New England Management Council Meeting Agenda Tuesday - Thursday, April 16-18, 2019 Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355 tel: (860) 572-0328 | Hilton Mystic

Sending comments? Written comments must be received at the NEFMC office no later than 8 a.m., Thursday, April 11, 2019 to be considered at this meeting. Please address comments to Council Chairman Dr. John Quinn or Executive Director Tom Nies at: NEFMC, 50 Water St., Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. Email submissions should be sent to [email protected].

Tuesday, April 16, 2019 9:00 a.m. Introductions and Announcements (Chairman Dr. John Quinn)

9:05 Reports on Recent Activities Council Chairman, Council Executive Director, Greater Atlantic Regional Office (GARFO) Regional Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) General Counsel, Northeast Center, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC), Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA Enforcement, South Atlantic Council Dolphin Wahoo Amendment 10

10:30 Atlantic Salmon Recovery Plan (Dan Kircheis, NOAA Fisheries) Presentation on joint NOAA Fisheries/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2019 recovery plan for the Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic Salmon

10:50 Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team (ALWTRT) (Mike Asaro, GARFO) Presentation on ALWTRT options under consideration for upcoming April 23-26, 2019 TRT meeting with focus on New England managed fisheries; update on Biological Opinion

11:50 Electronic Vessel Trip Reports (Mid-Atlantic Council staff) Progress report on Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Omnibus Framework to implement electronic Vessel Trip Reports (eVTRs) for all vessels with commercial permits for MAFMC-managed species

12:20 p.m. Lunch Break

1:45 Open Period for Public Comment Opportunity for the public to provide brief comments on issues relevant to Council business but not listed on this agenda (please limit remarks to 3-5 minutes)

2:00 Groundfish Committee Report (Terry Stockwell) Monitoring Amendment 23: approve range of alternatives; Party/Charter Limited Access: update on status of listening sessions; Five-Year Catch Share Review: update; and Gear Standards Policy: approve modified Council policy on gear standards to facilitate use of gear in accountability measures (AMs)

Wednesday, April 17, 2019 8:30 a.m. Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) Committee Report (John Pappalardo) Georges Bank example Fishery Ecosystem Plan (eFEP): progress report on setting catch limits for stock complexes, managing overfished stocks, and more

10:30 Ecosystem Status Report (Sean Lucey, Northeast Fisheries Science Center) Update on status of the Northeast Continental Shelf ecosystem

11:30 Atlantic Herring Committee Report (Peter Kendall) 2019-2021 Specifications: progress report, approve Scientific and Statistical Committee’s (SSC) acceptable biological catch (ABC) and limit (OFL) recommendations; 2019-2021 Management Measures: identify range of additional management measures for 2019-2021 years if needed

12:30 p.m. Lunch Break

1:45 Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program Review (Dr. Mike Sissenwine) Presentation of final report followed by Council discussion and possible recommendations

3:45 Scientific and Statistical Committee (Dr. Jason McNamee) Report on SSC’s comments and recommendations on updated Council research priorities

4:00 Council Research Priorities (Staff) Review, discuss, and approve updated list of Council research priorities

4:45 Council Operations Handbook (Staff) Review, discuss, and approve updates to Council Operations Handbook regarding Research Steering Committee, research priority setting, and research review policy

Thursday, April 18, 2019 8:30 a.m. Council Staff Offsite Workshop (Executive Director Tom Nies) Report on March 13-14, 2019 facilitated staff offsite workshop resulting from Council Program Review recommendation

9:00 Offshore Wind in the Northeast Region: Special Session (Doug Grout) (1) Broad overview of scope and time horizon of likely offshore wind energy development in the region; (2) summary of wind energy development process and major players; reports from Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), NOAA Fisheries, and Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), including Council discussion on strategies for continued engagement; (3) update on research planning and coordination, including wind energy impacts on fishery surveys; and (4) update on regional projects under development

1:00 p.m. Other Business

Times listed next to the agenda items are estimates and are subject to change. This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Council member financial disclosure forms are available for examination at the meeting.

Although other non-emergency issues not contained on this agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305 (c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency. Documents pertaining to Council actions are available for review prior to a final vote by the Council. Please check the Council’s website, www.nefmc.org, or call (978) 465-0492 for copies. This meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 USC 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request.

SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston SC 29405 Call: (843) 571-4366 | Toll-Free: (866) SAFMC-10 | Fax: (843) 769-4520 | Connect: www.safmc.net

Jessica McCawley, Chair | Mel Bell, Vice Chair Gregg T. Waugh, Executive Director

MARCH 4-8, 2019 COUNCIL MEETING REPORT JEKYLL ISLAND, GEORGIA

The following summary highlights the major issues discussed and actions taken at the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s March 2019 meeting in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Briefing materials, presentations, and public comments are available on the Council’s website at: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/council-meetings/

Final Committee Reports contain more details of what was accomplished for each committee and are located on the March 2019 briefing book page. In addition, the Summary of Motions on the Council’s website includes all motions from the meeting. Read further details and see images and other links at the March 2019 Council Meeting Round-up Story Map: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=46c78d75841c4cf6baacd5d36cef365c

Issue: Action Taken: Schedule: Red Snapper NMFS reported that the 2019 season o The recreational would be 5 days long with the following sector will open for harvest regulations: on the following days: o The recreational annual catch . July 12, 13, & 14 – The limit will be 29,656 fish. recreational season opens at . The recreational bag limit will be 12:01 a.m., local time, on one red snapper per person per Friday July 12, 2019, and day. This applies to private and closes at 12:01 a.m., local charterboat/headboat vessels (the time, on July 15, 2019. captain and crew on for-hire vessels . July 19 & 20 – The may retain the recreational bag recreational season opens limit). again at 12:01 a.m., local time, . No minimum size limit. on Friday July 19, 2019, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local o The commercial annual catch limit will be 124,815 pounds time, on July 21, 2019. whole weight (12,854 fish). o The commercial sector will . The commercial trip limit will be 75 open at 12:01 a.m., local pounds gutted weight. (trip limits are time, on July 8, 2019, and per day - if a vessel makes multiple will close at 11:59 p.m., trips per day, the 75lbs (gw) trip local time, on January 1, limit can only be harvested once per 2020, unless the commercial day) . No minimum size limit. annual catch limit is met or projected to be met before this date.

1 Issue: Action Taken: Schedule: Snapper Grouper Reviewed document and: Take to the Law Enforcement AP Regulatory 1. Added a research & monitoring plan for review. Amendment 29 (Best for descending devices Fishing Practices & 2. Modified alternatives to require Conduct public hearings prior to Powerheads) descending devices or venting within the June 2019 meeting. 6 months of implementation and selected descending devices as a preferred alternative for private, for- hire, and commercial vessels 3. Clarified that descending device should be rigged and ready for use while fishing is occurring 4. Require the use of non-offset, non- stainless-steel circle hooks when using hook-and-line gear and natural baits in the EEZ north of 28 degrees north latitude (about 25 miles south of Cape Canaveral, FL) 5. Consult with the SSC on how a non- offset circle hook requirement will be used in stock assessments 6. Require use of non-stainless-steel hooks when fishing with hook-and- line gear and natural baits in the EEZ 7. Allow powerheads in the EEZ off SC Red Grouper The Council reviewed and modified the Council requested that staff bring Regulatory amendment and approved all actions in Regulator Amendment 30 back at Amendment 30 the amendment for final approval in the June 2019 meeting for June. Actions include: consideration for final approval. • Revise the rebuilding schedule to equal the maximum time allowed to rebuild (Tmax) which is 10 years ending in 2028 with 2019 = Year 1 • Jan thru April no recreational or commercial harvest/possession/sale/purchase of any shallow- water grouper (gag, black grouper, scamp, red grouper, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper, red hind, rock hind, grasby, or coney) and extend the closure off NC & SC for red grouper in May • Establish a commercial red grouper trip limit = 200 pounds gutted weight

Sea Turtle Release Regulatory Amendment 42 – the Approved for formal review. The Gear & Framework Council reviewed and modified the document will be sent for formal Modification amendment: review prior to the June Council • Removed vision blueprint objectives meeting. • Actions make compliance easier

Wreckfish ITQ The Council received an update and will Approve for formal review at the Review see a draft final document in June. September 2019 meeting.

