Mid-Atlantic Council Seeks Public Input on Summer Flounder Mesh Regulations and Exemptions
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public webinar on Wednesday, November 1, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., to solicit stakeholder input on several summer flounder regulations related to commercial minimum mesh sizes and their exemptions. Council staff and a contractor are currently evaluating whether modifications to these measures are needed. Feedback from fishing industry participants and other stakeholders is critical to a successful review of these regulations. The Council and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board will review public comments and consider next steps at their December 2023 joint meeting.
Which Regulations are Under Review?
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Summer flounder trawl gear minimum mesh sizes (5.5-inch diamond or 6.0-inch square). Based on a recent study there is some concern that the selectivity of the 6.0” square mesh is not equivalent to that of the 5.5” diamond mesh and the 6.0” square mesh may be retaining too many undersized fish.
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The Small Mesh Exemption Program (SMEP), which allows trawl vessels to obtain a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to land more than 200 pounds of summer flounder east of longitude 72° 30.0’W, from November 1 through April 30, using mesh smaller than 5.5-inch diamond or 6.0-inch square.
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The flynet exemption to the minimum mesh size requirement, which provides an exemption to the minimum mesh size requirements for vessels fishing with a two-seam otter trawl flynet.
Please see the Overview of Summer Flounder Minimum Mesh Size Requirements and Exemptions for additional information and discussion questions for each issue.
Who Should Attend This Webinar or Provide Written Comments?
Any stakeholder with an interest in these measures is invited to attend the webinar and/or submit written comments. The Council is particularly seeking input from:
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Participants in the commercial trawl fishery for summer flounder (all states and areas).
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Participants in commercial trawl fisheries for summer flounder and/or other species who utilize the Small Mesh Exemption Program and/or flynet exemption.
Webinar Details
Registration in advance of the webinar is requested but not required. Register for the webinar here.
To join the webinar by phone only, dial 1-415-655-0001 and enter Access code: 2357 476 2725. Please only use this option if you are not connecting to the webinar on your computer or device. Otherwise follow the audio connection prompts to call in when you join the webinar.
Written Comment Instructions
Written comments will be accepted until November 17, 2023. Comments may be submitted through an online comment form or emailed to Kiley Dancy or Hannah Hart.
Staff Contacts
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Hannah Hart – hhart@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5263
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Kiley Dancy – kdancy@mafmc.org, (302) 526-5257
Source: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
