[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 4, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 64309-64310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30832]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 112196A]


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 be held on Wednesday, December 11, 1996, at 10 
a.m., and on Thursday, December 12, 1996, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Peabody Marriott, 8A 
Centennial Drive, Peabody, MA 01960; telephone (508) 977-9700. Requests 
for special accommodations should be addressed to the New England 
Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906; telephone 
(617) 231-0422.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher B. Kellogg, Acting 
Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, (617) 231-
0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

December 11, 1996

    After introductions, the December 11 session will begin with a 
discussion of issues related to groundfish management. The Council will 
review the report of the Multispecies Monitoring Committee (MSMC) on 
the status of the target total allowable catches (TACs) for stocks 
specified in the Fishery Management Plan for the Northeast Multispecies 
Fishery (Multispecies FMP). The MSMC is charged with recommending 
target TACs for the upcoming fishing year and, if necessary, 
recommending measures to achieve the catch targets. The Council will 
discuss effort reduction measures for gillnet vessels and alternatives 
to the current haddock trip limit. The Council intends to take final 
action on Framework Adjustment 18 to the Multispecies FMP. The Herring 
Committee will report at the end of the day on its recommendations for 
research priorities, joint venture allocation procedures, and 
discussions on the range of issues to be addressed in a Herring FMP 
scoping and public hearing document.

Background Information for Abbreviated Rulemaking--Northeast 
Multispecies

    At the recommendation of its Groundfish Committee, the Council will 
consider taking action on adjustments to the Multispecies FMP under the 
framework for abbreviated rulemaking procedure contained in 50 CFR 
648.90. Initial action may be taken on a framework adjustment to modify 
the Amendment 7 target TACs for the upcoming fishing year, based on the 
report of the Council's MSMC. Options

[[Page 64310]]

to accomplish this could include changes in the allocation of days-at-
sea, possession limits, gear restrictions, closed areas, permitting 
restrictions, minimum fish sizes, and other management measures 
currently included in the Multispecies FMP. Initial action may be taken 
on other framework adjustments to the plan. These would: Establish an 
exempted fishery for gillnet vessels targeting monkfish with 10-inch 
(25.40-cm) or larger mesh, institute management measures to minimize 
fishing mortality on the 1992 year class of winter flounder, exempt 
mussel dredges from groundfish restrictions in Southern New England, 
modify the bycatch allowance of whiting in the northern shrimp fishery, 
and prohibit the possession of monkfish in the northern shrimp fishery. 
The Council will consider final action on Framework Adjustment 18, 
which would allow herring and mackerel fishing with pelagic mid-water 
trawls in areas of Georges Bank now closed to all gear capable of 
catching groundfish.

December 12, 1996

    The December 12 session will begin with reports from the Council 
Chairman, Vice Chairman, Acting Executive Director, NMFS Regional 
Administrator, representatives from the Northeast Fisheries Science 
Center, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, U.S. Coast Guard, 
and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaison. The Marine 
Mammal Committee Chairman will follow with a brief update on the 
activities of the Large Whale Take Reduction Team. The Scallop 
Committee will review its recent discussions on effort consolidation in 
the sea scallop fishery. It will also recommend final action on 
Framework Adjustment 9 to the Scallop FMP, a measure concerning general 
category scallop permit holders who fish in Maine waters.
    In the afternoon, the Council is expected to approve the draft 
environmental impact statement for the monkfish amendment to the 
Multispecies FMP. The day will conclude with a report on the amendments 
to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act that 
will most affect Council operations. Any other outstanding business 
will be addressed at the end of the day.

Background Information for Abbreviated Rulemaking--Atlantic Sea 
Scallops

    At the recommendation of its Scallop Committee, the Council will 
consider final action on Framework Adjustment 9 to the Sea Scallop FMP 
under the framework for abbreviated rulemaking procedure contained in 
50 CFR 648.55. The adjustment would extend the state waters exemption 
to include the 400-lb (181.44- kg) trip limit for general category 
scallop permit holders. Currently, scallopers holding this type of 
permit are prohibited from landing more than 400 lb (181.44 kg) of 
scallops per trip, even when fishing strictly within state waters.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Christopher B. Kellogg (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 
days prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: November 27, 1996.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-30832 Filed 12-3-96; 8:45 am]
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