[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 178 (Thursday, September 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 48131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23252]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[I.D. 090696A]


Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The first meeting of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction 
Team (TRT) will be held to address bycatch of large baleen whales, 
specifically the northern right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) and the 
humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the following fisheries: The 
Gulf of Maine/U.S. mid-Atlantic lobster trap/pot fishery, the mid-
Atlantic coastal gillnet fishery, the southeastern U.S. Atlantic shark 
gillnet fishery, and the Gulf of Maine sink-gillnet fishery. The 
bycatch of minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), fin whales 
(Balaenoptera physalus), and other large whales in these fisheries will 
also be discussed.

DATES: The first meeting of the team will be held on September 16-17, 
1996 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at Tara's Ferncroft Conference 
Resort, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA, 01923, (508) 777-2500.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kathy Wang, Southeast Regional 
Office, NMFS, (813) 570-5312, or Dr. Sal Testaverde, Northeast Regional 
Office, NMFS, (508) 281-9368, or Michael Payne, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, (301) 713-2322.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 6, 1996, NMFS published notice of 
the establishment of the Atlantic Large Whale TRT (61 FR 40819). 
Section 118(f) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) requires NMFS 
to establish a TRT to prepare a draft Take Reduction Plan designed to 
assist in the recovery or prevent the depletion of each strategic 
marine mammal stock that interacts with certain fisheries.
    NMFS has scheduled the first meeting (see DATES and ADDRESSES). The 
TRT will be facilitated by Abby Dilley, The Keystone Center, 
Washington, DC. The TRT will hold at least four meetings to develop a 
TRP focusing on reducing bycatch in these fisheries.
    TRTs are not subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 App. 
U.S.C.). This meeting is open to the public and is physically 
accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language 
interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Kathy Wang 
at (813) 570-5312 by September 12, 1996.

    Dated: September 6, 1996.
Rennie S. Holt,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-23252 Filed 9-6-96; 3:01 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F