2020-11945. 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 meeting of its Scallop 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 Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 9 a.m.

ADDRESSES:

All meeting participants and interested parties can register to join the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/​register/​8315070286252690191.

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 Scallop Advisory Panel will review Amendment 21: The Council has developed alternatives to address three specific issues in this action: (1) Measures related to the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) Management Area, (2) Limited Access General Category (LAGC) individual fishing quota (IFQ) possession limits, and (3) ability of Limited Access vessels with LAGC IFQ to transfer quota to LAGC IFQ only vessels. Review draft environmental assessment and consider developing preliminary preferred alternatives. They will also discuss the impacts of COVID-19: Discuss the timing and outlook for 2020 surveys and 2021/22 specifications process. Discuss options for completing 2020 Council priorities. 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 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. 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: May 29, 2020.

Tracey L. Thompson,

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