Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management

[NCangler]

Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management
Scoping Meetings: September 26-October 24, 2005

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold scoping meetings for stakeholder groups and interested parties "to facilitate wide-ranging discussions with affected/interested parties and the general public in nine topic areas: (1) views regarding the adequacy of current approaches for addressing ecosystem considerations, (2) the nature of ecosystem-based management and the goals to be achieved in addressing ecosystem issues, (3) the nature of the public decision making processes within the Councils for addressing management tradeoffs, consistent with identified goals, (4) mechanisms for considering activities outside the Fishery Management Council's (FMC) purview but influencing ecosystem productivity, (5) the boundaries of sub-regional ecosystems within the areas of the various FMCs, (6) the types of management measures that would be incorporated into ecosystem approaches for fishery management, consistent with the identified goals, (7) the specific regional issues that need to be addressed in a fishery ecosystem plan (FEP), (8) techniques for determining success of ecosystem-based management, and (9) other issues considered important in any particular region." Following each of the nine topics addressed in the scoping document there are a series of triggering questions that are designed to initiate, but not limit, the debate on the practicability of adopting some form of ecosystem based fishery management.

All meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m. Dates and locations for the meetings are:

- Monday, September 26, 2005: Clarion Oceanfront, 1601 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948.

- Tuesday, September 27, 2005: Comfort Inn, 3100 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557.

- Wednesday, September 28, 2005: Norfolk Days Inn Airport, 5708 Northampton Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23455.

- Monday, October 3, 2005: Crowne Plaza JFK Airport, 151-20 Baisley Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11434.

- Tuesday, October 4, 2005: Southampton Inn, 91 Hill Street, Southampton, NY 11968.

- Thursday, October 6, 2005: Ocean Place Resort, One Ocean Blvd., Long Branch, NJ 07740.

- Tuesday, October 11, 2005: Holiday Inn Select, 480 King Street, Old Town Alexandria, VA 22314.

- Wednesday, October 12, 2005: Princess Royale, 9100 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842.

- Thursday, October 13, 2005: Sheraton, 173 Jennifer Road, Annapolis, MD 21401.

- Monday, October 17, 2005: Congress Hall Hotel, 251 Beach Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204.

- Tuesday, October 18, 2005: University of DE, College of Marine Studies, Marine Operations Blvd., Lewes, DE 19958.

- Wednesday, October 19, 2005: Best Western Delaware, 26 Chapman Road, Newark, DE 19702.

- Monday, October 24, 2005: Renaissance Philadelphia Airport, 500 Stevens Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19113.

Prior to the first scoping meeting the scoping document will be distributed to all entities on the Council's mailing list. The scoping document will be available at all of the scoping meetings. The scoping document is currently available via the Internet at http://www.mafmc.org/mid-atlantic/comments/comments/htm, and can be obtained on request from the Council office at the address and telephone number below.

Oral comments can be provided at any of the scoping meetings. Written comments should be directed to Mr. Daniel T. Furlong, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Room 2115 Federal Building, 300 S. New Street, Dover, DE 19904 (telephone 302-674-2331). Written comments may also be sent via fax to 302-674-5399, or by e-mail to info@mafmc.org. Please note on your correspondence (or include in the subject line of your e-mail): "Ecosystem Scoping Comments." All forms of written comments must be received by October 31, 2005.

Kathy Collins
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
300 S. New Street, Room 2115
Dover, DE 19904
Phone: (302) 674-2331 (ext: 10)
Fax: (302) 674-4136
E-mail: kcollins1@mafmc.org