FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AUGUST 10, 2009
PRESS CONTACT, TINA BERGER, 202/289-6400

Nontraditional Stakeholders Sought for Participation in ASMFC's Atlantic Herring Advisory Panel
 

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Atlantic Herring Section is in process of revising membership to its Advisory Panel. As part of that process, the Section is seeking nominations from nontraditional stakeholders to fill two seats on its panel. Examples of such stakeholders include, but are not limited to, environmental organizations, grassroots organizations, and individuals/groups with an expertise or interest in predator/prey interactions, stakeholders involved in related fisheries, bycatch, and habitat conservation.

The intent of this action is to broaden the scope of public input to the Atlantic Herring Section as it continues to manage a rebuilt resource with diverse stakeholder needs. The Commission believes that input from nontraditional stakeholders will strengthen the efforts of the Atlantic Herring Section in managing the herring resource. Individuals interested in serving as advisors can obtain an advisory panel nomination form by contacting the Commission at (202)289-6400 or downloading the nomination form via the Commission’s website at http://www.asmfc.org/breakingNews.htm. A completed nomination form must be submitted to the Commission by 5:00 PM on September 10, 2009 at 1444 Eye Street, NW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005; (202) 289-6051 (FAX) or [email protected].

The Commission’s advisory panel process was established to address its increasing responsibilities under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act. The Act mandates, among other considerations, that the Commission provide adequate public participation in its fishery management planning process, including at least four public hearings (during amendment development) and procedures for submission of written comments to the Commission. In 2002, the Commission established the Advisory Panel Oversight Committee, comprised of a subset of legislative and governor-appointed Commissioners and Advisory Panel Chairs, to provide oversight to its advisory panel process. Advisory Panels have been developed for Atlantic herring, Atlantic menhaden, American eel, American lobster, black sea bass, bluefish, coastal sharks, horseshoe crab, northern shrimp, scup, shad & river herring, South Atlantic species (croaker, spot, spotted seatrout, Spanish mackerel, red drum), spiny dogfish, striped bass, summer flounder, tautog, weakfish, and winter flounder.