[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 18 (Monday, January 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4847-4848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1424]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN: 0648-XF31
New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold
a three-day Council meeting on February 12-14, 2008, to consider
actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone
(EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 12 beginning at 9
a.m., and Wednesday and Thursday, February 13-14, beginning at 8:30
a.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Harborside Hotel,
250 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801; telephone: (603) 431-2300.
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: (978) 465-0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Following introductions and any announcements the Council will
receive a series of brief reports from the Council Chairman and
Executive Director, the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Regional
Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council liaisons, NOAA General Counsel, NOAA
Enforcement and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard and the
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
[[Page 4848]]
The Council also will review and approve a scoping document for
Amendment 15 to the Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Issues
that are likely to be included are annual catch limits and
accountability measures, measures to address excess capacity and allow
sectors in the limited access scallop fishery and reconsideration of
the current scallop overfishing definition. Following an brief
opportunity for the public to address items that are otherwise not
listed on the Council agenda, there will be a final review of several
Council policies concerning enforcement, advisory panels and sectors.
The day will conclude with an update on the development of the
Amendment 3 to the Skate FMP.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Council's Research Steering Committee Chairman will recommend
approval of comments on the NMFS proposed rule that would revise the
experimental fishery permit process and ask for consideration and
approval of Council research priorities for 2008. The Council also will
review the findings of the committee concerning any cooperative
research final reports they have reviewed. As a separate agenda item,
the Council will consider commenting on any current experimental
fishery permit applications. The Habitat Committee will review and
discuss its recommendations on the previously designated Southern
Canyon Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPCs) and possibly ask for
approval of any modifications to those HAPCs. The last item of the day
will involve review and approval of a process to consider additional
gears for use in the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Regular B
Days-at-Sea Program and the U.S./Canada Haddock Special Access Program.
The Council also will review and approve an annual catch limit
alternative for Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Groundfish issues will be covered throughout the final day of the
meeting and will include consideration and approval of alternatives to
be analyzed for Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP,
including but not limited to effort controls, sector administration,
research set-asides, annual catch limits and accountability measures
and allowing vessels to possess both a limited access scallop and a
groundfish permit.
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.
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 date.
Dated: January 23, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-1424 Filed 1-25-08; 8:45 am]
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