2021-01097. Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting

AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice; public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a meeting.

DATES:

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, from 9:30 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday, March 10, 2021, from 8:30 a.m. through 12:30 p.m. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for agenda details.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will take place over webinar with a telephone-only connection option. Details on how to connect to the webinar by computer and by telephone will be available at: http://www.mafmc.org/​ssc.

Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 N State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; telephone: [phone]; website: www.mafmc.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The purpose of this meeting is to make multi-year acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations for Blueline tilefish for the 2022-24 fishing years. The SSC will review the results of the 2020 bottom longline survey for Golden tilefish and provide feedback on the future direction of the survey and upcoming management track assessment. The SSC Economic Work Group will update the full SSC on the Research Set-Aside economic case study the Council selected for development in 2021. The SSC will also review and provide feedback on the most recent Mid-Atlantic State of the Ecosystem report and other Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) related activities. The Northeast Fisheries Science Center will give a presentation on the results and findings from the recently completed research track assessment on Index Based Methods and Harvest Control Rules. The SSC will also receive an update on ongoing Council actions, including the Recreational Reform Initiative and discuss potential opportunities for SSC engagement. In addition, the SSC may take up any other business as necessary.

A detailed agenda and background documents will be made available on the Council's website (www.mafmc.org) prior to the meeting.

Special Accommodations

These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to Kathy Collins, [phone], at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

(Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)

Dated: January 13, 2021.

Rey Israel Marquez,

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.