Public Comment
February 9: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently soliciting public input on management measures being considered for spiny lobster in federal waters off the coast of Florida. Amendment 13 includes options for an endorsement, vessel marking, and gear prohibitions for the bully net fishery, similar to those currently required in Florida state waters. The measures are expected to help management and enforcement of spiny lobster harvest by creating consistent regulations in state and federal waters. The amendment also addresses other inconsistencies in the regulatory process.
(Find more information here).
March 9: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
is announcing the availability of, and requests comments on, the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) for the 2019-2024 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (2019-2024 Program or Program). BOEM is also announcing its decision to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the 2019-2024 Program (Programmatic EIS) and the initiation of the formal scoping process. (Find more information here.)
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Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO)
Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)
Southeast Regional Office (SERO)
Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC)
USFWS - Northeast Office (Region 5)
USFWS - Southeast Office (Region 4)
New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC)
Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC)
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC)
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC)
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Featured Stories for the Week of January 26
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ASMFC 2018 Winter Meeting Final Agenda and Meeting Materials Now Available
Arlington, VA -
The final agenda and meeting materials for the
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's 2018 Winter Meeting can be obtained at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2018-winter-meeting; click on the relevant Board/Committee name to access the documents for that Board/Committee
For ease of access, all Board/Section documents have been combined into one document
Main Meeting Materials.
Links to individual board/committee materials can be found on the 2018 Winter Meeting page. Supplemental materials will be available at http://www.asmfc.org/home/2018-winter-meeting by January 31, 2018.
The agenda is subject to change. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of meetings. Interested parties should anticipate meetings starting earlier or later than indicated herein.
Board/Section meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via
webinar
beginning February 6th at 9:30 a.m. and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 5 p.m.) on Thursday, February 8th. The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board/section deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur. No comments or questions will be accepted via the webinar. Should technical difficulties arise while streaming the broadcast the boards/sections will continue their deliberations without interruption. We will attempt to resume the broadcast as soon as possible.
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FL FWCC: Recreational and Commercial Management Changes for Cobia in State Waters of the Gulf Effective Feb. 1
Several changes to the management of cobia in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico will go into effect Feb. 1. These changes were approved at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) meeting in December.
These changes will further promote sustainable management of this fishery and were developed in coordination with anglers who were concerned about the fishery. The changes will apply to all state waters north of the Monroe-Collier county line.
Changes effective Feb. 1, 2018, include:
- Making the recreational and commercial bag limits for cobia in Gulf state waters the same by reducing the commercial limit from two to one fish per person.
- Reducing the recreational and commercial vessel limit in Gulf state waters from six to two cobia per vessel, per day.
The current 33-inch minimum size limit will not change.
Find more information
here.
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PFBC: New Licensing System Will Provide Mobile Solutions for Anglers
A new licensing services contract signed last week by the Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will deliver a benefit long sought by the agency - the ability for anglers to easily purchase fishing licenses from their smartphones and retain the license images on their devices to use as a proof of purchase.
PFBC Executive Director John Arway has been seeking a more modern, mobile friendly customer sales platform for years, and one that would also help bolster sales by enabling marketing staff to segment customer data and develop targeted messages to specific groups.
"We collect a lot of customer data that we'd love to use in our marketing efforts, but haven't had the capabilities until now," Arway said. "The new licensing service will provide a host of visual analytical tools, allowing us to see in real time key metrics like buying patterns or sales by age group and gender. We can then use the information to tailor specific messages to these customer groups and improve our sales."
Find more information
here
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NOAA: New Voluntary Right Whale Speed Restriction Zone South of Nantucket
NOAA Fisheries announces that a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area or DMA) has been established 30 nautical miles south of Nantucket, MA to protect an aggregation of 22 right whales sighted in this area on
January 23, 2018. This DMA is in effect immediately.
Mariners are requested to route around this area or transit through it at 10 knots or less.
South of Nantucket, MA DMA January 23-February 5
41 15 N
40 22 N
070 51 W
069 37 W
Find more information
here.
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RI DEM: DEM Launches New Education and Certification Program for Commercial Shellfish Harvesters
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces a new, mandatory education and certification program for everyone who commercially harvests and lands shellfish in Rhode Island. The goal of the program is to ensure that shellfish harvesters deliver a safe product to shellfish dealers, and, in turn, to shellfish consumers.
Certification may be obtained by completing a 30-minute online tutorial, available on DEM's website, or by attending a group presentation offered by DEM. Pre-registration for the group sessions is not required, and additional presentations may be scheduled, as needed. Two group sessions will be held this month:
- Monday, January 22 | 6:00 p.m. Warwick Public Library (Large Meeting Room), 600 Sandy Lane, Warwick
- Thursday, January 25 | 6:00 p.m. Bristol Maritime Center, 127 Thames Street, Bristol
In accordance with United States Food and Drug Administration requirements and new regulations adopted by DEM, holders of all applicable commercial licenses and landing permits for 2018 must obtain certification via the new program.
Find more information
here
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MD DNR: Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund Annual Report
The
Maryland Department of Natural Resources released the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund 2018
Annual Report, which details the program's activities, expenditures and initiatives, including restoring 2,700 acres of wetlands, installing 1,161 acres of riparian buffer and educating and engaging over 34,600 students and volunteers.
The
Trust Fund focuses limited financial resources on the most cost-effective and efficient pollution control and mitigation projects.
Since 2009, the environmental financing program has directed $400 million to local governments and nonprofits for more than 2,200 nonpoint source pollution projects.
Staff
works with local partners on using natural systems and stormwater best management practices to improve the Chesapeake Bay, coastal bays and local waterways.
Find more information here.
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NJ DFW: Student Summer Programs - Sedge Island Natural Resource Education Center
The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife and its partners will be offering teenage students three exciting summer programs based at the
Sedge Island Natural
The facility is located just off
Island Beach State Park
in Barnegat Bay and provides a beautiful location for these unique, educational, fun and excit ing experiences for teenage students.
The programs are listed below.
| Barnegat Bay Field and Research Experience |
July 5-10, 2018 |
| Sedge Island Field Experience |
August 13-16, 2018 |
| Sedge Island Fishing Experience |
August 23-26, 2018 |
Find more information here
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ME DMR: New Maps Available for Scallops, Lobster and Aquaculture
The Department of Marine Resources has developed several maps on the GIS platform which are designed to provide an interactive, up-to-date alternative to static maps.
Find more information here
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Please feel free to forward to fishery friends & colleagues! If you have a suggestion for a feature, please email
[email protected].
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Upcoming Meetings and Events
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Maine Department of Marine Fisheries (ME DMR)
New Hampshire Fish & Game Department (NH FGD)
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MA DMF)
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife (RI DFW)
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (CT DEEP)
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC)
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC)
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (NJ DFW)
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife (DE DFW)
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Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD DNR)
News Room
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Calendar of Events
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District Department of the Environment (DC DOEE)
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Calendar of Events |
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Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC)
News Room |
Calendar of Events
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North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NC DMF)
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SC DNR)
Georgia Department of Natural Resources - Coastal Resources Division (GA CRD)
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC)
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