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<p class="MsoNormal">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, NOVEMBER 16, 2017<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER, 703.842.0740<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-right:.25in;text-align:center">
<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt">States Schedule Hearings on Draft Addenda XXVI & III
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-right:.25in;text-align:center">
<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt">to the American Lobster and Jonah Crab FMPs <o:p>
</o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-right:.25in;text-align:center">
<b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.25in">Arlington, VA – States from Maine through New Jersey have scheduled their hearings to gather public input on American Lobster Draft Addendum XXVI/Jonah Crab Draft Addendum III. The details of those hearings follow.
<span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.25in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Maine Department of Marine Resources <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>January 10, 2018; 6 PM <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">* Scarborough, ME <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <a href="mailto:PATRICK.KELIHER@MAINE.GOV">Pat Keliher</a> at 207.624.6553<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">* Specific location to be determined<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>January 11, 2018; 6 PM<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ellsworth High School<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">24 Lejok Street<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ellsworth, ME<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <a href="mailto:PATRICK.KELIHER@MAINE.GOV">Pat Keliher</a> at 207.624.6553<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>New Hampshire Fish and Game Department <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>January 16, 2018; 7 PM <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Urban Forestry Center <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">45 Elwyn Road <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Portsmouth, NH<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <a href="mailto:DOUGLAS.GROUT@WILDLIFE.NH.GOV">Doug Grout</a> at
<span style="color:black;background:white">603.868.1095</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>January 19, 2018; 1PM<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Resort and Conference Center of Hyannis<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">35 Schudder Avenue<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hyannis, MA<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <a href="mailto:DAN.MCKIERNAN@STATE.MA.US">Dan McKiernan</a> at
<span style="color:black;background:white">617.626.1536</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:9.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-indent:-9.0pt">
* <i>The MA DMF hearing will take place at the MA Lobstermen’s Association Annual Weekend and Industry Trade Show
<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">January 17, 2018; 6 PM
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">University of Rhode Island Bay Campus
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Corless Auditorium, South Ferry Road
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Narragansett, RI
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Contact:
<a href="mailto:CONOR.MCMANUS@DEM.RI.GOV">Conor McManus</a> at <span style="color:black">
401.423.194</span>1</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>January 18, 2018; 7 PM <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CT DEEP Boating Education Center <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">333 Ferry Road <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Old Lyme, CT <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <a href="mailto:MARK.ALEXANDER@CT.GOV">Mark Alexander</a> at 860.447.4322<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>New York Department of Environmental Conservation </b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>January 9, 2018; 6:30 PM<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">NYSDEC Division of Marine Fisheries<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">205 N. Belle Mead Road<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">East Setauket, NY<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <a href="mailto:JAMES.GILMORE@DEC.NY.GOV">Jim Gilmore</a> at 631.444.0430<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>January 8, 2018; 6 PM<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wall Township Municipal Building<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lower Level Community Room<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2700 Allaire Road<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wall Township, NJ<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <a href="mailto:PETER.CLARKE@DEP.NJ.GOV">Peter Clarke</a> at
<span style="color:black;background:white">609.748.2020</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always">
</span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.25in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.25in">The Draft Addenda seek to improve harvest reporting and biological data collection in the American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries. The Draft Addenda propose using the latest reporting technology, expanding the
collection of effort data, increasing the spatial resolution of harvester reporting, and advancing the collection of biological data, particularly offshore.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.25in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.25in">Recent management action in the Northwest Atlantic, including the protection of deep sea corals, the declaration of a national monument, and the expansion of offshore wind projects, have highlighted deficiencies
in current American lobster and Jonah crab reporting requirements. These include a lack of spatial resolution in harvester data and a significant number of fishermen who are not required to report. As a result, efforts to estimate the economic impacts of these
various management actions on American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries have been hindered. States have been forced to piece together information from harvester reports, industry surveys, and fishermen interviews to gather the information needed. In addition,
as American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries continue to expand offshore, there is a greater disconnect between where the fishery is being prosecuted and where biological sampling is occurring. More specifically, while most of the sampling occurs in state
waters, an increasing volume of American lobster and Jonah crab are being harvested in federal waters. The lack of biological information on the offshore portions of these fisheries can impede effective management.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.25in">The Draft Addenda present three questions for public comment: (1) what percentage of harvesters should be required to report in the American lobster and Jonah crab fisheries; (2) should current data elements be
expanded to collect a greater amount of information in both fisheries; and (3) at what scale should spatial information be collected. In addition, the Draft Addenda provide several recommendations to NOAA Fisheries for data collection of offshore American
lobster and Jonah crab fisheries. These include implementation of a harvester reporting requirement for federal lobster permit holders, creation of a fixed-gear VTR form, and expansion of a biological sampling program offshore.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.25in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:13.5pt">The Draft Addenda, which are combined into one document that would modify management programs for both species upon its adoption, is available at
<a href="http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/LobsterDraftAddXXVI_JonahDraftAddIII_PublicComment.pdf">
http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/LobsterDraftAddXXVI_JonahDraftAddIII_PublicComment.pdf</a> or on the Commission website,
<a href="http://www.asmfc.org">www.asmfc.org</a> (under Public Input). Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addenda either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. Public comment will be
accepted until <b>5:00 PM (EST) on January 22, 2018 </b>and should be forwarded to Megan Ware, FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at
<a href="mailto:comments@asmfc.org">comments@asmfc.org</a> (Subject line: Lobster Draft Addendum XXVI).
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:.25in"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-right:.25in;text-align:center">
###<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-right:.25in;text-align:right"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">PR17-56<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A PDF of the press release can be found here - <a href="http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5a0deacbpr56AmLobsterDraftAddendumXXVI_PublicHearings.pdf">
http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file//5a0deacbpr56AmLobsterDraftAddendumXXVI_PublicHearings.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">------------------<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tina Berger<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Director of Communications<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1050 N. Highland Street, Suite 200A-N<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Arlington, VA 22201<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.asmfc.org">www.asmfc.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:tberger@asmfc.org">tberger@asmfc.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></p>
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