[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 184 (Thursday, September 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48722-48723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23054]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XR81


Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), its 
Executive Committee, its Law Enforcement Committee, its Protected 
Resources Committee, and its Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Committee will 
hold public meetings.

DATES: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 through Thursday, October 15, 2009. On 
Tuesday, October 13, the Executive Committee with the Council's 
Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) leadership and the Atlantic 
States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) leadership will meet from 
8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. The Executive Committee with the Council's 
SSC leadership will meet from 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. On Wednesday, 
October 14 at 8:30 a.m., new Council members will be sworn into office 
and the Council will then elect its officers. From 8:45 a.m. until 
11:30 a.m., the Council will convene to conduct its regular Business 
Session, receive Organizational Reports, Liaison Reports, the Executive 
Director's Report, and a report on the status of the Council's Fishery 
Management Plans (FMP's). From 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m., the Council 
will review eligible sites for Marine Protected Area (MPA) designation 
and solicit public comments on such designations. The Law Enforcement 
Committee will meet from 1:30 p.m. until 2 p.m. The Protected Resources 
Committee will meet from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. The Surfclam and Ocean 
Quahog Committee will meet from 3 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. On Thursday, 
October 15, the Executive Committee will meet from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. 
The Council will convene at 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. for NOAA Catch Share 
Policy presentation. From 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. the Council will 
receive and discuss Committee reports. At 11:30 a.m., the Council will 
address continuing and new business.

ADDRESSES: Princess Royale Hotel, 9100 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 
21842; telephone: (410) 524-7777.
    Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 300 S. 
New St., Room 2115, Dover, DE 19904; telephone: (302) 674-2331.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, 
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; telephone: (302) 674-2331 ext. 
19.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Agenda items by day for the Council's 
Committees and the Council itself are: On Tuesday, October 13--the 
Executive Committee with the Council's SSC leadership and the ASMFC's 
leadership will address roles and responsibilities of the Council's SSC 
and the Council's and Commission's Species Monitoring Committees (MC) 
for ``jointly managed species (these include: summer flounder, scup, 
black sea bass, bluefish, and dogfish), and clarify the 
responsibilities of the SSC and the respective MCs in terms of their 
respective roles in the Council's annual specification setting process. 
The Executive Committee with the Council's SSC leadership will address 
the development of a Council risk policy concerning National Standard 1 
Guidelines regarding the Allowable Biological Catch (ABC) control rule. 
On Wednesday, October 14--new Council members will be sworn into 
office, the Council will elect Officers, conduct its regular Business 
Session, receive Organizational Reports, Council Liaison Reports, the 
Executive Director's Report, and a report on the status of the 
Council's FMPs. Following lunch there will be review of eligible sites 
for MPA designation and the public will be solicited for its comments 
about such designations. The Law Enforcement Committee will review the 
Fisheries Achievement Award (FAA) nominations and recommend 
recipient(s) for recognition. The Protected Resources Committee will 
review the outcome of the recent Bottlenose Dolphin (BND) Take 
Reduction Team meeting, review revisions to the BND stock structure and 
mortality estimates, and review the current information on all stocks 
and evaluate the BND Plan's goals for each stock. The Surfclam and 
Ocean Quahog Committee will review and clarify management measures to 
be included in Amendment 15. On Thursday, October 15--the Executive 
Committee will review the Council's 2010 Annual Work Plan (AWP), review 
highlights of the Northeast Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) 
Meeting, and review the nominees for and select the recipient of the 
2009 Ricks E Savage Award. The Council will then convene to receive a 
presentation on NOAA's Catch Share Policy by Monica Medina (NOAA's 
Catch Share Task Force

[[Page 48723]]

Chairperson). The Council will also receive and discuss Committee 
Reports and address under continuing business the need to clarify squid 
control dates regarding Amendment 14 to the Squid, Mackerel, and 
Butterfish FMP and any other continuing or new business.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before the Council for discussion, these issues may not be the subject 
of formal Council 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 Act, provided the 
public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action 
to address such emergencies.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should 
be directed to M. Jan Bryan, (302) 674-2331 ext 18, at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: September 21, 2009.
William D. Chappell,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-23054 Filed 9-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S