[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 72 (Friday, April 12, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16237-16238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9168]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Parts 650 and 651

[I.D. 040396A]


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 convene on Wednesday, April 17, 1996, at 10 
a.m. and on Thursday, April 18, 1996, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Providence Biltmore Hotel, 
Kennedy Plaza, Providence, RI 02903; telephone: (401) 421-0700. 
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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

April 17, 1996

    The April 17, 1996, session will begin with reports from the 
Council Chairman, Council Executive Director, NMFS Regional Director, 
Northeast Fisheries Science Center liaison, Mid-Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council liaison, and representatives from the Coast Guard, 
and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. A report on the 
most recent meeting of the Council's Monkfish Committee will follow. 
Discussion will include a review of the development of management 
options for public hearing purposes.
    The afternoon agenda will include a discussion on the gear conflict 
emergency regulations and the Council will explore alternatives for 
extending these emergency regulations, which are due to expire on June 
25, 1996. Following that will be a report from the Council's Sea 
Scallop Committee. The Council may initiate action on a framework 
adjustment to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (Sea 
Scallop FMP) that would allow some vessels fishing with dredges to also 
use nets to harvest scallops, if they meet certain criteria. Sea 
scallop regulations currently prohibit dredge vessels from using nets 
to harvest scallops. The Herring Committee will report on its 
deliberations concerning internal waters processing and joint venture 
allocations for 1996-97.

April 18, 1996

    On April 18, 1996, the Large Pelagics Committee will report to the 
Council on the current situation in the fisheries for pelagic sharks, 
swordfish, bluefin and other tunas, and on management issues and 
activities for those fisheries. The Marine Mammal Committee will then 
brief the Council on its recommendations concerning action to further 
reduce the bycatch of the Gulf of Maine harbor porpoise and its 
discussion on the status of the northern right whale. The Groundfish 
Committee will discuss its recommendation to initiate action on a 
framework adjustment to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management 
Plan (Northeast Multispecies FMP). The adjustment would modify days-at-
sea (DAS) allocated to sea scallop net vessels. A second framework 
adjustment may be initiated for the purpose of implementing gillnet 
effort restrictions to replace those measures currently proposed in 
Amendment 7 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. The Council meeting will 
conclude with a discussion of the Enforcement Committee's 
recommendations on measures contained in the Amendment 7 proposed rule 
and other broader enforcement issues. Any other outstanding business 
will be addressed at the end of the day.

Abbreviated Rulemaking Action--Atlantic Sea Scallops

    At the recommendation of its Scallop Committee, the Council will 
consider initial action on Framework Adjustment 8 to the Sea Scallop 
FMP under the framework for abbreviated rulemaking procedure contained 
in 50 CFR 650.40. The Council proposes to allow vessels that have used 
a scallop dredge 5 times or less from 1998 through 1994 to continue to 
use a net to catch scallops. Other options for determining whether it 
is impractical for vessels to use dredges include a change of owners, 
total refitting of the vessel, and horsepower limits.

[[Page 16238]]

Abbreviated Rulemaking Action--Northeast Multispecies

    The Council will consider initial action on Framework Adjustment 15 
to the Northeast Multispecies FMP under the framework for abbreviated 
rulemaking procedure contained in 50 CFR 651.40. The action is intended 
to further reduce the bycatch of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine 
sink gillnet fishery by increasing the area and possibly changing the 
time period for the closure referred to as the Northeast Area, 
currently in place from August 15 through September 13 of each fishing 
year.
    Two additional framework adjustments to the Multispecies FMP may be 
initiated. One would adjust groundfish DAS allocations to scallop net 
vessels and the other would implement alternative gillnet effort 
reduction measures to replace Amendment 7 proposals.
    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.
    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: April 8, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-9168 Filed 4-11-96; 8:45 am]
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