[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 48 (Friday, March 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 11846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5448]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XV06


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice; public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Joint 
Groundfish/Scallop Committee will meet to consider actions affecting 
New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Monday, April 5, 2010 at 9 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Seaport Hotel, One Seaport 
Lane, Boston, MA 02210; telephone: (617) 385-4000; fax: (617) 385-4001.
    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: The items of discussion in the committee's 
agenda are as follows:
    1. The Joint Groundfish/Scallop Committee of the New England 
Fishery Management Council will meet to begin the preparation of a 
management action to facilitate the transfer of yellowtail flounder 
allocations between the groundfish and scallop industries. Yellowtail 
flounder is a target species for groundfish vessels, and is an 
incidental catch for scallop vessels. With the implementation of Annual 
Catch Limits in 2010, fishing opportunities of both fleets can be 
constrained by decisions on the how yellowtail flounder is allocated. 
Developing a mechanism to allow the transfer of yellowtail flounder 
between these fisheries may facilitate their respective activities and 
may reduce allocation issues between the two fleets. The Committee will 
develop a problem statement for the action, identify measurable goals 
and objectives, and will identify management alternatives. One 
alternative the Committee will probably develop would allow the 
formation of sectors within the scallop fishery for the sole purpose of 
exchanging yellowtail flounder with groundfish sectors established 
under the provisions of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management 
Plan. Other alternatives may also be developed by the Committee. 
Committee recommendations will be presented to the Council at a future 
date.
    2. Other business may also be discussed.
    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 identified in this notice and any issues 
arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action 
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management 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 date.

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

    Dated: March 9, 2010.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-5448 Filed 3-11-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S