Council Meeting Agenda | September 16-18, 2003

Holiday Inn Express, 110 Middle Street

Fairhaven, MA 02719

Telephone (508) 997-1281 | Fax (508) 996-5727

Tuesday, September 16, 2003

9:00 a.m. Introductions and Announcements (Thomas Hill)

9:05 Election of Council Officers

10:00 Reports on Recent Activities

Council Chairman, Executive Director, NMFS Regional Administrator, NOAA General Counsel, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

11:00 Electronic Dealer Reporting (Dr. John Witzig, NMFS staff)

Report on the status and implementation of electronic reporting for federally permitted seafood dealers

11:15 Scallop Committee Report (Mark Amorello)

Approval of the final Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP) Amendment 10 documents, including draft regulations, for submission to the Secretary of Commerce; among other management changes, the amendment will implement DAS allocations for the 2004 and 2005 fishing years, increase twine top mesh to 10-inches, increase dredge ring size to 4-inches, implement a rotation area management closure in the Mid-Atlantic and allocate Hudson Canyon Area days and trips with an overall scallop possession limit equivalent to 1,500 lb./day and an 8 to 15 day-at-sea tradeoff

12:30 p.m. Lunch

1:30 Scallop Amendment 10 discussion - continued

3:00 NOAA Fisheries Constituent Session (Dr. William Hogarth)

Special session with Dr. Hogarth to gather public input from stakeholders on broad themes related to fisheries management, including information on daily operations and potential ways to evaluate solutions to problems

5:00 Break

6:00 Continuation of Constituent Session until 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 17, 2003

8:30 a.m. Monkfish Committee Report

Review, consider and approve the Monkfish FMP Amendment 2 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement; if approved, the Mid-Atlantic Council will also consider approval of the DSEIS this October

12:30 p.m. Lunch

1:30 Vessel Upgrading and Permit Issues (Council Staff)

· Develop a response to the MAFMC’s request to examine the issue of small vessel length and horsepower upgrade limits in the “Consistency Amendment” now in effect for a number of NEFMC and MAFMC Fishery Management Plans

· Develop a position concerning a 30-day sign-in requirement for exempted fisheries programs

· Permit transfer issues related to sunken vessels

3:30 Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Committee Report (John Nelson)

· Review and approve committee recommendations concerning a Council position on Marine Protected Areas

· Review and approve committee comments developed in response to a Federal Register notice on proposed criteria for building an Inventory of Existing Marine Managed Areas

· Review and approve a draft work plan to address MPA issues for consideration in setting 2004 Council priorities

**Please note for this evening, there will be a Red Crab O/S Committee and Advisory Panel meeting at 7:00 pm

to review recommendations from the Red Crab PDT related to annual specifications for the Red Crab FMP for

fishing year March 1, 2004-February 28, 2005**

Thursday, September 18, 2003

8:30 a.m. Herring Committee Report (Lewis Flagg)

Review, consider and approve a range of management alternatives to be analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Amendment 1 to the Herring FMP; the amendment may include the following: revised estimates of maximum sustainable yield and optimum yield; changes to the process for determining area-specific total allowable catch levels (TACs); initial area-specific TACs upon implementation of Amendment 1; adjustments to the timing of the specification process; adjustments to management areas; a limited access program; observer coverage requirements; measures to address fixed gear fisheries and other effort controls

12:30 p.m. Lunch

1:30 Herring Committee Report - continued

2:30 Open period for public comments about Council-related issues not otherwise listed on this meeting

agenda

2:45 Red Crab Committee Report (Frank Blount)

Review and approve committee recommendations concerning the annual specifications for the red crab fishery for the fishing year 2004 (March 1, 2004 – February 28, 2005)

4:45 Research Steering Committee Policy (John Williamson)

Approval of a policy concerning the incorporation of cooperative research results into the management process

5:00 Approval of NEFMC Standard Operating Procedures and Practices (Paul Howard)

5:15 Other Business

Times listed next to the agenda items are estimates and are subject to change.

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.

Council member financial disclosure forms are available for examination at the meeting.

Athough other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subjects 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. Documents pertaining to Council action are available for review prior to a final vote by the Council. Please call (978) 465-0492 for copies or check the Council website at www.nefmc.org. Please note that if you are submitting comments for Council consideration at this meeting they must be received at the office at least 72 hours prior to the start of the meeting.

Mailing date: 8/27/03