[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 56487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27421]
[[Page 56487]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 101399F]
New England 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 New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is
scheduling public meetings of its Scientific and Statistical Committee,
Social Sciences Advisory Committee, Habitat Committee and Advisory
Panel, Groundfish Committee and Advisory Panel, Sea Scallop Committee
and Advisory Panel, Gear Conflict Committee and Enforcement Committee
in November, 1999 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries
in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from these groups
will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and
action, if appropriate.
DATES: The meetings will held between Thursday, November 4, 1999 and
Monday, November 15, 1999. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific
dates and times.
ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held in, Saugus, Peabody and Danvers,
MA. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific locations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director,
New England Fishery Management Council; (781) 231-0422.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Meeting Dates and Agendas
Monday, November 4, 1999, 10 a.m. and Friday, November 5, 8:30
a.m.--Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting
Location: New England Fishery Management Council Office, 5
Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906; telephone: (781) 231-0422.
The committee will evaluate the scientific information and analyses
used in the Northeast Multispecies Stock Assessment and Fishery
Evaluation (SAFE) Report. The SAFE report will include the Multispecies
Monitoring Committee Report which addresses the status of the
multispecies finfish stocks, evaluates the effectiveness of management
measures and estimates the potential impacts of possible management
options that could be used to adjust the Northeast Multispecies Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) for the 2000-01 fishing year.
Friday, November 5, 1999, 10 a.m.--Social Sciences Advisory
Committee Meeting
The committee will finalize recommendations concerning improvements
to the economic, social and community impact analyses in Council
documents and review the SAFE Reports for the Scallop and the Northeast
Multispecies fisheries. Any recommendations made at the last committee
meeting will be revisited at this meeting for purposes of ensuring
adequate public comment.
Tuesday, November 9, 1999, 9:30 a.m.--Joint Habitat Committee and
Advisory Panel Meeting
Location: Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA
01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
The committee will review proposals for scallop fishing access to
three groundfish closed areas (Closed Areas I and II on Georges Bank,
and the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area). The committee will develop
recommendations on this issue and also will discuss the NMFS
``internal'' Essential Fish Habitat consultation process.
Wednesday, November 10, 1999, 9:30 a.m.--Joint Groundfish Committee
and Groundfish Advisory Panel Meeting
Location: Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA
01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
The committee and panel will review the Northeast Multispecies SAFE
Report, including the annual Multispecies Monitoring Committee Report
and proposals from industry for management measures to be considered
for the 2000-01 fishing year. The committee may recommend a preferred
alternative to the Council for the Northeast Multispecies Plan annual
framework adjustment. The committee and panel also will discuss
proposals to allow scallop dredge vessel access to Closed Areas I and
II and the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area, and may develop
recommendations to the Council for measures to be included in the
Northeast Multispecies FMP annual framework adjustment.
Friday, November 12, 1999, 9:30 a.m.--Joint Scallop Committee and
Scallop Advisory Panel Meeting
Location: Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA
01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
The committee will review the impacts of the proposed annual
framework adjustment alternatives for the Scallop FMP and will
recommend a preferred management option to the Council at its November
16-18, 1999 meeting. Final action on the framework adjustment is
scheduled to occur at that time.
As an addition to the committee agenda, members will discuss and
recommend changes to the Sea Scallop Total Allowable Catch research
set-aside mechanism that is currently in the Sea Scallop FMP.
Monday, November 15, 1999, 9:30 a.m.--Gear Conflict Committee
Meeting
Location: New England Fishery Management Council Office, 5
Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906; telephone: (781) 231-0422.
The committee will develop recommendations concerning gear conflict
issues to be considered by the Council when considering scallop vessel
access to Closed Areas I and II on Georges Bank, and the Nantucket
Lightship Closed Area. The committee also may discuss other gear
conflict issues that are brought to its attention.
Monday, November 15, 1999, 1 p.m.--Enforcement Committee Meeting
Location: New England Fishery Management Council Office, 5
Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906; telephone: (781) 231-0422.
The committee will develop recommendations concerning enforcement
issues related to scallop vessel access to Closed Areas I and II on
Georges Bank, and the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area for the fishing
year March-February, 2000-01. The committee may discuss other
enforcement issues that are brought to its attention.
Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come
before this Council for discussion, those 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 action
to address the emergency.
Special Accommodations
These meetings are 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 dates.
Dated: October 15, 1999.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-27421 Filed 10-19-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F