Amendment 23/Groundfish Monitoring,

Gear Standards Policy, and Listening

Sessions for Recreational Party/Charter

Council Staff

Council Meeting

April 16, 2019

Mystic, CT

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Amendment 23/Groundfish Monitoring

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Amendment 23/Groundfish Monitoring Timeline

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2018SEP 24-27 Council receives progress report

OCT-NOV Fishery Data for Stock Assessment Working Group forms recommendations, completes draft report

OCT-NOV Committee/AP/PDT continue to develop alternatives and analyses

NOV SSC sub-panel review of Fishery Data Working Group report

DEC 4-6 Council receives progress report

DEC Committee/AP/PDT continue to develop alternatives and analyses

2019

JAN 29-31 Council receives report from Fishery Data Working Group; SSC sub-panel provides report on review of Fishery Data Working Group report

FEB-APR Committee/AP/PDT continue to develop alternatives and analyses

APR 16-18 Council approves range of alternatives

APR SSC sub-panel reviews PDT analytical approach to monitoring issues

Amendment 23/Groundfish Monitoring Timeline

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2019MAY Joint Committee/AP/PDT meeting to discuss the SSC sub-panel review

recommendations

MAY PDT completes DEIS

JUN SSC sub-panel provides report on review of PDT analyses; Council approves DEIS for public comment period/hearings and possibly identifies preliminary preferred alternatives

JUL-AUG Public hearing and comment period

SEP Council takes final action

OCT Staff finalizes EIS

DEC Preliminary submission

2020FEB/MAR Final submission

MAY Target implementation

A23 Purpose and Need Statement

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To implement measures to improve reliability and accountability of catch reporting and to ensure a precise and accurate representation of catch (landings and discards).

To improve the accuracy of collected catch data. Accurate catch data are necessary to ensure that catch limits are set at levels that prevent overfishing and to determine when catch limits are exceeded. To create fair and equitable catch reporting requirements for all commercial groundfish fishermen, while maximizing the value of collected catch data and minimizing costs for the fishing industry and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Draft A23 Alternatives – April 4, 2019

4.1 Fishery Program Administration 4.1.1 Sector Administration Provisions

4.1.1.1 Sector Reporting Requirements- Grants RA authority to streamline

4.1.1.2 Knowing the Total Monitoring Coverage Level at a Time Certain- Three weeks in advance of date sector rosters due to NMFS

4.1.1.3 Funding for the Groundfish Monitoring Program - Additional NMFS funding up to 100 percent at-sea monitoring, provided NMFS has funding in a given year

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Draft A23 Alternatives – April 4, 2019

4.2 Commercial Fishery Measures 4.2.1 Groundfish Sector and Common Pool Monitoring

Program Revisions4.2.1.1 Dockside Monitoring Program

- 100% coverage- Dealer-based program

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Draft A23 Alternatives – April 4, 2019

4.2.2 Groundfish Sector Monitoring Program Revisions4.2.2.1 Sector Monitoring Standards

4.2.2.1.2 Option 2: Fixed Total At-Sea Monitoring Coverage Level Based on a Percentage of Trips

- Four levels of coverage for analysis –25, 50, 75, and 100%

4.2.2.1.3 Option 3: Coverage Level Based on a Percentage of Catch

- Two levels for analysis – 50 and 100%

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Draft A23 Alternatives – April 4, 2019

4.2.2.2 Sector Monitoring Tools- options that sectors can choose to fulfill monitoring standards

4.2.2.2.1 At-Sea Monitoring OptionsHuman At-Sea MonitorsAudit Model Electronic Monitoring

4.2.2.2.2 Dockside Monitoring Option4.2.2.2.3 Maximized Retention Option

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Draft A23 Alternatives – April 4, 2019

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4.2.3 Exemptions from Groundfish Sector and CommonPool Monitoring Program Requirements

4.2.3.1 Exemption for Certain Vessels Based on Fishing Location

Draft PDT Meeting Summary – April 3, 2019

Additional questions from PDT on developing draft alternatives:

1) 4.2.1.1 Dockside Monitoring Program - the PDT requests clarification of whether compliance should be included as a goal of dockside monitoring, referring to the Committee’s rationale.

