[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 230 (Wednesday, December 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67252-67253]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31203]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 112699B]


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 in 
December, 1999 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 Monday, December 13 and 
Tuesday, December 21, 1999. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 
dates and times.

ADDRESSES: Meetings will be held in Portsmouth, NH, Portland, ME and 
Danvers, MA. 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

    Monday, December 13,1999, 8:30 a.m.--Joint Groundfish Committee and 
Advisory Panel Meeting
    Location: Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 
01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
    Independent meeting of the Groundfish Advisory Panel from 8:30-9:00 
a.m. to discuss its role and responsibilities; the joint meeting 
convenes at 9:00 a.m.
    1. The committee will continue development of recommendations and 
options regarding exemptions for access to groundfish closed areas; 
options will be included in the Northeast Multispecies Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) annual adjustment; the committee's 
recommendations may address exemptions for recreational party/charter 
vessels, scallop gear, handline gear, and any other fishing gears 
currently listed as ``exempted'' with respect to the multispecies 
fishery.
    2. Possible development of recommendations for management measures 
for recreational groundfish fisheries also to be included in the 
multispecies annual adjustment; recommendations may include bag limits, 
catch restrictions in groundfish closed areas, or any other 
recreational measures that can be implemented through a framework 
adjustment to the Multispecies FMP.
    3. Discussion and development of recommendations regarding access 
to the Georges Bank closed areas by scallop vessels; these may include 
seasons for access, boundaries of the areas to be opened to scallop 
vessels, multispecies trip limits, and bycatch total allowable catches 
(TACs) for multispecies.
    Tuesday, December 14, 1999, 10:00 a.m.--Capacity Committee Meeting
    Location: Holiday Inn by the Bay Hotel, 88 Spring Street, Portland, 
ME 04101; telephone: (207) 775-2311.
    Review and prioritization of identified fishing capacity issues; 
initial identification of options for addressing capacity issues; 
review of a proposed outline for a report to the Council on fishing 
capacity issues; preliminary briefing on the development by the 
Northeast Fisheries Science Center of an economic model that estimates 
the economic impacts of the fishing industry on a community; 
discussions on information necessary to support future committee 
deliberations.
     Tuesday, December 14, 1999, 9 a.m., and Wednesday, December 15, 
1999, 8:30 a.m.--Experimental Fisheries and Research Steering Committee
    Location: Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 
01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
    Discussion of committee organization, purpose, tasks, process and 
information needs, followed by a brief report on the status of sea 
scallop TAC research set-aside associated with Framework Adjustment 12 
to the Scallop FMP.
    Tuesday, December 21, 1999, 9:30 a.m.--Joint Habitat Committee and 
Advisory Panel Meeting
    Location: Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 
01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
    Discussion of NMFS' request for comments on the Essential Fisher 
Habitat interim final rule; discussion of a structured process to 
designate Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPCs); discussion of 
issues concerning the development of a dedicated habitat research area, 
including a review of materials for scoping and a workshop.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal Council action during this meeting.

[[Page 67253]]

Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed 
in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice 
that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are accessible to people with physical 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 dates.

    Dated: November 26, 1999.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-31203 Filed 11-30-99; 8:45 am]
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