[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 175 (Thursday, September 10, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48465-48466]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24356]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 083198D]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public 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 2-day public meeting to consider actions affecting New England 
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone. The full Council meeting will 
begin after the joint meeting of the Council's Herring Committee and 
the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) Herring 
Section.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 23, 1998, at 
1:30 p.m. and on Thursday, September 24, 1998, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Tavern on the Harbor, 30 
Western Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930; telephone (978) 283-4200. 
Requests for special accommodations should be addressed to the New 
England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906-1036; 
telephone: (781) 231-0422.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Wednesday, September 23, 1998

    The morning session will be a joint meeting of the Council's 
Herring Committee and ASMFC Herring Section to select proposed 
management measures for the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the 
Atlantic Herring Fishery. There will also be a discussion and possible 
recommendation of a control date for the herring fishery and 
consideration of two requests for foreign-directed fishing and joint 
venture herring allocations.
    The full Council meeting will begin in the afternoon with reports 
on recent activities from the Council Chairman; Executive Director; the 
Acting Regional Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS; the Northeast 
Fisheries Science Center and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council liaisons; and representatives of the Coast Guard, the ASMFC, 
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Habitat Committee's report 
will be presented, after which approval will be requested for the 
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Amendment documents, including the 
Council's Habitat Policy, the identification of fishing threats and 
non-fishing threats to EFH, EFH conservation and enhancement measures, 
research and information needs, and the EFH strategic plan.

Thursday, September 24, 1998

    The meeting will begin with the Herring Committee Report and a 
request for approval of the Atlantic Herring FMP proposed management 
measures, following review of public comments and committee and 
advisory panel recommendations. Additionally, the Council may also 
approve a control date for the herring fishery and approval of two 
requests for foreign-directed fishing and joint venture herring 
allocations. Final approval is also expected for the Northeast 
Multispecies FMP Amendment 9 submission documents (description of 
measures, draft proposed rule, and summary of impacts). Amendment 9 
includes new overfishing definitions and the specification of optimum 
yield (OY), measures to rebuild Atlantic halibut, an increase in the 
minimum size for winter flounder to 13 inches (33 cm), postponement of 
the mandatory use of electronic vessel monitoring systems, a 
prohibition on the use of ``streetsweeper'' trawl gear, and the ability 
to approve individual aquaculture projects through the established 
framework adjustment process. Approval of the Groundfish Committee's 
recommendations on management strategies for cod to be transmitted as 
guidance to the Council's Multispecies Monitoring Committee is also 
scheduled. The Scallop Committee will ask the Council for final 
approval of the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP Amendment 7 submission 
documents (description of measures, draft proposed rule, and summary of 
impacts). Amendment 7 includes a scallop rebuilding program, a new 
overfishing definition, the specification of OY, continuation of the 
Mid-Atlantic closed areas, an annual review and adjustment process, and 
a system for closing and opening areas to improve yield-per-recruit. 
The amendment also will include the following additional measures that 
may be implemented through a framework adjustment to the FMP: Leasing 
of days-at-sea, provided there is a full set of public hearings; 
scallop size restrictions, except a minimum individual meat size; and 
the approval of individual aquaculture projects. The Council's 
Scientific and Statistical Committee will present a briefing on the sea 
scallop overfishing definition and the scientific information that 
formed the basis for the most recent proposed management measures. The 
Interspecies Committee Chairman will ask for approval of management 
measures for the Vessel Permit Consistency Amendment. The amendment 
would improve consistency among New England and Mid-Atlantic Council 
FMPs concerning vessel permitting and upgrading (the action would amend 
the Council's Atlantic Sea Scallop, Northeast Multispecies, and 
American Lobster FMPs; and the Mid-Atlantic Council's Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP, Atlantic Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish 
FMP, and Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog FMP). Finally, the 
Interspecies Committee may also identify further vessel upgrade issues 
for the Council and ask for development of a response to a letter from 
the Federal Investment Task Force. The meeting will conclude once the 
Council has addressed any other outstanding business.

Announcement of an Experimental Fishery Application

    The Regional Administrator is considering the authorization of a 
limited experimental fishery conducted by the Northeast Fisheries 
Science Center (NEFSC) on the NOAA Research Vessel (R/V) Delaware II. 
The experimental fishery would be conducted to evaluate trawl 
performance of trawl gear used on NOAA research vessels in resource 
surveys routinely conducted by the NEFSC. An exempted fishing permit 
would be issued to exempt the R/V Delaware II from fishery regulations 
that

[[Page 48466]]

would otherwise prohibit the R/V's activities.
    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 
document.

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: September 4, 1998.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-24356 Filed 9-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F