[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 205 (Thursday, October 23, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55211-55212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27967]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[I.D. 101497F]
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 2-day public meeting to consider actions affecting New England
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone.
DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 5, 1997, at 10
a.m., and on Thursday, November 6, 1997, at 8:30 a.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88
Spring Street, Portland, ME; telephone (207) 775-2311. Requests for
special accommodations should be addressed to the New England Fishery
Management
[[Page 55212]]
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, November 5, 1997
After introductions, the Council meeting will begin with a
presentation on a Council plan to address Sustainable Fisheries Act
requirements and the 13 overfished stocks recently identified in the
NMFS report entitled ``Status of Fisheries of the United States.'' The
Habitat Committee will review its discussions about the Council's
essential fish habitat (EFH) amendment process and habitat requirements
for fishery management plans (FMPs). Following a mid-day break, the
Whiting Committee will provide an update on progress to develop a
whiting amendment to the Northeast Multispecies FMP and, if necessary,
will seek approval of this ongoing process. The Groundfish Committee
will recommend initial action on a framework adjustment to the
Northeast Multispecies FMP to establish an exempted gillnet fishery for
dogfish in the area of Nantucket Shoals and waters east of Cape Cod.
The Groundfish Committee will also recommend initial action on a second
framework adjustment to shorten the duration of the Cultivator Shoal
and Small Mesh Area 2 exempted fisheries. There will be a discussion
and possible action on other items including (a) options for regulating
trawl ground gear, particularly ``street sweepers''; (b) a strategy to
address overfished groundfish stocks listed in the above-mentioned NMFS
report; (c) options to allow scalloping in groundfish closed areas; and
(d) halibut management. The Mid-Atlantic Plans Committee will review
its recommendations to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
concerning the management of mahogany quahogs in the Gulf of Maine. The
Chairman of the Council's Lobster Committee will discuss the Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC's) response to the Council
about options for meeting the Federal mandate to develop a plan to end
overfishing and to rebuild the lobster resource. There may be a
decision on future Council involvement, including consideration of
ASMFC's revised draft plan and possible Council development of a new
amendment by October 1998.
Thursday, November 6, 1997
The Council may consider and approve monkfish management measures
for inclusion in Amendment 9 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. There
may also be a request to the Secretary of Commerce to implement interim
management measures for the monkfish fishery. The Sea Scallop Committee
will provide an update on the Amendment 7 (consolidation of days-at-sea
and closed area management) public hearings. There will be a
presentation on the results of the 1997 NMFS sea scallop survey
followed by possible action to adjust days-at-sea allocations for 1998.
The Council will review and approve objectives and discuss potential
management alternatives for the Herring Fishery Management Plan. After
the mid-day break, NMFS staff will report on an experiment to evaluate
vessel-monitoring system effectiveness. The Professional Standards and
Practices Committee will recommend Council approval of standards for
participation in experimental and exempted fisheries and mechanisms to
establish an industry-funded fisheries observer program. The
Enforcement Committee Report will include recommendations on the
implementation and the use of vessel monitoring systems. Following this
discussion, there will be 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 ASMFC. The meeting will
adjourn after the conclusion of any other outstanding 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: October 16, 1997.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-27967 Filed 10-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
