This page contains Commission documents which are currently available for public review and comment. In most cases, these documents will be in Abobe PDF format. Click here to download Acrobat Reader.
We encourage you to download these documents and forward your comments to the identified individual(s) via email or mail. The Commission's mailing address is: 1050 N. Highland Street, Arlington, VA 22201. You may also submit your comments directly to the Commission at comments@asmfc.org.
The Draft Amendment considers options for setting multi-year moratoria and implementing management triggers. Management trigger options include biologic and environmental triggers comprised of indicators that would signal improvement in stock conditions and the potential to re-open the fishery.
The last time a new plan amendment to the Northern Shrimp FMP was adopted was in 2017 (Amendment 3). Since then, the status of the northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) stock has remained unchanged with a depleted stock status and continued fishing moratorium. Given the poor condition of the stock, the Section supported initiation of a new plan amendment to consider several changes to the FMP including to the current management program requirement of annual specifications and addition of management triggers for stock monitoring. Through extending the specifications timeline, the Section may implement multi-year moratoria on harvest rather than meeting annually to implement a new moratorium for the following year. A management trigger for the stock could inform when a moratorium should be re-evaluated if improved stock conditions are evident, indicated through recruitment trends or changes in Gulf of Maine temperature.
The public is encouraged to submit comments at any time during the addendum process. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 PM (EST) on March 11, 2025 and should be sent to:
Chelsea Tuohy
FMP Coordinator
1050 N. Highland Street
Suite 200 A-N
Arlington, Virginia 22201
or to comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Northern Shrimp Draft Amendment 4)
Additional Resources
The Draft Addenda consider changes to the process used by the Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) to set recreational management measures (bag, size, and season limits) for bluefish, summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The Council is considering an identical set of options through a framework action. The option that is ultimately selected by the Commission and Council is intended replace the currently used Percent Change Approach implemented through the Harvest Control Rule Framework/Addenda, which will sunset at the end of 2025. The Draft Addenda propose five possible options for setting recreational measures. Taking final action on these addenda in 2025 will not implement any specific bag, size, or season limits, but start a new specification process for setting recreational management measures starting with 2026 measures.
The public is encouraged to submit comments at any time during the addendum process. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 PM (EST) on February 15, 2025 and should be sent to:
Chelsea Tuohy
FMP Coordinator
1050 N. Highland Street
Suite 200 A-N
Arlington, Virginia 22201
or to comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Recreational Measures Setting Process)
Additional Resources
This document is a joint effort of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council given the species are managed cooperatively by the Commission in state waters (0-3 miles) and by the Council and NOAA Fisheries in federal waters (3-200 miles).
As the first step in the amendment process, the document solicits public input on the potential development of an amendment to consider modifications to the recreational management of summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. Specifically, the amendment may consider options for managing for-hire recreational fisheries separately from other recreational fishing modes (referred to as sector separation), as well as options related to the collection and use of recreational data, such as private angler reporting and enhanced for-hire vessel trip reporting requirements.
Scoping is the first and best opportunity to provide input on the range of issues to be addressed through this action. There will be additional opportunities to provide comments; however, comments early in the development of this action will help the Commission and Council identify issues of concern and determine which types of management alternatives should be further developed. Following the initial phase of information gathering and public comment, the Commission and Council will evaluate potential management options and develop a draft amendment for public review. After the next round of public comment, the Commission and Council will identify the management measures to be included in the Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment. A tentative schedule for the completion of the amendment is included in the scoping document.
The public is encouraged to submit written comments at any time during the scoping process. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 PM (EST) on March 20, 2025 and should be sent through any of the following methods:
1. Online via https://mafmc.knack.com/public-comments#rec-sector-separation-data-collection/
2. Mailed to Dr. Christopher Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, at 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901
3. Emailed to Kiley Dancy at kdancy@mafmc.org
Subject line: Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection
Additional Resources