[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 24, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53769-53770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-26781]
[[Page 53769]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[I.D. 101701A]
New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold
a 3-day Council meeting on November 6 through 8, 2001, to consider
actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone
(EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday,
November 6, 7, and 8, 2001. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday
and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Tavern on the Harbor, 30
Western Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930; telephone (978) 283-4200.
Requests for special accommodations should be addressed to the New
England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2,
Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone (978) 465-0492.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director,
New England Fishery Management Council (978) 465-0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tuesday, November 6, 2001
Following introductions, the Council staff will present the 2001
Whiting Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report for small
mesh multispecies, including Whiting Monitoring Committee
recommendations concerning future management actions. The Scallop
Committee will request approval of additional management alternatives
to be included in draft Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and analyzed in the Draft Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS). Primary issues include
alternatives to manage limited access fishing effort and general
category scallop vessels, minimize habitat and bycatch impacts, and
address monitoring and data collection issues.
The afternoon session will include consideration and approval of a
schedule of management actions for 2002. The Spiny Dogfish Committee
will then seek approval of New England Council recommendations for
spiny dogfish specifications for the 2002-2003 fishing year. Measures
may include a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) quota, trip limits, and/or
any other measures specified in the Spiny Dogfish FMP.
Wednesday, November 7, 2001
The meeting will reconvene with reports on recent activities from
the Council Chairman and Executive Director, the NMFS Regional
Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council liaisons, NOAA General Counsel and
representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement and the
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. A brief period for general
comments from the public concerning fisheries management issues will
follow. The Multispecies Monitoring Committee (MSMC) will present an
update on stock status and management alternatives to meet Northeast
Multispecies FMP goals and objectives. During the Groundfish Committee
Report, the Council will review scoping comments on the Notice of
Intent for Framework Adjustment 36 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP.
Measures in this action would be designed to reduce Gulf of Maine cod
fishing mortality and discards, extend or change the Western Gulf of
Maine closed area, change the area authorized for the northern shrimp
fishery, and allow tuna purse seine vessels access to groundfish closed
areas. The Council is considering the full range of measures for
reducing Gulf of Maine cod fishing mortality, including changes to
recreational fishing measures. In addition, because Framework 36 will
address the Northeast multispecies annual adjustment process for the
2002 fishing year, the Council will also consider alternatives that may
be necessary to meet the goals and objectives of the plan. The
Framework 36 discussions will include opportunities for the public to
comment. During this discussion, the Council also will review the MSMC-
proposed management alternatives for achieving plan goals for possible
inclusion in Framework Adjustment 36, as well as identify alternatives
for analyses in the accompanying DSEIS.
Thursday, November 8, 2001
On the final day of the meeting, the agenda will include red crab
and monkfish issues. During the Red Crab report, the Council intends to
approve the Red Crab FMP DEIS (including possible identification of a
preferred alternative) and public hearing document. Discussion will
include review and approval of the Habitat Committee's recommendations
for the designation of red crab Essential Fish Habitat. There will be a
presentation of the Monkfish SAFE Report for the 2000-2001 fishing
year, including the recommendations of the Monkfish Monitoring
Committee concerning management recommendations. The Council also
intends to approve initial action on Framework Adjustment 1 to the
Monkfish FMP (annual framework adjustment) to implement management
measures for the 2002-2003 fishing year (Year 4 of the rebuilding
program). Measures under consideration include, but are not limited to,
no action, which would allow the Year 4 default measures to take
effect; continue the Year 3 measures with adjustments to the gear-based
trip limits to account for the recent federal court decision; or adjust
Year 3 measures to achieve Year 3 target total allowable catch (TAC)
levels. Any outstanding business will be addressed following this
report.
Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda
may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be
the subjects 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 that the public has been notified of the Council's intent to
take final action to address the emergency.
The New England Council will consider public comments at a minimum
of two Council meetings before making recommendations to the National
Marine Fisheries Service Regional Administrator on any framework
adjustment to a fishery management plan. If the Regional Administrator
concurs with the adjustment proposed by the Council, the Regional
Administrator may publish the action either as proposed or final
regulations in the Federal Register. Documents pertaining to framework
adjustments are available for public review 7 days prior to a final
vote by the Council.
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
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J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: October 19, 2001.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-26781 Filed 10-19-01; 2:40 pm]
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