[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 3 (Tuesday, January 6, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 466-467]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-175]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 122397D]


New England Fishery Management Council; Meeting

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

ACTION: Public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a 2-day public meeting on January 14 and 15, 1998, to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone.

DATES: The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 1998, at 10 
a.m., and Thursday, January 15, 1998, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Colonial Hilton Resort, 427 
Walnut Street, Wakefield, MA; telephone (617) 245-9300. Requests for 
special accommodations should be addressed to the New England Fishery 
Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906-1097; telephone: (781) 
231-0422.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council (781) 231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Wednesday, January 14, 1998

    After introductions the Council meeting will begin with a Stock 
Assessment Workshop advisory report on the status of spiny dogfish, 
surf clams, weakfish, and striped bass. Following the report, the 
Monkfish Committee will provide information on recent changes to the 
management measures proposed for inclusion in Amendment 9 to the 
Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (Multispecies FMP) and 
review the concerns of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
    During the afternoon session, the Interspecies Committee will 
outline its priorities for the upcoming year: Long-term objectives and 
a Council strategic plan; approaches to easing management restrictions; 
consistency of Multispecies FMP objectives; the Multispecies FMP 
exempted fisheries program; concerns over latent effort in some 
fisheries; inconsistencies in vessel upgrading, replacement, and 
permit-splitting restrictions; policy statement on the introduction of 
harvesting innovations, and new fisheries technology; NMFS's proposed 
list of authorized gear/fisheries; area management of fisheries; and 
the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program fishing vessel 
logbook form.
    The Overfishing Definition Review Panel will discuss new 
overfishing definitions developed to comply with the Sustainable 
Fisheries Act (SFA); species will include Atlantic sea scallops, sea 
herring, silver hake, and possibly other groundfish species. The Sea 
Scallop Committee will review its discussions on alternatives to reach 
the new SFA-mandated overfishing targets, mechanisms for opening and 
closing management areas, and the inclusion of days-at-sea (DAS) 
leasing as a measure to be implemented through a framework adjustment 
to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (Scallop FMP). The 
Council also will discuss further the recommendation to close mid-
Atlantic areas to protect small scallops and the development of a 
framework adjustment to allow scalloping in areas where it is currently 
prohibited because of groundfish conservation concerns. Finally, the 
Council will consider additional management measures for implementation 
in 1998, such as other reductions in DAS to meet the Scallop FMP 
fishing mortality objectives.

Thursday, January 15, 1998

    Thursday's meeting will begin with reports from the Council 
Chairman, Executive Director, NMFS Regional Administrator, Northeast 
Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council 
liaisons, and representatives of the Coast Guard and the Atlantic 
States Marine Fisheries Commission. The Council will discuss and seek 
approval of final action on Framework Adjustment 25 to the Multispecies 
FMP. The adjustment will include the following measures to meet the 
1998 fishing year rebuilding plan objectives: One or a combination of 
three options for area closures in the Gulf of Maine (sequential one or 
two month closures that progress from the Cape Cod to Penobscot Bay 
areas during March through September, with additional areas closed 
seasonally or, in one option, year-round); 400-1,000 lb/day (181.4-
453.6 kg/day) trip limit for

[[Page 467]]

Gulf of Maine cod; an increase in the haddock trip limit; a raised 
footrope trawl requirement in the Small Mesh Areas 1 and 2; and a one-
year postponement of the mandatory use of vessel monitoring systems on 
vessels fishing under individual DAS in the Gulf of Maine (north of the 
cod trip limit exemption line). Following the groundfish discussions, 
the Whiting Committee will provide an update on its scoping process and 
review the issues discussed at the joint oversight committee/advisory 
panel meeting held to discuss and identify issues to be considered 
during development of a fishery management plan. The Council meeting 
will adjourn after the conclusion of any other outstanding Council 
business.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
this Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those 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.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: December 30, 1997.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-175 Filed 1-5-98; 8:45 am]
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