[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 207 (Thursday, October 27, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61939-61940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-5959]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 102105B]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a 3-day Council meeting on November 15-17, 2005, to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 beginning 
at 8:30 a.m. and on Wednesday and Thursday, November 16 and 17, 
beginning at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Four Points by Sheraton 
Hotel, 35 Scudder Avenue, Hyannis, MA 02601; telephone: (508) 775-7775.
    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; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Tuesday, November 15, 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 receive a 
report from its Magnuson-Stevens Committee which is seeking approval of 
additional NEFMC positions on bills to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The afternoon session will 
consist of a report from the Groundfish Oversight Committee on the 
continued development of management measures for Framework Adjustment 
42 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The 
Council will refine development of alternatives to meet Amendment 13 
mortality objectives based on committee advice. Also, measures for both 
commercial and recreational fishermen may be discussed, including among 
other measures, modifications to days-at-sea, gear and possession 
limits for commercial vessels and modifications to bag limits, seasons 
and closed areas for recreational vessels. Final approval of Framework 
42 measures will not be made until the January 2006 meeting.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

    During the morning session, the Council will discuss and take 
action on a request to NMFS for reassignment of the Dogfish/Monkfish 
FMP responsibilities for dogfish and monkfish. The Spiny Dogfish 
Committee report will follow for consideration and approval of NEFMC 
recommendations for spiny dogfish fishery specifications for the 2006-
07 fishing year and consideration of multi-year specifications (2006-
08). Specifications will likely include overall total allowable catch 
(TAC) levels and trip limits for spiny dogfish. Following a review of 
public and Advisory Panel comments and Herring Committee 
recommendations, the Herring Committee chairman will seek approval of a 
final management alternative and independent management measures for 
inclusion in Amendment 1 to the Herring FMP. Final management 
alternatives may include a limited access program for the herring 
fishery and a seasonal purse seine/fixed gear-only area in the inshore 
Gulf of Maine (GOM). Independent measures may include a proxy for 
maximum sustainable yield, adjustments to the herring fishery 
specification process, adjustments to herring management area 
boundaries, establishment of bycatch caps for groundfish stocks of 
concern, measures to address bycatch monitoring and reporting, changes 
to the regulatory definition of midwater trawl gear and other measures.

Thursday, November 17, 2005

    The morning session will begin with the Habitat Committee's review 
of the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Omnibus Amendment topics including 
a summary of the deliberations of the Habitat Committee and its 
Advisory Panel. Following a brief open comment period for the public to 
discuss items relevant to Council business, but not otherwise listed on 
the agenda, the Scallop Committee will seek final approval of Framework 
Adjustment 18 to the Sea Scallop FMP. Alternatives include area 
rotation measures, specifications for trip and days-at-sea (DAS) 
allocations in 2006 and 2007, a procedure to adjust the Elephant Trunk 
Area in 2007 and open area allocations based on surveys of scallop 
biomass, an increase in the crew limits for controlled access area trip 
exchanges, the broken trip limit exemption program and research set 
aside program. In the afternoon session, the Executive Director will 
seek approval of Council priorities of management actions for 2006. Any 
other outstanding business will be addressed at the end of the day.
    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.

[[Page 61940]]

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: October 21, 2005.
Emily Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E5-5959 Filed 10-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S