2024-23096. New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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Department of Commerce

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

1. [RTID 0648-XE339]

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of a public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a hybrid meeting of its Scallop 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 meeting will be held on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 9 a.m.

ADDRESSES:

Meeting address: This meeting will be held at Fairfield Inn & Suites/Waypoint Event Center, 185 MacArthur Dr., New Bedford, MA 02740; telephone: [phone].

Webinar registration URL information: https://nefmc-org.zoom.us/​meeting/​register/​tJEtdu2vqzwsHdWY8rBl4lr-Pue6eJlLazYm.

Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cate O'Keefe, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Agenda

The Scallop Advisory Panel will meet to discuss: Framework Adjustment 39: Receive an update on plan development team (PDT) tasking and provide input on the range of potential access area and days-at-sea (DAS) allocations for the 2025 and 2026 fishing years. Framework 39 will set specifications including ABC/ACLs, days-at-sea, access area allocations, total allowable landings for the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) management area, targets for General Category incidental catch, General Category access area trips, and set-asides for the observer and research programs for fishing year 2025 and default specifications for fishing year 2026. This action will also consider modifying the current seasonal flatfish closure in Closed Area II, and adjusting regulations to allow NGOM permitted vessels to possess scallops outside of the management unit. They will also receive an update on ongoing 2024 scallop work priorities. Other business will be discussed, if necessary.

Although non-emergency issues not contained on the agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Council 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. The public also should be aware that the meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request.

Special Accommodations

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Cate O'Keefe, Executive Director, at [phone], at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

Authority:16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: October 2, 2024.

Rey Israel Marquez,

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