2016-31327. New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice; public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish Committee to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES:

This meeting will be held on Thursday, January 19, 2017 at 9 a.m.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5 Park Street, Freeport, ME 04032; telephone: [phone].

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:

Agenda

The Groundfish Committee will discuss Framework Adjustment 56 pertaining to witch flounder specifications only. They will receive an overview of the recent benchmark assessment, Plan Development Team analysis, Scientific and Statistical Committee, and Groundfish Advisory Panel recommendations for witch flounder. The Committee will make recommendations to the Council on witch flounder specifications for FY 2017-FY 2019. The Committee also plans to discuss FY 2017 Recreational Measures for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock. They will receive an overview of recent recreational catch and effort data and results from the bioeconomic model to evaluate options for management measures in FY 2017. They will receive Recreational Advisory Panel recommendations on FY 2017 recreational measures for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock. They will make recommendations to the Council on FY 2017 recreational measures for Gulf of Maine cod and haddock. The Committee also plans to receive an overview and discuss the Council's 2017 Groundfish Priorities and make recommendations to the Groundfish Committee, as appropriate. Other business will be discussed as necessary.

Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. 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

This meeting is 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 meeting date.

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

Dated: December 22, 2016.

Tracey L. Thompson,

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