[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 5838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2632]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 010703A]


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 one-day Council meeting on February 24, 2004 to consider 
actions affecting New England fisheries in the U.S. exclusive economic 
zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 24, 2004. The 
meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at Wentworth-by-the-Sea,588 
Wentworth Road, New Castle NH 03854; telephone 603/422-7322. 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, February 24, 2004

    Following introductions, NOAA Fisheries will present information 
and consult with the Council on a recommendation by the Atlantic States 
Fisheries Commission to re-open Federal waters to fishing for striped 
bass. The Council will then consider final approval of Framework 
Adjustment 16 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP)/ Framework Adjustment 39 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. The 
action would allow scallop vessels to fish in areas previously closed 
to them for groundfish conservation purposes. Measures include, but are 
not limited to: boundaries for the access areas; adjustments to the 
habitat closure definitions in the Scallop FMP to be consistent with 
those in Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP; area rotation 
order and fishing mortality targets; a mechanism for allocating trips 
and days-at-sea use in the access areas for part-time and occasional 
limited access scallop vessels; specifications for minimizing bycatch 
and bycatch mortality, including recommendations from the Council's 
Groundfish Committee; groundfish possession limits; observer coverage 
and an associated funding mechanism; and gear and other restrictions 
for general category scallop vessels. Following this agenda item, the 
Council intends to review and approve comments the proposed rule for 
Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP for submission to NOAA 
Fisheries. The meeting is scheduled to adjourn after any other 
outstanding business is addressed.

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: February 2,2004.
Peter H. Fricke,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-2632 Filed 2-5-04; 8:45 am]
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