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Written comments must be received at the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) office no later than 8:00 a.m., Thursday, April 10, 2025, to be considered at this meeting. Please address the comments to Council Chair Rick Bellavance or Executive Director Cate O’Keefe at: NEFMC, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. Email submissions should be sent to comments@nefmc.org. ** Written comments must address items listed on the agenda for this meeting or issues that will be brought up under the open period for public comment.

PUBLIC COMMENTS: The Council’s “Guidelines for Providing Public Comments” can be found here. Anyone interested in speaking during the open period for public comment should fill out the sign-up sheet on the table at the entrance to the Council meeting room. To speak remotely, email Alex Dunn at adunn@nefmc.org to get on the list.

Monday, April 14, 2025

10:00 a.m. Executive Committee Closed Session

1:00 p.m. Introductions and Announcements (Council Chair Rick Bellavance)

1:05 Reports on Recent Activities - Council Chair, Council Executive Director, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) Regional Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) General Counsel, Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC), Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA Enforcement

2:30 Risk Policy Working Group (Megan Ware)

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

9:00 a.m. Risk Policy Part Two (Megan Ware)

10:30 NEFSC Fishery Monitoring and Research Division (Katherine “KB” McArdle, NEFSC)

12:00 p.m. Habitat Committee Report (Melissa Smith)

12:15 Open Period for Public Comment - Opportunity for the public to provide brief comments on issues relevant to Council business but not listed on this agenda (please limit remarks to 3 minutes)

12:30 Lunch Break

1:45 Groundfish Committee Report (Rick Bellavance)

3:30 Sector Observer Coverage Rates (Hank Soule, Sector Manager and Glenn Chamberlain, NEFSC)

5:00 Council Adjourns

6:00 Council Public Outreach (Hilton Hotel, Mystic – lobby area)

Informational exchange to foster open lines of communication; all are welcome; light snacks provided

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

9:00 a.m. Atlantic Herring Research Track Peer Review (Kristan Blackhart, NEFSC)

9:45 Atlantic Herring Committee Report (Cheri Patterson; SSC Chair Dr. Lisa Kerr)

11:00 State of the Ecosystem (Dr. Joe Caracappa, NEFSC; SSC Chair Dr. Lisa Kerr)

12:30 Lunch Break

1:45 Climate and Ecosystem Steering Committee: (John Pappalardo)

3:00 On-Demand Fishing Gear Conflict Working Group (Mike Pierdinock; Caroline Potter, Alli Murphy, GARFO)

3:45 Monkfish and Skate Committee Reports (Matt Gates, Scott Olszewski)

Thursday, April 17, 2025

9:00 a.m. Congressional Update (Dave Whaley)

10:30 Scallop Committee Report (Melanie Griffin)

12:00 Other Business

Consistent with 16 USC 1852, this meeting will be recorded. Audio files will be available on the website within two-to-three days of the meeting’s conclusion.