Fisheries Management & Legislative Report

Spring is here and everyone is getting ready to go fishing. This is also a busy time with fisheries management and there are many meetings taking place. Mark and I will be traveling to Harrisburg, PA to attend the ASA Government Affairs Meeting. JCAA has been a member of that committee since it started. Mark and I will not be able to attend the webinars at the ASMFC Spring Meeting Week. Paul Haertel will cover the Striped Bass Board Meeting as chairman of JCAA’s Striped Bass Committee. He has enclosed an article about the upcoming striped bass meeting. This is an important meeting to see where ASMFC is heading on striped bass regulations and the new amendment. At some point, I will listen to the meeting when it is posted online, and I will read the summaries. If you cannot listen in person, choose a time that works for you. JCAA will let you know when the meeting summaries and webinars are posted.

There is much information about the Joint Meeting of ASMFC and MAFMC in April that will include an update on the changes in the management of summer flounder, black sea bass, scup and blue fish. There is also an update on sector separation. Please read and make sure you stay involved. These decisions will have an impact.

Paul Hartel has an article in the Newspaper as the striped bass JCAA Chairman. The supplemental material for the meeting should be posted on the ASMFC Webpage by May 1st that will include the SB Advisory Committee and a lot of the information they will be discussing.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has named Captain Adam Nowalsky as the recipient of the 2024 Ricks E Savage award. The award, which was presented during the Council’s April meeting in Galloway, New Jersey, is given annually to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the management and conservation of fishery resources in the mid-Atlantic region.

Nowalsky was appointed to the Council in 2015 and served with distinction for nine years before terming out in 2024. During his tenure, he was one of the Council’s most engaged and influential voices, known for his willingness to dive into complex management issues.

“Adam’s ability to see all sides, to think creatively, and to contribute constructively made him a trusted colleague and a valuable contributor,” said Wes Townsend, Council Chair. “He consistently raised the bar for everyone involved in the Council process.”

During his time on the Council, Nowalsky was particularly engaged in recreational fisheries management issues. With more than two decades of experience fishing South Jersey waters as a licensed charter operator, he brought practical knowledge and an understanding of anglers' concerns to the Council's decision-making process. Notably, he was a driving force behind the Recreational Reform Initiative, a joint effort launched in 2019 by the Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) which aims to improve management of recreational fisheries for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish.

From 2016 to 2021, Nowalsky chaired the Council’s Research Steering Committee, leading efforts to navigate complex decisions about the future of the Research Set-Aside program. His leadership extended beyond the Council as well, serving as New Jersey’s Legislative Proxy to the ASMFC since 2010, where he has chaired numerous boards. He also played a central role in bringing the Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) to the Mid-Atlantic region and continues to serve on the MREP Steering Committee.

“Adam’s legacy is one of dedication, integrity, and collaboration,” said Townsend. “His contributions have left a lasting mark on the Council and the broader Mid-Atlantic fisheries community.”

The Council extends its gratitude to Captain Nowalsky for his years of service and congratulates him on this well-deserved honor.

Link to original article.

Galloway, NJ – The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board (Policy Board) have approved modifications to the process for setting recreational measures (bag, size, and season limits), as well as the recreational accountability measures, for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The Council recommended these changes through a framework action, and the Policy Board adopted these changes through Addendum XXXVI to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Addendum III to the Bluefish FMP. These changes are part of a broader long-term effort by both the Council and Commission to improve recreational management of these jointly managed species.

The current process for setting recreational measures, referred to as the Percent Change Approach, was implemented in 2023 and will sunset at the end of 2025. During a joint meeting last week in Galloway, New Jersey, the Council and Policy Board discussed several options to improve or replace the Percent Change Approach for 2026 and beyond. After reviewing public comments and recommendations from technical committees and advisory panels, the Council and Policy Board agreed to maintain the current process with several modifications based on lessons learned over the past few years. These changes will be implemented in two phases.

