[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 17 (Thursday, January 25, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2230-2231]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1124]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 011696A]


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 to consider actions affecting New England 
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone.

DATES: The meeting will begin on Thursday, January 25, 1996, at 10 a.m. 
and on Friday, January 26, 1996, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the King's Grant Inn, Route 128 
and Trask Lane, Danvers, MA; telephone: (617) 231-0422.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas G. Marshall, Executive 
Director, New England Fishery Management Council (617) 231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

January 25, 1996

    The January 25 session will begin with a report on the 21st Stock 
Assessment Workshop presented by the staff of the Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center. Analyses will be reviewed for the following species/
stocks: Long-finned squid (Loligo); short-finned squid (Illex), 
Atlantic herring, winter flounder, and the northeast groundfish 
complex.
    The afternoon agenda will include reports from the Council's Sea 
Scallop, Marine Mammal, and Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) 
Committees. The Sea Scallop Committee will discuss Framework Adjustment 
7 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The 
Council will also review public hearing comments on, and possibly 
approve, Amendment 6 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP. The amendment 
would establish a temporary experimental use area 10 miles (18.5 km) 
south of Martha's Vineyard for sea scallop research, enhancement, and 
aquaculture. The Marine Mammal Committee will discuss Framework 
Adjustment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. The Groundfish 
Committee will consider final approval of Amendment 7 to the Northeast 
Multispecies FMP, a program that would rebuild severely overfished cod, 
haddock, and yellowtail flounder and other depleted groundfish stocks. 
Late in the afternoon, the Council will discuss and provide input to 
NOAA on 

[[Page 2231]]
the pending Fishing Capacity Reduction Program.

Abbreviated Rulemaking--Atlantic Sea Scallops

    At the recommendation of its Scallop Committee, the Council will 
consider final action on Framework Adjustment 7 to the Atlantic Sea 
Scallop FMP under the framework for abbreviated rulemaking procedure 
contained in 50 CFR 650.40. The Council proposes to extend the current 
rule specifying a maximum crew size of seven until a plan amendment 
allows the consolidation of days-at-sea now allocated to individual 
scallop vessels, or until the Council changes the crew size through 
other action.

Abbreviated Rulemaking Action--Northeast Multispecies

    The Council will consider final action on Framework Adjustment 13 
to the Northeast Multispecies FMP under the framework for abbreviated 
rulemaking procedure contained in 50 CFR 651.40. The action is intended 
to further reduce the bycatch of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine 
sink gillnet fishery by initiating time-area closures in the mid-coast 
and southern New England regions during the spring.
    The Council will consider public comments at a minimum of two 
Council meetings prior to making any final recommendations to the 
Director, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Director), under the 
provisions for abbreviated rulemaking cited above. If the Regional 
Director concurs with the measures proposed by the Council, he will 
publish them as a final rule in the Federal Register.

January 26, 1996

    If necessary, the Council will begin the January 26 session with 
further discussion of Amendment 7 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. 
Other items of business involving groundfish management include NMFS 
consultation with the Council concerning decisions on small mesh 
fisheries certification as defined in the Northeast Multispecies FMP 
and initial discussion of a program to consolidate fishing effort in 
the groundfish fleet.
    The afternoon agenda will conclude with reports from the Council 
Chairman, Council Executive Director, NMFS Regional Director, Northeast 
Fisheries Science liaison, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council 
liaison, and representatives from the Department of State, Coast Guard, 
Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commission. Any other outstanding business will be addressed at this 
time.

Special Accommodations

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

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

    Dated: January 19, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-1124 Filed 1-22-96; 1:37 pm]
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