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report Action
    • Presentation of Stock Assessment (J. Ballenger)
    • Presentation of Peer Review Panel Report (G. Fay)
    • Consider Acceptance of Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report for Management Use
    • Consider Management Response, If Necessary (D. Haymans)
  • Discuss Risk and Uncertainty Tool Inputs for Red Drum (K. Drew)
  • Consider Annual Update to Black Drum Indicators (H. Rickabaugh) Possible Action
  • Consider Black Drum and Spotted Seatrout Fishery Management Plan Reviews and State Compliance Reports for the 2023 Fishing Year (T. Bauer) Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Supplemental
  3. Risk and Uncertainty Tool
  4. Presentations
  5. Audio

9:30 AM – 5 PM — ACFHP Steering Committee (continued)

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  • Reconvene
  • Updates to State Wildlife Action Plans (W. Duncan)
  • National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) Updates (A. Atkinson, J. Olive)
    • Board Activities & Meetings
    • National Habitat Assessment
    • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Guest Speaker (USFWS/MD DNR, to be determined)
  • Science & Data: Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) (E. Schneider & M. Bachman)
    • Overview: SAV Webinar with Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife Service and East Coast SAV Collaborative
    • Discussion Restructuring Science and Data Working Group
    • Product Development: Timelines and Funding Opportunities
  • Wrap-up, Overview, Next Steps
  • Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Presentations

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM — Lunch Break

1 – 5 PM — Law Enforcement Committee

(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for LEC Coordinator and Committee members only) 

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  • Welcome/Call to Order (S. Pearce)
  • Committee Consent (S. Pearce)
    • Approval of Agenda
  • Public Comment
  • Introductions
  • Final Update on Changes to Enforceability Guidelines (K. Blanchard)
  • Global Conservation Law Enforcement Network (M. Mitchell and K. Brooks)
  • ASMFC LEC Role and Expectations (K. Blanchard)
  • ASMFC Website Upgrade (T. Berger and K. Cunningham)
  • US Department of Justice/NOAA Case Study (C. Hale and J. Cassin)
  • Review and Discuss Commission Species
    • Winter Flounder – Massachusetts Conservation Equivalency Proposal (T. Bauer)
    • Bluefish – Technical Committee Risk and Uncertainty Tool (C. Tuohy)
  • Meeting Recess/Reconvene on October 23
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  1. Meeting Agenda

12:30 – 2:30 PM — Coastal Pelagics Management Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (S. Woodward)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from August 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Update on SEDAR 95 Stock Assessment for Atlantic Cobia
  • Consider 2025 Atlantic Cobia Regional Recreational Measures Action
    • Technical Committee Report (A. Giuliano)
    • Consider Options for Northern Region Recreational Measures and Timeline for Selecting and Implementing Final Measures Action
  • Atlantic Cobia Technical Committee Report (A. Giuliano)
    • Addendum II Confidence Interval Approach
  • Update from South Atlantic Fishery Management Council on Mackerel Port Meetings (J. Carmichael)
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Presentations
  3. Audio

2:45 – 4:15 PM — Atlantic Menhaden Management Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (J. Clark)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from August 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Review Update from Work Group on Precautionary Management in Chesapeake Bay (M. Gary)
  • Consider Approval of Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2023 Fishing Year (J. Boyle) Action
  • Progress Update on 2025 Ecological Reference Point Benchmark Stock Assessment (K. Drew)
  • Elect Vice-Chair Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Supplemental
  3. Supplemental 2
  4. Presentations
  5. Audio

4:30 – 5:30 PM — American Eel Management Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (K. Kuhn)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from May 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Review and Provide Feedback on CITES Actions and Committee Work (D. Hahn)
  • Consider Approval of Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for 2023 Fishing Year (C. Starks) Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Supplemental
  3. Presentations
  4. Audio

6:30 – 8 PM — Annual Dinner

Wednesday, October 23

8 – 10 AM — Executive Committee

(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for Committee members and Commissioners.) 

  • Welcome/Call to Order (J. Cimino)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Meeting Summary from August 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Review and Consider Approval of FY24 Audit (L. Leach)
  • Legislative Update (A. Law)
  • New ASMFC Website Demo, If Time Allows (T. Berger/K. Cunningham)
  • Future Annual Meetings Update
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Audio

8:30 AM – Noon — Law Enforcement Committee (continued)

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(A portion of this meeting may be a closed session for LEC Coordinator and Committee members only) 

  • Reconvene
  • Review and Discuss Ongoing Enforcement Activities (Closed Session)
  • Review and Discuss Commission Species (continued)
    • Atlantic Cobia – Recreational Management Measures Update (E. Franke)
    • Atlantic Striped Bass – Recreational Release Mortality Work Group (E. Franke)
    • Other Species
  • State Agency Reports
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda

