2020-16917. New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice; public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat Joint Committee and 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, August 20, 2020 at 9 a.m.

ADDRESSES:

All meeting participants and interested parties can register to join the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/​register/​55113428730454027.

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 Joint Committee and Advisory Panel plan to discuss habitat-related aspects of regional offshore wind development, including essential fish habitat consultations, habitat mapping recommendations, and benthic survey guidance, including mechanisms for Council involvement. Updates on science planning, upcoming meetings, and specific projects. They will also receive an overview of aquaculture and submarine cable activities in New England, including environmental effects and best management practices for mitigating these effects. Identify next steps for drafting Council policies on these issues. Discuss plans for updated offshore wind policy. The Committee and Advisory Panel will recommend actions to “reduce burdens on domestic fishing and to increase production within sustainable fisheries,” as requested in the Executive Order on Promoting Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth. They also plan to discuss and recommend habitat-related work priorities for 2021. 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 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: July 30, 2020.

Tracey L. Thompson,

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