[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76690-76691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E4-3765]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 121504F]


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 a public meeting of its Groundfish and Scallop Oversight 
Committees in January, 2005. Recommendations from these committees will 
be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if 
appropriate.

DATES: The meetings will held on Thursday, January 13, 2005 and 
Wednesday, January 26, 2005.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held in Mansfield and Revere, MA.
    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:

[[Page 76691]]

Meeting Dates and Agendas

Thursday, January 13, 2005, 9:30 a.m. - Groundfish Oversight Committee 
Meeting

    Location: Holiday Inn, 31 Hampshire Street, Mansfield, MA 02048; 
telephone: (508)339-2200.
    Regulations implementing Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) were implemented on May 1, 2004. This 
amendment calls for an updated assessment of multispecies stocks in 
2005 to evaluate stock status and the effectiveness of the regulations. 
Subsequent to that assessment, the Council will be considering changes 
to the management measures, if necessary, in order to meet the 
objectives of Amendment 13. In addition to changes that may be needed 
to respond to the updated assessments, the Council may consider changes 
to other management measures. These could include, but are not limited 
to, an extension of the days-at-sea leasing program, modifications to 
the default measures, modifications to existing Special Access Programs 
(SAPs) or additional SAPs, changes to permitting conditions, reviews of 
bycatch information, etc. As a result of the extensive scope of this 
next management action, the committee will meet to develop 
recommendations on the broad issues to be addressed in the next 
adjustment, identify the information that will be needed to support 
decisions on those issues, develop a timeline for the Committee's work, 
and may begin to identify specific measures that will be included. The 
committee's recommendations will be presented to the full Council for 
consideration at a later date.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005, 9:30 a.m. - Scallop Oversight Committee 
Meeting

    Location: Four Points By Sheraton,407 Squire Road, Revere, MA 
02151; telephone: (781) 284-7200.
    The committee will review the analysis of general category Vessel 
Monitoring System (VMS) alternatives in Framework Adjustment 17 and 
recommend a final alternative to the Council. The committee will also 
discuss scallop research priorities and the total allowable catch/days-
at-sea (TAC/DAS) set-aside research application review process 
following a presentation by the NMFS Regional Office staff. Other 
business may be discussed, as needed. Finally, the agenda includes a 
closed-door session at the end of the meeting to develop Advisory Panel 
appointment recommendations.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in these agendas may 
come before these groups for discussion, those issues may not be the 
subject of formal action during these meetings. 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 17, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainble Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E4-3765 Filed 12-21-04; 8:45 am]
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