Maine Lobstermen's Association

The primary agenda items for this round of lobster zone council meetings is to discuss individual zone minimum trawl lengths and weak points, as well as next steps at the federal level.

For some background, the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) had submitted a Maine state-wide right whale proposal to NMFS earlier this year.  This proposal was brought to all seven lobster zone councils for discussion this past winter.  

A key component of DMR’s proposal is a conservation equivalency, a provision which would allow the state’s lobster management zones to implement measures that achieve equivalent conservation outcomes.  This would enable zone councils to consider a different suite of measures which work for their local fishing practices, oceanographic conditions, and safety concerns.  

In this process, each zone could form a sub-committee to come up with a conservation equivalency for their zone.  All seven zone sub-committees met with DMR to ensure that their zone’s recommended scenario was equivalent to the state plan.  The sub-committees were then tasked with bringing their zone recommendations to the full lobster zone council for discussion.

Below is the Lobster Zone F Sub-Committee recommendation to the Zone F Council:

         Area                                             Minimums

• Exemption Line-3 miles:                   Triples
• 3-12 miles:                                         10s
• 12+ miles:                                           26s
• 1 weak point in all federal waters

The primary agenda item for this round of meetings is for each zone council to discuss the individual sub-committee’s recommendations for their zone and to decide whether to advance those recommendations, or maintain the state-wide proposal’s measures. 

Zone councils may also want to discuss measures not included in the DMR proposal, but which are still within the zone council’s authority, such as trawl length maximums.

Anyone that has provided DMR with an email address will receive the link to join the meeting or the telephone number to call into the meeting.

Here are three ways to join the meeting:

If you haven’t joined a Teams Meeting before, here is some information on how to join. 

• If joining the Teams Meeting from your smartphone, download the free Microsoft Teams app in advance of the meeting.  You will be able to log into the app as a “guest,” and it will prompt you to enter your name.  Allow Microsoft Teams to use your audio and microphone when prompted so that you will be able to participate in the meeting. 
• If joining this meeting from your computer, you do not need to download the app – just click on the “Join Microsoft Teams Meeting” link below.  When a webpage opens and asks how you want to join the meeting, click “Join on the web instead”. You can use any browser except Safari.
• Here is a conference call telephone number if you prefer to call in directly.  Calling in would limit your ability to see what might be presented on the screen.  1-207-209-4724.  Please see the conference ID below.

Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
+1 207-209-4724   United States, Portland (Toll)
Conference ID: 352 934 706#

Council Members ONLY – please notify Sarah Cotnoir (207-592-8813) by Friday, September 25, 2020 whether you will be available to join the video conference or call in.

Please see the draft agenda below:

1. Welcome and Review Agenda
2. New Business

• Zone F Sub-Committee Presents the Right Whale Conservation equivalency Recommendations to the Zone F Council
• Lobster Zone Council Discussion re:  Recommendations
• Open Discussion re:  Recommendations
• Zone F Council Position re:  Recommendations
• Maximum Trawl Length – Zone authority (not through Federal Whale Plan)

3. Reports & Updates –     Next Steps:

• Proposed Rule/Comment Period
• Biological Opinion

4. Next Meeting Date Set

The primary agenda items for this round of lobster zone council meetings is to discuss individual zone minimum trawl lengths and weak points, as well as next steps at the federal level.

Here are three ways to join the meeting:

If you haven’t joined a Teams Meeting before, here is some information on how to join. 

• If joining the Teams Meeting from your smartphone, download the free Microsoft Teams app in advance of the meeting.  You will be able to log into the app as a “guest,” and it will prompt you to enter your name.  Allow Microsoft Teams to use your audio and microphone when prompted so that you will be able to participate in the meeting. 
• If joining this meeting from your computer, you do not need to download the app – just click on the “Join Microsoft Teams Meeting” link below.  When a webpage opens and asks how you want to join the meeting, click “Join on the web instead”. You can use any browser except Safari.
• Here is a conference call telephone number if you prefer to call in directly.  Calling in would limit your ability to see what might be presented on the screen.  1-207-209-4724.  Please see the conference ID below.

Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
+1 207-209-4724   United States, Portland (Toll)
Conference ID: 300 608 701#

Please see the draft agenda below:

1. Welcome and Review Agenda

1. New Business         

• Zone D Sub-Committee Presents the Right Whale Conservation Equivalency Recommendations to the Zone D Council
• Lobster Zone Council Discussion re:  Recommendations
• Open Discussion re:  Recommendations
• Zone D Council Position re:  Recommendations
• Maximum Trawl Length – Zone authority (not through Federal Whale Plan)

3. Reports & Updates –     Next Steps:

• Proposed Rule/Comment Period
• Biological Opinion

4. Next Meeting Date Set

Day 1: Ecosystems

Topics That Will Be Covered:

• Physical oceanographic impacts
• Biological impacts
• Ecosystem Impacts
• Fishing Industry Operational and economic impacts
• Effects to regional scientific surveys, scientific advise, and management
• Innovative sampling and monitoring techniques
• Evolving offshore wind technologies and future considerations

Fisheries and Offshore Wind Energy: Synthesis of Science is a collaborative effort between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA).

This project consists of two integrated components: a virtual workshop and a published report, which share the purpose of enhancing regional and national understanding of existing science and data gaps related to offshore wind interactions with fish and fisheries.

This collaborative process, co-designed by fishermen, wind developers, and state, academic, and federal partners, will advance the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance’s (ROSA) regional science efforts by describing the current state of science, exploring existing research and monitoring programs, identifying data gaps, and soliciting input into priority research questions.

Further details on the agenda, webinar links, and background materials will be posted as they become available at: https://rodafisheries.org/portfolio/synthesis-of-the-science/

RODA, NMFS, and BOEM are convening this workshop to collectively share completed, ongoing, and planned research relevant to offshore wind and fisheries. The workshop will engage key experts, including fishermen, fishing industry representatives, agency representatives, wind energy developers, relevant fisheries managers, and expert scientists and academics to build and refine a regional fisheries and offshore science agenda, including through the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA).

Agenda

:• Review Results of 2020 Scallop Management Track Assessment.

•Review preliminary survey results from all available 2020scallop surveys, including: SMAST drop camera surveys, Coonamessett Farm Foundation Habcam surveys, VIMS dredge surveys.

•Discuss data decisions for combining survey abundance and biomass estimates, data on fishery performance, and potential management scenarios for FY2021 / FY2022.

•Other business may be discussed, as necessary.

Online access:

This meeting will be broadcast online via GoToWebinar. The meeting will begin on Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 9:30a.m. EST. Click the following link to join. Use VoIP with a microphone and speakers for audio –a headset is recommended.

Call In information: Phone: +1 (562) 247-8321 Access Code: 234-504-187

Please note that this is not a toll-free number **Please be sure to mute your phone upon joining the call so that there will not be interference with the team’s discussion**

The New England Fishery Management Council generally posts announcements of Plan Develop Team (PDT) meetings on the Council’s website, occasionally with very little notice. An agenda may or may not be included. Team members may discuss topics, if listed, in any order or add other issues not contained in the meeting notice.

Members of the public may attend PDT meetings, or listen in if the meetings are broadcast, but should not expect to participate unless the PDT chair invites input. Public comments and questions will not be taken during PDT conference calls.

PDTs are responsible to the Council and work on technical analyses as directed by their oversight committee. Once complete, PDT work products are reviewed at oversight committee meetings to which the public is invited. It is at this point that comments are encouraged on a range of issues, including PDT reports and recommendations, proposed management options or other information that is relevant to the committee’s business at that time. The committee, in turn, makes management recommendations to the full Council based on the full suite of information it has available to it.

Day 2: Socioeconomics

Topics That Will Be Covered:

• Physical oceanographic impacts
• Biological impacts
• Ecosystem Impacts
• Fishing Industry Operational and economic impacts
• Effects to regional scientific surveys, scientific advise, and management
• Innovative sampling and monitoring techniques
• Evolving offshore wind technologies and future considerations

Fisheries and Offshore Wind Energy: Synthesis of Science is a collaborative effort between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA).

This project consists of two integrated components: a virtual workshop and a published report, which share the purpose of enhancing regional and national understanding of existing science and data gaps related to offshore wind interactions with fish and fisheries.

This collaborative process, co-designed by fishermen, wind developers, and state, academic, and federal partners, will advance the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance’s (ROSA) regional science efforts by describing the current state of science, exploring existing research and monitoring programs, identifying data gaps, and soliciting input into priority research questions.

Further details on the agenda, webinar links, and background materials will be posted as they become available at: https://rodafisheries.org/portfolio/synthesis-of-the-science/

RODA, NMFS, and BOEM are convening this workshop to collectively share completed, ongoing, and planned research relevant to offshore wind and fisheries. The workshop will engage key experts, including fishermen, fishing industry representatives, agency representatives, wind energy developers, relevant fisheries managers, and expert scientists and academics to build and refine a regional fisheries and offshore science agenda, including through the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA).