[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 36 (Thursday, February 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 6816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3968]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 021396B]


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 public meeting to consider actions affecting New England 
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone.

DATES: The meeting will begin on Tuesday, February 27, 1996, at 10 a.m. 
and on Wednesday, February 28, 1996, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Tara Ferncroft Conference 
Resort, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923. 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, (617) 231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

February 27, 1996

    The February 27, 1996, session will begin with a report on the 21st 
Stock Assessment Workshop presented by the staff of the Northeast 
Fisheries Science Center. Analyses will be reviewed for the following 
species/stocks: Long-finned squid (Loligo); short-finned squid (Illex), 
Atlantic herring, winter flounder, and the northeast multispecies 
complex. Reports will be presented by the Council Chairman; Executive 
Director; Director, Northeast Regional Office; Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center; Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission; U.S. Coast 
Guard; and the Mid-Atlantic Council Liaison. The Council's Scallop 
Oversight Committee (Committee) will review and possibly recommend 
approval of a plan amendment to establish a temporary experimental use 
area 10 miles (18.52 km) south of Martha's Vineyard for sea scallop 
research, enhancement, and aquaculture. The Committee will also review 
a draft public hearing document on a proposed plan amendment to allow 
the consolidation of days-at-sea now allocated to individual scallop 
vessels. The day will conclude with a discussion of proposed 
legislation for highly migratory species management.

February 28, 1996

    On February 28, 1996, the Monkfish Committee will present an update 
on management measures, including the overfishing definitions. The 
Groundfish Committee will discuss the proposed rule for Amendment 7 to 
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) followed by a 
discussion of groundfish management priorities. Issues include:
    1. Additional framework adjustments to the FMP: (a) Alternatives to 
the Amendment 7 default measures for effort reductions in the sink 
gillnet fishery and for the Gulf of Maine area closures, (b) a 
requirement that fishermen exempted from effort controls under 
Amendment 5 take a 20-day block of time off from harvesting groundfish 
during the March through May spawning period for 1996 only, (c) 
implementation of a square-mesh requirement for trawl gear, and (d) 
reconsideration of the measure to apply groundfish fleet days-at-sea to 
vessels using nets to harvest sea scallops.
    2. A plan amendment to address management of the whiting fishery.
    3. The consolidation of fishing effort in the groundfish fleet and 
the development of gear based management options. The Council will 
address any other outstanding business at the conclusion of the agenda 
items described above.

Special Accommodations

    The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Request 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: February, 15, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-3968 Filed 2-21-96; 8:45 am]
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