98-8428. New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 1998)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 15384-15385]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-8428]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
    
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
    [I.D. 032498B]
    
    
    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.
    
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    SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
    a 2-day public meeting on April 15 and 16, 1998, to consider actions 
    affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
    
    DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 15, 1998, at 9 a.m. 
    and on Thursday, April 16, 1998, at 8:00 a.m.
    
    ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Inn Plymouth, 180 
    Water Street, Plymouth, MA 02360; telephone(508) 747-4900. Requests for 
    special accommodations should be addressed to the New England Fishery 
    Management 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) 231-042 2.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Wednesday, April 15, 1998
    
        Following introductions by the Council Chairman, the Groundfish 
    Committee will report on and seek Council approval of measures to be 
    discussed at public hearings and in the Draft Supplemental 
    Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) for Amendment 9 to the Northeast 
    Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Measures to be voted on for 
    purposes of preparing the public hearing document are associated with 
    new overfishing definitions and the specification of optimum yield 
    consistent with the revised National Standards in the Magnuson-Stevens 
    Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 
    rebuilding winter flounder stocks and conserving Atlantic halibut. Mesh 
    size changes to reduce the bycatch of juvenile flounders, a prohibition 
    on streetsweeper trawl gear, and alternative management strategies for 
    Gulf of Maine cod proposed by the Gulf of Maine Fishermen's Alliance 
    will also be included.
    
    [[Page 15385]]
    
        The Aquaculture and Scallop Committees will report during the 
    afternoon session. The Scallop Committee will seek Council approval of 
    measures to be included in a public hearing document and DSEIS for 
    Amendment 7 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. 
    Measures to be voted on will end overfishing and establish a major sea 
    scallop rebuilding program. They include days-at-sea (DAS) reductions, 
    scallop area management (including closures), and DAS leasing. The 
    Aquaculture Committee will recommend objectives and language for 
    inclusion in all fishery management plans that would provide for 
    approval of aquaculture projects in the EEZ through a framework 
    adjustment process. The Council will also consider initial action on a 
    framework adjustment to the Scallop Fishery Management Plan that would 
    extend the closure of the Westport Scallop Project (renamed the 
    Seastead Site) for 3 years.
        Following adjournment of the meeting at 5 p.m., the Council will 
    convene a monkfish public hearing. Proposed monkfish management 
    measures will be discussed for the purpose of seeking additional public 
    comment before the Council approves the final measures to be included 
    in the Monkfish FMP on Thursday, April 16.
    
    Thursday, April 16, 1998
    
        The morning session will begin with a request from the Council's 
    Monkfish Committee to approve final recommendations on management 
    measures for the Monkfish FMP. The Herring Committee will review and 
    ask for approval of measures for purposes of preparing a public hearing 
    document and DSEIS for the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. 
    Measures to be voted on include controlled access, spawning area 
    closures, vessel/dealer/operator permit requirements, area management, 
    target total allowable catches (TACs) and TACs that trigger a 
    management action, vessel size limits, a prohibition on fishing for the 
    purpose of meal production, limits on fishing time and restrictions on 
    fishing for roe. The Habitat Committee will seek approval of Essential 
    Fish Habitat designations for monkfish, haddock, and yellowtail 
    flounder for purposes of preparing a public hearing document. They also 
    will provide an update on progress to develop alternatives for other 
    Council-managed species. The Whiting Committee will ask for approval of 
    management measures for purposes of preparing a public hearing document 
    for a whiting amendment and DSEIS to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. 
    Measures slated for consideration include a moratorium on commercial 
    permits, whiting trip limits, mesh size restrictions, 3-inch mesh 
    areas, modifications to regulations for the Cultivator Shoal whiting 
    fishery and a limit on the amount of whiting that can be caught with 
    mesh less than the minimum mesh size. Discussion of any other business 
    will take place before the close of the meeting.
        Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
    this Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
    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.
    
        Dated: March 26, 1998.
    Gary C. Matlock,
    Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
    Service.
    [FR Doc. 98-8428 Filed 3-30-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
03/31/1998
Department:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice of public meeting.
Document Number:
98-8428
Dates:
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 15, 1998, at 9 a.m. and on Thursday, April 16, 1998, at 8:00 a.m.
Pages:
15384-15385 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
I.D. 032498B
PDF File:
98-8428.pdf