[Rimarinefisheries] Council to Hold Scoping Hearings for Squid Capacity Amendment

[McNamee, Jason (DEM)]

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

Press Release

March 23, 2015

Press Contact: [1]Mary Clark

(302) 526-5261

Council to Hold Scoping Hearings for Squid Capacity Amendment

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold six scoping hearings
between April 6, 2015 and April 21, 2015 to gather input for a potential
amendment that would consider options for reducing the capacities of the
longfin squid and Illex squid fleets. The Council will also take general
comments related to the management of the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and
butterfish fisheries during these hearings.

The Council is considering this action because there is considerable latent
capacity in both the longfin squid and Illex squid fisheries. A small
portion of vessels with limited access squid permits account for the
majority of landings in most years, and the Council is concerned that
activation of latent capacity in these fisheries could lead to excessive
fishing effort and increased catch of non-target species.

The amendment would likely consider a variety of approaches for reducing
capacity in the squid fisheries, such as a requalification of permits, a
tiered limited access system, and/or individual fishing quotas (also known
as "catch shares"). If the Council decides to move forward with an
amendment, a range of alternatives would be developed for analysis and
additional public comment.

During the scoping period the Council will gather information about the
scope of issues that should be considered in the amendment. Scoping is the
first and best opportunity for members of the public to identify management
issues and propose effective alternatives. Comments provided early in the
amendment development process help the Council ensure that issues of public
concern are addressed in a thorough and appropriate manner. During these
hearings, the Council will also accept general comments related to the
Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish fisheries that could inform
Council decision making for upcoming annual specifications or other
actions.

Additional information and updates on this amendment will be posted on the
Council's website at:
[2]http://www.mafmc.org/actions/squid-capacity-amendment.

Scoping Hearing Schedule

Monday April 6, 2015, 4:00 pm.  Superior Trawl, 55 State Street,
Narragansett, RI 02882.
Telephone: (401) 782-1171.

Tuesday April 7, 2015, 5:00 pm.  Montauk Library, 871 Montauk Hwy, Montauk,
NY 11954. Telephone: (631) 668-3377.

Wednesday April 8, 2015, 5:00 pm. Fairfield Inn, 185 MacArthur Dr, New
Bedford, MA 02740. Telephone: (774) 634-2000.

Monday April 13, 2015, 6:00 pm.  Congress Hall Hotel.  251 Beach Ave, Cape
May, NJ 08204. Telephone: (888) 944-1816.

Wednesday April 15, 2015, 5:00 pm. Ocean Place Resort. 1 Ocean Blvd, Long
Branch, NJ, 07740. Telephone: (732) 571-4000.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015, 6:00 pm.  This hearing will be conducted via
webinar. To join the webinar, go to
[3]http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/squidscoping/ and follow the prompts to
join the audio conference. Two locations will also be available for
in-person participation in the webinar:
* Virginia Marine Resources Commission: 2600 Washington Avenue, 4th
Floor, Newport News, VA 23607; (757) 247-2200.
* MAFMC Office: 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover DE 19901; (302)
526-5254 (see note below).

Please contact Jason Didden at [4]jdidden at mafmc.org or (302) 526-5254 if
you are planning to attend at the Council office or if you would like to
test/confirm that your computer is set up to access the webinar.

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be
directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the
meeting date.

Written Comments

In addition to providing comments at hearings, interested stakeholders can
provide written comments for Council consideration. Comments can be
submitted by any of the following methods:
* Online at [5]http://www.mafmc.org/comments/squid-capacity-amendment
* Email to Jason Didden at [6]jdidden at mafmc.org; - Include "Squid
Capacity Amendment Scoping" in the subject line;
* Mail to Dr. Christopher M. Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover,
Delaware 19901 - Mark the outside of the envelope "Squid Squid Capacity
Amendment Scoping"; or
* Fax to (302) 674-5399.

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The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional
councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act of 1976.  The Council has primary responsibility for twelve
species of fish and shellfish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between
3 and 200 miles off the Mid-Atlantic coast.  Member states include New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North
Carolina.  [8]Visit our website for more information.

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