2023-04515. New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of a public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat Advisory Panel via webinar 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 Tuesday, March 21, at 9 a.m. Webinar registration URL information: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/​register/​1464733535707899991.

ADDRESSES:

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 Advisory Panel will discuss and identify a preferred alternative for the Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Framework. They will also review and recommend revisions, if necessary, to the draft goals and objectives for the Northern Edge Habitat/Scallop Management Framework. The Advisory Panel will also discuss an Exempted Fishing Permit request disapproved by NOAA Fisheries within the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area, as a follow-up to prior Council review of the final report for an earlier phase of the work. Also on the agenda, staff will brief the Advisory Panel on recent coordination with BOEM and NOAA related to offshore wind leasing in the Gulf of Maine. Other business may 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 these meetings. 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 date. This meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request.

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

Dated: March 1, 2023.

Rey Israel Marquez,

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