With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings:

For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will use a speaker sign-up list in deciding how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.

For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment will not provide additional insight to the board.

For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.

In addition, the following timeline has been established for the submission of written comment for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action).

1. Comments received 3 weeks prior to the start of a meeting week will be included on the briefing CD.
2. Comments received by 5:00 PM on the Tuesday immediately preceding the scheduled ASMFC Meeting (in this case, the Tuesday deadline will be January 31, 2012) will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting and a limited number of copies will be provided at the meeting.
3. Following the Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 5:00 PM deadline, the commenter will be responsible for distributing the information to the management board prior to the board meeting or providing enough copies for the management board consideration at the meeting (a minimum of 50 copies).

The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution. As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail, fax, and email.

Legislators and Governors' Appointee Workshop with Blank Rome

• Welcome and Approval of Agenda
• Introductions
  • Commissioners
  • Blank Rome
• Discussion of Desired Workshop Outcomes
  • Relay a Consistent ASMFC Message to their State Congressional Delegation
  • Motivate, Coordinate, Activate Member’s Constituents
  • Be a Resource for Information to their Congressional Delegation
  • Past Commissioner Efforts and Experiences with Congressional Delegations
  • Additional Suggestions from Commissioners
• Capitol Hill
  • Legislative and Appropriations Processes
• Past Efforts by ASMFC and Blank Rome
  • Letters
  • Capitol Hill Visits
• Messaging
  • What Constitutes an Effective Message
  • How to Build the Message
  • What’s in the Message
  • How to Deliver the Message
  • Following up
• Discussion
  • Potential Commissioner Visits to Capitol Hill
  • Personal Contacts and Other Key Congressional Members
  • ASMFC Talking Points, as time permits
• Adjournment

8:30 - 10:30 AM

American Lobster Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Grout)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from November 7, 2011
• Public Comment
• Draft Addendum XVII for Final Approval (T. Kerns) Final Action
  • Review Lobster Conservation Management Team Proposals (T. Kerns)
  • Technical Committee Report (J. Carloni)
  • Law Enforcement Committee Report (M. Robson)
  • Consider Final Approval of Addendum XVII
• Review of Draft Addendum XVIII
  • Plan Development Team Progress on Draft Addendum Document (T. Kerns)
  • Technical Committee Report (J. Carloni)
• Overview of Technical Committee Discussion Regarding New Jersey Stock Assessment Proposal (T. Kerns)
• Other Business/Adjourn

Shad & River Herring Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (M. Duval)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from November 10, 2011
• Public Comment
• Consider Approval of Amendment 3 American Shad Sustainable Fishery Plans Action
  • Technical Committee Report (L. Miller)
• Consider Approval of 2012 American Shad Bycatch Request Action
• Technical Committee Report (L. Miller)
• Update on River Herring Bycatch Avoidance Project by the Sustainable Fisheries Coalition, School of Marine Science and Technology, and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Collaborative Project (D. Bethoney)
• Review and Discuss New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) Draft Amendment 5 (L. Steele)
• Review and Discuss Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) Draft Amendment 14 (K. Taylor)
• Election of Vice-Chair Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Herring Section

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Pierce)
• Section Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from November 7, 2011
• Public Comment
• Update of 2010 Final Landings (C. Vonderweidt)
• Select Preferred Alternatives in the New England Fishery Management Council’s Amendment 5 (L. Steele)
• Technical Committee Review of Spawning Regulations (M. Cieri)
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (T. O’Connell)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from November 8, 2011
• Public Comment
• Review Interstate Watershed Task Force Recommendations Possible Action
  • Law Enforcement Report (M. Robson)
• Review of Connecticut Alternative Management Plan Implementation (K. Taylor)
  6. Election of Vice-Chair Action
  7. Other Business/Adjourn

