Initiated in 2015, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission began the process of modifying tautog/blackfish management with the review of the 2015 Benchmark Stock Assessment across the three current management regions (Massachusetts-Rhode Island-Connecticut, New York-New Jersey, and Delaware-Maryland-Virginia.) Based on the 2015 Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report (2015 assessment), tautog was determined to be overfished and overfishing occurring on a coast-wide scale. Draft Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Tautog was developed and reviewed by the Tautog Management Board. The Draft Amendment proposes a fundamental change in tautog management, moving away from management on a coast-wide basis towards regional management. In addition, Draft Amendment 1 proposes the establishment of a commercial harvest tagging program, as well as new goals and objectives, biological reference points and fishing mortality targets, and a stock rebuilding schedule.
Specifically, Draft Amendment 1 proposes delineating the stock into four regions due to differences in biology and fishery characteristics, as well as limited coast-wide movement as follows:
- Massachusetts-Rhode Island
- Long Island Sound
- New Jersey-New York Bight
- Delaware-Maryland-Virginia
We are now at the stage of public comment on Draft Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Tautog and the states of Massachusetts through Virginia have scheduled public hearings as follows:
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 6 p.m.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
101 Academy Drive
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
Contact: Jared Silva at 617-626-1534
[email protected]
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
Thursday, June 22, 2017 at 6 p.m.
University of Rhode Island Bay Campus
Corless Auditorium
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: Jason McNamee at 401-423-1943
[email protected]
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Monday, June 26, 2017 at 7 p.m.
CT DEEP Boating Education Center, Building 3
333 Ferry Road
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Contact: Mark Alexander at 860-447-4322
[email protected]
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 6:30 p.m.
NYSDEC Division of Marine Resources
205 Belle Mead Road, Suite 1
East Setauket, New York
Contact: John Maniscalco at 631-444-0437
[email protected]
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
Tuesday, June 27, 2017 from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Ocean County Administration Building
Public Hearing Room 119
101 Hooper Avenue
Toms River, New Jersey
Contact: Russ Allen at 609-748-2020
[email protected]
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Wednesday, June 28, 2017 from 6 – 8 p.m.
DNREC Lewes Facility
901 Pilottown Road
Lewes, Delaware
Contact: John Clark at 302-739-9914
[email protected]
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Thursday, June 15, 2017 at 6 p.m.
Ocean Pines Library
11107 Cathell Road
Berlin, Maryland
Contact: Angel Willey at 410-456-0311
[email protected]
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at 5:30 p.m.
2600 Washington Avenue
Newport News, Virginia
Contact: Joe Cimino at 757-247-2236
[email protected]
Management options by region have been developed in response to the 2016 stock assessment update. Long Island Sound and New Jersey-New York Bight would be required to take harvest reductions due to the regional overfishing stock status, while Massachusetts-Rhode Island and Delaware-Maryland-Virginia would not have to take harvest reductions, but are proposing regional measures.
A commercial harvest tagging program is being proposed to address an illegal, unreported and undocumented fishery that has persisted for more than a decade. Reports of illegally harvested fish have been documented in cases against fishermen, fish houses, and at retail markets and restaurants. The tagging program, which would accommodate both the live and dead commercial markets, was recommended by the Commission’s Law Enforcement Committee to increase accountability in the fishery and curb illegal harvest. A tautog tag trial was conducted to investigate the impact of the tags on the resource and found no mortality or degradation to fish health.
The Draft Amendment is available online.
You may submit public comment in one or more of the following ways:
- Attend public hearings held in your state or jurisdiction.
- Refer comments to your state’s members on the Tautog Management Board or Tautog Advisory Panel, if applicable.
- Mail, fax, or email written comments to the following address: Ashton Harp 1050 North Highland St., Suite 200 A-N Arlington, VA 22201 Fax: (703) 842-0741 [email protected] (subject line: Tautog Draft Amendment I)
Final action on the Amendment is scheduled to occur in August, 2017. For more information, please contact Ashton Harp, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at [email protected] or 703-842-0740.
