[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 13, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 64014-64015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-30380]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 649, 650, and 651

[I.D. 112995F]


New England Fishery Management Council; Meeting

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

ACTION: Public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a 2-day meeting to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in 
the exclusive economic zone.

DATES: The meeting will begin on Wednesday, December 13, 1995, at 10 
a.m. and on Thursday, December 14 at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the King's Grant Inn, Route 128 
and Trask Lane, Danvers, MA 01906-1097; telephone: (617) 231-0422.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

December 13, 1995

    The December 13, 1995, session will include reports from the 
Council's Gear Conflict, Monkfish, and Dogfish Committees. The gear 
conflict discussion will focus on reviewing and possibly approving a 
draft plan amendment document for public hearing purposes that contains 
a framework adjustment procedure to reduce gear conflicts. The intent 
is to amend several fishery management plans for this purpose. The 
Monkfish Committee will update the Council on possible monkfish total 
allowable catches, limited access quotas, and limited access 
qualification criteria within the context of alternatives already 
developed as part of a draft fishery management plan. The Dogfish 
Committee will provide background information on the Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council's decision to temporarily delay development 
of the joint plan.
    During the afternoon session of the meeting, the Marine Mammal 
Committee will report on its efforts to develop time/area closures to 
reduce the bycatch of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine sink gillnet 
fishery. The Sea Scallop Committee will discuss the development of 
Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic Sea Scallop 
Fishery (Scallop FMP), a program to allow vessels to consolidate their 
days at sea. The Council may also approve draft Amendment 6 to the 
Scallop FMP for public hearing purposes. The amendment proposes to 
establish a temporary experimental use area 10 miles south of Martha's 
Vineyard for sea scallop research, enhancement, and aquaculture.

Abbreviated Rulemaking--Atlantic Sea Scallops

    At the recommendation of its Scallop Committee, the Council will 
consider initial action on Framework Adjustment 7 to the Scallop FMP 
under the framework for abbreviated rulemaking procedure contained in 
50 CFR 650.40. The Council proposes to extend the current rule 
specifying a maximum crew size of seven until a plan amendment allows 
the consolidation of days at sea now allocated to individual scallop 
vessels, or until the Council changes the crew size through other 
action.

December 14, 1995

    The December 14, 1995, session will begin with an update on the 
future direction of lobster management. The Northeast Multispecies 
(Groundfish) Committee will follow with a report on 

[[Page 64015]]
actions to date to finalize proposed Amendment 7 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery (Multispecies 
FMP).

Abbreviated Rulemaking Action--Northeast Multispecies

    The Council will consider action on Framework Adjustment 13 to the 
Multispecies FMP under the framework for abbreviated rulemaking 
procedure contained in 50 CFR 651.40. The Council proposes to require 
exempted fishery status for vessels fishing outside of their allocated 
groundfish or sea scallop days at sea. The Council will consider two 
additional actions under the framework for abbreviated rulemaking 
procedure: Initial action on Framework Adjustment 14 to reduce the 
bycatch of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine sink gillnet fishery 
through time/area closures in the mid-coast and southern New England 
regions during the spring, and initial action on Framework Adjustment 
15 in which the Council proposes to require that all vessels take a 20-
day block of time off from harvesting groundfish during the March 
through May spawning period.
    The Council will consider public comments at a minimum of two 
Council meetings prior to making any final 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.
    The Council will address any other outstanding business at the 
conclusion of the agenda items described above.

Special Accommodations

    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.

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

    Dated: December 8, 1995
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-30380 Filed 12-8-95; 2:17 pm]
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