[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 86 (Thursday, May 5, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-10861]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 5, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 042994E]

 

New England Fishery Management Council; Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a two-day public meeting on May 11-12, 1994, at the Seacrest Oceanfront 
Resort and Conference Center, 350 Quaker Road, North Falmouth, MA; 
telephone: (508) 540-9400.
    The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. on May 11 with a report from the 
Interspecies Committee. This will be followed by an update from the 
Marine Mammal Committee on the status of the framework adjustment to 
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to reduce 
takes of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine. There also will be 
review on the status of Amendment #5 to the Lobster FMP. The meeting 
will adjourn at approximately 5:30 p.m.
    During the afternoon session, the Scallop Committee will give a 
report. This will be followed by reports from the Council Chairman, the 
Executive Director, the NMFS Regional Director, the Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center liaison, the Mid-Atlantic Council liaison, the U.S. 
Coast Guard and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
    On May 12 the meeting will open at 8:30 a.m. with the Groundfish 
Committee report. The report will cover the following issues:
    (1) A joint meeting with the Enforcement Committee;
    (2) A review of a silver hake (whiting) public hearing document; 
and
    (3) The fishing industry's proposed measures for the Cultivator 
Shoal whiting fishery. Other groundfish issues may be discussed. This 
meeting will adjourn at approximately 5:00 p.m.

Abbreviated Rulemaking Actions--Northeast Multispecies FMP

    The Council will consider two framework adjustments:
    (1) To allow groundfish vessel transits to and from home ports 
without using up days at sea; and
    (2) to modify the square mesh specifications according to vessel 
size in the Stellwagen Bank/Jeffreys Ledge juvenile protection area. 
The Council will determine whether the requested adjustments to the 
regulations for groundfish are necessary and will initiate a public 
comment period.
    The Council staff will evaluate the proposals and announce the 
availability of these analyses prior to the next Council meeting (June 
29-30, 1994). The public will have the opportunity to comment on the 
proposals prior to and at the June Council meeting. After developing 
management actions and receiving public testimony, the Council will 
make a recommendation to the Regional Director. The Regional Director 
may publish the action as a final rule or as a proposed rule, as 
described in Sec. 651.40.
    There will be a report on the federal financial assistance program 
for industry and ports during the afternoon session. The meeting will 
conclude with a continuation of the Groundfish Committee Report.

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: This meeting is physically accessible to 
people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or 
other auxiliary aids should be directed to Douglas G. Marshall at (617) 
231-0422 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: May 2, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-10861 Filed 5-4-94; 8:45 am]
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