Add event to calendar: Google Calendar iCal/Outlook

Register for the Webinar > HERE

Sending comments? Written comments must be received at the NEFMC office no later than 8:00 a.m., Thursday, December 2, 2021 to be considered at this meeting. Please address comments to Council Chair Eric Reid or Executive Director Tom Nies at: NEFMC, 50 Water St., Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. Email submissions should be sent to comments@nefmc.org.

IMPORTANT:  Due to ongoing public safety considerations related to COVID-19, this meeting will be conducted by webinar. Please continue to monitor this webpage for updates.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:  The Council’s “Guidelines for Providing Public Comments” can be found here.

Open Period for Public Comment – Sign Up Now: On Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 12:00 p.m., the Council will give the public an opportunity to provide brief comments on issues relevant to Council business but not listed on the agenda. Interested in speaking? Email Janice Plante at jplante@nefmc.org to get on the list.

  • Don’t forget! If you want to speak during opportunities for public comment, you need to: (1) register for the webinar; and (2) actually “join” the webinar. People who call in by telephone without joining the webinar will be in listen-only mode. Those who take both steps – register and then join the webinar – will see the meeting screen and be able to click on a “raise hand” button, which will let the meeting organizer know you want to be unmuted to speak.
  • Here is the Council’s “Remote Participation Guide” with instructions for how to provide oral comments during the webinar meeting.
  • Having trouble with the webinar? We have a Help Desk! Our staff is only a phone call or email away. Click HERE for assistance.

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

9:30 a.m. 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, and NOAA Enforcement

11:30 NOAA Guidance to Councils on Financial Disclosures and Voting Recusals (Mitch MacDonald, NOAA GC)                

12:30 p.m. Lunch Break

1:45 Habitat Committee Report (Council Chair Eric Reid; Brian Hooker, BOEM)    

3:15 Spiny Dogfish Committee Report (Nichola Meserve; Jason Didden, Mid-Atlantic Council staff)

4:15 CCC Subcommittee on Area-Based Management (Council Chair Eric Reid)                      

4:45 Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful (Staff)                        

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

9:00 a.m. Sea Turtle Bycatch in Trawl Fisheries (Carrie Upite, GARFO)                    

9:45 Fall 2021 Management Track Stock Assessments Peer Review (NEFSC)                      

10:45 Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Report (SSC Chair Dr. Lisa Kerr)                      

11:45 Transboundary Management Guidance Committee (TMGC) (Libby Etrie)                      

12:00 p.m. 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 3-5 minutes) 

12:15 Lunch Break 

1:30 Groundfish Committee Report (Rick Bellavance)                      

Thursday, December 9, 2021

9:00 a.m. Scallop Committee Report (Melanie Griffin)                      

11:30 Introduction to New NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator (Janet Coit, NOAA Fisheries)

12:15 p.m. Lunch Break 

1:15 2022 Council Priorities (Executive Director Tom Nies)                      

3:15 Other Business 

This meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 USC 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request.