[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 17, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 37241-37242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18081]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[I.D. 070596D]
New England Fishery Management Council; Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold
a 2-day meeting to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in
the exclusive economic zone.
DATES: The meeting will begin on Wednesday, July 17, 1996, at 10 a.m.
and on Thursday, July 18, 1996, at 8:30 a.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn, Route One,
Peabody, MA; telephone (508) 535-4600. Requests for special
accommodations should be addressed to the New England Fishery
Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906-1097; telephone: (617)
231-0422.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas G. Marshall, Executive
Director, (617) 231-0422.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
July 17, 1996
After introductions, the July 17 session will begin with a report
on and discussion of the Canadian Program for Responsible Fishing
Operations. The Marine Mammal Committee report will follow and include
a recommendation to take final action on Framework Adjustment 16 to the
Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (Multispecies FMP) that
would extend the timing of the Mid-coast Closure Area. An additional
measure under consideration for the same framework adjustment would
prohibit the use of pelagic and any other gillnets in the harbor
porpoise time/area closures under certain conditions.
In the afternoon, the Multispecies Groundfish Committee will review
and possibly recommend changes to the gillnet effort reduction measures
currently in the FMP. Additionally, they will discuss membership on the
Council's Multispecies Monitoring Committee, progress on the
development of a fishery management plan for whiting, and possible
alternatives to the Gulf of Maine
[[Page 37242]]
groundfish area closures. The Council also will consider final action
on Framework Adjustments 17 and 18, as explained below. There will also
be an update on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's
(ASMFC's) Winter Flounder Plan.
July 18, 1996
The July 18 session will begin with reports from the Council
Chairman; Executive Director; Director, Northeast Region, NMFS
(Regional Director); and representatives from the Northeast Fisheries
Science Center; ASMFC; U.S. Coast Guard; and the Mid Atlantic Council.
The Herring Committee Chairman will brief the Council on the outcome of
the most recent United States/Canada meeting. The Enforcement Committee
will discuss its review of the management alternatives proposed for
inclusion in the proposed monkfish fishery management plan (Monkfish
FMP). There will be a discussion of the experimental fishery for
mahogany quahogs in the Gulf of Maine. The Regional Director is
considering an experimental fishery for vessels involved in a Fishing
Industry Grant (FIG) entitled ``Local Production and Market Development
for High Quality Cape Cod Shark Frozen Fillets.'' The objective of the
project is to enhance dogfish processing and marketing. Operations
under the FIG grant have become restricted by the implementation of
Amendment 7 to the Multispecies FMP and therefore possibly threaten the
success of the grant. Experimental fishing permits would be necessary
for vessels to continue to operate as they had done under Amendment 5
to the FMP. The Regional Director is considering issuing experimental
fishing permits for federally permitted vessels that may be involved in
a continuation of a gear development project conducted by the
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MADMF) in the Cape Cod Bay/
Massachusetts Bay area. The purpose of the experimental fishery is to
continue to test and refine a MADMF constructed trawl and the
associated fishing technique as a selective type of gear that can be
used in the whiting fishery, as well as the dogfish and red hake
fisheries. The MADMF expects its experimental net to retain primarily
whiting, red hake, and dogfish while minimizing the catch of bottom
dwelling groundfish. The information compiled by MADMF from last year's
experiment has been reviewed by NMFS and supports continuation of the
project.
The afternoon session will include reports from the Gear Conflict
and Monkfish Committees. There will be a briefing on the most recent
industry meeting concerning a proposed framework adjustment to address
the Southern New England gear conflict situation, as well as a status
report on the development of monkfish management alternatives. The
Monkfish Committee will present a Monkfish FMP draft public hearing
document for Council comment. The Council will address any other
outstanding business at the conclusion of the agenda items described
above.
Background for Framework Adjustments
Abbreviated Rulemaking--Northeast Multispecies
At the recommendation of its Marine Mammal Committee, the Council
will consider final action on Framework Adjustment 16 to the
Multispecies FMP under the framework for abbreviated rulemaking
procedure contained in 50 CFR 648.90. The Council proposes to further
reduce the bycatch of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine sink gillnet
fishery by extending the timing of the Mid-coast Closure Area.
Currently, the use of sink gillnets is prohibited from November 1
through December 31. This adjustment would add September 15 through
October 31 to the existing period. No change in area is proposed
although the Council may recommend an experimental fishery to continue
the assessment of the use of acoustic deterrents to mitigate the
porpoise bycatch.
Final action also may be taken on a provision to prohibit the use
of pelagic and other gillnets during the harbor porpoise time/area
closures. The measure, which also would be included in Framework
Adjustment 16, would allow such gillnets if they were constructed of
mesh less than the regulated size of 6 inches (15 cm), were not
anchored to the bottom but attached to the boat, had surface floats,
and were set in the top third of the water column. The Council is
considering two options for the length of the net, 300 feet (91 m) and
900 feet (274 m).
At the recommendation of its Groundfish Committee, the Council will
consider final action on Framework Adjustments 17 and 18 to the
Multispecies FMP. Framework Adjustment 17 would restore DAS to vessels
that took time out of the groundfish fishery between May 31 and July 1
and were then subject to a DAS allocation under Amendment 7, which
again subtracted days for those same months. This adjustment would
rectify the inequity. Framework Adjustment 18 would allow herring/
mackerel fishing with pelagic mid-water trawls in areas of Georges Bank
now closed to all gear capable of catching groundfish.
The Council will consider public comments at a minimum of two
Council meetings prior to making any final recommendations to the
Regional Director under the provisions for abbreviated rulemaking cited
above. If the Regional Director concurs with the measures proposed by
the Council, he will publish them as a final rule in the Federal
Register.
Special Accommodations
This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Douglas G. Marshall, New England Fishery
Management Council (see ADDRESSES), at least 5 days prior to the
meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 11, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-18081 Filed 7-11-96; 4:51 pm]
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