The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) announces a schedule of coast-wide scoping hearings (see below for locations and times) being convened to inform the public of both the New England and Mid-Atlantic Councils’ intent to consider catch share management in the federal monkfish fishery. The Councils hope to elicit early comment from stakeholders by encouraging the public to voice its opinions, comments and concerns about catch share management generally, and about specific elements or programs, in order to assist them in the development of alternatives for formal consideration. The public also is invited to ask questions that the Councils may answer in the course of plan development.

The scoping document can be accessed online at: http://www.nefmc.org/monk/planamen/a6/Amendment%206%20Scoping%20Doc%201%20draft.pdf.  The document defines and explains the different types of catch share programs, the elements and requirements of a catch share program, and various alternative approaches for public consideration.

All correspondence should be emailed to the following address: monkfisha6@noaa.gov. Alternative forms of communication are listed on page 11 of the scoping document. The deadline for comments is 5 p.m. on February 15, 2011.

LOCATIONS AND TIMES

Massachusetts:
Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Station, 30 Emerson Avenue, Gloucester
Monday, January 10, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. Holiday Inn, 1127 Route 132, Hyannis
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. Fairfield Inn & Suites 185 Macarthur Drive, New Bedford

Rhode Island:
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. Hilton Garden Inn, One Thurber Street, Warwick

Maine:
Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. Clarion Hotel, 1230 Congress Street, Portland

New York:
Monday, January 31, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. Holiday Inn Express East End, 1707 Old Country Road, Riverhead

New Jersey:
Tuesday, February 1, 2011at 9:00 a.m., Holiday Inn, 151 Route 72 East, Manahawkin

Maryland:
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. Clarion Fontaineblue Hotel, 101st Street on the Ocean, Ocean City

North Carolina:
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 4:30 p.m. Hilton New Bern Riverfront, 100 Middle Street, New Bern, NC 28560