Atlantic States
Marine Fisheries

Commission

2026 Annual Meeting

Date(s):

Nov 9–12, 2026

Location:

Hotel Viking, Newport, RI

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  1. Contact
  2. Meeting Info
  3. Meeting Agenda
  4. Pending Actions
  5. Public Comment
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Meeting Information

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 84th Annual Meeting will be held November 9-12, 2026, at Hotel Viking, One Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI.

A block of rooms is being held at Hotel Viking. The Commission will make hotel reservations for Commissioners and Proxies. For all other attendees, please make your reservations online through this link to get our negotiated rate of $150 plus taxes per night, and an urban destination fee and tax of $25 per night. Hotel reservations must be made by October 12, 2026.  Room availability will not be guaranteed beyond this date.

This will be a hybrid meeting to allow for in-person and remote participation by Commissioners and interested stakeholders in all meetings.

Registration

Please click here to complete the Registration, Attendance, and Accommodations Form. Completion of the form is required for all participants, whether or not you will be reimbursed for travel by the Commission, since it enables us to ensure we have accurate information on meeting attendance and event participation. However, only those who will not be reimbursed for travel by the Commission (see travel authorization form) will need to pay the registration fee (e.g., guests and federal participants). The meeting registration fee is $200 for participants and $150 for spouses or guests if you register by October 30, 2026. After October 30 and in Newport, Rhode Island, the fees will be $225 and $175, respectively. The registration fee covers the Monday night welcome reception, the Tuesday night dinner, Captain David H. Hart Award lunch on Wednesday, and event materials.  

Background Materials

Contact

Tina Berger, 703.842.0749

Pending Actions

Action

Status

Public Comment

To ensure fair opportunity for public input, ASMFC meetings offer opportunities for verbal comments on non-agenda and agenda items. Written comments are accepted following a specific timeline for inclusion in meeting materials. Read the guidelines for more information.

Comment Guidelines

To provide a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide opportunities to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

For topics that are on the agenda that have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comments will not provide additional insight to the board.

For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment, if any, to allow in these circumstances.

In addition, the following timeline has been established for the submission of written comments for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action).

  • Comments received three weeks prior to the start of a meeting week (October 19) will be included in the briefing materials.
  • Comments received by 5 PM on Tuesday, November 3 will be included in supplemental materials.
  • Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, November 6 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.

The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.  As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail and email.

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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. At these meetings, action may be taken on any agenda item, including, but not limited to, reports from staff, technical committees, stock assessment committees, peer reviews, Law Enforcement Committee, advisory panels, plan review teams, and plan development teams.

Monday, November 9, 2026

9:30 – 10:15 AM — Atlantic Herring Management Board

  • Set Specifications for the 2027-2029 Fishing Years
  • Set Quota Period for the 2027 Area 1A Fishery
  • Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance for the 2025 Fishing Year
  • Update from New England Fishery Management Council

9:30 AM – 5 PM — Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership Steering Committee

  • Restoration Project Updates
    • FY26 Projects – Active
    • FY27 Project List – Recommended for Funding
  • Finalize 2027-2031 Conservation Strategic Plan
  • Draft 2027-2028 Action Plan
  • ACFHP Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Workshop Updates
  • Discuss Multi-State Funding Opportunities

10:30 AM – 12:30 PM — American Lobster Management Board

  • Report from Management Objectives Process Steering Committee 
  • Technical Committee Reports
    • Jonah Crab Data Update
    • American Lobster Data Update
    • Progress on Board Tasks 
  • Reports from Gulf of Maine States on Industry Surveys and Meetings
  • Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance for the 2025 Fishing Year
  • Summary of Comments on NOAA’s Request for Information for Alternative Gear Marking Framework

12:30 – 1:45 PM — Lunch Break

1 – 5 PM — Law Enforcement Committee

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

    1:45 – 3 PM — Coastal Sharks Management Board

    • Updates from NOAA Fisheries on Ongoing Management Actions
    • Presentation on Shore-based Fishing in North Carolina 
    • Discussion on Use of Drones in Shark Fishing
    • Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance for the 2025 Fishing Year

