[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 4, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51978-51979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-24675]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 651
[I.D. 092695D]
New England Fishery Management Council; Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Public meeting; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold
a 1-day public meeting to consider actions affecting New England
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
DATES: Written comments will be accepted through October 9, 1995, on
Framework Adjustment 12 and through October 18, 1995, on draft
Amendment 7 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Northeast
Multispecies Fishery. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, October
11, 1995, at 10 a.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Holiday Inn, One Newbury
Street, at the intersection of Routes 1 and 128, Peabody, MA 01960;
telephone: (508) 535-4600. Requests for special accommodations should
be addressed to the New England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway,
Saugus, MA 01906-1097; telephone: (617) 231-0422.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas G. Marshall, Executive
Director, New England Fishery Management Council (617) 231-0422.
[[Page 51979]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will consider final action on a
framework adjustment to the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) intended to reduce the incidental take of harbor
porpoise in the Gulf of Maine sink gillnet fishery. The Aquaculture
Committee report will follow with a discussion for development of a
policy or process that could guide future Council actions related to
aquaculture in the EEZ. The Groundfish Committee will discuss public
comments received to date on draft Amendment 7 to the FMP. This
preliminary review is scheduled in light of the volume of information
forwarded to the Council. No formal decisions will be made until after
the deadline for submission of written comments on the Council's draft
Amendment 7 due October 18, 1995. Other business may be added to the
agenda as necessary.
Abbreviated Rulemaking Action--Framework Adjustment 12 to the FMP
The Council may take final action on Framework Adjustment 12 to the
FMP under the framework for abbreviated rulemaking contained in 50 CFR
651.32. The action would extend the time and area of the Mid-coast
Closure Area initiated in Framework Adjustment 4 to reduce the bycatch
of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine sink gillnet fishery. The area
closure is presently in effect from November 1 through November 30 of
each fishing year and is described below.
Latitude Longitude
42 deg.45' N. Massachusetts shoreline
42 deg.45' N. 70 deg.15' W.
43 deg.15' N. 70 deg.15' W.
43 deg.15' N. 69 deg.00' W.
Maine shoreline 69 deg.00' W.
The Council is considering a change that would extend the timing of
the closure through December 31 and that would incorporate a region
referred to as the Jeffreys Ledge Band west of 69 deg.30' W. Relative
to the Mid-coast Closure Area, it is described as east on 42 deg.30' N.
from the shore to 70 deg.00' W., north along 70 deg.00' W. to
43 deg.00' N., then east on 43 deg.00' N. to 69 deg.30' W., then north
on 69 deg.30' W. to 43 deg.15' N. According to the NMFS sea sampling
data base, the harbor porpoise bycatch in this band has been relatively
high as compared to other Gulf of Maine areas during previous years.
Analyses of 1994 data indicate that bycatch rates in the 1994 fall
period were about 3 times higher than those observed since 1991.
The harbor porpoise bycatch issue was discussed at a Marine Mammal
Committee meeting held on September 12, 1995, and at the September 13-
14, 1995, Council meeting held in Portland, ME. Documents summarizing
the Council's proposed action, the biological analyses upon which this
decision will be based, and potential economic impacts will be
available to the public 5 days prior to the October 11, 1995, meeting.
Written comments will be accepted through October 9, 1995, on the
abbreviated rulemaking action (Framework Adjustment 12). The Council
will consider public comments in making its recommendations to the
Director, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Director), under the
provisions for abbreviated rulemaking cited above. If the Regional
Director concurs with the measures proposed by the Council, he will
publish them as a final rule in the Federal Register.
This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Douglas G. Marshall (see ADDRESSES) at least 5
days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: September 28, 1995.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-24675 Filed 10-3-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-W