2 Issue: Action Taken: Schedule: Results of ASA, CCA, and Yamaha Marine Group Results will be presented to the Recreational reported the following SG AP for their recommendations. Workshops recommendations: • The Council should consider regional The Council will consider the regulations for appropriate species. ASA, CCA, and Yamaha Marine • The Council should continue to explore Group’s recommendations as they harvest rate management for high value work on the snapper grouper FMP. snapper grouper species, especially for red snapper. • The Council could consider an Exempted Fishing Permit for a pilot program to test harvest tags for certain deep-water species (i.e., those with low annual catch limits or low abundance). • The Council should work with state partners to establish a registration for anglers targeting snapper grouper species, with consistency across all states. • The Council should continue development of Snapper Grouper Amendment 46 to implement required or selective reporting for recreational anglers and continue outreach on benefits of providing data. • The Council should continue development of Snapper Grouper Amendment 29 to require use of descending devices or venting tools, along with other best fishing practices, to reduce release mortality. in the The Council reviewed a white paper on White paper to be presented to SG Snapper Grouper this topic. AP at their spring meeting. Staff to Fishery conduct a webinar with The Council requested staff to prepare commercial spearfishing options for vessels with SG1 permits and participants after the June 2019 a spiny lobster tailing permit be allowed meeting. to retain commercial quantities (20, 30 or 40 lobsters) of spiny lobster in the Lobster options to be presented at EEZ north of Florida. the June 2019 Council meeting. Special Management NC requested SMZs around 30 artificial Draft document to be reviewed at Zones (SMZs) around reefs in the EEZ off NC to prohibit gear the September 2019 meeting. SC Artificial Reefs other than handline, rod-and-reel, and expected to add sites and other spearfishing gear and to limit possession states may as well. of SG species to the recreational bag limit when using spearfishing gear. Possible move of The Council requested staff to prepare The Council will review options at Jacks Complex from options to consider removing the jacks the June 2019 Council meeting. Snapper Grouper to complex from the SG FMP, possibly to Mackerel Cobia FMP the mackerel cobia FMP

3 Issue: Action Taken: Schedule: Allocation Review This action would establish a policy that The Council will review a revised Trigger Policy determines which triggers would document at the June 2019 automatically initiate a review of meeting. allocations. The Council reiterated its desire to apply both indicator-based and time-based criteria as triggers for re- examining allocations. The Council added an additional trigger criterion to consider a change to the social or economic status of at least one sector to the indicator-based criteria. The Council also discussed the GMFMC’s recommendation that the “between Council” allocations of black grouper, mutton snapper, and yellowtail snapper be reassessed every 10 years. The South Atlantic Council recommended that the “between Council” allocations for these species be reconsidered every 7 years.

The Council also made the following decisions: • The Council will revisit allocations for species each time a stock assessment for a species is accepted. • The default review for allocations will occur every 7 years. • To avoid reviewing all allocations potentially every 7 years, the Council wants managed species to be sorted into 3 bins: 1) species that have an allocation in effect in any year prior to 2013; 2) species that last had their allocation set in 2013; and 3) species that had their allocations set in 2014 or later. The Council will review these groupings the next time they review the amendment. • A sector would need to exceed its allocation 3 out of 5 years to trigger an allocation review. • A sector would need to under harvest at least 50% of its sector ACL for 3 out of 5 years to trigger an allocation review. • The Council will review at a later date the information they would like to have to help them in determining whether or not sector allocation is warranted. Recreational The Council reviewed scoping The Council will review an Accountability comments, modified alternatives, and updated document at the Measures Amendment provided guidance to staff. September 2019 meeting.

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Issue: Action Taken: Schedule: Citizen Science The Council received a short update on Work will continue on the Program the program and projects (the Scamp app program and these two projects. to collect discard data for the next The Scamp app is now available, assessment and a project to document and funding was just received for the historical catch and length the photo project. distribution for early headboat catches). Dolphin Wahoo The Council reviewed a white paper on The Council requested staff hold mechanisms and regulatory parameters scoping meetings on adding bullet for adding ecosystem component (EC) and frigate mackerel as ecosystem species to a fishery management plan components to the Dolphin Wahoo (FMP), ways that other Councils have FMP in the spring of 2019. The addressed EC species in FMPs, as well Council will review scoping as background information on fisheries comments at the June 2019 for bullet mackerel, frigate mackerel, meeting. and other major prey species for dolphin and wahoo.

The Council also reviewed items for A draft list of options for items to inclusion in Amendment 10 and be included in Amendment 10 will provided guidance to staff: be presented at the March 2019 • Apply catch level recommendations to meeting. actions as appropriate when available. • In Action 9, include sub-alternatives to accommodate the following gears: o traps o Spiny lobster pots o Stone crab pots o Black sea bass pots • Include information on HACCP training that may be required for for- hire vessel operators or crew if bag limit sales are allowed. • Bring back information on adding buoy gear to the list of allowable gears. • Removed ABC, ACL & ACT changes from the amendment.

For-Hire Recreational The Council received an update on the A mid-June 2019 effective date will Reporting amendment: The Amendment was allow ACCSP to incorporate the approved on June 12, 2018 and the Final permit information from NMFS. Rule is expected to publish in mid-April NMFS is exploring exempting dual 2019 with a 60-day cooling off period. permit holders until the Gulf system is implemented. Training and outreach will continue, and details will be shared once the final rule publishes.

