[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 69 (Monday, April 10, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18976-18977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8772]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 040300E]


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) will hold 
public meetings of its Herring Oversight Committee, the joint Council/
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Herring Advisory 
Panel and the Groundfish Oversight Committee in April, 2000. 
Recommendations from the committees will be brought to the full Council 
for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held between April 24 and April 27, 
2000. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates and Agendas

    Monday, April 24, 2000, 10:00 a.m.--Groundfish Oversight Committee
    Location: Yoken's Conference Center, Route 1, Portsmouth NH 03801; 
telephone: (603) 433-3338.
    A Groundfish Oversight Committee meeting is scheduled for April 11, 
2000. Should the Committee need additional time to continue its 
discussions, another meeting will be held on April 24, 2000. Contact 
the Council offices after April 12 to determine if this second meeting 
is necessary. If held, at this meeting, the committee will continue 
development of management options for Amendment 13 to the Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Agenda items include 
discussion of guidance received from the full Council and NMFS 
concerning overfishing definitions and control rules. Current 
overfishing definitions and control rules for the multispecies complex 
will be reviewed and the assumptions and policy decisions in those 
rules examined. The committee will determine the biological goals of 
the amendment in light of these discussions. The committee also will 
organize into subcommittees that will be tasked to develop specific 
management options for consideration by the full committee.
    Wednesday, April 26, 2000, 10 a.m.--Joint Council/ASMFC Herring 
Advisory Panel Meeting
    Location: Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 
01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
    The Joint Advisory Panel will review the comments received from the 
public during the scoping process for a limited entry or controlled 
access system for the Atlantic Herring fishery. Based on this review, 
the advisors will recommend how to proceed in the development of such a 
system. The advisors will also discuss options for the protection of 
spawning herring and will recommend whether to make any revisions to 
the spawning restrictions contained in the ASMFC management plan, and 
whether to recommend spawning restrictions for

[[Page 18977]]

the Council's Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan. The advisors 
will discuss the impact of the total allowable catch on industry 
sectors and will determine what action, if any, should be recommended 
to insure the fixed gear sector has access to the fishery. The advisors 
will also discuss possible adjustments to the area specific total 
allowable catches, and may make recommendations for changes. The 
advisors will also elect a chair. The advisors may also discuss the 
annual specification process and may recommend how that process should 
proceed.
    Thursday, April 27, 2000, 10 a.m.--Joint Council Herring Oversight 
Committee/ASMFC Atlantic Herring Section
    Location: Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 
01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
    The Committees will review the comments received from the public 
during the scoping process for a limited entry or controlled access 
system for the Atlantic Herring fishery. Based on this review, the 
Committees will decide how to proceed in the development of such a 
system, and will develop a schedule for a and provide initial direction 
to the Plan Development Team should they choose to continue development 
of a limited entry or controlled access system. The Committees will 
also discuss options for the protection of spawning herring and will 
decide whether to make any revisions to the spawning restrictions 
contained in the ASMFC management plan, and whether to recommend 
spawning restrictions for the Council's Atlantic Herring Fishery 
Management Plan. The Committees will discuss the impact of the total 
allowable catch on industry sectors and will determine what action, if 
any, should be taken to insure the fixed gear sector has access to the 
fishery. The Committees will also discuss possible adjustments to the 
area specific total allowable catches, and may make recommendations for 
changes. The Committee may also discuss the annual specification 
process and may provide direction to the Plan Development Team on how 
that process should proceed.
    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. 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 Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified 
of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency.

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 dates.

    Dated: April 4, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-8772 Filed 4-7-00; 8:45 am]
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