MAFMC 5-Year Strategic Plan

Public Comments

August 14, 2013

Agenda1. Project Overview2. Public comment summary3. Additional public comments4. Council discussion 5. Vote on strategic plan6. Overview of implementation plan

approaches and questions for Council consideration

7. Council discussionAll background documents are available at http://www.mafmc.org/strategic-plan/

Strategic Planning SummarySpring 2010 Visioning and Strategic Planning Project

initiated by Council

Sept 2011- Feb 2012

Visioning Project—stakeholder engagement and data gathering

June 2012 Visioning results summarized in Stakeholder Input Report and presented to Council

Aug-Dec 2012 Strategic Planning Working Group met five times to develop vision, mission, goals, and objectives

Jan-May 2013 Council staff further revised and developed the working group’s draft strategic plan

June 2013 Draft 5-Year Strategic Plan presented to Council

June-July 2013 Public comments on draft plan

ManagementDevelop fishery management strategies that

provide for productive, sustainable fisheries.

ScienceEnsure that the

Council’s management

decisions are based on timely and

accurate scientific data that are analyzed and modeled in a manner that

improves management

performance and build stakeholder

confidence.

Communication

Engage, inform, and educate

stakeholders to promote public awareness and

encourage constructive

participation in the Council

process

GovernanceEnsure that the

Council's governance

structures and practices fairly

represent stakeholder

interests, are coordinated with

the Council's management partners, and

include a clear and well-defined

decision-making process.

VISIONHealthy and

productive marine ecosystems supporting thriving, sustainable marine fisheries that provide the

greatest overall benefit to stakeholders.

MISSION: The Council manages marine fisheries in federal waters of the Mid-Atlantic region for their long-term sustainability and productivity consistent with the National Standards of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Council is committed to the effective stewardship of these fisheries and associated

habitats by incorporating scientific information and informed public input in transparent processes that produce fishery management plans and programs.

Public Comment Summary

~7,500 individual comments 4 comment letters from

organizations Majority of comments focused on

support for the Council’s ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM)

Emphasis on effective follow-through and implementation of the plan’s objectives and strategies

Support for Ecosystem Approaches in Five-Year Strategic

Plan (7500 similar comments received)

Key Points Complete and implement EAFM Document Protect forage fish Consider species interactions in stock

assessments and catch limits Protect essential fish habitat Avoid adverse ecosystem impacts Improve understanding of climate change

and manage accordingly

ORGANIZATION COMMENT LETTERS

Support for objectives related to strengthening partnership with BOEM

Supportive of all goals, objectives, and strategies related to offshore energy development

“BOEM will continue to work collaboratively with the Council to prioritize study needs in the Mid-Atlantic region…”

“BOEM hopes that the Council will provide constructive feedback… to ensure that BOEM’s environmental assessments and studies accurately reflect potential impacts to fisheries and the communities they support.”

Support for vision and for ecosystem objectives & strategies

Disappointed in the lack of working group involvement in implementation plan development.

“Incorporating habitat considerations and species interactions…are strategies that are already evolving through existing management plan frameworks...Indeed, significant progress can and should be made toward EAFM in the two years leading up to completion of the Guidance Document.”

“The foundation for the Council systematically moving toward [EBM] will be laid in the “EAFM Guidance Document”... Therefore, we are pleased to see the Guidance Document initiative folded into the strategic plan.”

Support for ecosystem approach defined in draft strategic plan

Emphasis on maintaining healthy forage base

“We are glad to see that your draft strategic plan includes a move towards an ecosystem approach, and we would strongly encourage you to both approve this part of the plan and then work towards implementing this approach into management plans.”

Support for inclusion of EAFM in the strategic plan

Emphasis on science-based forage fish policy

Signed by more than 1,100 individuals; 190 comments are included in briefing book.

“The draft plan’s focus on species interactions is particularly important for forage fish and for the economically valuable predator fish that depend on them.”

In Summary

Broad support for the elements of the plan related to ecosystems and EAFM

Very few specific comments—positive or negative—on other parts of the plan

Support for the Council’s proactive management approach

Follow-through is critical