[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 19, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20940-20941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9698]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 041000G]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Announcement of Public Meeting.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a 2-day public meeting on May 3 and 4, 2000, to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 2000, beginning at 
9:30 a.m., and Thursday, May 4, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Providence Biltmore Hotel, 
11 Dorrance Street, Kennedy Plaza, Providence, RI 02903; telephone 
(401) 421-0700. Requests for special accommodations should be addressed 
to the New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, 
Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone (978) 465-0492.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Wednesday, May 3, 2000

    After introductions, the meeting will begin with reports on recent 
activities from the Council Chairman, Executive Director, the 
Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), 
Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council liaisons, and representatives of the Coast Guard, NMFS 
Enforcement and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. 
Following reports, the Council's Research Steering Committee Chairman 
will provide a briefing on progress to fund collaborative research 
projects submitted by fishermen and researchers in response to a 
Congressional appropriation for groundfish research in New England. The 
Council will approve procedures to determine final decisions on 
proposals submitted for funding. During the Groundfish Committee report 
the Council will discuss and possibly approve committee recommendations 
developed for Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP). These include committee recommendations on 
overfishing definitions for species managed through the FMP and for 
biological goals and rebuilding schedules. The day will conclude with a 
report from the Whiting Committee. The Council will consider final 
approval of Framework Adjustment 35 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP 
(whiting raised footrope trawl exempted fishery). The action would 
allow a seasonal whiting raised footrope trawl fishery to occur in 
Upper Cape Cod Bay. Issues to be addressed include: Season, area and 
gear requirements; possible modification of the current raised footrope 
trawl gear specifications for Small Mesh Areas 1 and 2; possible 
adjustment to the October/November closure of Blocks 124 and 125 or an 
exemption for participants in the raised footrope trawl fishery; 
whiting possession limits and bycatch restrictions; possible 
modification to the bycatch restrictions for Small Mesh Areas 1 and 2; 
monitoring recommendations; and possible requirement for vessels to use 
multispecies days-at-sea when participating in the raised footrope 
trawl fishery.

Thursday, May 4, 2000

    The second day of the meeting will begin with a Herring Committee 
Report. This will include discussion and possible approval of an in-
season adjustment to area specific Total Allowable Catches and 
consideration of measures to provide access to the herring resource for 
the fixed gear fishery. There also will be a report on the development 
of a controlled access or limited entry system in the Atlantic herring 
fishery in light of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's 
limited entry proposals for the Atlantic mackerel fishery. During the 
Monkfish Committee discussion which will follow, the Council will 
provide guidance on issues raised at the most recent committee meeting. 
These include: Revision of the limited access permit qualification 
period to allow vessels to fish south of the North Carolina/Virginia 
border; delay in implementation of the Southern Fishery Management Area 
trip limit, pending review of data for the fishery following the 
November 8, 1999, implementation of year 1 measures; establishment of 
procedures and options for addressing monkfish bycatch in fisheries 
managed under other fishery management plans; and discussion of methods 
to address a proposal for an inshore/offshore line in the Mid-Atlantic 
region. The Sea Scallop Committee will present proposed Atlantic Sea 
Scallop FMP Amendment 10 management alternatives. Alternatives selected 
for further development will be analyzed in terms of their scallop, 
habitat, bycatch, gear conflict, enforcement, and social and economic 
impacts in a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS). 
Under consideration are proposals for: Rotational area management 
(which would also require a re-estimation of the overfishing definition 
reference points, consistent with the expected change in size selection 
and other factors); a requirement for scallop nets to be modified to 
achieve the same selectivity and/or equivalent fishing mortality as 
dredges; a change in the fishing year and the annual review process and 
possibly adjusting the present crew size limits. Prior to addressing 
any other outstanding business, the Capacity Committee will update the 
Council on the recent activities.

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    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before this 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 announcement 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 Council will consider public comments at a minimum of two 
Council meetings before making recommendations to the Regional 
Administrator on any framework adjustment to a fishery management plan. 
If she concurs with the adjustment proposed by the Council, the 
Regional Administrator has the discretion to publish the action either 
as proposed or final regulations in the Federal Register. Documents 
pertaining to framework adjustments are available for public review 7 
days prior to a final vote by the Council (see ADDRESSES).

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.

    Dated: April 12, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-9698 Filed 4-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F