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 2025:
- January 14th – 2:00 p.m.
- March 11th – 2:00 p.m.
- April 8th – 2:00 p.m.
- May 13th – 2:00 p.m.
- July 15th – 6:00 p.m.
- September 16th – 2:00 p.m.
- November 18th – 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.
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.
- 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
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- Public Comment
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- 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:
- Commercial Tautog Tagging
- Multi-state limits (winter fluke)
- Commercial whelk (min. size limit)
- 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.
July 23, 2019 Meeting Agenda
Stony Brook University – Charles B. Wang Center from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Agenda – MRAC Meeting
- Approval of March and May’s meeting Minutes
- George LaPointe Report for Commercial Licensing Assessment Review
Mr. LaPointe will present a summary of his recommendations one at a time, leaving time for discussion/suggestions from the Council and then the audience before moving forward. Since there are going to be two additional meetings for public comments in August (one in Suffolk and the other in Nassau County), voting by the Council will be most constructive at our September meeting.
For directions and parking instructions at the Charles B. Wang Center, visit Stony Brook University’s website.
Public Meeting on Commercial Licensing Assessment Review
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will hold its first meeting to announce outcomes of the Commercial Licensing Assessment Review generated by marine fisheries consultant George LaPointe on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, 6 p.m. at Stony Brook University’s Charles B. Wang Center, located at 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794 (Google Maps). Information on how to access the meeting’s live audio via WebEx will be available on DEC’s website preceding the meeting.
In March 2018, DEC’s Division of Marine Resources engaged LaPointe, a marine fisheries consultant well-versed in current marine fisheries issues, to review and provide feedback on the State’s current management of the licensing of commercial marine fishermen in New York. Lapointe’s experience in managing state fisheries and licensing has enabled him to capture the diverse views and needs of New York’s commercial fishing industry.
New York’s current licensing system has evolved over the past 30 years in response to changing fish populations in New York State waters. A list of the topics that have been addressed during this project include:
- Specifying qualifications for license issuance
- License transferability
- Identifying means of entry for new participants in New York’s fisheries
- Apprenticeship
- Resolution of the latent licenses issue
A series of public meetings were held by DEC and LaPointe to allow commercial fisheries stakeholders to ask questions and provide insight into the current licensing system. LaPointe has examined the input and comments from stakeholders and assessed the current marine commercial licensing system in order to provide recommendations on how to improve and revise it.
Submit Public Comments
A report of LaPointe’s findings will be available on the DEC’s web page at the conclusion of the first meeting. DEC encourages all stakeholders to review this document and provide written comments by e-mail to FW.Marine@dec.ny.gov with the subject line “GLP Permits,” or by mail to Maureen Davidson, NYSDEC, 205 Belle Mead Road, Suite #1, East Setauket, New York 11733. Comments will be accepted until September 30, 2019.
Additional Stakeholder Meetings
The Marine Resources Advisory Council (MRAC) will also hold a meeting to discuss and provide feedback on report recommendations. An MRAC meeting is scheduled for July 23, 2019, 6 p.m. at Stony Brook University’s Charles B. Wang Center, located at 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794 (Google Maps).
In August 2019, DEC will host two additional meetings in both Suffolk and Nassau counties for stakeholders to review the report, ask questions, and provide verbal and written comments. Information about these meetings will be available as dates and locations are determined and will be posted to the Commercial Licensing Assessment Review web page.
For Further Information
For additional information on meeting information and the public comment period, visit DEC’s website.
For directions and parking instructions at the Charles B. Wang Center, visit Stony Brook University’s website.
May 21, 2019 Meeting Agenda
Agenda – MRAC Meeting
- Public Comment
- Approval of Minutes for March 26, 2019 meeting
- Brief update on Commercial Licensing Review (George LaPointe Report)
- ASMFC, MAFMC and Species Updates
- Striped Bass (note: information only, we do not foresee decisions or votes will be made)
- ASMFC discussions/actions
- Jonah Crab
- Status of rule making
- Summer Flounder
- ASMFC vote on commercial Summer Flounder issues amendment (re-allocation)
- Commercial Fluke winter period multi-state limits program
- Scup
- Recreational rule change
- Weekly Scup program update
- Striped Bass (note: information only, we do not foresee decisions or votes will be made)
- Update on Striped Bass PCB study
- Legislative review (postponed from April)
April 16, 2019 Meeting Agenda
AGENDA – April 16th, 2019
Legislative Review meeting
Tentative list of Bills to be discussed – April 16, 2019
- A02571/S02317 – Menhaden purse seine prohibition – passed both houses, awaiting Gov signature
- A02572/S02316 – Prohibits leasing of state underwater land that enables oil and natural gas production in federal waters – passed both houses, awaiting Gov signature
- A02573/S02411 – extends Ocean Acidification Task Force and requires interim report – passed Senate and has been delivered to Assembly
- A03090/S00404 – prohibits disposal of dredged spoils contaminated by toxic pollutants in NYS marine waters – This has been referred to The Environmental Committee – (The Council voted against it because it has no definitions of what level of contaminants in dredge spoils makes disposal prohibited, it remains unchanged.
- A03953 – Peconic Bay Estuary Protection Act – referred to The Environmental Committee
- A04450 – Would require that funds generated by Art 11 (F&W Law) be used only to support those resources – referred to Ways and Means Committee
- A04755 – Would require the Department to prepare and implement a marine and coastal debris action plan – referred to The Environmental Committee
- A05414/S03689 – Prohibits taking of striped bass from 1/1-4/15 (changed from 12/15-4/15) – referred to TheEnvironmental Committee
- A05506/S03713 – Allows the use of spears or spearguns in commercial and recreational fishing for all species including striped bass – referred to The Environmental Committee (The Council supported this Bill in the past –A4817)
- A05512/S03719 – Provides a motor fuel tax exemption for vessels operating as fishing for-hire charters – referred to Ways and Means Committee (No action was taken in the past by the Council S4820)
- A05519/S03726 – Creates the commercial fishing jobs development program and establishes a Commercial fishing advocate to assist MRAC – referred to The Environmental Committee (The Council opposed this Bill (S4248A/A5193A – 2017)
- A06281 – Establishes a task force dealing w/ Marine Life Protection, defines Reserve as a no-take MPA – referred to The Environmental Committee
- A06520 – Establishes a marine mammal and sea turtle protection area 1500 feet around Plum, Great Gull and Little Gull Islands and an associated advisory committee – referred to The Environmental Committee
- S01133 – Transfers authority over shellfish and shellfish aquaculture to Ag and Markets – referred to The Environmental Committee (The Council did not support this in the past because it was considered poorly written)
- S00048 – Prohibits the take of Horseshoe crab or Horseshoe crag eggs, unless for medical, scientific or educational purposes, and requires a study/report on populations of shorebirds and horseshoe crabs -referred to The Environmental Committee
- S00702 – Reissues Todd Wolffert a commercial food fish, crab and whelk permits – referred to The Environmental Committee
- A06741 – Creates tax credit for small businesses that must maintain marine bulkheads – referred to Ways and Means Committee