[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 190 (Tuesday, September 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56804-56805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22816]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XK75


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 
Bycatch/Limited Access Committee; its Ecosystems Committee; its 
Research Set-Aside Committee; its Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish 
Committee; its Law Enforcement Committee; and, its Executive Committee 
will hold public meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 through 
Thursday, October 16, 2008. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 
dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Ramada Plaza & Resort, 1701 
South Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948; telephone: (252) 
441-2151.
    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:

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

    9 a.m. until 11 a.m. - The Bycatch/Limited Access Committee will 
meet.
    11 a.m. until 12 p.m. - The Ecosystems Committee will meet.
    1 p.m. until 3 p.m. - The Research Set-Aside Committee will meet.
    3 p.m. until 5 p.m. - The Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish Committee 
will meet.

Wednesday, October 15,2008

    9 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. - The Law Enforcement Committee will meet.

[[Page 56805]]

    9:30 a.m. - The Council will convene.
    9:30 a.m. until 9:45 a.m. - Swearing in of new and reappointed 
members will be held.
    9:45 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. - Groundfish Assessment Review Meeting 
(GARM) Report will be provided to the Council by NMFS Officials.
    10:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. - Meeting 2 of Framework 2 to the Spiny 
Dogfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) will be discussed.
    11 a.m. until 12 p.m. - A presentation will be given to the Council 
regarding Amendments 3 and 4 to the Consolidated Highly Migratory 
Species (HMS) FMP by NMFS Officials.
    1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. - The Council will hold its regular Business 
Session.
    2:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. - An official from NMFS will provide the 
Council a presentation regarding the Proposed Rule for use of Turtle 
Excluded Devices (TED) in all Atlantic coast trawl fisheries.
    3:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. - The Executive Committee will meet.
    7 p.m. until 9 p.m. - There will be a scoping meeting to address 
Amendment 3 to the NMFS' Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery 
Management Plan.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

    9 a.m. until 11 a.m. - The Council will convene to approve 
Amendment 10 to the Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish FMP for Secretarial 
Submission.
    11 a.m. until 12 p.m. - The Council will then consider any 
Continuing and New Business.
    Agenda items by day for the Council's Committees and the Council 
itself are:
    Tuesday, October 14 - The Bycatch/Limited Access Committee will 
continue discussion regarding prioritization and resolution of bycatch 
issues, i.e. - bycatch notebook and approve the final version of the 
Council's bycatch pamphlet for catch and release practices. The 
Ecosystems Committee will consider expanding the current charge and 
role of the Committee. The Research Set-Aside Committee will establish 
research set-aside priorities for 2010 and consider developing a 
standardized rating and ranking system for grant applications from a 
management and/or policy perspective. The Squid, Mackerel, and 
Butterfish Committee will review comments received regarding Amendment 
11's recent Notice of Intent (NOI) including: implementation of Annual 
Catch Limits (ACL) and Accountability Measures (AM); updated Essential 
Fish Habitat (EFH) descriptions for all four species; and, consider 
possible limitations on at-sea processing of mackerel.
    Wednesday, October 15 - The Law Enforcement Committee will review 
the Fisheries Achievement Award (FAA) nominations and develop 
recommendations regarding possible recipient(s) for this recognition. 
The Council will convene to swear in new and reappointed Council 
members and elect Council Officers. The Council will receive a report 
on the recent GARM Assessment. The Council will select and adopt the 
preferred alternative to adjust stock status determination criteria 
(biological reference points) for the Spiny Dogfish FMP. A presentation 
will be given by Karyl Brewster-Geisz on Amendment 3 (small coastal 
shark issues) and Amendment 4 (Caribbean issues) to the NMFS' 
Consolidated HMS FMP. The Council will then conduct its Business 
Session and receive Organizational, Liaison, Executive Director, Status 
of Fishery Management Plans and Committee reports. A presentation will 
also be provided by a NMFS Protected Resources official regarding NMFS' 
Proposed Rule for use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) in all Atlantic 
coast trawl fisheries. The Executive Committee will review the 2009 
Annual Work Plan (AWP); review nominees and select recipients for the 
2008 Ricks E Savage Award; and, address logistics and mechanics of 
using the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) to provide advice 
to the Council.
    Thursday, October 16 - The Council will convene to review and adopt 
modified alternative 1A to implement butterfish rebuilding through use 
a bycatch cap. The Council will then consider any 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 these meetings. 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 actions 
to address such emergencies.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are 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 24, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-22816 Filed 9-29-08; 8:45 am]
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