[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 185 (Friday, September 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 57269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-2362]



[[Page 57269]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 092004F]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION:  Notice of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY:  The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is 
scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat Advisory Panel in October, 
2004. Recommendations from the panel will be brought to the full 
Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES:  The meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 13, 2004 from 12 
noon until 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES:  The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel, 
50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01932; telephone: (978) 777-2500.
    Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 
Street, Newburyport, MA 01950.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Advisory Panel will review the gear 
descriptions developed for Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies 
Fishery Management Plan and begin preparation of documentation on the 
subtypes of gear used in the Northeast region and include the following 
information: (1) Name of gear type or sub-type; (2) principle species 
captured; (3) geographic area, bottom types, depths where it's used; 
(4) description of how these gears are used including information 
regarding fishing intensity, frequency and seasonality of specific gear 
use; (5) distinguishing features of gear (e.g., range of footrope/
headrope lengths, bottom gear attached to footrope, mesh size, type/
size of doors); and (6) anything else that would affect how much of the 
gear contacts the bottom or how ``hard'' net fishes the bottom.
    The Advisory Panel will also consider whether currently proposed or 
additional areas to those identified in the original ``Dedicated 
Habitat Research Area'' (DHRA) document should be considered as the 
Council develops its Essential Fish Habitat Omnibus amendment and will 
develop advice on the attributes of any suggested DHRA alternatives. 
The panel may consider other additional topics at the discretion of the 
Chair.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during this 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

    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 dates.

    Dated: September 21, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E4-2362 Filed 9-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S