Page 10. MAINE COASTAL NEWS May 2011 Commercial Fishing News


ASMFC 2011 WINTER-SPRING MEETING SUMMARY Continued from Page 1.


per week during weeks that days out restric- tions are set. Section members reviewed public comment and input from its Technical Committee, Advisory Panel, and Law En- forcement Committee on the proposed mea- sures. Following deliberation, a motion to adopt provisions in the Draft Addendum failed due to lack of a majority vote. For more information, please contact Christopher Vonderweidt, Fishery Manage- ment Plan Coordinator, at cvonderweidt@asmfc.org or 703/842-0740. Motions


Move to include Options 2 and 5 with the exception that there would be a prohibition on carrier vessels on the extra landing day. Motion made by Mr. Grout and seconded by Mr. Gibson. Motion fails (2 in favor, 5 op- posed).


SHAD & RIVER HERRING MANAGEMENT BOARD, 22 March Meeting Summary


The Shad and River Herring Board met to review a River Herring Sustainable Fishery Management Plan (SFMP) from New Hamp- shire, discuss alosine bycatch management measures currently being developed in the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Amendments 5 and 14, consider approval of the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the River Herring Stock Assess- ment and discuss committee membership and leadership.


The Board reviewed New Hampshire’s revised River Herring SFMP, as required under Amendment 2. The proposed plan


contains a fishery-dependent sustainability target of a harvest level that results in an exploitation rate that does not exceed 20% in their “Great Bay Indicator Stock” and a fish- ery-dependent sustainability target escape- ment level of 350 fish per acre of available spawning habitat (~72,500 fish). Based on the advice of its Technical Committee, Board approved the New Hampshire SFMP. This is the fifth SFMP the Board has approved. States or jurisdictions without an approved plan in place will be required to close their commercial and recreational fisheries by January 1, 2012.


The Board received an update on federal waters shad and river herring bycatch man- agement measures currently being devel- oped through the New England Fishery Management Council’s (NEFMC) Draft Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring FMP and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s (MAFMC) Draft Amendment 14 to the Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish FMP. At the NEFMC Meeting in February, options for a portside monitoring program and “move- along” rule were removed from the Draft Amendment 5, while an option for consider- ation of a bycatch cap upon the completion of the ASMFC river herring stock assess- ment and the development of shad and river herring “catch triggers” were added to the document. At the MAFMC Meeting in Feb- ruary, options for a portside monitoring pro- gram were also removed from Draft Amend- ment 14 while options for 100% observer coverage and a river herring and/or shad mortality cap were advanced for further analysis. The Board discussed the potential development of a federal plan for alosines or


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inclusion of shad and river herring as a “stock in the fishery” in Draft Amendment 14. The Board reviewed Terms of Reference (TOR) as proposed by the River Herring Stock Assessment Subcommittee. The Board discussed the inclusion of an addi- tional TOR specifically addressing bycatch estimates and the removal of a specific TOR dealing with minority reports. Based on the discussion, the Board approved the TOR, including the bycatch TOR and excluding the minority report TOR. The stock assessment is expected to be completed by the end of


2011. The Board was updated on current Technical Committee (TC) and Stock As- sessment Subcommittee (SAS) membership. Three members of the SAS had recently stepped down from the committee due to other commitments and John Sweka (US Fish and Wildlife Service) was recently appointed as the new Chair of the SAS. The TC Chair will be vacant in April. There is currently no Vice- Chair on the committee.


For more information, please contact Continued on Page 20.


Hearings Scheduled on Northern Shrimp Amendment 2


Public Comment Accepted Until May 20


ARLINGTON, VA – Atlantic coastal states from Maine through Massachusetts have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on the Public Information Document (PID) for Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Northern Shrimp. The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled meetings follow:


Maine Department of Marine Resources May 2, 2011; 6:00pm Ellsworth City Hall 1 City Hall Plaza Ellsworth, Maine


Contact: Terry Stockwell at (207) 624-6553 May 4, 2011; 6:00pm


Portland High School Library 284 Cumberland Avenue Portland, Maine


Contact: Terry Stockwell at (207) 624-6553


May 5, 2011; 6:00pm Rockland Middle School 30 Broadway Rockland, Maine


Contact: Terry Stockwell at (207) 624-6553


New Hampshire Fish and Game May 3, 2011; 7:00pm Urban Forestry Center 45 Elwyn Road


Portsmouth, New Hampshire Contact: Doug Grout at (603) 868-1095


Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries


May 2, 2011; 6:00pm Annisquam River Station 30 Emerson Avenue Gloucester, Massachusetts


Contact: Nichola Meserve at (617) 626-1531


The PID and subsequent amendment are being developed to provide managers greater flexibility in managing this fishery and maximizing its overall benefits. Since Amendment I, approved in 2004, management measures have been limited to season length and gear restrictions. Potential management options have been drafted from the concerns of managers and stakeholders and are outlined in the PID include, but are not limited to, (1) trip limits, (2) clarification of the fishing mortality target, (3) limited entry, (4) timely and comprehensive reporting system, (5) gear modifications to protect small shrimp and reduce bycatch, and (6) implementation of a harvest quota.


Following this initial phase of information gathering and public comment, the Commission will evaluate potential management alternatives and develop a Draft Amendment 2 for public review. Following the second public comment period, the Commission will specify management measures to be included in the final amendment. A tentative schedule for completion of Amendment 2 is included in the PID.


Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the PID, by either attending public hearings or providing written comments. Copies of the PID can be obtained via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at (703) 842-0740. Public comment must be received by 5:00 PM (EST) on May 20, 2011 and should be forwarded to Michael Waine, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201 (703) 842-0741 (FAX) or at mwaine@asmfc.org (Subject line: Northern Shrimp Amend 2 PID). For more information, please contact Michael Waine at (703) 842-0740.


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