[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 24, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53769-53770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-26781]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 101701A]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public 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 3-day Council meeting on November 6 through 8, 2001, to consider 
actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 
November 6, 7, and 8, 2001. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday 
and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Tavern on the Harbor, 30 
Western Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930; telephone (978) 283-4200. 
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, November 6, 2001

    Following introductions, the Council staff will present the 2001 
Whiting Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report for small 
mesh multispecies, including Whiting Monitoring Committee 
recommendations concerning future management actions. The Scallop 
Committee will request approval of additional management alternatives 
to be included in draft Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and analyzed in the Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS). Primary issues include 
alternatives to manage limited access fishing effort and general 
category scallop vessels, minimize habitat and bycatch impacts, and 
address monitoring and data collection issues.
    The afternoon session will include consideration and approval of a 
schedule of management actions for 2002. The Spiny Dogfish Committee 
will then seek approval of New England Council recommendations for 
spiny dogfish specifications for the 2002-2003 fishing year. Measures 
may include a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) quota, trip limits, and/or 
any other measures specified in the Spiny Dogfish FMP.

Wednesday, November 7, 2001

    The meeting will reconvene with reports on recent activities from 
the Council Chairman and Executive Director, the NMFS Regional 
Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council liaisons, NOAA General Counsel and 
representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement and the 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. A brief period for general 
comments from the public concerning fisheries management issues will 
follow. The Multispecies Monitoring Committee (MSMC) will present an 
update on stock status and management alternatives to meet Northeast 
Multispecies FMP goals and objectives. During the Groundfish Committee 
Report, the Council will review scoping comments on the Notice of 
Intent for Framework Adjustment 36 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. 
Measures in this action would be designed to reduce Gulf of Maine cod 
fishing mortality and discards, extend or change the Western Gulf of 
Maine closed area, change the area authorized for the northern shrimp 
fishery, and allow tuna purse seine vessels access to groundfish closed 
areas. The Council is considering the full range of measures for 
reducing Gulf of Maine cod fishing mortality, including changes to 
recreational fishing measures. In addition, because Framework 36 will 
address the Northeast multispecies annual adjustment process for the 
2002 fishing year, the Council will also consider alternatives that may 
be necessary to meet the goals and objectives of the plan. The 
Framework 36 discussions will include opportunities for the public to 
comment. During this discussion, the Council also will review the MSMC-
proposed management alternatives for achieving plan goals for possible 
inclusion in Framework Adjustment 36, as well as identify alternatives 
for analyses in the accompanying DSEIS.

Thursday, November 8, 2001

    On the final day of the meeting, the agenda will include red crab 
and monkfish issues. During the Red Crab report, the Council intends to 
approve the Red Crab FMP DEIS (including possible identification of a 
preferred alternative) and public hearing document. Discussion will 
include review and approval of the Habitat Committee's recommendations 
for the designation of red crab Essential Fish Habitat. There will be a 
presentation of the Monkfish SAFE Report for the 2000-2001 fishing 
year, including the recommendations of the Monkfish Monitoring 
Committee concerning management recommendations. The Council also 
intends to approve initial action on Framework Adjustment 1 to the 
Monkfish FMP (annual framework adjustment) to implement management 
measures for the 2002-2003 fishing year (Year 4 of the rebuilding 
program). Measures under consideration include, but are not limited to, 
no action, which would allow the Year 4 default measures to take 
effect; continue the Year 3 measures with adjustments to the gear-based 
trip limits to account for the recent federal court decision; or adjust 
Year 3 measures to achieve Year 3 target total allowable catch (TAC) 
levels. Any outstanding business will be addressed following this 
report.
    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be 
the subjects 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 that 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 the Regional Administrator 
concurs with the adjustment proposed by the Council, the Regional 
Administrator may 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

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J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: October 19, 2001.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-26781 Filed 10-19-01; 2:40 pm]
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