    3:15 – 5:15 PM — Sciaenids Management Board

    • Consider 2026 Atlantic Croaker Benchmark Assessment and Peer Review Report
    • Consider Black Drum Indicators Update
    • Provide Guidance on Timing of Red Drum Traffic Light Analysis Updates
    • Progress Update on the 2028 Spot Benchmark Stock Assessment
    • Elect Vice-Chair

    6 – 7:30 PM — Welcome Reception

    ACFHP Melissa Laser Award Presentation

    Tuesday, November 10, 2026

    8:30 – 10:30 AM — Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program Coordinating Council

    • Consider 2027 Proposals for Funding
    • Consider Changes to 2027 Access Point Angler Intercept Survey Sampling
    • Program and Committee Updates
    • Elect Chair & Vice-Chair

    9 AM – Noon — ACFHP Steering Committee (continued)

      9 AM – Noon — Law Enforcement Committee (continued)

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

        10:45 AM – 12:15 PM — Horseshoe Crab Management Board

        • Consider Updates to Adaptive Resource Management Framework (ARM) Model Reward, Utility, and Harvest Policy Functions
          • Advisory Panel Report
          • Delaware Bay Ecosystem Technical Committee Report 
          • Consider Initiating an Addendum to Implement Changes to the ARM Framework
        • Review Delaware Bay Region Bait Harvest Specifications for the 2027 Fishing Year 
          • Review Horseshoe Crab and Red Knot Survey Data
        • Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance for the 2025 Fishing Year

        12:15 – 1:30 PM — Lunch Break

        1:30 – 2:30 PM — Shad and River Herring Management Board

        • Consider Shad and River Herring Sustainable Fishery Management Plans, Alternate Management Plans, and Habitat Plan Updates
        • Provide Guidance to Technical Committee on Timing of Next Shad and River Herring Stock Assessments

        2:45 – 5 PM — Atlantic Menhaden Management Board

        • Set Specifications for 2027-2029 Fishing Years
        • Consider Addendum II for Final Approval
        • Consider Commercial Quota Reallocation
        • Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance for the 2025 Fishing Year
        • Adjourn/Reconvene on November 11

        6:30 – 8:30 PM — Annual Dinner

        Wednesday, November 11, 2026

        8 – 9:30 AM — Executive Committee

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

        • Presentation of FY26 Audit
        • Discuss Process for Reviewing Species Declared Interests
        • Legislative Update
        • Future Annual Meetings Update

        9 AM – 5 PM — Habitat Committee

        • Review Results of ASMFC Commissioner Survey on Habitat Information Needs
        • Mapping Project Updates
        • Finalize Habitat Hotline Atlantic 2026 Issue
        • Committee Species Assignments
        • Discuss ASMFC Habitat Priorities
        • Roundtable Habitat Updates

        9:45 – 10:45 AM — Commission Business Session

        • Consider Approval of 2027 Action Plan
        • Elect Commission Chair and Vice-Chair

        10:45 – 11:15 AM — Commissioner Photo Shoot

        11:15 AM – Noon — Spiny Dogfish Management Board

        • Review Accountability Measures Proposed Rule

        Noon – 1:30 PM — Captain David H. Hart Award Luncheon

        1:30 – 2:30 PM — Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board

        • Update and Proposed Next Steps from the Steering Committee for the Work Group on Future Striped Bass Management
        • Update on Revised Marine Recreational Information Program Fishing Effort Survey Estimates
        • Progress Update on the 2027 Benchmark Stock Assessment

        2:45 – 5:30 PM — Atlantic Menhaden Management Board (continued)

          Thursday, November 12, 2026

          8:30 AM – 11 AM — Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board (Part of this meeting will be held with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council)

          • Sector Separation Amendment Stakeholder Workshop Results (Joint Discussion with the Council)
          • Committee Reports
          • Update on the Marine Recreational Information Program Fishing Effort Survey Estimates
          • Update on Recreational Angler Partnership Improvement Directive (RAPID)
          • Stock Assessments Update
          • Review Noncompliance Findings, if necessary

          11 – 11:15 AM — Commission Business Session

          • Consider Noncompliance Recommendations, if necessary

          11:30 AM – 1:15PM — Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board

          • Approve Scup Winter I Addendum XXXVI for Public Comment
          • Review Black Sea Bass State-by-State Commercial Quota Allocation Performance