[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 249 (Friday, December 28, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 67166-67167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31973]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 122001A]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public 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 3-day Council meeting on January 15 through 17, 2002, to consider 
actions affecting New England fisheries in the U.S. exclusive economic 
zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 
January 15, 16, and 17, 2002. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on 
Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott, 1000 
Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801; telephone (603) 436-2121. 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:

Tuesday, January 15, 2002

    Following introductions, the Council will receive a briefing on the 
status of the U.S./Canada shared resources agreement. The Enforcement 
Committee will discuss its recommendations concerning the Council's 
Enforcement Policy in view of the 9/11 attacks because of United States 
Coast Guard (USCG) redirection of USCG resources to national security. 
The Enforcement Committee may possibly discuss Enforcement Committee 
progress on reviewing Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) and Framework Adjustment 1 to the Monkfish FMP. 
Later in the morning, there will be a Stock Assessment Public Review 
Workshop during which an advisory report on the status of monkfish, 
Georges Bank winter flounder, and Loligo squid developed at the 34th 
Stock Assessment Workshop will be presented. The Council will then 
begin consideration of monkfish management issues. It intends to 
approve final action on Framework Adjustment 1 to the Monkfish FMP.
    Options under consideration include, but are not limited to: (1) 
taking no action and allowing the FMP Year 4 default measures to take 
effect (and eliminating the directed fishery); (2) postponing the Year 
4 default measures for one year and adjusting trip limits and days-at-
sea allocations to achieve fishing year 2000 landings levels (after 
accounting for the court-ordered adjustment to the gillnet trip limits) 
(the preferred alternative); and (3) adjusting management measures to 
reduce catches to the Years 2 and 3 total allowable catch (TAC) 
targets. The Council also will consider scoping comments on

[[Page 67167]]

Amendment 2 to the Monkfish FMP. Amendment 2 will consider updated 
scientific information in revising overfishing definitions, rebuilding 
targets and management measures, as appropriate to rebuild stocks to 
maximum sustainable levels by 2009; reduce overall FMP complexity; 
update environmental impact documents; consider modifications to the 
limited entry program for vessels fishing south of the North Carolina/
Virginia border; and update the Essential Fish Habitat components.

Wednesday, January 16, 2002

    The meeting will reconvene with reports on recent activities from 
the Council Chairman and Executive Director, the NMFS Regional 
Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council liaisons, NOAA General Counsel and 
representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement and the 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. A brief period for general 
comments from the public concerning fisheries management issues will 
follow. During the Scallop Committee Report the committee will request 
approval of additional management alternatives to be included in draft 
Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP and analyzed in the Draft 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS). Primary issues 
include alternatives to manage effort by vessels with limited access 
and general category scallop permits, minimize habitat and bycatch 
impacts, and address monitoring and data collection issues.

Thursday, January 17, 2002

    On the final day of the meeting, the Council plans to approve final 
management measures to be included in the Deep-Sea Red Crab FMP. 
Measures under consideration include controlled access, days-at-sea and 
trip limit programs for the directed red crab fishery, and the 
establishment of a fishing year for management purposes. There will be 
an update on the initial meeting of the Council's Marine Protected Area 
Committee followed by a report from the Capacity Committee. The 
Capacity Committee will discuss and seek Council guidance on capacity 
reduction proposals to be included in Amendment 13 to the Northeast 
Multispecies FMP. The Groundfish Committee will provide an update on 
the development of Amendment 13 as well as Framework 36 to the 
Northeast Multispecies FMP. Prior to addressing any other outstanding 
business, the Council will consider the development of an FMP for 
hagfish and possible approval of a control date to determine future 
access to the fishery.
    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be 
the subjects 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 notice that require 
emergency action under section 305 (c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 
provided that the public has been notified of the Council's intent to 
take final action to address the emergency.
    The New England Council will consider public comments at a minimum 
of two Council meetings before making recommendations to the National 
Marine Fisheries Service Regional Administrator on any framework 
adjustment to a fishery management plan. If the Regional Administrator 
concurs with the adjustment proposed by the Council, the Regional 
Administrator may 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.

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: December 21, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service
[FR Doc. 01-31973 Filed 12-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S