GARFO Status Report for NEFMC

National Marine Fisheries Service
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov

Status Report of
Greater Atlantic Region
Actions
Prepared for the January 26-28, 2016
Meeting of the
New England Fishery Management Council

January 25, 2015

Status Report of Greater Atlantic Region Regulatory Actions

Table of Contents
NEW ENGLAND COUNCIL ACTIONS ............................................................... 2 
SMALL-MESH MULTISPECIES............................................................................................................. 2 
GROUNDFISH...................................................................................................................................... 2 
SCALLOPS .......................................................................................................................................... 2 
MONKFISH ......................................................................................................................................... 2 
HERRING ............................................................................................................................................ 2 
SKATE ................................................................................................................................................ 2 
ATLANTIC DEEP-SEA RED CRAB ....................................................................................................... 2 

MID-ATLANTIC COUNCIL ACTIONS ............................................................... 2 
SUMMER FLOUNDER, SCUP, AND BLACK SEA BASS ........................................................................... 2 
ATLANTIC BLUEFISH.......................................................................................................................... 2 
SPINY DOGFISH .................................................................................................................................. 3 
ATLANTIC MACKEREL, SQUID, AND BUTTERFISH .............................................................................. 3 
TILEFISH ............................................................................................................................................ 3 
SURFCLAM AND OCEAN QUAHOG ...................................................................................................... 4 

OTHER ACTIONS ................................................................................................... 4 
LOBSTER ............................................................................................................................................ 4 
JONAH CRAB ...................................................................................................................................... 4 
BLUELINE TILEFISH ........................................................................................................................... 4 
STANDARDIZED BYCATCH REPORTING METHODOLOGY .................................................................... 4 
ELECTRONIC MONITORING ................................................................................................................ 5 
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT ........................................................................................................... 5 

PROTECTED RESOURCES ACTIONS ............................................................... 5 
RESEARCH DOCUMENT APPLICATIONS UNDER REVIEW .................................................................... 6 
RESEARCH DOCUMENT APPLICATION REVIEW COMPLETED .............................................................. 6 

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Status Report of Greater Atlantic Region Regulatory Actions

New England Council Actions
Small-Mesh Multispecies
None at the time

Groundfish
None at this time

Scallops
None at this time

Monkfish
None at this time

Herring
None at this time

Skate
None at this time

Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab
None at this time

Mid-Atlantic Council Actions
Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass
None at this time

Atlantic Bluefish
None at this time

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Status Report of Greater Atlantic Region Regulatory Actions

Spiny Dogfish
None at this time

Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish
2016-2018 Specifications and Management Measures for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and
Butterfish Fisheries
NMFS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on January 22, 2016, (81 FR 3768)
proposing 2016-2018 specifications for the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish fisheries. The
comment period closes February 22, 2016. This action proposes catch levels and associated
management measures for the 2016-2018 fishing years for species managed under the Atlantic
Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
The proposed action would:
 Lower the Atlantic mackerel quota by 56 percent to 9,177 mt for the next three years; 
 Lower the cap on river herring and shad catch in the mackerel fishery from 89 mt to 82 mt
for the next three years; 
 Increase the trigger for when 3-inch mesh is required for longfin squid and butterfish
moratorium permit holders from 2,500 lb to 5,000 lb of butterfish per trip; 
 Clarify that 5-inch (square or diamond) or greater mesh (or net) strengtheners may be used
outside the 3-inch mesh to avoid breaking nets during large hauls; and  
 Suspend indefinitely the pre-trip notification system requirement for longfin squid and
butterfish moratorium permit holders. 

For additional information, please contact Carly Bari at (978) 281-9224 or email at
[email protected]

Tilefish
Tilefish IFQ Cost Recovery
NMFS anticipates slightly higher cost recovery fees for 2015 and 2016. The Magnuson-Stevens
Act requires all Limited Access Privilege Programs, such as the Tilefish IFQ Program, to undergo
a periodic review every 5 years. The Council and NMFS have initiated a review to be conducted
during 2015 and 2016. The work to complete this review and generate a report will result in
additional staff time for both the Regional Office and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center,
which will be recoverable. Because this is the first such 5-year review conducted in this region,
we do not have a good estimate of how much additional staff time this review will require.
Because of delays in conducting this review, some of the costs we had previously expected in
2015 will now occur in 2016. This will mitigate some of the increase in the 2015 cost recovery
bills, but might increase the 2016 bills somewhat. We will try to provide the Council and tilefish
IFQ shareholders an estimate of total recoverable costs as soon as possible, and before the 2015
cost recovery bills are sent out. For additional information, please contact Douglas Potts at (978)
281-9341 or e-mail at [email protected].

