[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75215-75216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E3-00660]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 122303A]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is 
scheduling public meetings of its Habitat, Groundfish and Scallop 
Oversight Committees and Scallop Advisory Panel in, January, 2004 to 
consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive 
economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from these groups will be brought 
to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if 
appropriate.

DATES: The meetings will be held between January 13-16, 2004. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held in Narragansett, RI and Mansfield, 
MA. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific locations.
    Council address: New England 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates and Agendas

    Tuesday, January 13, 2004 at 9:30 a.m.-Habitat/MPA Committee 
Meeting.
    Location: Holiday Inn, 31 Hampshire Street, Mansfield, MA; 
telephone: 508-339-2200.
    The Committee will discuss upcoming Omnibus 2 Habitat 
Amendment including, but not limited to, the review of the Draft 
Timeline, Draft Notice of Intent, Draft Request for Proposals for 
Habitat Areas of Particular Concern and Dedicated Habitat Research 
Areas, and discussion of a draft Habitat Advisory Panel Process. The 
meeting will also include a recap of Council decisions in Amendment 10 
to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and Amendment 
13 to the Multispecies FMP and a discussion of the upcoming Herring 
Amendment 1 and Monkfish Amendment 2 Draft Supplementary Environmental 
Impact Statement (DSEIS). In addition, the Committee will be updated on 
the status of the American Oceans Campaign V. Daley lawsuit settlement 
agreement requirements and any NMFS essential fish habitat (EFH) 
Consultations of particular interest to the Council. Lastly, the 
Committee will be updated on recent marine protected areas (MPA) work 
by the formerly separate MPA Committee. The timeline for development of 
a Council policy on MPAs will be developed. There will be a possible 
closed session for the discussion and selection of habitat advisory 
panel.
    Wednesday, January 14, 2004 at 9:30 a.m. and Thursday, January 15, 
2004 at 8:30 a.m.-Groundfish Oversight Meeting.
    Location: Holiday Inn, 31 Hampshire Street, Mansfield, MA; 
telephone: 508-339-2200.
    The Groundfish Oversight Committee will meet to discuss Framework 
Action 39 and Framework Action 40 to the

[[Page 75216]]

Northeast Multispecies FMP. On Wednesday, January 14, the Committee 
will discuss Framework 40. The Committee will develop recommended 
objectives and alternatives for this framework, which will be 
considered by the full Council at its January 27-29, 2004 meeting. It 
is tentatively planned that this framework will identify opportunities 
and restrictions for the use of Category B days-at-sea (DAS). Category 
B DAS are identified in Amendment 13 and, if this amendment is 
approved, will be allocated on May 1, 2004. Some possible uses for 
Category B DAS include Special Access Programs, experimental fisheries, 
or to target healthy stocks subject to additional restrictions that 
will be specified in Framework 40. The Committee may also consider 
other issues for this framework that have been raised during the review 
of Amendment 13, such as, but not limited to, issues related to 
steaming time. On Thursday, January 15, the Committee will discuss 
Framework 39. This framework will specify the requirements and 
restrictions for scallop vessels that are fishing in groundfish closed 
areas. This framework is necessary to implement the area management 
system proposed in Scallop Amendment 10. If the proposed rule 
implementing Amendment 13 is published prior to the Committee meeting, 
the Committee may also review the proposed rule in order to develop 
recommendations for comments by the Council.
    Thursday, January 15, 2004 at 6:30 p.m.-Scallop Advisory Panel 
Meeting.
    The Scallop Advisory Panel will develop recommendations on draft 
alternatives in Framework Adjustment 16/39, including measures to 
manage scallop fishery access in the groundfish closed areas during 
2004B07. Implementation of Amendment 10 and interim/emergency action 
may also be discussed. Advisors may want to arrive early to attend a 
Groundfish Oversight Committee meeting in the morning and afternoon 
that will discuss Framework Adjustment 39 alternatives.
    Friday, January 16, 2004 at 9 a.m.-Scallop Oversight Committee 
Meeting.
    The Committee will review advice from the Scallop Advisory Panel 
and Scallop Plan Development Team to guide development of measures to 
manage scallop fishery access in the groundfish closed areas during 
2004-07 (Framework Adjustment 16/39). They may identify recommendations 
for a preferred alternative. Implementation of Amendment 10 and 
interim/emergency action may also be discussed.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before these groups for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during these meeting. 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 the public has 
been notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address 
the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are 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 dates.

    Dated: December 23, 2003.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E3-00660 Filed 12-29-03; 8:45 am]
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