The first phase of changes aims to better account for stock status when setting measures and will create more opportunities for stability in management measures. The current system uses three biomass categories to guide whether measures should change; the revised approach adds a fourth category for stocks near their biomass target and establishes a separate process for overfished stocks. These changes will take effect starting with the 2026 recreational measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass. The Council and Policy Board delayed the implementation of these changes for bluefish until 2028 to allow time for development of an appropriate methodology for evaluating the impacts of measures on bluefish harvest and discards. The bluefish stock has been under a rebuilding plan since 2022, and recreational measures will continue to be set based on the rebuilding plan until the stock is declared rebuilt.

The second phase of modifications, which will be implemented for setting 2030 recreational measures and beyond, will update the process to use a catch-based target. Unlike the current process – which focuses on achieving a specific level of predicted harvest – a catch-based approach aims to achieve a target level of total dead catch, including both harvest and dead discards. This approach will allow for more explicit consideration of how measures affect discards. Some advisors and members of the public raised concerns about the potential for this change to create greater instability in management measures. After extensive discussion of each approach, the Council and Policy Board delayed the transition to a catch-based target until 2030 to allow time for additional analysis on the potential impacts to measures.

The Council and Policy Board also approved changes to the recreational accountability measures. These changes will be effective starting in 2026 for all four species. Under these revisions, when an accountability measure is triggered due to recent overages of the recreational annual catch limits, managers will also consider if those overages contributed to overfishing when determining the appropriate response.

The Council will submit the framework to the National Marine Fisheries Service for review and implementation, while the Commission’s measures are final for state waters. Additional information about this action is available on the Council and Commission websites.

Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment

In other related business, the Council and Policy Board also reviewed scoping comments on the Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment from public hearings and written comments, as well as input provided by the joint Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass and Bluefish Advisory Panels and the Fishery Management Action Team/Plan Development Team. Based on these comments, the Council and Policy Board agreed that recreational sector separation and recreational data collection should be addressed separately. Further development of the amendment will focus on management options for recreational sector separation, including mode management, as well as consideration of for-hire permitting and reporting requirements.

The Council and Policy Board separated out the recreational data collection and use issue from the amendment due to concerns that the complexity of this issue would cause significant delays in the amendment timeline. Council and Policy Board members also noted there is a need to more clearly define the objectives for recreational data collection improvement. This issue will be explored through a white paper which will consider the feasibility of various approaches and help the Council and Policy Board clarify goals for a potential future action. Additional information and updates are available on the Council and Commission action pages.

Link to original article.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has named Jack Casey as the recipient of the James A. Ruhle Cooperative Research Award. The award was presented during the Council’s April meeting in Galloway, New Jersey, in recognition of Casey’s pioneering work in cooperative fisheries research and his decades-long contributions to the scientific understanding of shark species along the East Coast.

The Council established the award in memory of Captain Jimmy Ruhle – a commercial fisherman, former Council member, and trailblazer in cooperative fisheries research. The award celebrates individuals or groups who have made exceptional contributions to cooperative research in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Jack Casey’s legacy is one of innovation, leadership, and collaboration. A U.S. Navy veteran who began his fisheries career in 1960 with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Casey quickly recognized the untapped potential of working directly with fishermen to advance scientific understanding. In 1962, he launched the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program with fewer than 100 volunteer fishermen. Under his leadership, the program expanded into one of the most successful and enduring partnerships between the scientific and fishing communities, resulting in hundreds of thousands of sharks tagged and an unparalleled body of data on shark movements, behavior, and biology. His efforts helped transform the public’s perception of sharks and laid the groundwork for significant advancements in shark science.

In addition to founding the tagging program, Casey played a leading role in establishing NOAA’s marine fisheries laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode Island, where the Apex Predators Program continues his legacy of collaboration and innovation.

“This award is a fitting tribute to a man whose work helped define what cooperative research can achieve,” said Council Chair Wes Townsend. “Jack inspired generations of scientists, many of whom continue to carry forward his commitment to collaboration and innovation.”

Council member Robert Ruhle, who is the son of the award’s namesake, noted that Casey played an important role in his family’s involvement in cooperative research. “You are a big part of why I’m sitting at this table now and why my father sat at the table for nine years,” Ruhle said to Casey. “You broke the mold and showed the world what can happen when science and industry work together toward the same goal.”

Link to original article.

