MAFMC Meets This Week
The Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC) meets this week in Annapolis, Maryland for their August 2025 Meeting. This meeting will be an in-person meeting with a virtual option. Public comment will be accepted from in-person and remote participants on all major agenda items.
Topics of interest to our North Carolina audience include (but are not limited to): Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, Blueline Tilefish, Atlantic Sea Scallop, Recreational Sector Separation Amendment, Bluefish, Summer Flounder, and Black Sea Bass.
Monday, August 11th
- 1:00 pm Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness
- 3:00 pm SAFMC Blueline Tilefish Letter Raising Concerns Over Allocation Decision Made By Technical Group
Tuesday, August 12th
- 11:00 am Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Track Assessment
- Some concern over assessment results and reference points
- The Scallop Plan Development Team (PDT) will be developing methods to recommend catch advice to be reviewed by SSC
- Scallop Research Track Assessment Overview
- 1:00 pm Recreational Sector Separation Amendment
- 3:00 pm 2026-2027 Bluefish Specifications
- Short term projections indicate that the bluefish stock will be rebuilt this year, however a new assessment (scheduled for 2027) will be needed to assess if stock is fully rebuilt and officially change stock status
- Staff recommend about a 9% increase in the acceptable biological catch (ABC) for 2026-2027
- Bluefish Briefing Materials
- 2024 Bluefish FMP Review
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Wednesday, August 13th
- 9:00 am 2026-2027 Summer Flounder Specifications
- Stock is healthy and staff recommends an increase in ABC for 2026-2027
- Summer Flounder Briefing Materials
- 2024 Summer Flounder FMP Review
- 1:00 pm 2026-2027 Black Sea Bass Specifications
- The northern biomass of Black Sea Bass is very healthy and there are a lot of recreational comments to increase bag limits
- Projections indicate a decline in stock for 2027 and there is some disagreement on setting the 2026-2027 ABCs
- Black Sea Bass Briefing Materials
- 2024 Black Sea Bass FMP Review
Thursday, August 14th
- 9:30 Business Session
NCMFC Meeting August 20-21
The North Carolina Marine FIsheries Commission (MFC) meets in Raleigh, NC on August 20-21 for their quarterly meeting. Topics at this meeting include (but are not limited to): blue crab, southern flounder, sheepshead, black drum, striped bass, Atlantic bonito and the ferry line gill net closure.
Public comment will be allowed in person Wednesday night at 6:00pm and Thursday
morning at 9:00am. Written comments will also be accepted through Monday, August 18th at 4:00pm. You can use the public comment link below, mail, or hand deliver your comments.
More details to follow next in the next Weekly Update.
Meeting Days:
August, 20-21st
Meeting Location:
Hilton Raleigh North Hills
3415 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, NC 27609
Mail Public Comment To:
August 2025 Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting Comments
P.O. Box 769
Morehead City, NC 28557
Drop Off Public Comments At:
Division of Marine Fisheries’ Morehead City Headquarters Office
3441 Arendell Street
Morehead City, NC 28557
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments please reach out.
Thomas Newman
Fisheries Liaison
