08-27-2005, 02:09 PM
The following is a press release from the Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission regarding the Summer Flounder Fisheries Management
Plan.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AUGUST 17, 2005
PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER (202)289-6400
ASMFC Approves Addendum XVII to the Summer Flounder FMP
Addendum Allows for Establishment of Multi-state Regions and the
Pooling
of Multi-year Data
The Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management
Board approved Addendum XVII to the Summer Flounder Fishery Management
Plan. The Addendum provides the states the option to voluntarily form
multi-state regions for the management of their recreational summer
flounder fisheries. This action was taken to address concerns raised
by
fishermen and managers on the adequacy of using recreational data to
set
state-specific regulations, as well as problems that have arisen when
neighboring states apply differing regulations on shared water bodies.
The Addendum will enable a group of adjacent states to pool their
recreational data to determine a single possession limit, size limit,
and
season. The management measures within the region would be the same
for
each state in the region and conservation equivalency would not be
permitted. The Addendum also allows for states to average multiple
years
of data to determine the impacts of proposed recreational management
programs, including minimum fish size, possession limit, and season.
For
example, averaging of data will help states to more accurately estimate
expected catch when liberalizing their regulations in response to a
harvest underage. Averaging of data to determine the recreational
harvest
targets would not be allowed.
The Board found the requirements of Addendum XV no longer necessary due
to
the decrease in the total allowable landings in 2006. The purpose of
the
Addendum was to modify the commercial allocation scheme to transfer an
anticipated additional 1.6 million pounds of the 2006 summer flounder
quota for use as a bycatch allocation. Since there is no additional
quota
available, the proposed action under Addendum XV is unnecessary.
To ensure consistent size measurements of black sea bass among states
and
federal agencies, the Board will now require that fish measurements
exclude the tendril, or tail filament, of the fish.
Copies the 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. For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, Fishery
Management Plan Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or tkerns@asmfc.org.
###
ASMFC Vision: Healthy, self-sustaining populations of all Atlantic
coast
fish species or successful restoration well in progress by the year
2015.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[signature]
Fisheries Commission regarding the Summer Flounder Fisheries Management
Plan.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AUGUST 17, 2005
PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER (202)289-6400
ASMFC Approves Addendum XVII to the Summer Flounder FMP
Addendum Allows for Establishment of Multi-state Regions and the
Pooling
of Multi-year Data
The Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management
Board approved Addendum XVII to the Summer Flounder Fishery Management
Plan. The Addendum provides the states the option to voluntarily form
multi-state regions for the management of their recreational summer
flounder fisheries. This action was taken to address concerns raised
by
fishermen and managers on the adequacy of using recreational data to
set
state-specific regulations, as well as problems that have arisen when
neighboring states apply differing regulations on shared water bodies.
The Addendum will enable a group of adjacent states to pool their
recreational data to determine a single possession limit, size limit,
and
season. The management measures within the region would be the same
for
each state in the region and conservation equivalency would not be
permitted. The Addendum also allows for states to average multiple
years
of data to determine the impacts of proposed recreational management
programs, including minimum fish size, possession limit, and season.
For
example, averaging of data will help states to more accurately estimate
expected catch when liberalizing their regulations in response to a
harvest underage. Averaging of data to determine the recreational
harvest
targets would not be allowed.
The Board found the requirements of Addendum XV no longer necessary due
to
the decrease in the total allowable landings in 2006. The purpose of
the
Addendum was to modify the commercial allocation scheme to transfer an
anticipated additional 1.6 million pounds of the 2006 summer flounder
quota for use as a bycatch allocation. Since there is no additional
quota
available, the proposed action under Addendum XV is unnecessary.
To ensure consistent size measurements of black sea bass among states
and
federal agencies, the Board will now require that fish measurements
exclude the tendril, or tail filament, of the fish.
Copies the 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. For more information, please contact Toni Kerns, Fishery
Management Plan Coordinator, at (202) 289-6400 or tkerns@asmfc.org.
###
ASMFC Vision: Healthy, self-sustaining populations of all Atlantic
coast
fish species or successful restoration well in progress by the year
2015.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[signature]