The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) will meet this week, October 16 to 19, at the Beaufort Hotel, 2440 Lennoxville Road in Beaufort, NC. Those wishing to sit in on the ASMFC discussion and debate this week can get online webinar access info by visiting www.asmfc.org.
The agenda below for this week’s ASMFC meeting was taken directly from the website; saltwater anglers might want to pay particular attention to the Tuesday discussion on the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) and the Wednesday afternoon meeting of the Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board.
Monday, October 16
9 – 9:30 a.m. Atlantic Herring Management Board
- Set Quota Periods for the 2024 Area 1A Fishery
- Update from New England Fishery Management Council
- Elect Vice-Chair
9:45 -11:45 a.m. American Lobster Management Board
- Consider 2023 Jonah Crab Benchmark Stock Assessment
- Presentation of Stock Assessment Report
- Presentation of Peer Review Panel Report
- Consider Acceptance of Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report for Management Use
- Consider Annual Data Update of American Lobster Indices
- Update on Addendum XXVII Trigger Index
- Consider Fishery Management Plan Reviews and State Compliance Reports for American Lobster and Jonah Crab for the 2022 Fishing Year
- Consider Terms of Reference and Timeline for the American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment
- Consider Pursuing a Management Strategy Evaluation for American Lobster
11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch Break
1 – 1:45 p.m. Tautog Management Board
- Consider Technical Committee Report on Commercial Tagging Program
1 – 5 p.m. Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) Steering Committee
2 – 4 p.m. Horseshoe Crab Management Board
- Consider Results of Stakeholder Survey on Delaware Bay Management Objectives
- Set 2024 Delaware Bay Harvest Specifications
- Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year
4:15 – 5 p.m. Shad and River Herring Management Board
- Consider Update to New Hampshire River Herring Sustainable Fishery Management Plan and Proposal to Reopen Fishery
- Progress Update on River Herring Benchmark Stock Assessment
- Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year
Tuesday, October 17
8:30 – 10:30 a.m. Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP)
- Coordinating Council
- Consider FY2023 ACCSP Project and Administrative Proposals for Funding
- Consider SciFish Policies for ACCSP’s Citizen Science Mobile Application
- Program and Committee Updates
9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ACFHP Steering Committee (continued)
10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Presentation on NOAA Fisheries MRIP Effort Survey Design and Estimates
12:15 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch Break
1 – 5 p.m. Law Enforcement Committee
- Update on Tautog Tagging Program
- Update on Atlantic Striped Bass Draft Addendum II
- Update on Guidelines for Resource Managers on the Enforceability of Fishery Management Measures
- Discuss New England Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Efforts to Reduce Sturgeon Bycatch in the Spiny Dogfish Fishery
- Review Wildlife Officer Exchange Program
- Update on Species Management Boards
1:30 – 3 p.m. Atlantic Menhaden Management Board
- Progress Update on Ecological Reference Point Benchmark Assessment
- Review Virginia Chesapeake Bay Menhaden Study Design Report
- Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year Review
3:15 – 4:45 p.m. Coastal Pelagics Management Board
- Set 2024-2026 Cobia Recreational Measures
- Update on Cobia Benchmark Stock Assessment Timeline
- Elect Vice-Chair
5 – 5:45 p.m. Coastal Sharks Management Board
- Set Specifications for 2024 Fishing Year
- Update on NOAA Fisheries Ongoing Management Actions
- Elect Vice-Chair
Wednesday, October 18
8 – 10 AM Executive Committee
- Review and Consider Approval of FY23 Audit
- Discuss Per Diem Rate for Meals and Incidentals
- Legislative Update
- Future Annual Meeting Update
8:30 – 11:45 a.m. Law Enforcement Committee (continued)
10:15 – 11:45 a.m. Business Session of the Commission
- Consider 2024 Action Plan
- Review Draft 2024-2028 Strategic Plan
- Elect Commission Chair and Vice-Chair
11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. Captain David Hart Award Luncheon
1 – 1:45 p.m. Spiny Dogfish Management Board
- Review Atlantic Sturgeon Fishery Management Action Team/Plan Development Team Alternatives
- Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022-2023 Fishing Year
1 – 5 p.m. Habitat Committee
- Status Updates: Habitat Management Series, Habitat Hotline Atlantic, and Habitat Fact Sheets
- Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership Update
2 – 5 p.m. Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board
- Consider Approval of Draft Addendum II for Public Comment
Thursday, October 19
8:30 a.m. – Noon Habitat Committee (continued)
8:30 – 9:30 a.m American Eel Management Board
- Progress Update on Development of Draft Addenda VI and VII
- Advisory Panel Report
- Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year
9:45 – 11:45 a.m. Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board
- Consider Revised Conservation Equivalency Policy and Technical Guidance Document
- Stock Assessment Progress Reports
- Committee Updates
- Law Enforcement Committee
- Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership
- Habitat Committee
- Review Compliance Findings, if necessary
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Lunch Break
12:15 – 1:30 p.m. Sciaenids Management Board
- Review Annual Update to Black Drum Indicators
- Consider Fishery Management Plan Reviews and State Compliance Reports for the 2022 Fishing Year
- Progress Update on Red Drum, Spot, and Atlantic Croaker Benchmark Stock Assessments