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, with concurrence from the White House, named Eugenio Piñeiro Soler as Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. Mr. Piñeiro Soler has assumed his new position, taking the helm from Acting Assistant Administrator Emily Menashes, who will return to her previous position as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations.

As Assistant Administrator, Mr. Piñeiro Soler will oversee the federal agency responsible for managing our nation’s marine fisheries and conserving protected marine species.

NOAA Fisheries welcomes Mr. Piñeiro Soler to his new role.

Mr. Piñeiro Soler has enjoyed a long and illustrious life in fisheries management. In a career that has spanned over 30 years, he has been a successful commercial fisherman, fisheries captain, and entrepreneur in his home island of Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean.

Mr. Piñeiro Soler has been part of multiple oceanic conservation and administrative organizations. These include the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, for which he served as Chair from 2001 to 2010, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the International Whaling Commission, and the Marine Protected Area Federal Advisory Committee. In the first Trump Administration, Mr. Piñeiro Soler served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. He brings a wealth of experience to this new role.

He received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Radford University, followed by his Juris Doctor from the Catholic University Law School of Puerto Rico. He has also conducted research on deepwater snappers with scientists from Texas A&M University and discovered Odontanthias hensleyi, a new species of jewelfish, while conducting research with the NOAA Fisheries Cooperative Research Program.

Eugenio Piñeiro Soler brings extensive managerial and leadership experience to NOAA Fisheries, having worked at the intersection of policy and science throughout his career. Mr. Piñeiro Soler’s passion for these issues is evident and he will work with NOAA Fisheries’ various partners, industries, and constituencies to promote the economic benefits of U.S. fisheries and ensure smart management of our nation’s fisheries and trust resources.

Link to original article.

Philadelphia, Pa. — A Bradford County farmer has been named the new EPA administrator for the Mid-Atlantic region.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced President Trump's appointee for the Mid-Atlantic region administrator position, who will oversee the implementation of federal environmental laws and priorities in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and the Chesapeake Bay.

President Trump has appointed Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey to the position of Mid-Atlantic EPA Administrator.

The new appointee is Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey, a lifelong conservationist who grew up on a dairy farm in Bradford County. She brings experience with her family's farm, work in the financial industry, and the intersections between business, environmental, and community needs.

“Amy's experience and dedication to both agriculture and the environment make her a tremendous asset to the agency and the Mid-Atlantic Region,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “I am confident she is well equipped to carry out our mission and help deliver on our agenda to Power the Great American comeback.”

Van Blarcom-Lackey has a robust history of service. She was appointed the first Agricultural Ombudsman in Pennsylvania, addressing conflicts related to agriculture, land use, and environmental planning. She has over a decade of experience as a lobbyist for state and federal agricultural interests and over 20 years of experience in finance and business management.

“My commitment to sustainability traces back to over 30 years ago, when I founded a county-wide environmental group focused on watershed management and agricultural best practices. I’m excited to harness my passion for the environment to facilitate progress and support the Great American Comeback under the leadership of Administrator Zeldin and President Trump,” said Regional Administrator Van Blarcom-Lackey.

“I extend my congratulations to Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey on her appointment to serve as Region 3 Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Amy is a constituent of my Senate District from Bradford County, and I am proud to see that she has been appointed to this very important position,” said Pennsylvania State Senator Gene Yaw. “Amy comes from a farming family who I have known and worked with for more than a decade. Her background and experience in agriculture and conservation will serve her well in addressing water quality, flood control, the Chesapeake Bay and the myriad of other environmental issues impacting our region. I look forward to working with Amy in this new position.”

“Amy’s commitment to balance protecting the environment and common sense will serve our area, state, and region well,” added State Representative Clint Owlett. “She will be a solid voice for our rural values and brings stability and predictability to our communities.”

Van Blarcom-Lackey currently lives in Philadelphia with her family.

“Amy is a great choice for Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator. She brings to the position a Cornell education, a background in both agriculture and energy, a great knowledge of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and past work in finance, which all make her the best possible choice. Bradford County is proud of her and we know she will serve the region well,” said Doug McLinko, Bradford County Commissioner.

Link to original article.

The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein. More current and detailed information can be found at this link.