[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 203 (Friday, October 19, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 53210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-26457]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 101201B]


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) is 
scheduling a public meeting of its Monkfish Oversight and Skate 
Oversight Committees in November 2001 to consider actions affecting New 
England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations 
from these groups will be brought to the full Council for formal 
consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES: The meetings will be held on November 5, 2001. The Monkfish 
Oversight Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. The Skate Oversight 
Committee will meet from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the King's Grant Inn, Trask 
Road, Route 128, Danvers, MA 01923; telephone: (978) 774-6800.
    Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Meeting Agendas The Monkfish Oversight 
Committee will review the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation 
(SAFE) Report for 2000, incorporating the Monkfish Monitoring Committee 
Report. Based on this review, the committee will develop 
recommendations to the Council for adjustments to the Monkfish Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) for the 2002 fishing year, in accordance with the 
framework adjustment procedures in the FMP. Options under consideration 
include, but are not limited to: taking no action and allowing the Year 
4 default measures to take effect (eliminating the directed fishery); 
postponing for one year the Year 4 default measures and adjusting trip 
limits to achieve current landings levels after accounting for the 
effect of the recent court decision eliminating gear-based differential 
trip limits; and, adjusting management measures to reduce catches to 
the Years 2 and 3 total allowable catch (TAC) targets. The committee 
will also develop recommendations to the Council for research 
priorities under cooperative programs with the industry. At the end of 
the meeting the committee will hold a closed session to review 
applications and make recommendations for membership on the Monkfish 
Advisory Panel.
    The Skate Oversight Committee will review guidance on skate 
overfishing definitions from the Council's Scientific and Statistical 
Committee and the Skate Plan Development Team. They will also develop 
recommendations as to which overfishing definition alternatives should 
be fully analyzed for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
and public hearing document. They will also review a timeline for DEIS 
development.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during these meetings. 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.

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: October 15, 2001.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-26457 Filed 10-18-01; 8:45 am]
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