Editor's note: See also Public Invited to Comment on Potential
Winter Flounder Closure (pdf)

From an e-mail on April 2 from the New Jersey
Division of Fish and Wildlife:

The following is a news release from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Winter Flounder Board
Releases Draft Addendum I for Public Comment;
States to Conduct Hearings in April

Washington, DC - The Commission's Winter Flounder Management Board has approved the release of Draft Addendum I to Amendment 1 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for the Inshore Stocks of Winter Flounder for public review and comment. The Draft Addendum proposes a suite of management measures to reduce fishing mortality on the inshore stocks of winter flounder (0 to 3 miles). The range of management measures include recreational bag limits, recreational seasons, and commercial possession limits.

Atlantic coastal states from Maine through New Jersey have scheduled their hearings to gather public comment. The dates, times, and locations of the scheduled meetings follow:

Maine Department of Marine Resources
April 21, 2009; 6:00 PM
Wiscasset Fire Station
Station Route 1
Wiscasset, Maine
Contact: Terry Stockwell at (207) 624-6553

New Hampshire Fish and Game
April 22, 2009; 7:00 PM
Urban Forestry Center
45 Elwyn Road
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Contact: Doug Grout at (603) 868-1095

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
April 23, 2009; 6:00 PM
Whaler Banquet & Conference Center
500 Hathaway Road
New Bedford, Massachusetts
Contact: Melanie Griffin at (617) 626-1528

Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife
April 20, 2009; 6:00 PM
URI Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium
215 South Ferry Road
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Contact: April Valliere at (401) 423-1939

Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection
April 14, 2009; 7:00 PM
Marine Headquarters Boating Education Center
333 Ferry Road
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Contact: David Simpson at (860) 434-6043

New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation
April 9, 2009; 7:00 PM
205 North Belle Meade Road, Suite 1
East Setauket, New York
Contact: Steve Heins at (631) 444-0436

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife
April 16, 2009; 7:00 PM
Ocean County Administration Building, Room 119
101 Hooper Avenue
Toms River, New Jersey
Contact: Tom McCloy at (609) 292-7794

The Board initiated the Draft Addendum in response to the findings of the 2008 Groundfish Assessment Report Meeting (GARM III), which estimates that the Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic stock is at 9 percent of the target biomass (overfished) with overfishing occurring and that the Gulf of Maine stock is likely to be overfished with overfishing likely to be occurring.

Another factor influencing the Board's action is pending federal management measures on groundfish stocks, which will significantly reduce fishing mortality on federally-managed groundfish stocks in offshore waters (3 - 200 miles). Options under Draft Addendum I will seek to enhance stock rebuilding efforts throughout the species range by reducing fishing related mortality on inshore spawning stocks.

Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on Draft Addendum I, either by attending public hearings or providing written comments. Copies of the Draft Addendum can be obtained by contacting the Commission at (202) 289-6400 or via the Commission's website at www.asmfc.org under Breaking News.

Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 PM on April 30, 2009 (EST) and should be forwarded to Christopher Vonderweidt, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1444 'Eye' Street, NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20005; (202) 289-6051 (FAX) or at
comments@asmfc.org (Subject line: Winter Flounder Draft Addendum I).

The Board will meet again in May, during the Commission's Spring Meeting, to review public comment and advisory panel input, and consider final action on the Addendum. For more information, please contact Christopher Vonderweidt, at (202) 289-6400 or cvonderweidt@asmfc.org.

*************************
Tina Berger
Public Affairs Specialist
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
1444 I Street. NW, Sixth Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202)289-6400
FAX: (202)289-6051
Email: tberger@asmfc.org
www.asmfc.org

ASMFC Vision: Healthy, self-sustaining populations for all Atlantic coast fish species or successful restoration well in progress by the year 2015.

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