[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 7 (Friday, January 10, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1424-1425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-588]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[I.D. 122396B]
New England Fishery Management Council; Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Public meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold
a 1-day public meeting to consider actions affecting New England
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone.
DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 16, 1997, at 9 a.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Tara Ferncroft Conference
and Resort, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923; telephone (508) 777-
2500. Requests for special accommodations should be addressed to the
New England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906-
1097; telephone (617) 231-0422.
[[Page 1425]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher B. Kellogg, Acting
Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, (671) 231-
0422.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 1-day meeting is being held to discuss
right whale and groundfish management issues.
Background Information for Abbreviated Rulemaking--Northeast
Multispecies
The Council will consider taking action on framework adjustments to
the Fishery Management Plan for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery
(FMP) under the framework for abbreviated rulemaking procedure
contained in 50 CFR 648.90. Initial action will be taken on a framework
adjustment to the FMP that would restrict fixed gear in the Great South
Channel area to protect right whales in critical habitat during high
use periods.
The remainder of the day will be used to consider Framework
Adjustment 20, an action that would establish groundfish stock
rebuilding measures for the 1997 fishing year. The range of options
under consideration include area closures, gear modifications, and
possible reductions in days-at-sea allocations. As part of this action,
the Council also will discuss effort reduction measures for gillnet
vessels, alternatives to the current haddock trip limit, incentives to
reduce fishing effort on inshore groundfish stocks, and measures to
protect the 1992 year class of winter flounder.
The Council will consider other adjustments that will be submitted
as part of Framework Adjustment 20. These concern an exempted fishery
for monkfish with 10-inch (25.4 cm) or larger mesh gillnets, an
exempted fishery for mussel dredges in Southern New England, and
modification of the bycatch allowances in the northern shrimp fishery.
Any other outstanding business will be addressed at the end of the day.
The Council will consider public comments at a minimum of 2 Council
meetings prior to making any final recommendations to the Regional
Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS, under the provisions for
abbreviated rulemaking cited above. If the Regional Administrator
concurs with the measures proposed by the Council, he will publish them
as a final rule in the Federal Register.
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: January 6, 1996.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 97-588 Filed 1-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F