New England Fishery Management Council Meeting
Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan Blvd., Mystic, CT 06355
Phone: 860-572-0731; Fax: 860-572-0328
April 24-26, 2012

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

9:00 a.m. Introductions and Announcements (Chairman Rip Cunningham)

9:05   Reports on Recent Activities

Council Chairman, Executive Director, Acting NMFS Regional Administrator (to include a brief discussion about the possible establishment of a Standard Bycatch Reporting Methodology Committee), NOAA General Counsel, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement/VMS, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

10:45  Review of Experimental Fishery Permit (EFP) Applications (Chris Kellogg)

Discuss Council comments on EFPs received since the last Council meeting

11:00  Discuss and Possibly Modify Council Priorities for 2012 (Exec. Director. Paul Howard)

Consider changes based on the added workload to address the ESA listing of Atlantic sturgeon

12:15 p.m.      Lunch Break

1:15    Revise NEFMC Policies (Paul Howard)

Consider revisions to Advisory Panel and Plan Development Team policies

1:30   Scallop Committee Report (Mary Beth Tooley)

Approve research priorities to be used in soliciting proposals funded through the sea scallop research set-aside program; receive a presentation about future plans for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s (NEFSC) federal sea scallop survey, including the integration of Habcam (towed underwater camera) results with existing survey technologies

3:00   Enforcement Committee Report (Frank Blount)

Consider and possibly approve committee recommendations on the following:

Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP) Amendment 5 management measures;
NOAA’s revised enforcement priorities; Measures related to coral reef protection;
Monitoring of sector landings; and Correspondence to the Secretary of Commerce

4:15   Public Listening Session (Rip Cunningham)

Open and informal question and answer session for stakeholders, interested parties and the general public; this is an opportunity to ask questions about Council issues or comment on items relevant to Council business but not otherwise listed on this agenda; it will not replace the public’s opportunity to make comments during Council consideration of any agenda item; more details will be available prior to the meeting

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

8:30 a.m. Protected Resources Issues (NERO staff Kim Damon-Randall)

Overview of the status of Atlantic sturgeon and the implications of its ESA listing for NE Council FMPs and additional protected species updates. Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan Presentation, Dave Gouvea, NMFS.

9:45    Monkfish Committee Report (Mark Alexander)

Summary of recent committee meeting discussions, including potential remedies to address the bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon in the monkfish fishery; update on progress to develop Amendment 6 to the Monkfish FMP, an action that will include a catch share management alternative

10:15 Summary of the Assessment and Data Updates for 13 Northeast Groundfish Stocks through 2010 (Dr. James Weinberg and Dr. Paul Rago, Northeast Fisheries Science Center)

11:15 Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Report (Dr. Chris Legault, SSC Chairman)

Overview of the SSC’s review of additional information relating to the status of Gulf of Maine cod

12:00 p.m.      Lunch Break

1:00    Groundfish Committee Report (Terry Stockwell)

Further discuss the management of Gulf of Maine cod; provide an update on the committee’s efforts to develop a number of solutions and remedies concerning the sector management program; update about other committee activities

6:00    *** Public Hearing to Review Draft Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring FMP ***

Management measures under consideration include adjustments to the fishery management program,
reporting requirements and measures to address trip notification, carrier vessels and transfers of herring at-sea; a
catch monitoring program also is being considered as well as measures to address river herring bycatch
and criteria for midwater trawl vessel access to the year-round groundfish closed areas

Thursday, April 26, 2012

8:30 a.m.  Whiting Committee Report (David Goethel)

Review public hearing comments and approve final management measures for inclusion in Amendment 19 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP; the action would establish annual catch limits and accountability measures for stocks of red hake, silver hake and offshore hake

10:00  Habitat Committee Report (David Preble)

Approval of deep sea coral alternatives for further analysis as part of the development of Habitat Omnibus Amendment 2

12:15 p.m.      Lunch Break

1:15   Spiny Dogfish Fishery Management Plan Report (Council staff)

Approve a range of alternatives for inclusion in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Amendment 3 to the Spiny Dogfish FMP; the document will be the subject of public review and further decision-making by the Mid-Atlantic and New England Councils       

1:45   Update - Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring FMP (Doug Grout)

Briefing on the development of Draft Amendment 5 to the Herring FMP and its Draft Environmental Impact Statement, including a review of public comments received during the Amendment 5 public hearings held in March, and the Amendment 5 timeline and schedule for completion

3:30   Other Business