At the last Council meeting, DEC distributed a list of issues on different finfish species that might be addressed by a multi-species marine fishery regulatory proposal. In a brief discussion, the Council identified a number of additional issues that it thought warranted consideration. Mr. Colvin reminded the Council that DEC is required to consult with the Council at the earliest possible stage of the development of proposed regulations on fish and shellfish in order to secure the Council’s guidance before a rule or a change in rules is written. At this time, it is most useful for the Council to advise on the scope of the regulations and what specific issues should be considered. Once the formal rule-making process is initiated, proposals can be withdrawn but not added, so it is critical for all important issues to placed on the table at the earliest stage. The written proposed rule is published in the State Register, triggering a minimum 25-day public comment period which may or may not include public hearings. At the end of the public comment period, DEC is required to present the Council with a summary of the public comment and to obtain its specific recommendations on each element of the regulatory package.

DEC distributed a list of issues under review by the Department in the formulation of future regulations on commercial crabbing. After a brief discussion, it was agreed to take up the crab issues at greater length at the September 1999 Council meeting, along with the specifics of implementing the lobster trap tag program.

The Council discussed issues that warrant regulatory action for species of marine finfish.