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ASMFC Finally has Annual Meeting in Long Branch at Ocean Place Resort
ASMFC finally has Annual Meeting in Long Branch after cancelling in 2020 and 2021. The weather was great and whales, menhaden and striped bass were putting on a show for the all those attending the four day meeting from Maine to Florida. If you could not attend the Press releases, meeting summaries, and motions from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 80th Annual Meeting are now available at this link. The document can also be obtained on the Commission website on the Meeting Archives page.
The presentations and recordings from last week’s meetings are available at this link. (under the respective Board header). So please visit those links to read up on what you missed.
Long Branch, NJ – The Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board reviewed the results of the 2022 Atlantic Striped Bass Stock Assessment Update, which indicates the resource is no longer experiencing overfishing but remains overfished relative to the updated biological reference points. Female spawning stock biomass (SSB) in 2021 was estimated at 143 million pounds, which is below the SSB threshold of 188 million pounds and below the SSB target of 235 million pounds. Total fishing mortality in 2021 was estimated at 0.14, which is below the updated fishing mortality threshold of 0.20 and below the updated fishing mortality target of 0.17.
The 2022 Assessment Update used the same model from the approved peer-reviewed 2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment. Data through 2021 were added to the model, and the model structure was adjusted for 2020-2021 to account for the regulation changes implemented through Addendum VI to Amendment 6. The assessment model was able to handle missing data due to COVID-19, but overall, COVID-19 increased uncertainty in the 2020 and 2021 data.
The 2022 Assessment Update also included short-term projections to determine the probability of SSB being at or above the SSB target by 2029, which is the stock rebuilding deadline. Under the current fishing mortality rate, there is a 78.6% chance the stock will be rebuilt by 2029, indicating a reduction in catch is not necessary at this time. The projections and the updated fishing mortality reference points took into account the period of low recruitment the stock has experienced in recent years.
“This 2022 assessment was the first check-in point for progress toward stock rebuilding by 2029,” said Board Chair Marty Gary with the Potomac River Fisheries Commission. “It is extremely important that we continue to monitor fishery removals and conduct regular stock assessments to keep evaluating rebuilding progress and stay on track.” The next stock assessment update is scheduled for 2024, and the Board will review the 2022 removals as soon as the data are available to evaluate whether catch remains at sustainable levels.
The Assessment Update will be available next week on the Commission’s website here under Stock Assessment Reports. An overview of the assessment is available at this link.
Draft Addendum I
The Board also approved Draft Addendum I to Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass for public comment. The Draft Addendum considers allowing for the voluntary transfer of striped bass commercial quota in the ocean region between states that have ocean quota. The Board initiated Draft Addendum I in August 2021 after deciding that changes to the striped bass commercial quota system would not be considered during the ongoing development of Amendment 7. With the adoption of Amendment earlier this year, the Board re-initiated discussions on, and ultimately approved, Draft Addendum I for public comment to consider voluntary quota transfers which could provide some relief to states seeking additional quota. The Draft Addendum proposes a range of options that would permit voluntary transfers of commercial quota, including options based on stock status and options allowing the Board to set criteria for transfers on a regular basis.
The Draft Addendum will be posted to the website next week at this link. A subsequent press release will provide the details on the public hearing schedule and how to submit written comments. The Board will meet to review submitted comment and consider final action on the addendum in February 2023 at the Commission’s Winter Meeting in Arlington, VA.
For more information, please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at efranke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.
Draft Addendum I to Amendment 7 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass is available for public comment. The Draft Addendum Considers allowing for the voluntary transfer of striped bass commercial quota in the ocean region between states that have ocean quota.
Overview
The Board initiated Draft Addendum I in August 2021 after deciding that changes to the striped bass commercial quota system would not be considered during the ongoing development of Amendment 7. With the adoption of Amendment earlier this year, the Board re-initiated discussions on, and ultimately approved, Draft Addendum I for public comment to consider voluntary quota transfers which could provide some relief to states seeking additional quota. The Draft Addendum proposes a range of options that would permit voluntary transfers of commercial quota, including options based on stock status and options allowing the Board to set criteria for transfers on a regular basis.
