01-12216. New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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 Skate Oversight Committee in May, 2001. Recommendations from the committee will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES:

The meeting will held on Wednesday, May 30, 2001, at 9:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at the Radisson Airport Hotel, 2081 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886; telephone: [phone].

Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone: [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; [phone]. Requests for special accommodations should be addressed to the New England Fishery Management Council (see ADDRESSES).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The committee will review the Skate Plan Development Team Report. The agenda will include finalization of draft Skate Fishery Management Plan alternatives for public hearings for Council approval at the June 13-14, 2001 Council meeting; alternatives may include specifications for a skate permit and catch reporting system, prohibitions on the possession of certain skate species, management measures for the bait and/or wing fishery, possession limits, modification of regulations pertaining to the current southern New England skate exemption areas, gear restrictions, and/or any other appropriate measures. The committee will also discuss a control date for skate fishing.

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 Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to the meeting dates.

Dated: May 10, 2001.

Richard W. Surdi,

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