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Status Report of Greater Atlantic Region Regulatory Actions

Surfclam and Ocean Quahog
Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Cost Recovery Amendment (Amendment 17)
The Council approved the Cost Recovery Amendment at the February 2015 meeting. This action
proposes to implement a cost recovery program for the individual transferable quota (ITQ) fishery,
revise the process for incorporating new biological reference points into the FMP, and remove the
optimum yield range from the FMP. We are currently developing a Notice of Availability and
Proposed Rule for this action to solicit public comment on approval of the amendment and our
proposed implementing measures. For additional information, please contact Doug Potts at 978281-9341 or email at [email protected].
2016 Surfclam Ocean Quahog Status Quo Quotas and Minimum Size Limit Suspension
As recommended by the Council, NMFS published a temporary rule in the Federal Register on
September 22, 2015 (80 FR 57104), announcing the suspension of the surfclam minimum size
limit and the status quo quota specification for the 2016 fishing year. Individuals must be issued a
2016 surfclam or ocean quahog ITQ permit in order to receive an allocation of 2016 cage tags or
lease cage tags. ITQ permit application packages, including the new ownership form, were sent to
all current 2015 allocation holders and are also available from our Permits Office. For additional
information, please contact Douglas Potts at 978-281-9341 or email at [email protected].

Other Actions
Lobster
None at this time

Jonah Crab
None at this time

Blueline Tilefish
Blueline Tilefish Emergency Rule Extension
On November 30, 2015, NMFS published a temporary rule (80 FR 74712) to extend the
emergency action for the Mid-Atlantic blueline tilefish fishery through June 3, 2016. The original
emergency rule, which included permitting requirements and possession limits for commercial and
recreational blueline tilefish vessels, published on June 4, 2015 (80 FR 31864) and was set to
expire on December 1, 2015. The extension is intended to provide the Council additional time to
complete its management plan for blueline tilefish. For additional information, please contact
Tobey Curtis at (978) 281-9273 or e-mail at [email protected].

Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology
None at this time

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Status Report of Greater Atlantic Region Regulatory Actions

Electronic Monitoring
None at this time

Paperwork Reduction Act
NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register on October 19, 2015 (80 FR 63201), requesting
comments on a renewal for collection of information requirements under the Paperwork Reduction
Act. This collection of information included the rules for the issuance and use of a vessel
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), Vessel Trip
Report (VTR) and Clam Log forms to obtain fishery-dependent data to monitor, evaluate, and
enforce fishery regulations. NMFS is seeking comments on whether the collection is necessary, if
NMFS’s estimate of costs and burden is accurate, and ways to reduce these costs and improve data
collection. The comment period for the information collection ended on December 18, 2015, but
NMFS will accept comments until February 9, 2016.
Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer,
Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC
20230 (or via email at [email protected]).
Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and
instructions please contact James St. Cyr, at (978) 281–9369 or email at [email protected].

Protected Resources Actions
Thorny Skates
NMFS received a petition from the Animal Welfare Institute and Defenders of Wildlife on May
28, 2015, to list the "Northwest Atlantic" or "United States" population of thorny skate as
threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). On October 26, 2015, we
published a "positive" 90 day finding in the Federal Register (80 FR 65175) noting our
determination that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating
that the petitioned action may be warranted and that we are initiating a status review. 90 day
findings are only a preliminary step in the listing process and afford thorny skate no additional
protections under the ESA. The FR notice requested scientific and commercial information
pertaining to this species to be submitted to us by December 28, 2015. We received information
from NEFMC, Maine DMR, Fisheries Survival Fund, Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association,
Sustainable Fisheries Association, and the Associated Fisheries of Maine. GARFO is working
closely with the NEFMC to complete a status review report, which will undergo external peer
review. We anticipate convening an expert panel for an extinction risk workshop (to be held in
Spring 2016). This workshop will be open to the public. For additional information, please
contact Julie Crocker at (978) 281-9328 or email at [email protected].

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Status Report of Greater Atlantic Region Regulatory Actions

Research Document Applications Under Review
On December 15, 2015, Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) submitted an application for an
experimental fishing permit (EFP) to test an experimental Turtle Excluder Device (TED) in the
summer flounder otter trawl fishery. This EFP would allow two commercial fishing vessels to
trawl for summer flounder using an experimental TED in order to test target catch retention, and
would exempt the vessels from minimum size requirements and possession limits found at 50 CFR
648 in order to sample restricted catch for scientific purposes only. Summer flounder would be
kept and sold as allowed by the vessels’ quotas. For additional information, please contact Liz
Scheimer at (978) 281-9236 or email at [email protected].
On November 12, 2015, CFF submitted an application for an EFP for two projects studying the
feasibility of a reseeding program to enhance and stabilize scallop recruitment on Georges Bank in
the Atlantic sea scallop fishery. One project has already received funding under the 2015 Atlantic
Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, and the other project has been proposed for
funding under the 2016 RSA program. For additional information, please contact Shannah
Jaburek at (978) 282-8456 or email at [email protected].

Research Document Application Review Completed
On January 5, 2016, NMFS issued a Letter of Acknowledgement (LOA) to the University of
Massachusetts, Dartmouth, School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) to continue a
study that investigates the application of video technology in a survey trawl to help improve
estimates of the abundance, spatial distribution, size structure, and length-weight relationship of
Gulf of Maine cod. For additional information, please contact Liz Sullivan at (978) 282-8493 or
email at [email protected].
On January 6, 2016, NMFS issued a Letter of Acknowledgment (LOA) to the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service to tag striped bass in effort to assess their annual mortality from fishing and to
collect information on their movement, age and growth, and habitat use. For additional
information, please contact Daniel Luers at (978) 282-9457 or email at [email protected].

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