States Schedule Hearings on Atlantic Menhaden Draft Amendment 3 Public Information Document

Posted on: Nov 22, 2016

States Schedule Hearings on Atlantic Menhaden Draft Amendment 3 Public Information Document

 Arlington, VA – The Atlantic coastal states of Maine through Florida have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the Public Information Document (PID) for Draft Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Menhaden. The details of the scheduled hearings follow.

 

Maine Department of Marine Resources

December 13, 2016; 6:15 PM

Casco Bay Lines Conference Room

56 Commercial Street

Portland, Maine

Contact: Terry Stockwell at 207.624.6553

*This hearing will immediately follow the Jonah Crab Draft Addendum II hearing

 

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department

December 6, 2016; 7:20 PM

Urban Forestry Center

45 Elwyn Road

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Contact: Doug Grout at 603.868.1095

* This hearing will immediately follow the Jonah Crab Draft Addendum II hearing

 

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries

December 12, 2016; 5:30 PM

Bourne Community Center, Room 1

239 Maine Street

Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

Contact: Nichola Meserve at 617.626.1531

* This hearing will immediately follow the Jonah Crab Draft Addendum II hearing

 

December 20, 2016; 6 PM

Thayer Public Library, Logan Auditorium

798 Washington Street

Braintree, Massachusetts

Contact: Nichola Meserve at 617.626.1531

 

Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife

December 19, 2016; 7 PM

University of Rhode Island Bay Campus

Corless Auditorium, South Ferry Road

Narragansett, Rhode Island

Contact: Robert Ballou at 401.222.4700 ext: 4420

* This hearing will immediately follow the Jonah Crab Draft Addendum II hearing

 

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

December 14, 2016; 7 PM

CT DEEP Boating Education Center

333 Ferry Road

Old Lyme, Connecticut

Contact: David Simpson at 860.434.6043

*This hearing will precede the Jonah Crab Draft Addendum II hearing

 

New York Department of Environmental Conservation

December 15, 2016; 6:30 PM

Freeport Memorial Library

144 West Merrick Road

Freeport, New York

Contact: Steve Heins at 631.444.0430

 

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife

December 8, 2016; 6:30 PM

Nacote Creek Marine Law Enforcement Office

360 North New York Road, Mile Marker 51

Port Republic, New Jersey

Contact: Russ Allen at 609.748.2020

 

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control

December 8, 2016; 6:30 PM

901 Pilottown Road

Lewes, Delaware

Contact: John Clark at 302.729.9914

* This hearing will immediately follow the Jonah crab public hearing

 

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

December 7, 2016; 6 PM

Calvary United Methodist Church

Fellowship Hall301 Rowe Boulevard

Annapolis, Maryland

Contact: Lynn Fegley at 410.260.8285

 

Potomac River Fisheries Commission

December 6, 2016; 6 PM

Carpenter Building

222 Taylor Street

Colonial Beach, Virginia

Contact: Martin Gary at 804.456.6935

 

Virginia Marine Resources Commission

December 5, 2016; 6 PM

2600 Washington Ave, 4th Floor

Newport News, Virginia

Contact: Rob O’Reilly at 757.247.2247

 

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries

November 30, 2016; 5:30 PM

5285 US Highway 70 West

Morehead City, North Carolina

Contact: Michelle Duval at 252.808.8013

 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

December 1, 2016; 6 PM

Melbourne City Hall Chambers

900 E. Strawbridge Avenue

Melbourne, Florida

Contact: Jim Estes at 850.617.9622

 

As the first step in the amendment process, the document seeks input from stakeholders and those interested in Atlantic menhaden about changes observed in the fishery/resource and potential management measures. Draft Amendment 3 was initiated following Board review and acceptance of the 2015 Stock Assessment and Peer Review report, which found the menhaden resource in good condition — not overfished nor experiencing overfishing. Population fecundity, a measure of reproductive capacity, was estimated to be roughly double the threshold value (86.8 trillion eggs).  Additionally, total fishing mortality was estimated to be 0.22, below both the fishing mortality threshold (1.26) and target (0.38). 

 

The PID outlines a number of issues in the fishery and solicits feedback on how the resource should be managed. Specifically, the PID presents a suite of tools to manage the menhaden resource using ecological reference points and provides options to allocate the resource among the states, regions, and user groups. In addition to the specific issues identified in the PID, commenters are welcome to provide input on all aspects of the fishery and resource, including recommendations for future management.

 

Stakeholders are encouraged to provide input on the PID either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The PID can be obtained at http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/AtlMenhadenAmend3PID_PublicComment.pdf or via the Commission’s website, www.asmfc.org, under Public Input. Public comment will be accepted until 5 PM (EST) on January 4, 2017 and should be forwarded to Megan Ware, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Menhaden PID). If your organization is planning to release an action alert related to the Amendment 3 PID, please contact Megan Ware at 703.842.0740 prior to its release.  The Management Board will meet at the Commission’s 2017 Winter Meeting to review and consider public comment and provide direction to staff for items to be included in the Draft Amendment 3.                                           

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