[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 134 (Wednesday, July 12, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 42979-42980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-17630]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 070300B]


New England Fishery Management Council; 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 on July 26 and 27, 2000, to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 26, 2000, beginning 
at 9:30 a.m. and Thursday, July 27, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Doubletree Hotel--Portland, 
1230 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04102; telephone (207) 774-5611. 
Requests for

[[Page 42980]]

special accommodations should be addressed to the New England Fishery 
Management Council, 50 Water Street, 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:

Wednesday, July 26, 2000

    After introductions, the meeting will begin with a Stock Assessment 
Public Review Workshop. Staff from NMFS's Northeast Fisheries Science 
Center will present an advisory report on the status of monkfish, with 
brief updates on the scup, summer flounder and ocean quahog resources. 
A report from the Groundfish Committee will follow. It will include a 
lengthy discussion of possible management approaches to Amendment 13 to 
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan for purposes of 
further consideration and development. Updates on management issues 
concerning spiny dogfish, sea scallops and the Council's Research 
Steering Committee will occur later in the day.

Thursday, July 27, 2000

    The second day of the meeting will begin with reports on recent 
activities from the Council Chairman, the Executive Director, the NMFS 
Regional Administrator, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of 
the Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement, and the Atlantic States Marine 
Fisheries Commission. The Council's Magnuson-Stevens Act Committee will 
review comments developed on the reauthorization bills currently before 
Congress. During the Herring Committee Report to follow, Council staff 
will present the annual Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) 
Report for herring. The Council also will discuss the Scientific and 
Statistical Committee's review of SAFE Report elements and approve the 
annual herring specification recommendations to be forwarded to NMFS 
for the 2001 fishing year. The Council meeting will adjourn after 
addressing any other outstanding business.
    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before this 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 
Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified 
of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency.
    The New England Council will consider public comments at a minimum 
of two Council meetings before making recommendations to the National 
Marine Fisheries Service Regional Administrator on any framework 
adjustment to a fishery management plan. If she concurs with the 
adjustment proposed by the Council, the Regional Administrator has the 
discretion to recommend publication of the action either as proposed or 
final regulations in the Federal Register. Documents pertaining to 
framework adjustments are available for public review 7 days prior to a 
final vote by the Council.

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 five days 
prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: July 6, 2000.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-17630 Filed 7-11-00; 8:45 am]
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