Comments on Draft Eel Plan due by July 17

ASMFC - American Eel Management - Comments on Draft Addendum IV due on July 17

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The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has released a Draft Addendum IV to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eel. Comments to the ASMFC on the plan are due on July 17.  A public hearing was held on Tuesday, July 1 in Bourne.

Draft Addendum IV proposes a suite of options to address the commercial glass, yellow, and silver eel fisheries along the Atlantic coast. Management options under consideration include glass and yellow eel quotas, a catch cap for the yellow eel fishery, a moratorium on the glass eel fishery, and a seasonal closure and license cap for the silver eel fishery in the Delaware River (NY). The Draft Addendum also proposes glass eel harvest allowances for aquaculture purposes and a conservation-based allocation program in which the states may earn a glass eel quota via stock enhancement programs that increase glass eel passage.

The Draft Addendum intends to build upon the management measures established under Addendum III in order to reduce overall mortality and increase conservation of American eel stocks in response to the findings of the 2012 benchmark stock assessment indicating the American eel population in U.S. waters is depleted. For full details, refer to Draft Addendum IV, available on the ASMFC's website (www.asmfc.org) or by contacting ASMFC at 703-842-0740.

Written public comment will be accepted until 11:59 PM (EST) on July 17, 2014 and should be submitted to Kate Taylor, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; 703.842.0741 (FAX) or at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  (Subject line: American Eel).