[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 125 (Monday, June 30, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38665-38666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-16431]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 062303A]


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 July 15 through 17, 2003, to consider 
actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 
July 15, 16, and 17, 2003. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on 
Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 
Spring Street, Portland, ME 04101; telephone (207) 775-2311. 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, July 15, 2003

    Following introductions, the Council will receive a report from its 
Herring Committee. It will be seeking approval of the goals and 
objectives developed for Amendment 1 to the Herring Fishery Management 
Plan (FMP). The Council also will receive a report and recommendations 
from its Scientific and Statistical Committee on the results of the 
U.S. and Canadian herring stock assessments as they relate to plan 
development. Finally, the Council staff will provide an update on the 
development of alternatives for analysis in the amendment. Following 
the herring report there will be a brief presentation by the Northeast 
Fisheries Science Center on the status of NEFMC-managed species 
reviewed at the 37th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop. The 
species to be discussed include witch flounder, spiny dogfish and 
Atlantic hagfish. The Mid-Atlantic Plans Committee will provide their 
recommendations for Amendment 9 to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council's Squid, Mackerel and Butterfish FMP for Council consideration 
and approval. The Council staff will then present a process to 
coordinate the development of Framework Adjustment 39 to the Northeast 
Multispecies FMP with scallop management actions. The framework 
adjustment would allow scallop vessel access, on a controlled basis, to 
the Georges Bank groundfish closed areas from 2004-2007. Finally, the 
Enforcement Committee will present its analyses of alternatives now 
included in amendments to the multispecies, scallop, and monkfish 
amendments currently under development. There also will be a review of 
enforcement procedures regarding trips cut short because of weather, 
accident or unsafe conditions, as well as a discussion of horsepower 
regulations and inconsistencies among FMPs.

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

    There will be reports on recent activities from the Council 
Chairman and Executive Director (to include a review of the Council's 
understanding of the vessel permit upgrade baseline during development 
of the Monkfish FMP), the NMFS Regional Administrator, Northeast 
Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council 
liaisons,

[[Page 38666]]

NOAA General Counsel and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NMFS 
Enforcement and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. 
Following this agenda item the Council will provide a brief opportunity 
for comments from the public on issues that are not otherwise listed on 
the agenda, but are relevant to Council business. The Council will then 
spend the remainder of the day on groundfish issues. Specifically, they 
will review, consider and approve the Northeast Multispecies Amendment 
13 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. The report will 
include Groundfish Advisory Panel recommendations for the amendment and 
Groundfish Committee recommendations, including suggested changes to 
the Special Access Program alternative.

Thursday, July 17, 2003

    Prior to continuing with the groundfish agenda items listed from 
the previous day, the Council will receive a presentation on pre-draft 
Amendment 1 to the FMP for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish and Sharks for the 
purpose of obtaining comments from Council members and the public. Any 
other outstanding business will be addressed before adjournment of the 
meeting.
    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 Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, provided that the public has been 
notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address the 
emergency.

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: June 24, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-16431 Filed 6-27-03; 8:45 am]
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