[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 28 (Friday, February 10, 1995)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 7936-7937] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-3416] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Parts 649, 650 and 651 [I.D. 020395B] New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings and Hearings AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Public meetings and hearings. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 2-day public meeting and hearing to consider actions affecting the New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). DATES: The meetings are scheduled as follows: 1. February 15, 1995, 10 a.m. 2. February 16, 1995, 8:30 a.m. ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at King's Grant Inn, Route 128 and 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: Wednesday, February 15, 1995 The meeting will begin with a report on the 19th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop. Information concerning Gulf of Maine cod and Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank white hake will be presented. Following the stock assessment report, the Council's Northeast Multispecies Groundfish Committee (Groundfish Committee) will present an update on the development of Framework Adjustment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery that would permanently extend the groundfish emergency rule and its amendment, which are currently in effect, with some modifications (see below). As part of Amendment 7 to the FMP for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery, the Council will discuss the recommendations of the Groundfish Committee to protect overfished groundfish stocks. These may include time/area closures, catch quotas, the impacts of fishing effort displacement, Canadian harvest of transboundary stocks, and other measures. The discussion of Amendment 7 may continue through the afternoon. If time is available during the afternoon reports will be given by the Council Chairman; Council Executive Director; Director, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Director); Northeast Fisheries Science Center Liaison; Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Liaison; and a representative from the U.S. Coast Guard. Any remaining reports will be covered on Thursday, February 16, 1995, in the morning. Thursday, February 16, 1995 The Lobster Committee will present recommendations on the management strategies drafted by its Effort Management Teams for inclusion in Amendment 6 to the FMP for the American Lobster Fishery. The Lobster Committee will also initiate action on a framework adjustment to address criteria for limited access permits (see below). The Sea Scallop Committee will finalize a framework adjustment to the FMP for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery in which the Council proposes to allow only limited use of nets to harvest sea scallops and to restrict the size of twine tops used in sea scallop dredges. Any other relevant business will be addressed at the end of the discussion on the framework adjustment for sea scallops. Abbreviated Rulemaking Action--Northeast Multispecies The Council will consider final action on Framework Adjustment 9 to the FMP for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery under the framework procedure for abbreviated rulemaking contained in 50 CFR 651.40. At its December 7 and 8, 1994, meetings, the Council announced that it would initiate a framework adjustment that would permanently implement the emergency interim rule and the amendment to the emergency interim rule now in place for 3 months, with some modifications. These emergency actions close areas of Georges Bank and southern New England to all fishing and scalloping, with some stated exceptions, prohibit the possession of regulated multispecies finfish, and limit the possession of certain other species when using small-mesh nets. The public is invited to comment. If the Regional Director concurs with the Council's recommendations on Framework Adjustment 9, he could publish them as a proposed or a final rule in the Federal Register. Abbreviated Rulemaking Action--Atlantic Sea Scallops The Council will consider final action on an adjustment to the FMP for the Atlantic Sea Scallop fishery under the framework procedure for abbreviated rulemaking contained in 50 CFR 650.40. The Council proposes to allow only limited use of nets to harvest sea scallops and to restrict the size of twine tops used in sea scallop dredges. There will be final decisions on the issues of continued fishing during the permit appeals process, the use of nets while fishermen are not in the days- at-sea program, and final specification of the twine top restriction. This framework was reviewed at the December 7 and 8, 1994, and January 11 and 12, 1995, Council meetings, but comments from the public will again be accepted on February 16, 1995. If the Regional Director concurs with the Council's recommendations on this framework adjustment, he could publish them as a proposed or a final rule in the Federal Register. Abbreviated Rulemaking Action--American Lobster The Council will consider initial action on an adjustment to the American Lobster FMP under the framework procedure for abbreviated rulemaking contained in 50 CFR 649.43. At its January 11 and 12, 1995, meeting, the Council announced that it would initiate a framework adjustment that would modify eligibility criteria for lobster limited access permits to address the following circumstances: (1) The eligibility of fishermen who fished for lobsters in the EEZ prior to the January 9, 1991, control date, but who did not have a Federal lobster permit; (2) permit holders who leased their federally endorsed lobster permits to another person; (3) a captain with a federally [[Page 7937]] endorsed lobster permit who operated a vessel for an individual who did not have a permit; (4) transfers of federally endorsed state lobster permits that occurred some time between the control date and the implementation date of Amendment 5 to the FMP for the American lobster fishery; (5) holders of federally endorsed lobster permit who fished on the same vessel together; and (6) a person who inherits a vessel once owned by an individual with a federally endorsed permit. Final action is expected at the March 29 and 30, 1995, Council meeting. The public will be encouraged to attend these meetings and provide comments or submit them in writing. If the Regional Director concurs with Council's recommendations on this framework adjustment, he could publish them as a proposed or a final rule in the Federal Register. Special Accommodations The meetings on February 15-16, 1995, 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- 231-0422, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: February 6, 1995. David S. Crestin, Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 95-3416 Filed 2-7-95; 4:29 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F