[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 28 (Monday, February 11, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6231-6232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-3114]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 020402D]


New England Fishery ManagementCouncil; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The New England FisheryManagement Council (Council) is 
scheduling a public meeting of its Groundfish OversightCommittee and 
Scallop Oversight Committee in February, 2002 to consider actions 
affectingNew England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 
Recommendations from thesegroups will be brought to the full Council 
for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES: The meetings will be held on Friday,February 22 and Monday, 
February 25, 2002. See SUPPLEMENTARY

[[Page 6232]]

INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held in Mansfield and Danvers, MA. See 
SUPPLEMENTARYINFORMATION for specific locations.
    Council address: NewEngland 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.

SUPPLEMENTARYINFORMATION:

Meeting Dates and Agendas

    Friday,February 22, 2002, 9:30 a.m.--Groundfish Oversight Committee 
Meeting.
    Location: Holiday Inn, 31 Hampshire Street, Mansfield, MA 02048; 
telephone: (508)339-2200.
    The Groundfish Oversight Committee will meet to discussAmendment 10 
to the Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Amendment 13 to 
theNortheast Multispecies FMP. The Committee will first discuss 
Amendment 10 to the ScallopFMP. The committee will evaluate habitat and 
bycatch technical advice from the joint meetingof the Habitat Technical 
Team, the Groundfish Plan Development Team (PDT), and the ScallopPDT. 
Recommendations will be developed for draft alternatives in Scallop FMP 
Amendment 10to minimize, to the extent practicable, bycatch and habitat 
impacts from scallop fishing.
    The Committee will then discuss Amendment 13 to the Northeast 
Multispecies FMP. Amendment 13 will establish rebuilding programs for 
overfished groundfish stocks, and will alsoend overfishing on stocks in 
that condition. The Committee will review available information onthe 
biological objectives for the FMP, including the mortality and biomass 
targets for stocks suchas Gulf of Maine cod. The Committee will also 
explore alternatives for crafting managementrecommendations for 
Amendment 13 that will incorporate additional input and advice from 
NewEngland fishermen. The Committee is considering an approach that 
would have managementmeasures in geographic areas developed by 
fishermen that fish in those areas. The details,advantages, and 
limitations of this approach will be discussed and the Committee will 
prepare arecommendation for the Council. Finally, the Committee will 
continue its review anddevelopment of specific management alternatives 
for further analysis.
    TheCommittee's discussion on Amendment 13 may be influenced by a 
pending court order in thematter of Conservation Law Foundation et al. 
v. Donald Evans et al. Should a court order beissued prior to the 
meeting, the Committee's discussions will include an evaluation of the 
impactsof that order on the development of Amendment 13. This court 
order may also constrain orexpand the Committee's discussions on 
measures that are to be used for Amendment 13.
    Monday, February 25, 2002, 9:30 a.m.-- Scallop Oversight Committee 
Meeting.
    Location: Sheraton Ferncroft, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 
01923;telephone: (978) 777-2500.
    The Oversight Committee will continue development ofmanagement 
alternatives for Draft Amendment 10 to the Sea Scallop Fishery 
Management Plan(FMP). The committee will evaluate habitat and bycatch 
technical advice from the joint meetingof the Habitat Technical Team, 
the Groundfish Plan Development Team (PDT), and the ScallopPDT. 
Recommendations will be developed for draft alternatives in Scallop FMP 
Amendment 10to minimize, to the extent practicable, bycatch and habitat 
impacts from scallop fishing. Otherissues and measures associated with 
Amendment 10 may also be developed.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group fordiscussion, those issues may not be the subject of 
formal action during this meeting. Action willbe restricted to those 
issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising 
afterpublication of this notice that require emergency action under 
section 305(c) of theMagnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been 
notified of the Council's intent to take finalaction to address the 
emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign languageinterpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at 
least 5 days prior to the meeting dates.

    February 4, 2002.
Richard W. Surdi,
ActingDirector, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-3114 Filed 2-8-02; 8:45 am]
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