2020-29239. New England Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of public hearings.

SUMMARY:

The New England Fishery Management Council is convening Supplemental Scoping Hearings on Draft Amendment 5 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan via webinar to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone. The public input received will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES:

These webinars will be held on Thursday, January 21, 2021 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Monday, February 8, 2021, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

ADDRESSES:

Meeting address: These hearings will be held via webinar.

All interested parties can register to join the webinars, for the January 21 webinar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/​register/​3036577748943629579;​; and February 8 webinar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/​register/​6858166806279145739.

Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill #2, Newburyport, MA 01950.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public comments: Mail to Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill #2, Newburyport, MA 01950. Mark the outside of the envelope “Northeast Skate Complex Amendment 5 Scoping Comments. Comments may also be sent via fax to 978-465-3116 or submitted via email to [e-mail] with “Northeast Skate Complex Amendment 5 Scoping Comments” in the subject line.

Agenda

During the hearings, Council staff will brief the public on Draft Amendment 5 before receiving comments on the amendment. The hearing will begin promptly at the time indicated above. If all attendees who wish to do so have provided their comments prior to the end time indicated, the hearing may conclude early. To the extent possible, the Council may extend hearings beyond the end time indicated above to accommodate all attendees who wish to speak.

Although non-emergency issues not contained on the agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this hearing. 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 action to address the emergency. The public also should be aware that the meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request.

Special Accommodations

These hearings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, at [phone], at least 5 days prior to the hearing date.

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

Dated: December 31, 2020.

Rey Israel Marquez,

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.