2020-19917. 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 via webinar.

SUMMARY:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish Advisory Panel 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 webinar will be held on Monday, September 21, 2020 at 9 a.m. Webinar registration URL information: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/​register/​8048234209657399056.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held via webinar.

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 review public comments on Amendment 23: Groundfish Monitoring and the summary document prepared by the Groundfish Plan Development Team (PDT) and make final recommendations on preferred alternatives. They will also discuss draft alternatives on Framework Adjustment 61: Specifications/Management Measures—developed by the PDT focusing on (1) white hake rebuilding plan options, (2) 2021 U.S./Canada total allowable catches of Eastern Georges Bank (GB) cod, Eastern GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder and (3) other measures. The panel will discuss possible groundfish priorities for 2021 including a follow-up discussion on the Groundfish Sector Program Catch Share Review. They will also make recommendations to the Groundfish Committee and discuss other business, 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. 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: September 3, 2020.

Tracey L. Thompson,

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