[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 170 (Thursday, August 31, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 52987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-22349]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 082800D]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is 
scheduling a public meeting of its Atlantic Herring Advisory Panel on 
September 14, 2000 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries 
in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from the panel 
will be brought to the Herring Oversight Committee and the full Council 
for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES: The meeting will be held on September 14, 2000, at 9:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Portsmouth, 300 
Woodbury Avenue, Portsmouth, NH 03801; telephone: (603) 431-8000.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The panel will develop recommendations for 
conditions and restrictions on permits for foreign vessels fishing for 
Atlantic herring in the U.S. EEZ. The Council has recommended to NMFS 
that up to 5,000 metric tons (mt) of herring be available for foreign 
fishing in 2001. To date, the Council has received a permit application 
from Lithuania for a portion (1,000 mt) of the total allowable foreign 
fishing specification (TALFF), in conjunction with an application to 
purchase 2,000 mt of herring through joint ventures (JV). The panel 
will develop recommendations on this particular permit, and provide 
recommendations on general conditions and restrictions for any future 
permit applications for the remainder of the 2001 TALFF that may be 
forthcoming.
    The panel also will discuss issues and options for a limited entry/
controlled access program for the herring fishery. Although the Council 
is not currently proposing such a program, it has indicated that it may 
consider one in the future and requests the panel to discuss the 
matter.
    A third item before the panel is the annual specification of limits 
on the amount of herring available for U.S. at-sea processing by 
vessels greater than 165 feet in length and 750 gross tons (USAP). The 
Herring Fishery Management Plan (pending publication of a Final Rule) 
requires the Council to make such a specification. The Herring Plan 
Development Team recommends against retaining USAP as an annual 
specification because it increases the project's uncertainty for 
potential investors in a large domestic processing vessel and limits 
the potential for this portion of the domestic allowable processing 
(DAP) specification to be utilized. If the Council decides to make this 
change to the plan, it would have to do so through a plan amendment or 
framework adjustment.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this Panel for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not 
be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be 
restricted to those issues specifically identified 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 
action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are 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: August 28, 2000.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-22349 Filed 8-30-00; 8:45 am]
Billing Code: 3510-22-S