The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is hosting an ASMFC hearing on Addendum XI to the American Lobster Interstate Fishery Management Plan on Monday, April 23rd ( 7PM ) at the Whaler Conference Center , Days Inn, New Bedford ( 500 Hathaway Rd. ). See the ASMFC press release below for further information:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, APRIL 4, 2007
PRESS CONTCAT, TINA BERGER 202/289-6400

ASMFC Releases Draft Addendum XI for Public Comment
Addendum Provides Options to Rebuild SNE Stock of American Lobster

Providence , RI - The Commission's American Lobster Management Board has approved sending forward for public comment and review Draft Addendum XI to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for American Lobster. The Draft Addendum responds to the findings of the 2005 peer-reviewed stock assessment which called for additional harvest restrictions given the Southern New England (SNE) stock’s depleted stock abundance, low recruitment, and high fishing mortality rates over the past few years.

The Draft Addendum presents options for a rebuilding time frame for the SNE stock and proposes management options for Lobster Conservation Management Areas 2 (inshore SNE), 3 (offshore waters), 4 (inshore Northern Mid-Atlantic), 5 (inshore Southern Mid-Atlantic), and 6 (New York and Connecticut State Waters) to aid in the stock’s rebuilding.  The Addendum also proposes a mechanism of ensuring that a state meets its obligations under the plan in a way that minimizes the probability that a state's delay in complying does not adversely affect other states' fisheries or conservation of the resource.

It is anticipated that most of the affected states (Maine through New Jersey) will conduct public hearings on the Draft Addendum throughout April; information on the hearings will be released once it becomes available.  

Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on the Draft Addendum either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. Copies of 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 May 4, 2007 and should be forwarded to Toni Kerns, Senior Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator for Management, at 1444 'Eye' Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; (202)289-6051 (fax) or tkerns@asmfc.org (Subject line: Draft Addendum XI). For more information, please contact Toni Kerns at (202) 289-6400 or tkerns@asmfc.org.