Mr. Colvin described regulatory action proposed for several species of marine finfish, distributing a summary of items included in the proposed package of foodfish regulations now under review at DEC offices in Albany. He expected these proposed changes would be published in the State Register before the next Council meeting; if so, the public comment period would then be open. Mr. Colvin highlighted a few items on the list that the Department had not discussed previously with the Council: 1) raising the recreational creel limit for spanish mackerel in state waters to parallel a similar recent increase in federal waters; 2) establishment of an in-water blackfish storage permit that would allow fishermen to accumulate and hold in the water a number of blackfish greater than the daily commercial possession limit for this species (25); and 3) instituting a commercial quota system, with mandatory reporting and trip limits, for spiny dogfish. Mr. Wise stated that these proposed changes would be taken up by the Council at its 21 November 2000 meeting if the formal public comment period had begun by that date.