[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 4, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 63012-63013]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29995]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 112701A]


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 special 2-day Council meeting on December 19-20, 2001, to consider 
actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, December 19 
and 20, 2001. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on both days.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, 50 
Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923; telephone (978) 777-2500. 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:

Wednesday, December 19, 2001

    Following introductions, the Council will discuss, with the intent 
to approve, skate species overfishing definition alternatives. Once 
approved, the definitions will be included in the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement and public hearing document to be developed for the 
Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan (FMP). A Groundfish 
Committee Report will follow, during which the Council intends to 
approve the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) 
for Framework Adjustment 36 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP for 
submission to NMFS for review by the Secretary of Commerce. The draft 
document will include a range of alternatives for meeting the goals of 
Amendment 7 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. The Council will select 
alternatives and possibly identify a preferred alternative to be 
included in the Framework 36 DSEIS. Actions proposed are intended to 
reduce Gulf of Maine cod fishing mortality and discards as well as 
reduce fishing mortality on Georges Bank cod. Some alternatives may 
also reduce fishing mortality on other stocks and may affect the 
recreational sector. Measures include, but are not limited to the 
following: gear modifications, mesh size changes, closed area 
modifications, changes to the days-at-sea clock, days-at-sea 
reductions, alternative trip limits, a cod minimum size increase, 
limitations in the number of allowed gillnets, night closures, and 
changes to the blocks of time out of the fishery. Other issues that may 
be included in the framework are an extension or change to the Western 
Gulf of Maine Closed Area; tuna purse seine access to groundfish closed 
areas; a controlled access program for Closed Area II to harvest 
yellowtail flounder; an increase in the Cultivator Shoals whiting 
fishery trip limit; and a change in the area authorized for the 
northern shrimp fishery. There will be a 45-day comment period on the 
Framework 36 DSEIS document, as cleared by NOAA and the Environmental 
Protection Agency. The comment period will begin the day of publication 
of the Notice of Availability for the DSEIS in the Federal Register. 
Final decisions on the Framework 36 action and the FSEIS will be made 
at the March, 2002 Council meeting. Public comments on the framework 
action will be accepted at this meeting. The Council may also request 
that NMFS take interim action to extend the Western Gulf of Maine 
Closure and/or other measures necessary to protect groundfish stocks 
while Framework 36 measures are developed. Discussion of groundfish 
issues will continue through the afternoon session on December 19, 
2001.

Thursday, December 20, 2001

    The meeting will reconvene with a brief open session followed by a 
closed session of the Council to discuss internal administrative 
matters. Prior to meeting adjournment, there will be another brief open 
session to review the proceedings of the closed meeting. Any 
outstanding business will be addressed following this agenda item.
    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before this Council for discussion, those

[[Page 63013]]

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

    Dated: November 28, 2001.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-29995 Filed 12-03-01; 8:45 am]
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