[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2392-2393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-121]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 011005A]


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 three-day Council meeting on February 1-3, 2005, to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 1, 2005, beginning 
at 9 a.m. and on Wednesday and Thursday, February 2 and 3, beginning at 
8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel, 
1000 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801; telephone (603) 436-2121. 
Requests for special accommodations should be addressed to the New 
England Fishery

[[Page 2393]]

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 1, 2005

    Following introductions, the Council will receive reports 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. The Council will review 
the Skate Plan Development Team's annual report on the status of the 
Northeast skate complex, in the context of recent management actions. 
The Scallop Committee report will occur before the lunch break and will 
include consideration of a modification to the ``broken trip'' limit 
rules in the Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan. The Council will take 
final action on Framework Adjustment 17 to the FMP, which includes 
alternatives that would require some or all vessels with general 
category scallop permits to carry and operate vessel monitoring system 
equipment.

Wednesday, February 2, 2005

    During the Wednesday morning session, the Council will receive a 
report from its Research Steering Committee concerning 2005 research 
priorities and recommendations on NOAA Fisheries experimental fishery 
permit process and related issues. A Groundfish Committee report will 
follow, to include a schedule for preparation of the next framework 
adjustment to the Northeast Multispecies FMP, as well as a list of 
issues to be addressed; consideration of initial action on a measure to 
remedy the disapproval of the participation of non-sector vessels in 
the Closed Area I Hook Gear Haddock Special Access Program; discussion 
of fishing vessel safety issues relative to the Multispecies FMP; and 
possible action on planning for the 2005 groundfish assessment updates 
and independent peer review. The status of the monkfish resource will 
be addressed at a Stock Assessment Public Review Workshop late in the 
afternoon on Wednesday.

Thursday, February 3, 2005

    The morning session will begin with a summary of the January 5 
Council Executive Committee meeting. Subjects to be covered will 
include recommendations for a course of action on the recent 
groundfish/lobster gear conflict, a draft Council conservation and 
management strategy (including a policy for Special Access Programs), 
joint fishery management plans and a briefing on the New England Fleet 
Visioning Project. The Habitat Committee chairman will provide an 
update on the EFH Omnibus Amendment 2. Council staff will give 
a presentation on a pilot project to develop ecosystem approaches to 
fisheries management. Any other outstanding business will be addressed 
at the end of the day, following the Bycatch Committee Report. That 
committee will forward recommendations concerning potential actions to 
reduce the bycatch of the 2003 year class of haddock in various 
fisheries.
    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: January 10, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-121 Filed 1-12-05; 8:45 am]
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