[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7761-7762]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3793]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 021098D]


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 March, 1998 to consider actions affecting New 
England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 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 March 3 and March 31, 1998. 
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: Meetings will be held in Peabody and Danvers, MA and 
Warwick, RI. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific locations.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates and Agendas

    Tuesday, March 3, 1998, 9:30 a.m.--Groundfish Advisory Panel 
Meeting
    Location: Holiday Inn, One Newbury Street, (Route 1) Peabody, MA 
01960; telephone: (978) 535-4600.
    Identification of issues and options, and a review of proposals to 
meet the stock rebuilding objectives necessary to bring the Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) into compliance with the 
requirements of the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA); development of 
comments on alternative measures to address the overfished condition of 
Gulf of Maine cod; discussion of other tasks as assigned by the 
Groundfish Oversight Committee.
    Tuesday, March 10, 1998, 9:30 a.m.--Joint Habitat Committee and 
Advisory Panel Meeting
    Location: Peabody Marriott Hotel, 8A Centennial Drive, Peabody, MA 
01960; telephone: (978) 977-9700.
    Review of progress on the development of essential fish habitat 
(EFH) designations for Council-managed species.
    Wednesday, March 11, 1998 9:30 a.m.--Groundfish Committee Meeting
    Location: Holiday Inn, One Newbury Street, (Route 1) Peabody, MA 
01960; telephone: (978) 535-4600.
    Review of Groundfish Advisory Panel and Plan Development Team (PDT) 
reports, including comments on alternative measures to address the 
overfished condition of Gulf of Maine cod and the identification of 
management options requiring PDT analysis; initial identification of 
management measures to be included in an FMP amendment that meets the 
SFA requirements; further development of action restricting the use of 
``streetsweeper'' gear.
    Thursday, March 12, 1998, 9:30 a.m.--Aquaculture Committee Meeting
    Location: Peabody Marriott Hotel, 8A Centennial Drive, Peabody, MA 
01960; telephone: (978) 977-9700.
    Consideration of a request to extend the timing of the closure 
associated with the Westport Sea Scallop Project located south of 
Martha's Vineyard, MA; discussion of evaluation criteria for projects 
proposed for the EEZ; development of a framework adjustment process to 
facilitate Council project approval.
    Monday, March 16, 1998, 10 a.m.--Joint Whiting Committee and 
Advisory Panel Meeting
    Location: Tara Ferncroft Conference Resort, 50 Ferncroft Road, 
Danvers, MA 01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
    Discussion of comments received at scoping hearings on whiting, 
offshore hake and red hake management and the development of a Draft 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS); consideration of 
spawning closures and management options for the Cultivator Shoal 
whiting fishery.
    Tuesday, March 17, 1998, 8:30 a.m.--Whiting Committee Meeting
    Location: Tara Ferncroft Conference Resort, 50 Ferncroft Road, 
Danvers, MA 01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
    Discussion of comments received at scoping hearings on whiting, 
offshore hake and red hake management; initial development of a 
preferred management alternative; identification of analyses necessary 
to develop a DSEIS.
    Tuesday, March 24, 1998, 9:30 a.m.--Groundfish Committee Meeting
    Location: Holiday Inn, One Newbury Street, (Route 1) Peabody, MA 
01960; telephone: (978) 535-4600.
    Development of final recommendations on management alternatives to 
address overfishing and bring the Multispecies FMP into compliance with 
the SFA; further discussions of alternative measures to address the 
overfished condition of Gulf of Maine cod.
    Wednesday, March 25, 1998, 10 a.m.--Monkfish Committee Meeting
    Location: Holiday Inn, One Newbury Street, (Route 1) Peabody, MA 
01960; telephone: (978) 535-4600.
    Final review of the Monkfish FMP documents prior to Council 
approval at its next meeting.
    Monday, March 30, 1998, 10 a.m. and Tuesday, March 31, 8:30 a.m.--
Scallop Committee Meeting
    Location: Radisson Hotel, 2081 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886; 
telephone: (401) 739-3000.
    Approval of management measures to address the requirements of the 
SFA concerning overfishing for purposes of public hearings; further 
development of an open/closed area management program, including access 
to the Georges Bank areas closed for groundfish conservation; further

[[Page 7762]]

development of days-at-sea leasing and industry-funded vessel buyout 
programs.
    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

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for special accommodations should be addressed 
to the New England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 
01906-1097; telephone: (781) 231-0422. 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.

    Dated: February 10, 1998.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-3793 Filed 2-13-98; 8:45 am]
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