Submit Comment
Comments received during a public comment period on a proposed management action play an important role in the Commission’s fisheries management process. All comments, whether they are individually submitted or as part of a larger, coordinated stakeholder response, are considered equally by a species management board when it determines final management action. When staff compiles all comments received, they use a categorization process to help the board effectively and efficiently navigate submitted public comments, whether it is 50 or 300,000 comments. Three or more comments that have the same language or state support for an organization’s comments are considered form letters. However, if the commenter provides additional comments/rationale related to a potential management action beyond the organizations or letter’s comments, then it is considered an individual comment.
All those interested in the management of striped bass are encouraged to provide input either by participating in public hearings, which may be conducted via webinar, or providing written comment. Public comment will be accepted until 11:59 PM (EDT) on January 13 and should be sent to:
I had just about lost all hope of having a bear hunt in 2022 when lightning struck Trenton. What I should say is that in the end the bears dictated what took place.
Shortly after the November election we received information that based on the unbelievable increase of interactions with bears the Governor was considering allowing a bear season to take place. At this time there were any number of scenarios that were suggested by the Governor’s office. To continue on his course of action, no bear hunting was not working and the possibility of a human attack was increasing. The easiest way out for the Governor was to approve a one-time emergency bear season in 2022 using his executive power. That would harvest a few bears in the short term, but was a long way from solving the long-term problem of controlling our bear population. What we needed was a December season to harvest as many of the problem bears as we could and a commitment to move forward with the implementation of a new Comprehensive Black Bear Management Plan (CBBMP) that would be good for seven years once approved. The Fish and Game Council. lead by its Chairmen Frank Virgilio, was negotiating with the governor’s office to reach a compromise that both sides could live with. An agreement was reached with concessions from both sides that had to be implemented. I did not want to make any statements or take a victory lap until all parts of the agreement were put into place.
It started with the governor issuing Executive order No. 310 rescinding order No.34 and allowing for a bear season to take place in 2022 including all State lands under an emergency rule.
The Fish and Game Council in turn agreed to implement three changes in Game Code regulations dealing with bears. 1. Hunters may not attempt to take or kill a black bear weighing less than 75 pounds live weight or less than 50 pounds dressed. 2. Hunters may not attempt to take or kill an adult black bear that is in the presence of cub(s) weighing less than 75 pounds and 3. Hunters may not attempt to take a black bear or have a loaded weapon within 300 ft. of a baited area when hunting bears. These changes along with the emergency rule were approved by the Fish and Game Council on November 15th.
Dates have now been established to comply with the Administrative Procedures Act to approve and implement a CBBMP that will be in effect for seven years. The concurrent rule, which will formally adopt the CBBMP and the 3 game code changes is now filed and will appear in the Register on December 19th. A public comment period on the plan and the Code changes will begin on December 5th and continue to February 3, 2023 with a public hearing scheduled for January 18th 2023. Now that both sides have lived up to the terms of the agreement it’s time to take a victory lap.
As always, the opposition has indicated that they will seek injunctive relief to stop the bear hunt. Based on current court rulings dealing with black bears and bear seasons I do not feel that there is much of a chance to overturn the 2022 season and the final adoption of a new CBBMP. It’s nice to know that in one day we went from cub killers to trophy hunters. I like the term assistant wildlife conservationist better.
Now let’s give credit where credit is due for winning this fight. First let’s tip our hats to the District 24 team of Senator Oroho and Assemblymen Space and Wirths who kept the pressure on Trenton with press releases updating the increase in bear incidents and a need for a hunt and to The Fish and Game Council lead by its chairman who negotiated on the sportsmen’s behalf. Thanks to The New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs for their support and their assistance in getting out the message to their members, Rack and Fin Radio for giving us a platform to get our message out along with the actual facts and last but not least, Commissioner LaTourette for all of his help during this process.
The NJOA would like to thank all of the sportsmen and women for their continued support over this long-drawn-out battle over black bear management. I wish that I could say that this will end attempts to manage wildlife with emotion and politics and not science but that would be too much to ask. I will ask you to continue your support of NJOA so that we can be an effective force in defending your rights to hunt, fish and trap in New Jersey.