The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s December 2009 meeting to be held at the Sheraton Suites Hotel, 422 Delaware Avenue, Wilmington, DE 19801 (telephone: 302-654-8300). Below is the meeting agenda. NOTE: Log onto www.ustream.tv and type mafmc in the search block to view and listen to the meeting.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8
8:30 Council convenes jointly with Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, and Dogfish Boards
8:30 – 11:00 Summer Flounder: 2010 Recreational Management Measures
· Review and discuss Monitoring Committee’s recommendations on summer flounder management measures
· Review and discuss Advisory Panel’s recommendations on summer flounder management measures
· Develop and approve management measures for 2010 summer flounder recreational fishery
11:00 – 12:00 Scup: 2010 Recreational Management Measures
· Review and discuss Monitoring Committee’s recommendations on scup management measures
· Review and discuss Advisory Panel’s recommendations on scup management measures
· Develop and approve management measures for 2010 scup recreational fishery
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 Scup: 2010 Recreational Management Measures – Continued
· Review and discuss Monitoring Committee’s recommendations on scup management measures
· Review and discuss Advisory Panel’s recommendations on scup management measures
· Develop and approve management measures for 2010 scup recreational fishery
2:00 – 4:00 Black Sea Bass: 2010 Recreational Management Measures
· Review and discuss Monitoring Committee’s recommendations on black sea bass management measures
· Review and discuss Advisory Panel’s recommendations on black sea bass management measures
· Develop and approve management measures for 2010 black sea bass recreational fishery
4:00 – 5:00 Spiny Dogfish
· Review and discuss SSC and Monitoring Committee’s recommendations for dogfish quota and related management measures for 2010/2011 fishing year and beyond
· Adopt quota and related management measures for 2010/2011 and beyond fishing years
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9
8:00 Council Convenes with Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Leadership and Board Chairs and Vice Chairs to Address Accountability Measures
8:00 – 9:30 Surfclam / Ocean Quahog / Tilefish Committee
· Discuss and recommend draft accountability measures (AM)
9:30 – 10:30 Dogfish Committee
· Discuss and recommend draft accountability measures (AM) to be included in the ACL/AM Omnibus Amendment
10:30 – 12:00 Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish Committee
· Discuss and recommend draft accountability measures (AM) to be included in the ACL/AM Omnibus Amendment for mackerel and butterfish
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 1:15 Award Presentation and Recognition
· Fisheries Achievement Award – Jeff Deem
· Ricks E Savage Award – TBA
1:15 – 3:30 Demersal and Coastal Migratory Committee
· Discuss and recommend draft accountability measures (AM) to be included in the ACL/AM Omnibus Amendment
3:30 – 4:00 Monkfish Committee
· Discuss and recommend draft accountability measures (AM) to be included in the ACL/AM Omnibus Amendment
4: 00 – 5:30 Performance Monitoring and Evaluation of Catch Shares in Terms of Their Social, Cultural and Economic Impacts on Regional Fisheries – A Presentation by the NMFS’
Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Social Sciences Unit
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10
8:00 – 9:00 Executive Committee
· Review draft recommendations for standards for SSC review of ABC recommendations
· New business
9:00 Council Convenes
9:00 – 10:00 Presentation on draft-interim NOAA Catch Share Policy by Monica Medina [Senior Advisor to Dr. Lubchenco and Catch Share Task Force Chairperson]
10:00 – 11:30 Business Session and Annual Picture
· Approval of October minutes
Organizational Reports
· NMFS NERO Regional Administrator
· NMFS NEFSC Director
· NOAA Office of General Counsel
· Federal Enforcement Officials (NMFS and USCG)
· ASMFC’s Executive Director
New England Council Liaison Report
Executive Director’s Report – Mr. Furlong
Status of MAFMC FMPs – Mr. Seagraves
11:30-12:00 Informal Question and Answer session regarding MPA nominations
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:15 Solicit Public Comment regarding the Council’s Selection of Sites for MPA Designation and finalize MPA nominations
2:15 – 3:00 Committee Reports
· Scientific and Statistical
· Highly Migratory Species
· Surfclam / Ocean Quahog / Tilefish
· Dogfish
· Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish
· Demersal and Coastal Migratory
· Monkfish
· Executive
3:00 – 3:30 Continuing and New Business
· Receive nominations for and vote on new members to be added to SSC
· Develop comments regarding NMFS’ changes to the General and Harpoon
Category fisheries for Atlantic bluefin tuna
The above agenda items may not be taken in the order in which they appear and are subject to change as necessary. Other items may be added, but the Council cannot take action on such items even if the item requires emergency action without additional public notice. Non-emergency matters not contained in this agenda may come before the Council and / or its Committees for discussion, but these matters may not be the subject of formal Council or Committee action during this meeting. Council and Committee actions will be restricted to the issues specifically listed in this agenda. Any issues requiring emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act that arise after publication of the Federal Register Notice for this meeting may be acted upon provided that the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. The meeting may be closed to discuss employment or other internal administrative matters.