2) 4.2.2.2 Sector Monitoring Tools - the PDT suggests the Committee consider combining/packaging standards with tools, once the range of standards and tools as alternatives is refined, in a manner that meets the purpose and need of the amendment.

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Draft PDT Meeting Summary – April 3, 2019

3) 4.2.2.1.2 Option 2: Fixed Total At-Sea Monitoring Coverage Level Based on a Percentage of Trips -the PDT requests clarification on whether the standard should focus on reducing bias in catch estimates rather than monitoring a percentage of trips, or whether there should be a separate additional standard based on reducing bias, referring to the Committee’s rationale.

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Amendment 23/Groundfish Monitoring

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• Discuss the work of the Groundfish Committee, and • Approve the range of alternatives for analysis.

Policy on Gear Standards

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Policy on Gear Standards

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Priority: Modify Council policy on gear standards to facilitate use of gear in AMs

Current Policy:“The standards require that new gear either reduce the catch of each regulated stock of species of concern or other non-groundfish stocks that are overfished or subject to overfishing, by at least 50% (by weight on a trip-by-trip basis); or that its catch of each regulated stock of species of concern, or other non-groundfish stocks that are overfished or subject to overfishing, be less than 5% of the total catch of regulated groundfish (also by weight on a trip-by-trip basis).”

Suggested revisionAdd this sentence to the end of the current policy statement: “In the case of a gear required for an accountability measure (AM), the gear need only meet this standard for the stock that triggers the AM.”

Large-Mesh Belly Panel

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FW42 – Implementing Regulations

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Possible Implications

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• If the language was added back in:• The Council can modify the gear standards policy in

its Operations Handbook at any time, and then forward the language over to the Regional Administrator, who can then add it to the regulations.

• Once the new standards are added to the regulations, they can be applied in the situations identified in the Council’s gear policy.

Gear Standards Policy

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• Consider the Groundfish Committee revisions to the Council policy on gear standards to facilitate use of gear in accountability measures, and

• Approve the modified policy.• Consider changing the title of this section in the

Operations Handbook.

Possible Limited Access Program for the

Recreational Groundfish

Party and Charter Fishery

Update on the Public Listening Sessions

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Public Listening Session Schedule (2 hour duration each session)

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Seabrook, NH – Thursday, April 4, Seabrook Public Library, 5:45pm

Avalon, NJ– Monday, April 8, ICONA Golden Inn (following MAFMC meeting), 6pm

Wells, ME – Thursday, April 18, Wells Public Library, 5:45pm

Narragansett, RI– Tuesday, April 23, University of Rhode Island, 6pm

Chatham, MA– Tuesday, May 7, Chatham Community Center, 6pm

Plymouth, MA– Wednesday, May 8, Hampton Inn, 6pm

Gloucester, MA– Thursday, May 9, Sawyer Free Library, 5:45pm

Webinar– Friday, May 10, 1 pm

Why is the Council seeking public input?

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The Council is seeking public input on the possibility of initiating an amendment to develop a limited access program for the recreational groundfish party and charter fishery.

The Council heard from some recreational fishery participants indicating interest in developing a program, while others in the fishery did not agree with pursuing a program.

Given this split in views, the Council seeks feedback from the public on interest in developing a program, in order to assist the

Council in deciding how to proceed.

How to submit a public comment

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In person at one of the listening sessions

In writing:

Fax: (978) 465-3116;

Email: comments@nefmc.org

Mail: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director

New England Fishery Management Council

50 Water Street, Mill #2

Newburyport, MA 01950

Please note on your correspondence; “Listening Sessions for Possible Limited Access Program for the Recreational Party/Charter Fishery.”

Closing Date: Friday, May 17, 2019, by 5pm

What happens next?

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After information is gathered through the listening sessions, the Groundfish Committee will consider possibly recommending to the Council an initiation of an amendment, with input from the Recreational Advisory Panel and Groundfish Plan Development Team, through a series of public meetings during 2019.