The MLA and DMR strongly encourage all lobstermen, gillnetters, community members and anyone affected by these proposals to attend. This is your chance to go face to face with NOAA.

 From Comissioner Keliher:

"While there will be more opportunities to speak to NOAA on the record regarding future rules, this will be the only face to face opportunity for you to provide input on the development of potential measures. 

We encourage you to participate and if you do it is critically important that you speak to potential measures, and how they will impact your business, family and community.  If you have additional ideas regarding measures you feel should be considered in this round of federal rulemaking please raise them.  It is important to note that NOAA can only consider measures that are identified through this scoping process.  

It’s also very important that Maine’s concerns and priorities be included in the administrative record, and your testimony is a key component of that record. Suggestions for what to address in your comments during the scoping session include:

• How a 90% risk reduction target will impact you
• How a 90% risk reduction target will impact your community
• What types of measures you think should be considered
• That the timeline is too short for development of thoughtful measures - there's not enough time for DMR and industry to meet and develop and refine ideas
• Why you feel public input from the fishing industry is needed in this process"

What will a 90% risk reduction look like?

Please see this PDF of proposals including: capping endlines, reconfiguring gillnet gear, reducing traps and trawls, reducing effort, increasing weak links,  and seasonal closures.

NOAA's Announcement:

NOAA is seeking suggestions for measures for all U.S. commercial fisheries regulated by the Plan (U.S. East Coast gillnet, Atlantic mixed species trap/pot, and Mid-Atlantic and Northeast lobster and Jonah crab trap/pot fisheries) that would reach a 90% minimum risk reduction needed to bring mortality and serious injury below the potential biological removal level for this species.

Scoping is an opportunity for citizens to provide input on the range of issues to be addressed for significant regulatory actions in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which evaluates the overall impacts of regulations. Attendance at a scoping meeting is not the only way to provide comments. You may also submit comments in writing through NOAA's online portal, Regulations.gov.

Date: October 5, 2022
Time: 6-9 p.m.
Location: Hannaford Hall in the University of Southern Maine’s Abromson Community Education Center, 88 Bedford St, Portland, Maine 04101

Comments will be recorded.

The scoping period is open through October 11, 2022. For more background, please review the information on our Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan web page, the Right Whale Unusual Mortality Event web page, and the many recorded webinars.

See a recording of the virtual scoping meeting held on September 27, 2022 and the meeting materials on NOAA's website.