[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]


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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.

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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]
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