From the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 30, 2009

Washington, DC -- Draft Addendum IV to Amendment 4 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Weakfish is now available for public comment at http://www.asmfc.org/breakingNews.htm.

The Draft Addendum proposes a range of options to revise the management program's biological reference points and reduce the level of fishery removals.

It was developed in response to the findings of the 2009 weakfish stock assessment which shows weakfish stocks at an all time low and current fishery removals unsustainable under existing stock conditions.

Public comment will be accepted until 5 PM EST on October 30, 2009, and should be forwarded to Nichola Meserve at nmeserve@asmfc.org (Subject line: Weakfish Draft Addendum IV).

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