[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 12, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54987-54988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23399]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 090500A]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a 3-day public meeting on September 26, 27, and 28, 2000, to consider 
actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ). During this timeframe, the Council's Herring Oversight Committee 
also will meet.

DATES: The Herring Oversight Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 
26 at 8:30 a.m. Following the committee meeting, the full Council will 
meet on Tuesday, September 26 at 10:30 a.m., and on Wednesday, 
September 27, and Thursday, September 28, 2000, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Holiday Inn Express 
(formerly Seaport Inn Conference Center), 110 Middle Street, Fairhaven, 
MA 02719; telephone (508) 997-1281. Requests for 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:

Tuesday, September 26, 2000

    The Herring Oversight Committee will meet to develop 
recommendations for consideration by the full Council on herring 
foreign fishing permit conditions and restrictions. Recommendations may 
be specific to a permit application already submitted by Lithuania, or 
may be applicable to any subsequent permit applications received for 
the 2001 fishing year (January 1, 2001-December 31, 2001). Following 
the Herring Committee meeting, the Council will swear in new and re-
appointed members, and elect 2000-2001 officers. The Herring Committee 
will then provide its recommendations on herring foreign fishing permit 
conditions and restrictions. The Capacity Committee will recommend for 
consideration by the Groundfish Committee proposals that will allow the 
transfer of fishing permits, address latent (unused) days-at-sea (DAS), 
and allow the transfer of groundfish DAS.

Wednesday, September 27, 2000

    The Scallop Committee's report will be presented on the second day 
of the Council meeting and will include a presentation of the 2000 
Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report on the sea 
scallop resource. The Council will also consider approval of initial 
action on the annual adjustment to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP). Discussion will focus on selection of management 
alternatives. Issues may include, but are not limited to, DAS 
allocations, access to the Hudson Canyon and Virginia/North Carolina 
closed areas, new area closures, and a prohibition on shell stocking.

Thursday, September 28, 2000

    The third day of 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 Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement and the Atlantic States Marine 
Fisheries Commission. There will also be a report on the Northwest 
Atlantic Fisheries Organization's most recent meeting. The Groundfish 
Overfishing Definition Committee will report on its review of the 
Council's overfishing definitions. The Groundfish Committee will then 
provide an update on development of management options for Amendment 13 
to the Northeast Multispecies FMP, including a discussion of 
alternatives within the status quo management option, area management 
option(s), and a sector allocation option. The chairman also will 
report on committee discussions concerning rebuilding schedules of 
overfished groundfish stocks. Following the Groundfish Committee 
discussions, there will be a presentation of the available skate stock 
assessment and fishery information to be included in the Skate SAFE 
Report. The Skate Committee will provide its recommendation on issues 
to be included in a scoping document for a Skate FMP. The Enforcement 
Committee will provide the Council with its recommendations concerning 
a safe

[[Page 54988]]

harbor experimental fishery that would allow vessels to enter 
Gloucester Harbor without unloading haddock trip limit overages. The 
Habitat Committee will ask the Council to approve a response to the 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's request for comments on a 
report about gear impacts on submerged aquatic vegetation. There will 
be updates on the activities of the Mid-Atlantic Council's FMPs' 
Research Steering and Monkfish Committees. After addressing any other 
outstanding business, the Council will adjourn.
    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 Act, 
provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take 
final action to address the emergency.
    The Council will consider public comments at a minimum of two 
Council meetings before making recommendations to the NMFS 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 publish 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 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: September 7, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-23399 Filed 9-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S