2024-05697. New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public hybrid meeting of its Enforcement Committee to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This meeting will be held in-person with a webinar option. 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 Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at 9 a.m.

ADDRESSES:

This meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 100 High Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801; telephone: [phone].

Webinar registration URL information: https://nefmc-org.zoom.us/​webinar/​register/​WN_​qfnCHO7USe2SML1X1VwXOA.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cate O'Keefe, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Agenda

The Enforcement Committee will meet to discuss VMS as an enforcement tool. They will also discuss enforceability of closed area polygon boundaries as well as

VMS ping rates for Council-managed scallop fisheries. The Committee will discuss Enforcement issues around on-demand fishing gear. Other business will be discussed, if necessary.

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 meeting. 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

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Cate O'Keefe, Executive Director, at (978) 465–0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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

Dated: March 13, 2024.

Rey Israel Marquez,

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