10:15 – 11:15 AM — Business Session of the Commission

  • Welcome/Call to Order (J. Cimino)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from January 2024
  • Consider Approval of 2025 Action Plan Final Action
  • Elect Commission Chair and Vice-Chair Final Action
  • Other Business
  • Adjourn/Reconvene on October 24
  1. Explore:
  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Supplemental
  3. Audio

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM — American Shad and River Herring Management Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (L. Fegley)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from August 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Consider Updates to Shad and River Herring Sustainable Fishery Management Plans (SFMPs) (W. Eakin) Action
    • New Hampshire River Herring SFMP and Proposal to Reopen Fishery
    • Maine River Herring SFMP
    • Massachusetts American Shad SFMP
    • Connecticut American Shad SFMP
  • Review Advisory Panel Report on 2024 River Herring Benchmark Assessment (P. Lyons Gromen)
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Supplemental
  3. Presentations
  4. Audio

1 – 5 PM — Habitat Committee

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  • Welcome and Introductions (R. Babb)
  • Committee Consent (R. Babb)
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Summer 2024 Meeting Minutes
  • Habitat Hotline Atlantic (HHA)
    • Approve Format for 2024 Issue
      • State Updates Questionnaire
    • Discuss Future Direction of HHA
      • Audience Engagement and Outreach
      • Format, Content, Type of Medium, etc.
  • Habitat Management Series: Shell Recycling Programs (S. Kaalstad)
    • Review Outline
    • Assign Articles and Develop Timeline
    • Discuss Shell Recycling Program Survey
  • Adjourn/Reconvene on October 24
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Presentations

1:30 – 5 PM — Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (M. Ware)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from August 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Review Report from Work Group on Recreational Release Mortality (C. Batsavage) Possible Action
  • Consider 2024 Atlantic Striped Bass Stock Assessment Update
    • Presentation of Stock Assessment Report (G. Nelson)
    • Technical Committee Report on Considerations for 2025 Management Measures (T. Grabowski)
    • Consider Management Response (M. Ware) Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Supplemental
  3. Supplemental 2
  4. Presentations
  5. Audio

Thursday, October 24

8:30 AM – Noon — Habitat Committee (continued)

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  • Reconvene
  • Habitat Management Series: Shell Recycling Programs (continued)
  • General Business
    • Updates to Fishery Management Plan Habitat Sections
    • Updates to Fish Habitats of Concern
    • Next Steps
  • Guest Speaker: Oyster Recovery Partnership Shell Recycling Program (W. Slacum)
  • Guest Speaker: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Fishing Gear Impacts to Essential Fish Habitat Essential Fish Habitat Database (D. Stevenson, T. Kentner)
  • Adjourn
  1. Explore:
  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Presentations

9 -10 AM — Spiny Dogfish Management Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (P. Geer)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from August 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Consider Approval of Draft Addendum VII for Public Comment on Atlantic Sturgeon Bycatch Reduction Measures (J. Boyle) Action
  • Consider Revising 2024/2025 Fishing Year Quota (J. Boyle) Possible Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
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  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Supplemental
  3. Presentations
  4. Audio

10:15 – 11:15 AM — Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board

  • Welcome/Call to Order (J. Cimino)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from August 2024
  • Public Comment
  • Executive Committee Report (J. Cimino)
  • Update on the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel Work Regarding Industry-based Trawl Surveys (D. Salerno)
  • Committee Reports
    • Law Enforcement (K. Blanchard)
    • Habitat (S. Kaalstad)
    • Atlantic Coast Fish Habitat Partnership (S. Kaalstad)
  • Review Non-Compliance Findings, If Necessary Action
  • Other Business
  1. Explore:
  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Presentations
  3. Audio

11:15 – 11:30 AM — Business Session of the Commission (continued)

  • Reconvene (J. Cimino)
  • Consider Noncompliance Recommendations, If Necessary Final Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
  1. Explore:
  1. Meeting Agenda

11:15 AM – Noon — Lunch Break Provided for Commissioners and Proxies

Noon – 2 PM — Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

  • Welcome/Call to Order (J. Cimino, W. Townsend)
  • Consider Approval of Recreational Measures Setting Process Addenda/Framework for Public Comment (C. Tuohy, T. Bauer, J. Beaty) Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
  1. Explore:
  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Supplemental
  3. Presentations
  4. Audio

2:15 – 3 PM — Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

  • Welcome/Call to Order (N. Meserve & W. Townsend)
  • Board Consent
    • Approval of Agenda
    • Approval of Proceedings from February 2024 (Board only)
  • Public Comment
  • Consider Summer Flounder Commercial Mesh Size Exemptions Addendum XXXV/Framework for Final Approval Final Action
    • Review Options and Public Comment Summary (C. Tuohy and K. Dancy)
    • Consider Final Approval of Addendum XXXV and Council Framework Action
  • Other Business/Adjourn
  1. Explore:
  1. Meeting Agenda
  2. Supplemental
  3. Presentations
  4. Audio