05-02-2008, 08:16 PM
States from Massachusetts through Virginia have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment on Draft Addendum IV to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Tautog. The dates, times and locations of the scheduled meetings follow:
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
November 28, 2006: 6:00 PM<br />
Radisson Hotel<br />
180 Water Street<br />
Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts<br />
Contact: Melanie Griffin at (617) 626-1528
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<br />
November 29, 2006; 6:00 PM<br />
Narragansett Town Hall<br />
Second Floor Conference Room<br />
25 Fifth Avenue<br />
Narragansett, Rhode Island<br />
Contact: Jason McNamee at (410) 423-1943
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection<br />
November 30, 2006; 7:00 PM<br />
Marine Headquarters Boating Education Center<br />
333 Ferry Rd<br />
Old Lyme, Connecticut<br />
Contact: Dave Simpson at (860) 434-6043
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation December 6, 2006; 7:00 PM Bureau of Marine Resources Headquarters 205 North Belle Mead Road East Setauket, New York<br />
Contact: Steve Heins at (631) 444-0436
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection<br />
December 7, 2006; 7:00-10:00 PM<br />
Ocean County Administration Building<br />
Public Hearing Room #119<br />
101 Hooper Avenue<br />
Toms River, New Jersey<br />
Contact: Peter Himchak at (609) 748-2020
Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control November 27, 2006; 7:00-9:00 PM University of Delaware College of Marine Studies Cannon Laboratory, Pilottown Road Lewes, Delaware<br />
Contact: Roy Miller at (302) 739-9914
Maryland Department of Natural Resources<br />
***Hearing to be conducted jointly with Delaware; see above listing for<br />
more details<br />
Contact: Howard King at (410) 260-8281
Virginia Marine Resources Commission<br />
December 4, 2006; 6:00 PM<br />
Virginia Marine Resources Commission<br />
2600 Washington Avenue, 4th Floor<br />
Newport News, Virginia<br />
Contact: Jack Travelstead at (757) 247-2247
The Draft Addendum proposes a definition for target and threshold spawning stock biomass (SSB), and a new fishing mortality rate to achieve stock rebuilding. The Addendum was developed in response to the findings and recommendations of the 2006 peer-reviewed stock assessment, as well as those of the recently updated virtual population analysis (VPA). The<br />
assessment indicates that the tautog resource remains at low biomass levels. Since the mid-1980s, tautog has undergone a substantial decrease in total and spawning stock biomass. Both indicators are currently at levels about one-third as high as their early time series average. Based on the current fishing mortality target (F = 0.30) and the recent fishing mortality estimates for the last two years, overfishing is not occurring.
In addition to defining a coastwide biomass target, the Draft Addendum proposes allowing individual states or groups of states to determine their own fishing mortality rates and SSB reference points more appropriate for their geographic region than the coastwide assessment. These regional reference points would require Technical Committee review and management Board approval before they could be implemented at the state or regional level.
The Board will meet in late January to review public comment on the Draft Addendum and consider its final approval. Copies of the Draft Addendum can be obtained by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400 or via the Commission's website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM on January 16, 2007 and should be forwarded to Christopher Vonderweidt, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, 1444 'Eye' Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 289-6051 (FAX) or at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line:Tautog). For more information,<br />
please contact Christopher Vonderweidt at cvonderweidt@asmfc.org or (202) 289-6400.
*************************<br />
Tina Berger<br />
Public Affairs Specialist<br />
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission<br />
1444 I Street. NW, Sixth Floor<br />
Washington, DC 20005<br />
Phone: (202)289-6400<br />
FAX: (202)289-6051<br />
Email: tberger@asmfc.org<br />
www.asmfc.org
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
November 28, 2006: 6:00 PM<br />
Radisson Hotel<br />
180 Water Street<br />
Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts<br />
Contact: Melanie Griffin at (617) 626-1528
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<br />
November 29, 2006; 6:00 PM<br />
Narragansett Town Hall<br />
Second Floor Conference Room<br />
25 Fifth Avenue<br />
Narragansett, Rhode Island<br />
Contact: Jason McNamee at (410) 423-1943
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection<br />
November 30, 2006; 7:00 PM<br />
Marine Headquarters Boating Education Center<br />
333 Ferry Rd<br />
Old Lyme, Connecticut<br />
Contact: Dave Simpson at (860) 434-6043
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation December 6, 2006; 7:00 PM Bureau of Marine Resources Headquarters 205 North Belle Mead Road East Setauket, New York<br />
Contact: Steve Heins at (631) 444-0436
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection<br />
December 7, 2006; 7:00-10:00 PM<br />
Ocean County Administration Building<br />
Public Hearing Room #119<br />
101 Hooper Avenue<br />
Toms River, New Jersey<br />
Contact: Peter Himchak at (609) 748-2020
Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control November 27, 2006; 7:00-9:00 PM University of Delaware College of Marine Studies Cannon Laboratory, Pilottown Road Lewes, Delaware<br />
Contact: Roy Miller at (302) 739-9914
Maryland Department of Natural Resources<br />
***Hearing to be conducted jointly with Delaware; see above listing for<br />
more details<br />
Contact: Howard King at (410) 260-8281
Virginia Marine Resources Commission<br />
December 4, 2006; 6:00 PM<br />
Virginia Marine Resources Commission<br />
2600 Washington Avenue, 4th Floor<br />
Newport News, Virginia<br />
Contact: Jack Travelstead at (757) 247-2247
The Draft Addendum proposes a definition for target and threshold spawning stock biomass (SSB), and a new fishing mortality rate to achieve stock rebuilding. The Addendum was developed in response to the findings and recommendations of the 2006 peer-reviewed stock assessment, as well as those of the recently updated virtual population analysis (VPA). The<br />
assessment indicates that the tautog resource remains at low biomass levels. Since the mid-1980s, tautog has undergone a substantial decrease in total and spawning stock biomass. Both indicators are currently at levels about one-third as high as their early time series average. Based on the current fishing mortality target (F = 0.30) and the recent fishing mortality estimates for the last two years, overfishing is not occurring.
In addition to defining a coastwide biomass target, the Draft Addendum proposes allowing individual states or groups of states to determine their own fishing mortality rates and SSB reference points more appropriate for their geographic region than the coastwide assessment. These regional reference points would require Technical Committee review and management Board approval before they could be implemented at the state or regional level.
The Board will meet in late January to review public comment on the Draft Addendum and consider its final approval. Copies of the Draft Addendum can be obtained by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400 or via the Commission's website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM on January 16, 2007 and should be forwarded to Christopher Vonderweidt, Fisheries Management Plan Coordinator, 1444 'Eye' Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 289-6051 (FAX) or at comments@asmfc.org (Subject line:Tautog). For more information,<br />
please contact Christopher Vonderweidt at cvonderweidt@asmfc.org or (202) 289-6400.
*************************<br />
Tina Berger<br />
Public Affairs Specialist<br />
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission<br />
1444 I Street. NW, Sixth Floor<br />
Washington, DC 20005<br />
Phone: (202)289-6400<br />
FAX: (202)289-6051<br />
Email: tberger@asmfc.org<br />
www.asmfc.org