New England Fishery Management Council Meeting
Cape Codder Resort, 1225 Iyannough Road, Hyannis, MA 02601
Phone: 855-866-437; Fax: 508-771-6564
September 24-26, 2013
Printable Version of Agenda
Notice of Agenda Time change for Day 1
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
8:30 a.m. Closed Session to Discuss Scientific and Statistical Committee Appointments (Acting Chairman Terry Stockwell)
8:45 Introductions and Announcements (Acting Chair Terry Stockwell)
8:50 Swearing-in of New and Reappointed Council members (John Bullard, NOAA/NMFS Regional Administrator)
9:00 Election of 2013-2014 Council Officers
10:00 Joint Habitat/Groundfish Committee Report (David Preble/Terry Stockwell)
Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment – Approve joint committee recommendations for modifications to the Essential Fish Habitat Amendment’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement draft alternatives; including changes to the range of alternatives, possible area boundary adjustments and measures that would apply to habitat management areas, spawning areas and/or dedicated habitat research areas
11:30 Overview of Amendment 7 to the Highly Migratory Species FMP (Tom Warren, NOAA/NMFS Northeast Regional Office)
Overview of the bluefin tuna management measures being considered for inclusion in Amendment 7 to the Highly Migratory Species FMP
12:00 p.m. Enforcement Committee Report (Frank Blount)
Consider approval of a committee recommendation to request that the Council authorize the NOAA/NMFS Regional Administrator to modify elements of the current trawl gear stowage requirements
12:15 Lunch Break
1:15 Transboundary Resources Assessment Committee (TRAC) Report (Loretta O'Brien, NEFSC)
Summary of results from the 2013 Eastern Georges Bank cod and haddock and the Georges Bank yellowtail flounder assessments
****Please note there has been a time change for the next two agenda items***
2:00 (was 3:15) Scientific and Statistical Committee Report (Dr. Patrick Sullivan, SSC Vice Chairman)
Summary of the acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations for several groundfish stocks, monkfish, sea scallops, red crab and skates; review additional issues discussed by the SSC, including rebuilding plans for Gulf of Maine cod and American plaice and the possible “spillover” of Georges Bank haddock in the Gulf of Maine
3:15 (was 2:00) Transboundary Managmeent Guidance Committee (TMGC) Report (Terry Stockwell
Review and possibly approve the TMGC’s recommendations for fishing year 2014 quotas for Eastern Georges Bank cod and haddock and the Georges Bank stock of yellowtail flounder; discuss quota trades for fishing year 2014
4:30 Red Crab (NEFMC Executive Director, Tom Nies) Approve final fishery specifications for 2014-2016
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
8:30 Groundfish Committee Report (Terry Stockwell)
- Framework Adjustment 51 – Select measures to be analyzed in the framework, including but not limited to the 2014-2016 overfishing level (OFL), ABC, and annual catch limit (ACL) for white hake; the 2014-2015 OFL, ABC, and ACL for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder; ACLs for Eastern Georges Bank haddock and Eastern Georges Bank cod; revisions to the Gulf of Maine cod and American plaice rebuilding plans; small-mesh accountability measures (AMs) for the Georges Bank yellowtail flounder sub-ACL; and other adjustments to the groundfish management measures, including a provision to give the Regional Administrator authority to make in-season adjustments to the U.S./CA quotas
- Amendment 18 – Update on progress to date
12:30 p.m. Lunch Break
1:30 Scallop Committee Report (Mary Beth Tooley)
Update on development of the framework; the action will include specifications for fishing years 2014-2015 (default), AMs for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic windowpane flounder and measures to address unused fishing year 2013 Closed Area I access trips
3:30 Monkfish Committee Report (Tom Dempsey)
Consider approval of alternatives for further analysis; measures include the specification of an annual catch target, days-at-sea, and trip limits for the 2014-2016, and changes to the permit Category H boundary
Thursday, September 26, 2013
8:30 a.m. Reports on Recent Activities
Reports on Recent Activities Council Chairman and Executive Director; NOAA/NMFS Regional Administrator, NOAA General Counsel, Northeast Fisheries Science Center (overview of SAW/SARC 57, summer flounder and striped bass) and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons; also representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA Enforcement, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the Northeast Regional Ocean Council; the NEFMC ABC Control Rule and Electronic Monitoring Working Groups will provide reports at this time
9:15 Open Period for Public Comments (Council Chairman) Opportunity for the public to provide brief comments on items relevant to Council business but not listed on the agenda
9:45 Skate Committee Update (Vincent Balzano) Review of progress to develop the 2014 fishery specifications
10:15 Herring Committee Report (Doug Grout) Review of progress to develop the 2014 fishery specifications
12:00 Lunch Break
1:00 At-Sea Monitoring Discussion (NEFSC and NOAA/NMFS Northeast Regional Office Staff)
Presentation and discussion of issues and options considered by a working group that has examined funding for at-sea monitors, including industry-funded monitors
2:00 NOAA/NMFS Vessel Upgrade Baseline Amendment Proposal (Melissa Hooper, Northeast Regional Office Staff)
Recommendations and discussion about an omnibus amendment that would simplify the current vessel baseline restrictions; meetings were held under the auspices of the Northeast Regional Coordinating Council
2:30 Initial Discussion of the NEFMC’s 2014 Management Priorities (Executive Director Tom Nies)
3:00 Other Business
Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305 (c) of the Magnuson- Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency.
Times listed next to the agenda items are estimates and are subject to change.
The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities
Council member financial disclosure forms are available for examination at the meeting.
