[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]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
