Sept. 30, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 391

For more information, contact Craig Shirey, DNREC Fisheries, 302-739-9914; Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902; or Tina Berger, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, Public Affairs, 202-289-6400.

DNREC to host Oct. 7 public hearings on striped bass, weakfish, shad

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold public hearings on Wednesday, Oct. 7 to hear public comment regarding proposed addendums to the Commission’s Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic striped bass, weakfish and shad. The hearings will be hosted by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife in the Richardson and Robbins Building Auditorium at 89 Kings Highway, Dover. Hearings are scheduled as follows:

• 6 p.m. – Atlantic striped bass: A draft addendum proposes to allow unused coastal commercial quota of striped bass to be rolled over from one year to the next, with options including state eligibility and the amount of unused quota that may be carried over.

• 6:30 p.m. – Weakfish: A draft addendum proposes a range of options to reduce fishing mortality, including a complete harvest moratorium and limited bycatch-only fisheries. It was developed in response to the 2009 weakfish stock assessment, which shows weakfish stocks at an all-time low, with high total mortality and increased non-fishing mortality.

• 7:30 p.m. – Shad and river herring: A draft amendment proposes monitoring and management measures to protect, enhance and restore American shad stocks to sustainable levels, developed in response to a 2007 stock assessment which indicates stocks at an all-time low with no sign of recovery. Commercial management options include reducing harvest, fishery closings and a coastwide moratorium. Recreational options include reducing harvest, implementing a licensing or permitting program, fishery closings, allowing a catch-and-release fishery only and a coastwide moratorium.

Fishermen and other interested parties are encouraged to attend the hearings or to submit written comments. Public comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 on Atlantic striped bass; until late October on weakfish, date and time TBA; and until 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22 on shad and river herring.

Written comments on striped bass and weakfish may be sent to Nichola Meserve, FMP Coordinator, 1444 Eye Street NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005, fax 202-289-6051 or email nmeserve@asmfc.org. Written comments on shad and river herring may be sent to Kate Taylor, FMP Coordinator, 1444 ‘Eye’ Street NW, Sixth Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005, fax 202-289-6051or email comments@asmfc.org.

For more information, visit the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission website, www.asmfc.org.