<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing
{mso-style-priority:1;
mso-style-link:"No Spacing Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.NoSpacingChar
{mso-style-name:"No Spacing Char";
mso-style-priority:1;
mso-style-link:"No Spacing";
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle22
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle24
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt">States Schedule Hearings on Atlantic Herring Draft Addendum III<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-right:4.5pt;text-align:center">
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Arlington, VA – The Atlantic coastal states of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts have scheduled their hearings to gather public input on Draft Addendum III. The details of those hearings and the public
hearing webinar follow: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Maine Department of Marine Resources <o:p></o:p></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>March 9, 2020 at 6 PM <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">ME DMR Augusta Office <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">32 Blossom Lane, Room 118<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Augusta, Maine <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="mailto:Megan.Ware@maine.gov">Megan Ware</a></span> at 207.624.6563<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>New Hampshire Fish and Game <o:p></o:p></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>March 3, 2020 at 6 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, New Hampshire<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="mailto:cheri.patterson@wildlife.nh.gov">Cheri Patterson</a></span> at 603.868.1095<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><br clear="all">
</u></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries <o:p></o:p></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>March 2, 2020 at 6 PM<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">MA DMF Gloucester Office <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Annisquam River Station<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">30 Emerson Avenue <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Gloucester, Massachusetts <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="mailto:melanie.griffin@state.ma.us">Melanie Griffin</a></span><span style="color:#1F497D">
</span>at 617.626.1528<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>New England Fishery Management Council <o:p></o:p></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>March 3, 2020 at 11 AM<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Four Points by Sheraton<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One Audubon Road<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wakefield, MA 01880<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: <a href="mailto:dboelke@nefmc.org">Deirdre Boelke</a> at 978-465-0492 ext 105
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Webinar Hearing<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">March 12, 2020 at 5:30 PM<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Webinar link:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__attendee.gotowebinar.com_register_2774987433446335756&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=XzmX5GTv6MlqEdzIVBZHl-6A6M577eF7p2sbOYuE2sk&m=EX0hgswNWdwHk0eg6-8xbUz_qgEmGRWs2o4x9eE08-8&s=uFrTVPsWNSJ9FxmhNDRhw7vLVrDFibP74_ET_ulfx4I&e=">https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2774987433446335756
[attendee.gotowebinar.com]</a></span></span><span style="color:#1F497D;background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Conference Call # 1.888.585.9008 (enter passcode: 853-657-937 when prompted)<span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Contact:
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="mailto:krootes-murdy@asmfc.org">Kirby Rootes-Murdy</a></span> at 703.842.0740</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always">
</span>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The Draft Addendum proposes options to better manage the Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) sub-annual catch limit (ACL) under low quota scenarios. This action responds to the challenges encountered in managing
the reduced sub-ACL based on the 2018 benchmark stock assessment, which highlighted declining trends in recruitment and spawning stock biomass.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Currently, the Board can allocate the sub-ACL throughout the fishing season using bi-monthly, trimester, or seasonal quota periods to meet the needs of the fishery. For the 2019 fishing season, the Board
implemented a bimonthly quota period approach to maximize use of the reduced sub-ACL when demand for bait is high. Due to the low quota, the 2019 fishery experienced frequent closures to avoid an overage. The 2020 sub-ACL (3,344 mt) is lower than in 2019,
creating further challenges in distributing the quota throughout the fishing season. The Draft Addendum considers additional tools to provide the Board more flexibility in specifying the allocation under low quota scenarios and meet the needs of the herring
fishery moving forward. Additionally, the Draft Addendum considers expanding landing provisions across different permit categories within the days out program. The Board utilizes days out of the fishery and weekly landing limits to adjust the rate of Area
1A catch. The Draft Addendum includes options that apply weekly landing limits to all vessel categories landing herring in Area 1A throughout the entire fishing season.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either by attending state public hearings or providing written comment. The Draft Addendum will be available at
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.asmfc.org_files_PublicInput_AtlHerringDraftAddIII-5FPublicComment.pdf&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=XzmX5GTv6MlqEdzIVBZHl-6A6M577eF7p2sbOYuE2sk&m=EX0hgswNWdwHk0eg6-8xbUz_qgEmGRWs2o4x9eE08-8&s=k_ULiJnbBdm5VgCCnJ9crIRyW9GCLkW7psdYjD-aD0M&e=">http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/AtlHerringDraftAddIII_PublicComment.pdf
[asmfc.org]</a></span>. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM on March 25, 2020 and should be forward to Kirby Rootes-Murdy, Senior FMP Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Virginia 22201; 703.842.0741 (fax) or at
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="mailto:comments@asmfc.org">comments@asmfc.org</a></span> (Subject line: Atlantic Herring Draft Addendum III). For more information, please contact Kirby Rootes-Murdy at
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="mailto:krootes-murdy@asmfc.org">krootes-murdy@asmfc.org</a></span> or 703.842.0740.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" align="right" style="text-align:right"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">PR20-07</span><span style="font-size:11.5pt"><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="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.asmfc.org_uploads_file_5e43192bpr07AtlHerringDraftAddendum-5FPublicHearings.pdf&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=3BstAh1AIW6SHvV_EHOlOepYPd7JCak2xCc2dTp6fSKIbravRbCWe8iBt1PxQJ3O&m=-UZ7_oakdjU6a3RT0_hD4JZTKSJwiii8Ay2CzM4xlkU&s=1omSKNubBdKwpf3k0ROFfJMRJre2N3xBc-bBXrrH8LM&e=">
http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5e43192bpr07AtlHerringDraftAddendum_PublicHearings.pdf [asmfc.org]</a><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>