[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 62 (Thursday, March 31, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-7710]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 31, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 032394D]

 

New England Fishery Management Council; Meeting and Hearing

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting, and public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
public meetings and a public hearing to consider actions affecting the 
New England fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone.

DATES: The meetings will be held on Wednesday, April 6, 1994, at 1:30 
p.m., and on Thursday, April 7, 1994, at 8:30 a.m. The public hearing 
will be held on April 7 at 1:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meetings and hearing will take place at the King's Grant 
Inn, Rt. 128 at Trask Lane, Danvers, MA 01923; telephone: 508-774-6800.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas G. Marshall, Executive 
Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, 
MA 01906; telephone: 617-231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 6, the Council meeting will begin 
with a report from the Lobster Oversight Committee (Committee). The 
Committee will discuss any recommended changes to the regulations 
proposed for Amendment 5 to the American Lobster Fishery Management 
Plan and membership on the Effort Management Teams. The Chairman of the 
Sea Scallop Oversight Committee will brief the Council on the recent 
joint meeting of the Scallop Industry Advisory Committee and the 
Scallop Plan Development Team.
    The session will conclude with reports from the Council Chairman; 
Council Executive Director; Director, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional 
Director); Northeast Fisheries Science Center liaison; Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council liaison; and representatives from the U.S. 
Department of State, Coast Guard, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Abbreviated Rulemaking Actions--Northeast Multispecies Fishery 
Management Plan

    A decision on a closure area for Massachusetts Bay was postponed 
from the March 17, 1994, Council meeting to the April meeting, pending 
further data analysis. During the April 6 session, the Marine Mammal 
Committee will discuss final recommendations on a time/area closure 
plan (plan) to reduce the Gulf of Maine harbor porpoise bycatch. The 
plan will then be forwarded to NMFS for consideration as a framework 
adjustment to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
    On April 7, further recommendations for framework adjustment to the 
FMP will be discussed. They include final action on measures addressed 
initially at the February and March Council meetings. The Council will 
consider:
    (1) A 100-lb (45.36-kg) winter flounder possession limit;
    (2) A multispecies groundfish possession limit while fishing with 
small mesh with a retention limit up to 500 lbs (226.8 kg) or 10 
percent, whichever is less, of all species not subject to the minimum 
mesh-size requirement specified in the FMP, and
    (3) An effort-reduction program based on 365 days from the date of 
implementation instead of a calendar year.

Public Hearing

    The Council will hold a public hearing on April 7 at 1:30 p.m. to 
consider a Flexible Area Action System closure to protect haddock in 
the vicinity of Area I, as defined in the FMP. Based on public 
comments, the NMFS fact-finding report, and a review of impacts, the 
Council will make a recommendation to the Regional Director.
    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Douglas G. Marshall at 617-213-
0422 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: March 25, 1994.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director of Office of Fisheries, Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-7710 Filed 3-30-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P