Meetings

All regularly scheduled meetings of the Council are held on Tuesdays at 2:00pm at the office of the Division of Marine Resources, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, 123 Kings Park Blvd. Kings Park, NY 11754.  Any change in meeting dates, times or location will be posted on this Web Page. Those planning to attend a Council meeting are encouraged to check this Web Page beforehand for any such changes.

Below are the dates of the regularly-scheduled meetings of the Marine Resources Advisory Council in Calendar 2024:

  • Tuesday, January 9 – 2:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday, February 6 – 2:00 p.m.
  • April 9th – 2:00 p.m.
  • May 7th – 2:00 p.m.
  • July 9th – evening meeting (time to be determined)
  • September 17th – 2:00 p.m.
  • November 12th – 2:00 p.m.

All meetings will take place at the DEC Offices, 123 Kings Park Blvd. Kings Park, NY 11754 at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. It is best to check the MRAC web page prior to a meeting for any possible changes and the agenda.

January 19, 2021 MRAC Meeting

AGENDA

  • Public Comment – non-agenda items
  • Approval of November 17, 2020 Minutes
  • CARES Act update and next steps
  • 2021 Quota distribution plans for 2021
  • Limited Entry Random Selection Process
    • DEC is seeking a commercial fishing representative to witness the random selection process that will otherwise be virtual
  • Rule Making update
  • Circle Hook update
  • Announcements
    • Special Harvest Programs
    • Public hearings and meetings
    • Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting, February 1-4, 2021
    • Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting, February 9-11, 2021
    • Reporting compliance for Food Fish and Crustacea Dealer/Shipper License Holders

Agenda – January 19, 2021

To join the virtual meeting, you must register online: >> Click on this link to register

  • Enter your name and email address
  • If required, enter meeting password: MRAC0121
  • Click “Register”

Alternatively, you can dial into the meeting by calling (518) 549-0500 and entering Meeting ID # 178 158 0889.

Visit DEC’s Public Participation website for additional information on how to participate in DEC virtual meetings. For more information, visit DEC’s website.

November 17, 2020 MRAC Meeting

There will be a Marine Resources Advisory Council meeting this coming Tuesday, November 17th and due to the current social restrictions still in place, once again the meeting will take place virtually.  The start time is 2:00 p.m.

AGENDA

  • Approval of Minutes – July 14 & September 15, 2020
  • CARES Act spend plan and application process
  • ASMFC Striped Bass Advisory Panel: possible commercial representative
  • New commercial summer flounder quota allocation:
    • Implementation January 1, 2021
    • Law suit
  • Announcements
    • Tautog tagging program resumes in 2021
    • Notification by email and text messaging (E-notification)
    • FF&C Dealers/Shippers license holders reporting compliance
    • 2021 Quota distribution meeting
  • Update
    • Circle Hooks
  • 2021 Calendar

Log in and registration instructions for the virtual meeting are on DEC’s website .

The webinar will allow registrants to listen to council deliberations and motions as they occur and view presentations. Participants that join the webinar online may make verbal comments when prompted. Stakeholders may also submit written comments to kim.knoll@stonybrook.edu prior to the meeting which will be addressed during the meeting.

PDF Agenda 11-17-20

September 15, 2020 MRAC Meeting

There will be a Council meeting this coming Tuesday, September 15th and due to the current social restrictions still in place, once again the meeting will take place virtually.  The start time is 2:00 p.m.

Log in and registration instructions for the virtual meeting are on DEC’s website .

The webinar will allow registrants to listen to council deliberations and motions as they occur and view presentations. Participants that join the webinar online may make verbal comments when prompted. Stakeholders may also submit written comments to kim.knoll@stonybrook.edu which will be addressed during the meeting.

MRAC Agenda 9-15-20

  • Public Comments
  • Announcements
  • Approval of Minutes – July 14, 2020
  • CARES ACT
  • Information regarding Circle Hooks
  • Commercial Bluefish and Black Sea Bass Management
  • General Updates

July 14, 2020 MRAC Meeting

The next MRAC meeting will be held via webinar on Tuesday July 14th, 2020 at 6:00pm. The NYS DEC has also posted information about the meeting on their website.

The agenda for Tuesday’s meeting is below and the instructions for joining the meeting are below the agenda.  Please reach out to me if you have any questions.    I will refer all technical questions to Stephanie Rekeymeyer who so kindly put the webinar together.

AGENDA

  • CARES Act
  • Bluefish management
  • Illex Squid management
  • Marine Permit office operating procedures for next 6-12 months
  • Circle hook requirement (January 1st 2021)
  • Approval of meeting Minutes

Instructions to join the virtual meeting:

  • Click on the link: July 2020 MRAC Meeting
  • Enter your name and email address
  • If required, enter meeting password MRACJul20
  • Click “Join”

Only participants that join the meeting through the link above will be able to make verbal comments during the virtual meeting.

All attendees will be muted upon entry. During the questions and comments portion of the meeting, attendees will be asked to use the ‘raise hand’ function to be unmuted in order to make their comments. If you are interested in making a public comment during the meeting, please notify kim.knoll@stonybrook.edu by close of business on Monday, July 13.