8:30 - 9:15 AM

Bluefish Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Travelstead)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from February 4, 2010
• Public Comment
• Draft Addendum I for Final Approval Final Action
  • Review Options (M. Waine)
  • Public Comment Summary (M. Waine)
  • Consider Final Approval of Addendum I
• Elect Vice-Chair Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Atlantic Menhaden Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (L. Daniel)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Proceedings from November 9, 2011
• Public Comment
• Technical Committee Report (J. Brust)
  • Landing Scenarios to Achieve New Reference Points
• Consider Approval of Draft Public Information Document to Amendment 2 for Public Comment (M. Waine) Action
  • Advisory Panel Report (W. Windley)
• Multispecies Technical Committee Overview of Management Decision Analysis (H. Townsend) Action
  • Review Recommendation to Adopt Decision Analysis Framework for Developing Ecological-based Reference Points
• Review and Populate Plan Development Team Membership (M. Waine) Action
• Review and Populate Committee on Economics and Social Sciences Membership (M. Waine) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Simpson)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from November 8, 2011
• Public Comment
• Consider Approval of State Summer Flounder Recreational Proposals Action
  • Technical Committee Report (J. McNamee and T. Kerns)
• Consider Approval of State Scup Recreational Proposals Action
  • Technical Committee Report (J. McNamee and T. Kerns)
• Draft Addendum XXII for Final Approval Final Action
  • Review Options (T. Kerns)
  • Public Comment Summary (T. Kerns)
  • Technical Committee Report (J. McNamee)
  • Advisory Panel Report
  • Consider Final Approval of Addendum XXII
• Review and Populate Committee of Economics and Social Science Membership (T. Kerns) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Interstate Fisheries Management Program (ISFMP) Policy Board Supplemental Material

• Welcome/Call to Order (P. Diodati)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings of November 9 and 10, 2011
• Public Comment
• Compliance Committee Report (J. Gilmore)
• ASMFC Commissioner Survey Results (R. Beal)
  • Summary of Results
  • Discuss Next Steps
• Discussion on Policy Board Involvement in Species Management (R. Beal)
• Update on MRIP Re-estimation of Recreational Catch (G. Colvin)
• Report on ASMFC Assessment Capacity (P. Campfield)
• Other Business/Recess

Tautog Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (B. Goldsborough)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from November 8, 2011
• Public Comment
• Review State Implementation of Addendum VI
  • Update on Approved State Regulations (C. Vonderweidt)
  • New Jersey Commercial Size Proposal and Technical Committee Review (J. McNamee) Action
• Update of Tautog Aging Review (K. Drew)
• Other Business/Adjourn

8:30 - 10:00 AM

Horseshoe Crab Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (T. O’Connell)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from November 9, 2011
• Public Comment
• Draft Addendum VII for Final Approval Final Action
  • Review Options (D. Chesky)
  • Public Comment Summary (D. Chesky)
  • Delaware Bay Ecosystem Technical Committee Report (J. Brust)
  • Horseshoe Crab Advisory Panel Report (J. Cooper)
  • Shorebird Advisory Panel Report (S. Karpanty)
  • Law Enforcement Committee Report (M. Robson)
  • Consider Final Approval of Addendum VII
• Other Business/Adjourn

Weakfish Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (J. Gilmore)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from August 3, 2011
• Public Comment
• Technical Committee Report (L. Paramore)
  • Update on North Carolina Conservation Equivalency
• Consider 2011 FMP Review and State Compliance (M. Waine) Action
• Review and Populate Committee on Economics and Social Sciences Membership (M. Waine) Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

South Atlantic State/Federal Fisheries Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (L. Daniel)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from November 9, 2011
• Public Comment
• Consider Approval of Black Drum Public Information Document for Public Comment (D. Chesky) Action
• Review State/Regional Quota White Paper (D. Chesky) Possible Action
• Discussion of Future Red Drum Assessment and Management (L. Daniel)
• Draft Technical Addendum 1a to Amendment I for Spanish Mackerel (D. Chesky) Final Action
• Other Business/Adjourn

Spiny Dogfish & Coastal Sharks Management Board

• Welcome/Call to Order (D. Simpson)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from November 10, 2011
• Public Comment
• 2011/2012 Spiny Dogfish Fishery Performance (C. Vonderweidt)
• Review Spiny Dogfish Overfishing Definition and Technical Committee Recommendations (C. Vonderweidt)
• 2011 SouthEast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR 21) for Dusky, Sandbar, and Blacknose Sharks
  • Assessment Overview (G. Skomal)
  • Technical Committee Review of Results (G. Skomal)
  • Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Rulemaking to Implement SEDAR 21 Results (K. Brewster Geisz)
  • Technical Committee Management Recommendations (G. Skomal)
• Upcoming HMS Shark Management Actions (K. Brewster Geisz)
• Review Shark Conservation Act of 2010 (C. Vonderweidt)
• Spiny Dogfish and Coastal Sharks Technical Committee Appointments (C. Vonderweidt)
• Other Business/Adjourn

ISFMP Policy Board (continued)

• Welcome/Call to Order (P. Diodati)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
• Public Comment
• Review of Non-compliance Findings (if necessary)
• Other Business/Adjourn

Business Session

• Welcome/Call to Order (P. Diodati)
• Board Consent
  • Approval of Agenda
  • Approval of Proceedings from November 9 and 10, 2011
• Public Comment
• Review of Non-compliance Findings (if necessary)
• Other Business/Adjourn