65 FR 177 pgs. 54987-54988 - New England Fishery Management Council; PublicMeeting
Type: PRORULEVolume: 65Number: 177Pages: 54987 - 54988
Docket number: [I.D. 090500A]
FR document: [FR Doc. 00-23399 Filed 9-11-00; 8:45am]
Agency: Commerce Department
Sub Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[I.D. 090500A]
New England Fishery Management Council; PublicMeeting
AGENCY:
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION:
Public meetings.
SUMMARY:
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 3-day public meeting on September 26, 27, and 28, 2000, toconsider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusiveeconomic zone (EEZ). During this timeframe, the Council'sHerring Oversight Committee also will meet.
DATES:
The Herring Oversight Committee will meet on Tuesday,September 26 at 8:30 a.m. Following the committee meeting, thefull Council will meet on Tuesday, September 26 at 10:30 a.m.,and on Wednesday, September 27, and Thursday, September 28, 2000,beginning at 8:30 a.m.
ADDRESSES:
The meetings will be held at the Holiday Inn Express (formerly Seaport Inn Conference Center), 110 Middle Street, Fairhaven, MA02719; telephone (508) 997-1281. Requests for specialaccommodations should be addressed to the New England FisheryManagement Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA01950; telephone (978) 465-0492.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, (978) 465-0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tuesday, September 26, 2000
The Herring Oversight Committee will meet to developrecommendations for consideration by the full Council on herringforeign fishing permit conditions and restrictions.Recommendations may be specific to a permit application alreadysubmitted by Lithuania, or may be applicable to any subsequentpermit applications received for the 2001 fishing year (January1, 2001-December 31, 2001). Following the Herring Committeemeeting, the Council will swear in new and re-appointed members,and elect 2000-2001 officers. The Herring Committee will thenprovide its recommendations on herring foreign fishing permitconditions and restrictions. The Capacity Committee willrecommend for consideration by the Groundfish Committee proposalsthat will allow the transfer of fishing permits, address latent(unused) days-at-sea (DAS), and allow the transfer of groundfishDAS.
Wednesday, September 27, 2000
The Scallop Committee's report will be presented on the secondday of the Council meeting and will include a presentation of the2000 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report on thesea scallop resource. The Council will also consider approval ofinitial action on the annual adjustment to the Atlantic SeaScallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Discussion will focus onselection of management alternatives. Issues may include, butare not limited to, DAS allocations, access to the Hudson Canyonand Virginia/North Carolina closed areas, new area closures, anda prohibition on shell stocking.
Thursday, September 28, 2000
The third day of the meeting will begin with reports on recentactivities from the Council Chairman, Executive Director, theNMFS Regional Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Centerand Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, andrepresentatives of the Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement and theAtlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. There will also bea report on the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization's mostrecent meeting. The Groundfish Overfishing Definition Committeewill report on its review of the Council's overfishingdefinitions. The Groundfish Committee will then provide anupdate on development of management options for Amendment 13 tothe Northeast Multispecies FMP, including a discussion ofalternatives within the status quo management option, areamanagement option(s), and a sector allocation option. Thechairman also will report on committee discussions concerningrebuilding schedules of overfished groundfish stocks. Followingthe Groundfish Committee discussions, there will be apresentation of the available skate stock assessment and fisheryinformation to be included in the Skate SAFE Report. The SkateCommittee will provide its recommendation on issues to beincluded in a scoping document for a Skate FMP. The EnforcementCommittee will provide the Council with its recommendationsconcerning a safe harbor experimental fishery that would allowvessels to enter Gloucester Harbor without unloading haddock triplimit overages. The Habitat Committee will ask the Council toapprove a response to the Atlantic States Marine FisheriesCommission's request for comments on a report about gearimpacts on submerged aquatic vegetation. There will be updateson the activities of the Mid-Atlantic Council's FMPs'Research Steering and Monkfish Committees. After addressing anyother outstanding business, the Council will adjourn.
Although other non-emergency issues not contained in thisagenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issuesmay not be the subject of formal action during this meeting.Council action will be restricted to those issues specificallylisted in this notice and any issues arising after publication ofthis notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) ofthe Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notifiedof the Council's intent to take final action to address theemergency.
The Council will consider public comments at a minimum of twoCouncil meetings before making recommendations to the NMFSRegional Administrator on any framework adjustment to a fisherymanagement plan. If she concurs with the adjustment proposed bythe Council, the Regional Administrator has the discretion topublish the action either as proposed or final regulations in theFederal Register. Documents pertaining to framework adjustmentsare available for public review 7 days prior to a final vote bythe Council.
Special Accommodations
This meeting is physically accessible to people withdisabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or otherauxiliary aids should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES ) at least 5 days prior to the meetingdate.
Dated: September 7, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, NationalMarine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-23399 Filed 9-11-00; 8:45am]
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