Alternatively, attendees may also listen to the webinar by calling 518-549-0500 and entering meeting Access Code 161 939 0138. Participants that call-in will not be able to make verbal comments during the webinar. Please email all questions and comments to kim.knoll@stonybrook.edu to be included in the meeting minutes.

May 19, 2020 MRAC Meeting

The next MRAC meeting will be held via webinar. The NYS DEC has posted information about the meeting on their website.

The meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 2:00 PM will be held by webinar. Follow the instructions below to join the webinar.
  • Online: Visit the following link to register and to access the meeting once it begins: Click here to Register for MRAC Webinar (link leaves DEC website)
  • Mobile Device: From a smartphone or tablet, download Cisco’s Webex Meetings app and enter Access Code 612 748 109.
  • By Phone: Dial 1-844-633-8697 and enter Access Code 612 748 109.
  • Please note: You will not be able to join the meeting until Tuesday, May 19 at 1:45 PM.

Stakeholders are encouraged to submit public comments to kim.knoll@stonybrook.edu. Public comments will be accepted through Friday, May 22nd, and will be included in the meeting minutes.

Agenda, May 19, 2020

  • Approval of April’s Closed Session Minutes
  • Coronavirus issues related to commercial and for-hire industries
  • Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
  • President’s Executive Order on Seafood Industries
  • Summer flounder commercial quota management

Updates:

  • Topics to be announced and as time permits

March 24, 2020 MRAC Meeting

Due to imposed restrictions by Governor Cuomo surrounding public meetings, the Tuesday, March 24th meeting of the Marine Resources Advisory Council has been cancelled. Hopefully, things will be on an optimistic upswing by April’s scheduled meeting for the 21st but with things changing day by day, we cannot guarantee that right now. We will keep you informed as things progress.

January 21, 2020 MRAC Meeting

The next MRAC meeting will be Tuesday, January 21st at 2:00 p.m. at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, 205 Belle Meade Road, East Setauket, NY. We will determine the remainder of the 2020 meeting dates at that meeting.

MRAC Meeting January 21, 2020 Agenda

    • Public Comment
    • Approval of Draft Minutes of November 19, 2019 Meeting
    • Commercial Quota Management PDF:
      • Fluke
      • Scup
      • Black Sea Bass
      • Bluefish
      • Horseshoe Crab
    • Striped Bass Conservation Equivalency Proposals:
      • Commercial
      • Recreational
      • Timeline
    • 2020 Recreational Bluefish Regulations
    • Notifications (i.e. brief discussions):
      • Feb ASMFC Board meeting
      • Feb MAFMC meeting
      • Scoping Hearing for Fluke/Scup/Black Sea Bass/Bluefish Commercial/Recreational allocation amendment (MAFMC)
    • Rulemakings:
      1. Commercial Tautog Tagging
      2. Multi-state limits (winter fluke)
      3. Commercial whelk (min. size limit)
      4. Mako shark, Atlantic cod, Squid trip limits, and other.

November 19, 2019 MRAC Meeting Agenda

The November 19, 2019 MRAC meeting will be held at the DEC Offices, 205 Belle Mead Road, East Setauket at 2:00 p.m.

  • Public comment
  • Approval of draft Minutes from September 17, 2019 and October 22, 2019 (2)
  • Striped Bass Management Options for 2020
  • Black Sea Bass Update
  • Commercial Licensing Program Update
  • Calendar dates for 2020

Tuesday, October 22nd Special MRAC Meeting

The Tuesday, October 22nd, 2019 MRAC meeting will be held at the DEC Offices, 205 Belle Mead Road, East Setauket from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

The Council will have a special meeting to go over Draft Addendum VI to Amendment Six to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass and will vote on their recommendation. The public are welcome to attend, however, no input will be solicited. The DEC held several meeting previously to seek the public’s suggestions and recommendations.

The meeting will take place at the DEC Offices, 205 Belle Mead Road, East Setauket, NY

To join the online webinar:

  • Step 1. Click on October MRAC Meeting. (link leaves website)
  • Step 2. Enter your name and email address.
  • Step 3: Click “Join”.

Alternatively, you can join the meeting by calling:

  • 1-518-549-0500 (Local) or
  • 1-844-633-8697 (Toll Free)
  • Then entering the Meeting ID # 648 325 162.

September 17, 2019 MRAC Meeting Agenda

The September 17, 2019 MRAC meeting will be held at the DEC Offices, 205 Belle Mead Road, East Setauket at 2:00 p.m.

  • Approval of draft Minutes for July 23, 2019 meeting
  • Public Comment
  • Tautog – ASMFC Commercial Tagging Program Update (20 minutes)
  • Update on NY/NOAA Fisheries Lawsuit on Commercial Summer Flounder (5minutes)
  • Update on Commercial Licensing Effort (Lapointe Report) (5 minutes)
  • Striped Bass: ASMFC Addendum VI (1 hour)**
  • Other business

**Please note this agenda topic is for Council discussion only. Public comments have already been solicited and received from recent public hearings.