MAFMC December 2019 Council Meeting Report
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council met December 9-12, 2019 in Annapolis, Maryland. During this meeting, the Council:
Approved the use of regional conservation equivalency for the recreational summer flounder fishery in 2020*
Approved status quo recreational scup and black sea bass management measures in state and federal waters in 2020*
Approved recreational bluefish measures for 2020 consisting of a 3-fish bag limit for the shore and private mode and a 5-fish bag limit for the for-hire modes*
Approved a scoping document for the joint Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Commercial/ Recreational Allocation Amendment*
Agreed to develop the Black Sea Bass Commercial Allocation Addendum/Amendment as a joint action with the ASMFC*
Approved a supplemental scoping document for the Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment*
Approved the Commercial eVTR Omnibus Framework with a 48-hour reporting deadline
Selected a preferred alternative and approved the Omnibus Risk Policy Framework
Selected preferred alternatives and approved the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Excessive Shares Amendment
Approved the 2020-2024 Strategic Plan
Approved the Comprehensive Five Year (2020-2024) Research Priorities document
Finalized the EAFM summer flounder conceptual model and agreed to move forward with development of a summer flounder recreational discards management strategy evaluation
Identified four areas of expertise needed on the Scientific and Statistical Committee
Reviewed and approved a list of actions and deliverables for the 2020 Implementation Plan
Received an update on habitat activities
Read the full December 2019 Council Meeting Report for details on these discussions and decisions. Briefing materials, presentations, motions, and webinar recordings are available here.
- Items denoted with an asterisk (*) were undertaken during joint meetings with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board and Bluefish Management Board.
December 2019 Council Meeting Report