Council Meeting in Cambridge, MD
February 9-11, 2010
The public is invited to attend the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's January 2010 meeting to be held at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort, 100 Heron Blvd at Route 50, Cambridge, MD 21613 (telephone: 410-901-1234). Below is the meeting agenda. NOTE: Log onto www.ustream.tv and type mafmc in the search block to view and listen to the meeting.

Tuesday, February 9
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Executive Committee
· CCC meeting report
· Catch Shares Workshop
· Executive Director search
· Other business
10:00 a.m. Council convenes
10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Receive Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology (SBRM) Annual Report
11:00 - 12:00 p.m. Presentation of peer review of the Albatross/Bigelow Vessel Calibration data and analyses including summary results and recommendations
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 - 5:30 p.m. Workshop on Research Set Aside (RSA) Program
· Briefly review history of the Mid-Atlantic RSA program
· Review RSA program listing strengths and challenges
· Briefly review RSA program administrative processes, grants processes, and other regulatory requirements pertinent to RSA programs and discuss improvements already made
· Review RSA program economics, costs, benefits, business practices, and consider alternative business models
· Explore proposed measures to improve the RSA program and discuss what agency or entity is primarily responsible for each proposed action
· Revisit RSA program's objectives as originally perceived by the Council and determine if they are still relevant or need updating

7:00 p.m. Public Hearing on Amendment 11 to Atlantic Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish FMP

Wednesday, February 10
8:00 a.m. Council convenes
8:00 - 8:45 a.m. Receive report on 49th Stock Assessment Review
· Butterfish assessment
· Surfclam assessment
8:45 - 9:45 a.m. Presentation on draft-interim NOAA Catch Share Policy by Monica Medina [Senior Advisor to Dr. Lubchenco and Catch Share Task Force Chairperson]
9:45 - 12:00 p.m. Ecosystems and Ocean Planning Committee Meeting as a Committee of the Whole
· Ocean Policy Task Force and Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (CMSP) presentation by Sam Rauch
· Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) presentation by Jay Odell (Nature Conservancy)
· Develop comments on CMSP Framework
· Discuss two potential lease areas for renewable and non-renewable energy resources off VA coast

12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 - 5:30 p.m. Council tour of clam processing plant

Thursday, February 11
8:00 a.m. Council convenes
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Public Hearing on Amendment 5 to Monkfish FMP
· Discuss potential changes to Monkfish FMP and impacts on fishery
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Council discussion of ACL/AM Omnibus Amendment
· Discuss Council Risk Policy and ABC Control Rule Framework
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) Update
· MRIP / National Registry overview
11:30 - 12:00 p.m. SSC Report
· SSC findings on reconsideration of 2010 ABC recommendation for black sea bass
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Council consideration of SSC's Amended 2010 ABC recommendations
· Develop comments to Regional Administrator on black sea bass management measures and uncertainty
2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Business Session
· Approve December 2009 Council Meeting Minutes
Organizational Reports
· NMFS Regional Administrator
· NMFS NEFSC Director
· NOAA Office of General Counsel
· Federal Enforcement Officials (NMFS and USCG)
· ASMFC's Executive Director
Executive Director's Report
Status of MAFMC FMP's
Committee Reports
· HMS
· Executive
Liaison Report
· New England Council
Continuing and New Business

The above agenda items may not be taken in the order in which they appear and are subject to change as necessary. Other items may be added, but the Council cannot take action on such items even if the item requires emergency action without additional public notice. Non-emergency matters not contained in this agenda may come before the Council and / or its Committees for discussion, but these matters may not be the subject of formal Council or Committee action during this meeting. Council and Committee actions will be restricted to the issues specifically listed in this agenda. Any issues requiring emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act that arise after publication of the Federal Register Notice for this meeting may be acted upon provided that the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. The meeting may be closed to discuss employment or other internal administrative matters.

**This press release will be available on our website in a downloadable PDF format in the coming days. Please visit: http://www.mafmc.org/mid-atlantic/press/press.htm
NOTICE: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council maintains an e-mail directory of constituents that have specifically requested receiving communications from the Council electronically. Such requests can be made by sending an e-mail message to info@mafmc.org, or by phone, fax, or letter directed to the contact listed below.

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Kathy Collins
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
300 S. New Street, Room 2115
Dover, DE 19904
Phone: (302) 674-2331 (ext: 14)
Fax: (302) 674-5399
E-mail: kcollins1@mafmc.org