ASMFC TO HOLD HEARINGS ON SUMMER FLOUNDER DRAFT ADDNEDUM XVII

ASMFC recently announced the availability of Draft Addendum XVII to the Summer Flounder (fluke) FMP for public comment. MarineFisheries will host a hearing in Massachusetts on July 5th at the Plymouth Harbor Radisson. See the ASMFC press release below for further information.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 26, 2005

PRESS CONTACT
TINA BERGER (202)289-6400

States Schedule Public Meetings to Gather Comment on
Draft Addendum XVII to the Summer Flounder FMP

Washington, DC – The Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board approved Draft Addendum XVII to the Summer Flounder Fishery Management Plan for public comment and review. The Draft Addendum proposes a program that allows the Board to subdivide the recreational coastwide allocation into regions as an option under conservation equivalency. It also initiates a public dialog to discuss the ability to average multiple years of data as well as multiple years of landings to establish recreational management programs.

Atlantic coastal states from Massachusetts through North Carolina have scheduled the dates and times of their public meetings to gather comment. The specific details of those meetings follow:

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries July 5, 2005; 7:00PM Plymouth Harbor Radisson 180 Water Street Plymouth, MA 02360 Contact: Melanie Griffin at 617-626-1528	Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection July 7, 2005; 7:00PM Marine Headquarters Office Education Center 333 Ferry Road Old Lyme, Connecticut Contact: Dave Simpson at (860) 434-6043
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife June 28, 2005; 6:00PM URI Narragansett Bay Campus Corless Auditorium South Ferry Road Narragansett, Rhode Island Contact: Brian Murphy at (401) 423-1941	New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation July 12, 2005; 7:00PM 205 North Belle Mead Road, Suite 1 East Setauket, New York Contact: Gordon Colvin at (631) 444-0430
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife June 29, 2005; 6:30PM Atlantic County Library Galloway Township 306 East Jimmie Leeds Road Absecon, New Jersey Contact: Bruce Freeman at (609) 292-2083	Maryland Department of Natural Resources July 7, 2005; 6:30PM Ocean Pines Library Worcester County Library 11107 Cathell Road Ocean Pines, Maryland Contact: Howard J. King, III at (410) 260-8281
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife July 13, 2005; 7:30PM Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Richardson and Robbins Building Auditorium 89 Kings Highway Dover, Delaware Contact: Rick Cole at (302) 739-4782	Virginia Marine Resources Commission July 13, 2005; 6:00PM 2600 Washington Avenue Fourth Floor Conference Room Newport News, Virginia Contact: Jack Travelstead at (757) 247-2247
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries July 14, 2005; 7:00 PM Classroom 1, Crystal Coast Civic Center 3505 Arendell Street Morehead City, North Carolina Contact: Preston Pate at (252) 726-7021

The management options within Addendum XVII respond to concerns expressed by fishermen and managers regarding the potential variability of data from the Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey (MRFSS) when used on a state-by-state basis. By adopting regional or coastwide management approaches, MRFSS coverage area increases while data variability decreases, thereby enhancing the credibility of both the data and the management program. The Addendum also initiates a public dialog to discuss the ability to average multiple years of data and multiple years of landings to establish recreational management programs.

When state-specific conservation equivalent measures are adopted, water bodies used by fishermen from several states (such as the Long Island Sound) may have multiple or conflicting regulations. These differing regulations create confusion for fishermen fishing in that area. Regional approaches to summer flounder recreational management could potentially minimize differences in adjacent states fishing on the same water body.

The Board will meet in August to review public comment on the Draft Addendum and consider its final approval. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Addendum either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. Copies the Draft Addendum can be obtained via the Commission’s website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News or by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM on July 20, 2005 and should be forwarded to Toni Kerns, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at 1444 ‘Eye’ Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 289-6051 (fax) or tkerns@asmfc.org. For more information, please contact Toni Kerns at (202) 289-6400 or tkerns@asmfc.org.

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