[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1481-1483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00160]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA776]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

[[Page 1482]]


ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council, NEFMC) 
will hold a three-day meeting to consider actions affecting New England 
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Due to federal and 
state travel restrictions and updated guidance from the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention related to COVID-19, this meeting will 
be conducted entirely by webinar.

DATES: The webinar meeting will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and 
Thursday, January 26, January 27, and January 28, 2021, beginning at 9 
a.m. each day. The first day will start off with a meeting of the 
Council's Groundfish Committee. When the committee concludes its 
business and adjourns, the full Council will convene its January 2021 
meeting.

ADDRESSES: All meeting participants and interested parties can register 
to join the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2437948643327117067. The Council will use this same webinar link for 
both the Groundfish Committee meeting and the full Council meeting.
    Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone: (978) 465-0492; 
www.nefmc.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492, ext. 
113.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Agenda

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

    The day will begin with a meeting of the Council's Groundfish 
Committee, which will: (1) Receive the Groundfish Advisory Panel's 
latest report; (2) discuss and vote on the last component of Framework 
Adjustment 61--a proposed universal sector exemption to allow fishing 
for redfish; (3) receive the Recreational Advisory Panel's latest 
report; (4) discuss and develop recommendations on fishing year 2021 
recreational measures for Gulf of Maine cod and Gulf of Maine haddock; 
(5) receive a summary of public feedback on developing a strawman 
proposal for a potential limited entry program for party/charter 
vessels in the recreational groundfish fishery plus discuss the 
proposal and next steps; (6) receive an update on work to revise 
acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rules for groundfish stocks; 
(7) receive an update on Cod Stock Structure Working Groups; and (8) 
discuss other business as needed.
    Following the lunch break, the Groundfish Committee will continue 
to work through its agenda. Immediately after the committee adjourns, 
the full Council will convene to discuss the Groundfish Committee 
Report and: (1) Take final action on a universal sector exemption to 
allow fishing for redfish, which is part of Framework Adjustment 61 to 
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP), and vote to 
submit the framework to NMFS; and (2) take action on any other issues 
resulting from Groundfish Committee recommendations. After this 
discussion, the Council will adjourn for the day.

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

    After introductions and brief announcements, the Council will 
receive reports on recent activities from its Chairman and Executive 
Director, NMFS's Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) 
Regional Administrator, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) 
Director, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaison, staff 
from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), and 
representatives from NOAA General Counsel, NOAA's Office of Law 
Enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, and NMFS's Highly Migratory Species 
Advisory Panel. Next, the Council will hear from the Scallop Committee 
and receive a brief overview of 2020 Gulf of Maine scallop survey 
results. Then, the Council will take final action on Framework 
Adjustment 33 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP, which contains 2021 
fishery specifications, 2020 default specifications, measures to 
mitigate impacts on Georges Bank yellowtail flounder and northern 
windowpane flounder, plus other measures. Finally, the Council may 
discuss adding listening or scoping sessions for a limited access 
leasing program to its list of 2021 scallop priorities. If it does so, 
the Council also may consider deleting a previously approved scallop 
priority in exchange.
    Following the lunch break, the Council will receive a brief 
Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM) progress report on steps 
needed to conduct informational workshops about EBFM using public 
outreach materials, focusing on potential application to a Georges Bank 
example Fishery Ecosystem Plan (eFEP). The Council then will hear from 
NEFSC's Northeast Fishery Monitoring and Research Division, which will 
provide an overview of (1) current division organization; (2) the 
status of ongoing responsibilities; (3) at-sea monitoring and observer 
program activities, funding status, and impacts due to COVID-19; and 
(4) a cooperative research update. Next, the Council will receive a 
presentation on the Science Center's cost survey for commercial fishing 
businesses, including: (1) An overview of survey methods and data 
collected to date; (2) a discussion on challenges and opportunities; 
and (3) efforts to solicit industry feedback while planning for next 
cost survey. The Council will close out the day with a report on the 
Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel's January 14, 2021 meeting.

Thursday, January 28, 2021

    The Council will begin the third day of its meeting with a NEFSC 
presentation on the peer reviewed results of the Index-Based Methods 
and Control Rules 2020 Research Track Assessment. Next, the Council 
will discuss small-mesh Northeast multispecies (whiting). First, the 
Council will take final action on small-mesh multispecies 
specifications for the 2021-23 fishing years. Second, the Council may 
discuss adding a 2021 whiting priority to (1) analyze factors for why 
the northern whiting fishery is not achieving optimum yield (OY), and 
(2) recommend measures to allow greater resource utilization. The 
Council also may consider deleting a previously approved whiting 
priority in exchange for adding a new one if it takes action. Following 
this discussion, members of the public will have the opportunity to 
speak during an open comment period on issues that relate to Council 
business but are not included on the published agenda for this meeting. 
The Council asks the public to limit remarks to 3-5 minutes. These 
comments will be received through the webinar. A guide for how to 
publicly comment through the webinar is available on the Council 
website at https://s3.amazonaws.com/nefmc.org/NEFMC-meeting-remote-participation_generic.pdf. Next, the Council will receive a brief 
update on offshore energy development and ongoing/future habitat-
related work and priorities. This will be followed by a presentation 
from NOAA's Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office on North 
Atlantic right whales. The presentation will cover: (1) The Atlantic 
Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) and proposed rule; and (2) the Draft Batched Biological Opinion 
for right whales covering 10 fisheries. The Council will have an 
opportunity to ask questions and offer comments on these items. The 
Council then will take up other business, which is when it will

[[Page 1483]]

briefly discuss and approve a draft letter to NMFS supporting the 
investigation of using vessel monitoring system (VMS) notifications 
rather than Federal Register notices to announce area closures for the 
Atlantic herring fishery. The Council also will discuss other business 
as needed. Finally, the Council will close out the open portion of its 
meeting and go into closed session to discuss 2021-23 appointments to 
the Scientific and Statistical Committee.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained on this agenda may come 
before the Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted 
to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues 
arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action 
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency. The public also 
should be aware that the meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 
U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is being conducted entirely by webinar. Requests for 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Thomas A. Nies (see ADDRESSES) at 
least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)

    Dated: January 5, 2021.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-00160 Filed 1-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P