[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 250 (Thursday, December 30, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 73506-73507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33999]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 122199D]


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 3-day public meeting on January 18, 19, and 20, 2000, to consider 
actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 18, 2000, at 1:00 
p.m., and Wednesday and Thursday, January 19 and 20, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Ferncroft, 50 
Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923; telephone (978) 777-2500. Requests 
for special accommodations should be addressed to the New England 
Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, The Tannery - Mill 2, 
Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Tuesday, January 18, 2000

    After introductions, the meeting will begin with reports on recent 
activities from the Council Chairman, Executive Director, the NMFS 
Regional Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of 
the U.S. Coast Guard and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commission. Following the reports, the Council will receive an Advisory 
Report on the status of the Northeast region skate complex. The Council 
will then review and possibly approve a scoping document for an 
amendment that will consider establishing a controlled access system in 
the Atlantic herring fishery and consider approval of a Council request 
that NMFS implement the permit and reporting requirements of the 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Atlantic Herring Fishery through 
an emergency rule.

Wednesday, January 19, 2000

    The Chairman of the Groundfish Committee will begin this session of 
the meeting by considering approval of final action on Framework 
Adjustment 33, the annual adjustment to the Northeast Multispecies FMP, 
including setting of target Total Allowable Catch (TAC) and management 
measures for the 2000-2001 fishing year (May 1, 2000-April 30, 2001), 
with possible extension into the following fishing year. Options under 
consideration for the annual adjustment include: Management measures to 
achieve Northeast Multispecies FMP objectives for Gulf of Maine and 
Georges Bank cod stocks, including area closures, trip limits, an 
increase in the minimum fish size and adjustments to days-at-sea (DAS); 
an adjustment of the Georges Bank haddock trip limit; a decrease in the 
minimum mesh size for otter trawl vessels in the Large Mesh Permit 
Category and an allowance for exit from the program after one month; a 
revision of the definition of exempted midwater trawl gear; an 
exemption for raised footrope trawl gear in part of the Gulf of Maine 
closed areas; an exemption for small scallop dredges in the Western 
Gulf of Maine Closed Area; and an exemption certificate for party/
charter vessels to fish in Gulf of Maine closed areas (vessels may not 
fish on DAS while in possession of the certificate). The discussion of 
groundfish issues will continue throughout the rest of the afternoon.

[[Page 73507]]

Thursday, January 20, 2000

    The Chairman of the Scallop Committee will begin this session of 
the meeting with approval of final action on Framework Adjustment 13 to 
the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP. The framework proposes access for scallop 
vessels to Closed Area I, Closed Area II, and the Nantucket Lightship 
Area during the 2000-2001 fishing year (March 1, 2000-February 28, 
2001). The Council approved some provisions at the previous meeting on 
Framework Adjustment 13, including scallop TAC, scallop possession 
limit, initial trip allocations, and DAS tradeoffs. The Council will 
consider approving TACs for yellowtail flounder, multispecies 
possession limits, seasons to allow access, access by general category 
scallop vessels, research TAC administration, and other related 
measures.
    During the afternoon portion of the meeting, the Whiting Committee 
will ask the Council to approve a scoping document for an upcoming 
action that may amend the Multispecies FMP by removing whiting, red 
hake, offshore hake, and possibly ocean pout and establishing a 
separate Small Mesh FMP for these species. The scoping document for 
this action may include options for limiting access to small mesh 
species fisheries, options for applying a TAC to small mesh fisheries, 
and any other issues that the Council identifies. The Red Crab 
Committee will seek approval of a scoping document for FMP development 
and a control date for entry into the fishery. A number of other 
committee reports will follow this agenda item. The Dogfish Committee 
will provide a briefing on the fishing year 2000-2001 (May 1, 2000-
April 30, 2001) annual specification package to be submitted to the 
NMFS Regional Administrator. The Research Steering Committee will 
update the Council on its progress in the development of Regional 
research priorities. The Capacity, Gear Conflict and Habitat Committees 
will also report on ongoing activities. The Regional Administrator will 
consult with the Council regarding an application received by NMFS for 
an Experimental Fishery Permit to investigate the effects of a modified 
dredge in the Atlantic Sea Scallop fishery to reduce yellowtail 
flounder and barndoor skates bycatch will also be discussed. The 
application is unusual because it requests a scallop days-at-sea 
exemption while commercially harvesting scallops prior to the 
implementation of a proposed program to allow quota set-aside for 
research. There will be a discussion and opportunity for public 
comment. The meeting will adjourn after the Council addresses any other 
outstanding issues.
    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before the Council for discussion, those issues may not be the 
subject of formal action during this meeting. 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.
    Documents pertaining to framework adjustment actions are available 
for public review 7 days prior to a final vote by the Council. Copies 
of the documents may be obtained form the Council (see ADDRESSES).

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.

    Dated: December 27, 1999
George H. Darcy,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-33999 Filed 12-29-99; 8:45 am]
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