[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 107 (Monday, June 3, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 27862-27863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13746]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Parts 650 and 651

[I.D. 052296A]


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 Wednesday, June 5, 1996, at 10 a.m. 
and on Thursday, June 6, 1996, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the King's Grant Inn, Route 128 
and Trask Lane, Danvers, MA; telephone (508) 774-6800. 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:

June 5, 1996

    After introductions, the June 5 session will begin with the 
Groundfish Committee Report. Issues associated with the implementation 
of Amendment 7 to the Council's Northeast Multispecies Fishery 
Management Plan (Multispecies FMP) will be discussed along with 
amendment measures disapproved by the Secretary of Commerce. The 
committee also will provide an update on several pending framework 
adjustments to the plan, including possible modification of

[[Page 27863]]

gillnet effort reduction measures, establishment of area closures in 
the Gulf of Maine to protect juvenile and spawning fish, the possession 
limit for haddock, and Southern New England mesh size rules. There will 
be an update on the development of a plan amendment to address 
management of the whiting fishery and informal industry meetings on the 
displacement of fishing effort to New England inshore areas.
    During the afternoon session, a representative of the Office of 
Sustainable Development will brief the Council on Commerce's program to 
reduce fishing capacity in the groundfish fleet by paying vessel owners 
to retire vessels and their fishing privileges. The Marine Mammal 
Committee will then discuss a recommendation to initiate framework 
adjustment to the Multispecies FMP. If approved as an initial action, 
the Council would expand the timing of the Mid-coast Closure Area, 
currently in place to reduce the bycatch of harbor porpoise in the Gulf 
of Maine sink gillnet fishery, to include the period September 15 
through October 31. The afternoon agenda will conclude with a 
discussion of the Monkfish Committee's recommendation for an 
overfishing definition and management alternatives to be reviewed at 
future public hearings.

June 6, 1996

    The June 6 session will begin with reports from the Council 
Chairman, Executive Director, Director, Northeast Region, NMFS 
(Regional Director), and representatives from the Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, U.S. Coast 
Guard, and the Mid-Atlantic Council. The Herring Committee will discuss 
mid-water trawl operations during the October 1 through 21 spawning 
closure period and a request for a herring fishery in the areas closed 
for groundfish conservation. The Large Pelagics Committee will discuss 
proposed regulations for Atlantic tunas, followed by the Gear Conflict 
Committee report. The Council will review recent public hearing 
comments on the development of a framework adjustment process to 
address gear conflicts through Council management plans. At the 
recommendation of the Sea Scallop Committee, the Council may take final 
action on Framework Adjustment 8 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery 
Management Plan (Scallop FMP). If approved, the action would allow some 
vessels fishing with dredges to also use nets to harvest sea scallops 
if they meet certain criteria. Scallop regulations currently prohibit 
dredge vessels from using nets to harvest scallops. The Council may 
also approve a new location for establishment of a temporary 
experimental use area 10 miles south of Martha's Vineyard for sea 
scallop research, enhancement, and aquaculture. The action would be 
submitted as Amendment 5 to the Scallop FMP. The meeting will conclude 
after the Council considers Illex squid management recommendations from 
the ad hoc Squid, Mackerel and Butterfish Committee and the conclusion 
of any other outstanding business.

Abbreviated Rulemaking--Atlantic Sea Scallops

    At the recommendation of its Scallop Committee, the Council will 
consider final action on Framework Adjustment 8 to the 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 five times or less from 1988 through 1994 to continue to 
use nets to catch scallops. 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.

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 Council proposes 
to reduce further the bycatch of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine 
sink gillnet fishery by expanding the closure period in the Mid-coast 
Area. Currently, the use of sink gillnets is prohibited from November 1 
through December 31. This adjustment would add September 15 through 
October 31 to the existing closure period. No change in area is 
proposed although the Council may recommend an experimental fishery to 
continue the assessment of the use of acoustic deterrents to mitigate 
the porpoise bycatch.
    The Council will consider public comments at a minimum of two 
Council meetings prior to making any final recommendations to the 
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

    The 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: May 28, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-13746 Filed 5-31-96; 8:45 am]
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