[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6701-6702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3332]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 020398A]


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 2-day public meeting on February 25 and 26, 1998, to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 25, 1998, at 10 
a.m., and on Thursday, February 26, 1998, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Portsmouth Hotel, 
250 Market Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801; telephone (603) 
431-2300. Requests for special accommodations should be addressed to 
the New England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, 
Massachusetts 01906-1097; telephone: (781) 231-0422.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, 
New

[[Page 6702]]

England Fishery Management Council (781) 231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Wednesday, February 25, 1998

    After introductions, the Monkfish Committee will review public 
hearing comments and approve the final monkfish management measures for 
Amendment 9 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP). During the afternoon session, results of a synthesis of 
available scientific information about fishing gear impacts on habitat 
will be presented by Dr. Peter Auster, Science Director of the National 
Undersea Research Center at the University of Connecticut. This will be 
followed by an update on progress to develop essential fish habitat 
designations for Council-managed species and a review of the Dogfish 
Committee's recent meeting. The discussion will include consideration 
and approval of a dogfish fishery control date (which may be used in 
the future to establish rules to limit participation in this fishery). 
Next, the Whiting Committee will discuss the development of a whiting 
management program and its recommendations concerning several whiting 
exempted fisheries proposals. Prior to adjournment for the day, a 
scoping hearing to solicit comments on whiting management will conclude 
the Council meeting. The Council will ask the public to identify major 
issues to be considered in the development of management measures for 
silver hake (whiting), offshore hake, and red hake.

Thursday, February 26, 1998

    The Groundfish Committee Report may approve initial action on a 
framework adjustment to the Northeast Multispecies FMP that would 
restrict the use of ``streetsweeper'' trawl gear. The Council may also 
consider including alternative measures to protect Gulf of Maine cod 
(contained in a proposal forwarded by the Gulf of Maine Fishermen's 
Alliance) in this action. The proposal would establish 2 vessel 
categories (inshore/offshore and offshore/trip limit exemption area), 
trip limits, area closures, and incentives to fish outside the Gulf of 
Maine. Finally, the Groundfish Committee will review progress on a plan 
amendment to address the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA) requirements. 
In addition to a briefing on the recent U.S./Canada industry meeting, 
the Herring Committee may ask the Council to approve management 
alternatives for public hearing purposes (including, but not limited 
to, controlled access, spawning area closures, vessel/dealer/operator 
permit requirements, area management, a target total allowable catch 
level, vessel size limits, a prohibition on fishing for the purpose of 
meal production, limits on fishing time, and restrictions on fishing 
for roe). The Thursday agenda will include reports from the Council 
Chairman, Executive Director, Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS 
(Regional Administrator), Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of 
the Coast Guard, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and 
of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Interspecies Committee will 
update the Council on efforts to eliminate inconsistencies in vessel 
upgrading, replacement, and permit-splitting restrictions, including 
asking the Council to approve measures to eliminate upgrading 
restrictions on boats less than 30 ft (9.1 m). It will review comments 
on the Atlantic States Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program fishing 
vessel logbook form and discuss the development of a policy on 
harvesting innovations and new fisheries technology. The Overfishing 
Definition Review Panel will review the overfishing definitions for sea 
herring, silver hake, and possibly other species. The Sea Scallop 
Committee will discuss its progress on a plan amendment to address SFA 
requirements, the development of criteria for opening and closing 
management areas and on its discussions of days-at-sea leasing and an 
industry-funded vessel buyout program.
    The Regional Administrator will consult with the Council regarding 
a proposal from Soren Henriksen of the Westport Scalloping Corporation 
to conduct an experimental fishery to harvest seed scallops with a 
small mesh-lined scallop dredge in the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area 
(NLCA). There will be a discussion and opportunity for public comment. 
This proposal authorizes additional activities to facilitate the sea 
scallop aquaculture research project approved last winter under 
Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. The 
applicant cites problems with harvesting seed scallops from distant 
areas and off-loading to the test site (20 hours steam). The 1997 NMFS 
sea scallop survey indicates the presence of mixed scallop beds 
containing seed within the northeast part of the NLCA (survey stations 
#238-241). The area is currently closed to scallop dredge vessels under 
the northeast multispecies regulations. The experiment would authorize 
one limited access scallop vessel to catch and retain a maximum of 1500 
bushels (528.6 hl) of seed scallops with a small mesh-lined scallop 
dredge from the NLCA and off-load to the Scallop Experimental Fishing 
Area (five hours steam). The vessel would be given a 2-day exemption 
from the days-at-sea reporting requirements while collecting seed 
scallops in the NLCA. The experiment is intended to allow the 
harvesting of seed scallops to support the ongoing sea scallop 
aquaculture research project aimed at developing techniques and 
practices that could allow the scallop fishery to evolve from one based 
exclusively on wild-capture to an industry that also incorporates 
modern husbandry, enhancement, and open-ocean cage culture. The Council 
meeting will adjourn after the conclusion of any other outstanding 
Council business.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
this Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the 
subject of formal Council action during this meeting. Council action 
will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice.

Special Accommodations

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

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

    Dated: February 4, 1998.
Gary Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-3332 Filed 2-9-98; 8:45 am]
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