[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 4, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51978-51979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-24675]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 651

[I.D. 092695D]


New England Fishery Management Council; Meeting

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

ACTION: Public meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a 1-day public meeting to consider actions affecting New England 
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: Written comments will be accepted through October 9, 1995, on 
Framework Adjustment 12 and through October 18, 1995, on draft 
Amendment 7 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 
11, 1995, at 10 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Holiday Inn, One Newbury 
Street, at the intersection of Routes 1 and 128, Peabody, MA 01960; 
telephone: (508) 535-4600. Requests for special accommodations should 
be addressed to the New England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway, 
Saugus, MA 01906-1097; telephone: (617) 231-0422.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas G. Marshall, Executive 
Director, New England Fishery Management Council (617) 231-0422.


[[Page 51979]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will consider final action on a 
framework adjustment to the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) intended to reduce the incidental take of harbor 
porpoise in the Gulf of Maine sink gillnet fishery. The Aquaculture 
Committee report will follow with a discussion for development of a 
policy or process that could guide future Council actions related to 
aquaculture in the EEZ. The Groundfish Committee will discuss public 
comments received to date on draft Amendment 7 to the FMP. This 
preliminary review is scheduled in light of the volume of information 
forwarded to the Council. No formal decisions will be made until after 
the deadline for submission of written comments on the Council's draft 
Amendment 7 due October 18, 1995. Other business may be added to the 
agenda as necessary.

Abbreviated Rulemaking Action--Framework Adjustment 12 to the FMP

    The Council may take final action on Framework Adjustment 12 to the 
FMP under the framework for abbreviated rulemaking contained in 50 CFR 
651.32. The action would extend the time and area of the Mid-coast 
Closure Area initiated in Framework Adjustment 4 to reduce the bycatch 
of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine sink gillnet fishery. The area 
closure is presently in effect from November 1 through November 30 of 
each fishing year and is described below.


Latitude                             Longitude                          
                                                                        
42 deg.45' N.                        Massachusetts shoreline            
42 deg.45' N.                        70 deg.15' W.                      
43 deg.15' N.                        70 deg.15' W.                      
43 deg.15' N.                        69 deg.00' W.                      
Maine shoreline                      69 deg.00' W.                      
                                                                        

    The Council is considering a change that would extend the timing of 
the closure through December 31 and that would incorporate a region 
referred to as the Jeffreys Ledge Band west of 69 deg.30' W. Relative 
to the Mid-coast Closure Area, it is described as east on 42 deg.30' N. 
from the shore to 70 deg.00' W., north along 70 deg.00' W. to 
43 deg.00' N., then east on 43 deg.00' N. to 69 deg.30' W., then north 
on 69 deg.30' W. to 43 deg.15' N. According to the NMFS sea sampling 
data base, the harbor porpoise bycatch in this band has been relatively 
high as compared to other Gulf of Maine areas during previous years. 
Analyses of 1994 data indicate that bycatch rates in the 1994 fall 
period were about 3 times higher than those observed since 1991.
    The harbor porpoise bycatch issue was discussed at a Marine Mammal 
Committee meeting held on September 12, 1995, and at the September 13-
14, 1995, Council meeting held in Portland, ME. Documents summarizing 
the Council's proposed action, the biological analyses upon which this 
decision will be based, and potential economic impacts will be 
available to the public 5 days prior to the October 11, 1995, meeting. 
Written comments will be accepted through October 9, 1995, on the 
abbreviated rulemaking action (Framework Adjustment 12). The Council 
will consider public comments in making its recommendations to the 
Director, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Director), under the 
provisions for abbreviated rulemaking cited above. If the Regional 
Director concurs with the measures proposed by the Council, he will 
publish them as a final rule in the Federal Register.
    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 (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 
days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: September 28, 1995.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-24675 Filed 10-3-95; 8:45 am]
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