Please note that changes have been made to Monday’s schedule. The American Eel Management Board will NOT be meeting and the start time for Monday is now 12:45 PM. The attached notice and agenda have been revised accordingly.
Please find below the preliminary agenda and public comment guidelines for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 2023 Spring Meeting, May 1 – 3, 2023, in Arlington, VA. This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and remote) to allow for remote participation by Commissioners and interested stakeholders; the details of which will be provided two weeks prior to the meeting. The agenda is also available at https://www.asmfc.org/home/2023-spring-meeting. Also attached is the travel authorization form, travel reimbursement guidelines, and directions to the hotel. The final agenda and materials will be available on April 19th on the Commission website at https://www.asmfc.org/home/2023-spring-meeting.
A block of rooms is being held at The Westin Crystal City, 1800 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA 22202. Cindy Robertson will make Commissioner/Proxy reservations and will contact you regarding the details of your accommodations. Please notify Cindy of any changes to your travel plans that will impact your hotel reservations, otherwise you will incur no-show penalties. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.
For all other attendees, please reserve online via our group link at
Book your group rate for Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission May 2023 – May 01 – May 03, 2023 or call Marriott directly at 888.236.2427 as soon as possible and mention the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to obtain the group room rate of $258.00 plus tax single/dbl. Please be aware you must guarantee your room reservation with a major credit card or one night’s advance payment. Hotel reservations must be made by Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Room availability will not be guaranteed beyond this date. If you are being reimbursed by ASMFC for your travel, please make your reservation directly with the hotel. Reservations made through travel websites do not apply toward our minimum number of required reservations with the hotel. Please note, cancellations at The Westin must be made by 4:00 p.m. two days prior to arrival to avoid penalty and an early departure fee of $100 will apply when checking out prior to the confirmed date. If you have any problems regarding accommodations, please contact Cindy at 703.842.0740 or at [email protected].
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
Spring Meeting
May 1 – 3, 2023
The Westin Crystal City
Arlington, Virginia
Preliminary Agenda
The agenda is subject to change. Bulleted items represent the anticipated major issues to be discussed or acted upon at the meeting. The final agenda will include additional items and may revise the bulleted items provided below. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein.
Monday, May 1
12:45 – 2:30 p.m. American Lobster Management Board
- Consider Final Approval of Addendum XXVII on Increasing Protection of Spawning Stock Biomass of the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank Stock
- Update from Work Group on Implementation of Addendum XXIX: Tracker Devices in the Federal Lobster and Jonah Crab Fishery
- Progress Update on 2023 Jonah Crab Benchmark Stock Assessment
- Review Lobster Conservation Management Team Role and Process
2:45 – 3:15 p.m. Atlantic Menhaden Management Board
- Review of the Menhaden Fishery in Virginia
- Consider Approval of Ecological Reference Point Terms of Reference
3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Sciaenids Management Board
- Consider 2023 Black Drum Benchmark Assessment and Peer Review Report
- Consider Management Response to the Results of the 2023 Black Drum Benchmark Assessment, if necessary
Tuesday, May 2
8:30 a.m. – Noon Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board
- Technical Committee Report on Projections Incorporating 2022 Preliminary Marine Recreational Information Program Data and Quota Utilization Scenarios
- Consider Final Action on Addendum I on Voluntary Commercial Quota Transfers in the Ocean Fishery
- Update on 2023 Tagging Survey
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Law Enforcement Committee
(A portion of this meeting will be a closed session for the LEC Coordinator and Committee members only.)
- Review and Consider Updates to Enforceability Guidelines
- Review and Discuss Commission Species
- Update on Electronic Vessel Tracking Devices in the Federal American Lobster and Jonah Crab Fishery
- State Agency Reports
- Review and Discuss Ongoing Enforcement Activities (Closed Session)
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Lunch Break (provided)
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Legislative and Governors Appointee Commissioners Luncheon
1:45 – 3:45 p.m. Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program Coordinating Council
- Consider Funding Decision Document and FY2024 Request for Proposals
- Update on Program and Committee Activities
4:00 – 5:15 p.m. Coastal Sharks Management Board
- Review Information on Recreational and Commercial Harvest, and Stock Status of Rays
- Review and Consider Comment on the NOAA Fisheries Proposed Rule to Prohibit the Harvest of Ocean Whitetip Sharks
- Consider Fishery Management Plan Review and State Compliance for the 2021 Fishing Year
5:45 – 7:15 p.m. Annual Awards of Excellence Reception
Wednesday, May 3
8:00 – 10:00 a.m. Executive Committee
(A portion of this meeting will be a closed session for Committee members and Commissioners only.)
- Review and Consider Approval of FY2024 Budget
- Discuss Potential for Legislative and Governors Appointee Commissioner Stipends
- Future Annual Meetings Update
- Executive Director’s Performance Review (Closed Session)
10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board
- Review Possible Paths Forward Regarding Atlantic Bonito and False Albacore Management
- Discuss the Future of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Research Set-aside Program
- Discuss Possible Responses to Issues Identified in the Commissioner Survey
- Committee Reports
- Review Noncompliance Findings, if necessary
12:15 – 12:30 p.m. Business Session
- Consider Noncompliance Recommendations, if necessary
12:30 – 1:00 p.m. Lunch Break (provided)
1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Horseshoe Crab Management Board
- Consider Work Group Recommendations on Biomedical Best Management Practices
- Review Potential Processes and Resources Required for Evaluating Management Objectives for the Delaware Bay Bait Fishery
Public Comment Guidelines
To provide a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings:
For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.
For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic.
Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment will not provide additional insight to the board.
For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.
In addition, the following timeline has been established for the submission of written comment for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action).
- Comments received three weeks prior to the start of a meeting week (April 10th) will be included in the briefing materials.
- Comments received by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, April 25th will be included in supplemental materials.
- Comments received by 10:00 AM on Friday, April 28th will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.
The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution. As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail and email.
