E6-13991. 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/MPA/Ecosystem Committee Meeting in September, 2006 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:

The meeting will be held on Thursday, September 7, 2006, at 9 a.m.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at the Hampton Inn, One Hampton Way, Fairhaven, MA 02719: telephone: [phone]; fax: [phone].

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Committee will review and recommend for Council consideration essential fish habitat (EFH) designation alternatives for inclusion in Phase 1 of the EFH Omnibus Amendment 2 for Atlantic salmon and Deep-sea red crab. The committee will also review and recommend for Council consideration a range of habitat areas of particular concern (HAPC) alternatives for inclusion in Phase 1 of the EFH Omnibus Amendment 2. In addition, the committee will review and recommend for Council consideration a prey species identification section for inclusion in Phase 1 of the EFH Omnibus Amendment 2 for all Council-managed species. The Committee will also review a non-fishing impacts section for inclusion in Phase 1 of the EFH Omnibus Amendment 2 as well as discuss and consider topics covered at the August 15, 2006 Habitat Advisory Panel meeting. Other topics may be covered at the committee's discretion.

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, Executive Director, at [phone], at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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

Dated: August 18, 2006.

Tracey L. Thompson,

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