[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 28, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4224-4225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2242]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 012098B]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is 
scheduling a number of public meetings of its oversight committees and 
advisory panels in February, 1998, to consider actions affecting New 
England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone. Recommendations from 
these groups will be brought to the full Council for formal 
consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES: The meetings will be held between February 10 and February 24, 
1998. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: Meetings will be held in Peabody, MA; East Boston, MA; 
Warwick, RI, and Portsmouth, NH. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 
specific locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (781) 231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates and Agendas

    Tuesday, February 10, 1998, 9:30 a.m.--Groundfish Committee Meeting
    Location: Peabody Marriott Hotel, 8A Centennial Drive, Peabody, MA 
01960; telephone: (978) 977-9700.

[[Page 4225]]

    Groundfish Advisory Panel and Plan Development Team reports on a 
proposal to protect Gulf of Maine cod submitted by the Gulf of Maine 
Fishermen's Alliance; review of overfishing definitions, stock status, 
and effort reduction requirements to meet the Sustainable Fisheries Act 
requirements; development of related management options where 
appropriate.
    Tuesday, February 10, 1998, 10 a.m.--Joint New England Fishery 
Management Council Herring Committee and Atlantic States Marine 
Fisheries Commission Herring Section Meeting
    Location: Holiday Inn, One Newbury Street (Route 1), Peabody, MA 
01960; telephone: (978) 535-4600.
    Further development of management measures for inclusion in a 
Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP) public hearing document.
    Wednesday and Thursday, February 11-12, 1998, 9:30 a.m.--Monkfish 
Committee Meeting
    Location: Airport Holiday Inn, 225 McClellan Highway, East Boston, 
MA 02128; telephone: (617) 569-5250.
    Development of recommendations for final management measures; 
review of draft submission documents for Amendment 9 to the Northeast 
Multispecies FMP.
    Thursday, February 12, 1998, 9:30 a.m.--Joint Habitat Committee and 
Advisory Panel Meeting
    Location: Holiday Inn, One Newbury Street (Route 1), Peabody, MA 
01960; telephone: (978) 535-4600.
    Further development of essential fish habitat designations for 
Council-managed species.
    Wednesday, February 18, 1998, 8:30 a.m.--Scallop Committee Meeting
    Location: Radisson Hotel, 2081 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886; 
telephone: (401) 739-3000.
    Development of management measures to address the requirement of 
the Sustainable Fisheries Act concerning overfishing; development of 
objectives for an open/closed area management program; development 
framework adjustments to the Multispecies and Scallop FMPs to open the 
areas of Georges Bank now closed to scallop fishing for groundfish 
conservation purposes.
    Monday, February 23, 1998, 10 a.m.--Interspecies Committee Advisory 
Panel Meeting
    Location: Holiday Inn, One Newbury Street (Route 1), Peabody, MA 
01960; telephone: (978) 535-4600.
    Discussion of long-range management strategies; update on efforts 
to eliminate inconsistencies in vessel upgrading provisions; 
development of policy statement concerning the introduction of fish 
harvesting innovations and new fisheries technology.
    Tuesday, February 24, 1998, 10 a.m.--Interspecies Committee Meeting
    Location: Sheraton Portsmouth, 250 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 
03801; telephone: (603) 431-2300.
    Same agenda as Advisory Panel meeting listed above.
    Although other issues not contained in these agendas may come 
before these groups for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not 
be the subject of formal action during these meetings. Action will be 
restricted to those issues specifically identified in the agendas 
listed in this notice.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 5 days prior to the meeting dates. 
Requests for special accommodations should be addressed to the New 
England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906-1097; 
telephone: (781) 231-0422.

    Dated: January 23, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-2242 Filed 1-26-98; 3:07 pm]
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