[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75216-75217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-32073]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 121903E]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a 3-day Council meeting on January 27-29, 2004, to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 27, 2004, beginning 
at 9:00 a.m. and on Wednesday and Thursday, January 28 and 29, 
beginning at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Viking Hotel, One Bellevue 
Avenue,Newport, RI, 02840; telephone (401) 847-3300. 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, January 27, 2004

    Following introductions, the Council will receive 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. During her report, the 
Regional Administrator will brief the Council on a national commercial 
fisheries employment survey to be conducted by NOAA Fisheries early 
next year. There also will be a short presentation on the status of 
species reviewed at the 38th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment 
Workshop. Species will include ocean quahogs and butterfish. During the 
Tuesday afternoon session the Council will discuss and set Council work 
priorities for 2004. A Scallop Committee report will follow and focus 
on a request for emergency action. If approved, the emergency would 
likely remain in effect until NMFS publishes a final rule for Amendment 
10 the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Measures 
could include, but are not limited to closure of the Hudson Canyon and 
Elephant Trunk Areas. The areas contain a high abundance of small 
scallops that would be subject to harvesting without the protection 
specified in Amendment 10 or the emergency action. Late in the day, the 
Groundfish Committee will begin its report to the Council with guidance 
provided by the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee on U.S./
Canada issues. This will include Total Allowable Catch recommendations 
for eastern Georges Bank cod, haddock and yellowtail flounder.

Wednesday, January 28, 2004

    The Groundfish Committee will continue its report on Wednesday. It 
will propose initial action on Framework Adjustment 40 to the Northeast 
Multispecies FMP. At this meeting the Council intends to identify the 
objectives of the action as well as the alternatives that will specify 
the restrictions on the use of ``B'' days-at-sea. B days are among the 
effort controls included in Amendment 13 to the FMP. The Council also 
will likely prepare comments on the proposed rule implementing 
Amendment 13. Additionally, it may consider recommendations from the 
Groundfish Committee concerning the issues of steaming time and future 
access to the

[[Page 75217]]

fishery by former participants who may be precluded from fishing under 
Amendment 13. If necessary, the Council also could discuss issues 
related to Congressional action as it affects NMFS funding in 2004.

Thursday, January 29, 2004

    The Research Steering Committee will report to the Council on 
refinements to its policy on incorporating the results of cooperative 
research results into the management process and activities planned for 
2004. The Council is then scheduled to review and approve its draft 
Statement of Organization, Practices and Procedures. The Habitat/Marine 
Protected Area Committee will ask for approval of its recommendations 
concerning the timing and scope of Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2. 
There will also be a discussion of the committee's rationale to 
prohibit clam dredges from habitat closed areas designated in Amendment 
13 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. The afternoon session will 
include a report by the NOAA Fisheries Statistics Office on a proposed 
rule implementing mandatory dealer electronic reporting and scheduled 
for publication in 2004. The meeting will conclude with a briefing on 
NOAA Fisheries National Bycatch Strategy and regional implementation of 
a plan. Any other Council business that was postponed until the close 
of the meeting will also be addressed at this time.
    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.

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: December 22, 2003.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-32073 Filed 12-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S