5 Issue: Action Taken: Schedule: Habitat and The Council hosted the representatives from The Council will have further talks Ecosystem Based the New England/Mid-Atlantic Councils and with the NEFMC, MAFMC and Management ASMFC to discuss the issue of species ASMFC at various meetings in expanding northwards. 2019 meeting. There was agreement to move forward with the following two groups/activities: 1. Science/Data – the Northeast and The NEFSC and SEFSC will be Southeast Fisheries Science Centers are hosting a meeting in the near leading this effort and a workshop is future to discuss data issues and currently being scheduled. The Councils the Council will participate. want to be involved in the workshop/discussions, in part to ensure ongoing fishery independent data collection programs continue (e.g., SEAMAP, NEAMAP, SEFIS, and State programs). The South Atlantic Council’s Citizen Science Program is exploring a mechanism for the public to act as an early warning system to report when new species show up in an area. 2. Governance – the CCC members of the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and South Atlantic Councils and the ASMFC Executive Director will work to develop a way to manage these species that clearly identifies each groups roles/responsibility without any group losing any authority. This group should meet more frequently as needed via conference calls, webinars, and additional in-person meetings in conjunction with other meetings of the partners (e.g., NRCC meetings). The CCC/ASMFC group will designate staff from their respective organizations to evaluate the following approaches: a. Options included in Attachment A5 from this meeting. b. Scenario Planning Exercise used by the Pacific Council. c. Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) approach used to consider potential military base closures. d. Identify roles for each group in this “obligatory partnership”. Debra Hernandez, Executive Director of the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) provided the Committee an overview of the organization composed of coastal and ocean scientists, businesses and stakeholders working together to monitor and observe the ocean to understand change and enable better decision-making.

6 Issue: Action Taken: Schedule: SEDAR The Council received an update on The SSC will discuss the proposed projects and the impacts of the MRIP workshop at their April government closure. The Council also 2019 meeting. discussed concerns raised by the State of Florida and others about the new MRIP The next SEDAR Steering numbers. The Council directed staff to Committee meeting will be May organize an SSC workshop to identify 16-17, 2019 in Charleston, SC to MRIP data concerns across the South discuss project planning, long- Atlantic, identify specific uncertainties term priorities, and other issues. or potential bias, and develop recommendations on how to proceed in the short-term for using the data in stock assessments, in developing ABC recommendations, and evaluating ACLs; include representatives from each State, MRIP/S&T, and SEFSC. The Council also approved the king mackerel assessment terms of reference. AP Selection The Council made appointments for Discussions will continue on the SMP Workgroup and for the options for having a GA Coral, Dolphin Wahoo, Habitat, Law Commercial representative on Enforcement, Mackerel Cobia, and the SMP Workgroup and a Snapper Grouper Advisory Panels. designated Research/Geologist Discussions will continue on options At-Large seat on the Habitat for having a GA Commercial AP during its June 2019 representative on the SMP meeting. Workgroup and a designated Research/Geologist At-Large seat on the Habitat AP during its June 2019 meeting.

MyFishCount Kelsey Dick, Council staff, gave an update: Council staff will continue • 862 users/member profiles working with private recreational • 915 trips logged fishermen to have them report, • App & web portal continue to be especially during the red snapper promoted; webinar trainings are underway season. This experience will be • Cooperation with SC Wildlife Federation used by the Council as they on a Best Fishing Practices tutorial continue to work on the permitting • Shiny app (data.safmc.net/MyFishCount) and reporting amendment at the September 2019 meeting. that allows anglers to access information collected through MyFishCount • Survey to understand angler perceptions & opinions • Data are being edited and uploaded to ACCSP

7 Issue: Action Taken: Schedule: Mackerel The Council reviewed stakeholder The Council directed staff to and Mackerel Cobia Advisory Panel hold a Mackerel Cobia AP (MCAP) concerns about the low meeting via webinar prior to the commercial trip limit in the Atlantic June 2019 Council meeting to Southern Zone during season two discuss Atlantic king mackerel (October to the end of February) and commercial trip limits, closures directed staff to begin work on a in the commercial Spanish framework amendment to increase mackerel fishery, and CMP the trip limits; staff will work with Framework Amendment 7. the Mackerel AP to develop a range of trip limit alternatives. The Council will review an Options Paper on king mackerel The Council reviewed concerns trip limits and receive an update expressed by the AP regarding on items in CMP Amendment increased participation in the 24 (Spanish mackerel commercial Spanish mackerel allocations) at the June 2019 fishery and closures that have meeting. occurred recently in the Atlantic northern zone (NY through NC) and southern zone (SC through Miami- Dade/Monroe, Florida). The Council discussed options to address commercial closures and directed staff to take the issue to the AP for discussion.

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