ASMFC Board Approves Addendum XVI to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Plan
Addendum Establishes Procedures to Address Delayed Implementation of Required Fisheries Management Measures
The Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board has approved Addendum XVI to the Fishery Management Plan. The Addendum addresses issues of delayed implementation of required management measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. It provides a species-specific mechanism of ensuring that states meet their obligations under the plan in a way that minimizes the probability that a delay in complying does not adversely affect other states' fisheries or the conservation of the resource. The measures promote the long-term conservation of summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass.
The Addendum responds to an ISFMP Policy Board directive to its management boards to improve the states' implementation of all interstate fishery management plans (FMPs). Summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass management programs have been given the highest priority since these species FMPs have repeatedly been affected by delays in implementation of required regulations. This has limited the effectiveness of the management program and adversely affected the timely conservation efforts of other states. The Addendum establishes a mechanism to ensure states meet their obligations under the management program and provides disincentives to minimize delayed implementation of required management measures.
The Addendum addresses delayed implementation of both commercial and recreational fishing measures. In the commercial fishery, season closures will be used to address delays in implementing size and trip limits, while quota adjustments will address harvest overages. For example, if a state does not implement appropriate minimum fish sizes for the first two weeks of the fishing season, in the following year the season would be closed for the first two weeks of the season. In the recreational fishery, season closures will be used to address delays in implementing size limits, possession limits, and seasons. For example, if a state does not implement appropriate possession limits for the first two weeks of the fishing season, in the following year the season would be closed for the first two weeks of the season. The addendum also deals with the timeliness of the notification period for management changes.
Copies of the Addendum will be available by June 1 via the Commission's website at
www.asmfc.org
