[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 87 (Friday, May 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26463-26464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6841]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 050206A]


Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Ad Hoc Policy 
Advisory Panel (Panel) will hold public meetings with officials from 
the NMFS.

DATES: The meetings will be held Wednesday, May 25, 2006, through 
Thursday, May 26, 2006. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for a meeting 
agenda.

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the Sheraton Society Hill, One 
Dock Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, telephone 215-238-6000.
    Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 300 S. 
New Street, Dover, DE 19904, telephone 302-674-2331.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, 
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; telephone: 302-674-2331, 
extension 19.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

    The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. with opening remarks from the 
Panel Chairman and the Director of NMFS. At 8:45 a.m. the National 
Academy of Sciences' National Research Council's draft report on 
recreational fisheries survey methods will be discussed regarding: the 
implications of its conclusions and recommendations; policy 
considerations when using historical Marine Recreational Fisheries 
Statistical Survey (MRFSS) data to establish recreational sector share 
of quota managed fisheries and state-by-state sub-allocations; policy 
considerations when using current MRFSS data to establish 
specifications for the coming fishing year; and, the practicability and 
significance of applying of National Standard 2 criteria to MRFSS data. 
At 10 a.m. the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) report ``Core 
Principles and a Strategic Approach Would Enhance Stakeholder 
Participation in Developing Quota-Based Programs'' will be reviewed and 
discussed. At 10:45 a.m. the National Fish Habitat Initiative will be 
discussed and evaluated in terms of addressing opportunities to build 
partnerships with non-government organizations (NGO). At 11:15 a.m. 
various Congressional Legislative proposals to reauthorize the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act will be presented and discussed including an 
assessment as to the likelihood and timing of their passage.
    Following lunch, a discussion of sociological resources for fishery 
management will begin at 1:30 p.m. Identification and descriptions of 
sociological needs in the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) process will be 
reviewed, together with an assessment of Council and NMFS capabilities 
to meet MSA requirements. Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology 
discussions will begin at 2 p.m. focusing on existing Council reporting 
methodologies including how they were developed and how they operate. 
In cases where bycatch information is not yet being reported, what 
actions are underway to adopt such reporting systems. Beginning at 3 
p.m. law enforcement issues regarding vessel monitoring systems 
(including a status update on the VMS program and associated funding) 
and the role of enforcement in public meetings will be reviewed and 
discussed. Councils budget status reviews for fiscal year

[[Page 26464]]

2007, 2008, and 2009 will begin at 3:30 p.m. and continue until 4:30 
p.m.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

    The meeting will open at 8:30 a.m. with discussions regarding 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) [Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) and Environmental Assessment (EA)] and its impact on 
Council documents, e.g., FMPs, amendments, frameworks, specifications, 
and grants. Regulatory streamlining will also be addressed regarding 
the status of cooperative agreements amongst Regional Offices, Science 
Centers, and Councils, i.e., who ``owns'' which documents (or parts 
thereof), and how are they provided to respective units. Atlantic Coast 
Highly Migratory Species (HMS) management will be discussed at 11 a.m. 
The focus of this discussion will address how East Coast Councils can 
improve their contributions concerning Secretarial plans / amendments. 
Following lunch, an open discussion on any outstanding issues or items, 
future CCED meetings, and closing comments will begin at 1:30 p.m.
    The above agenda items may not be taken in the order in which they 
appear and are subject to change as necessary. Other items may be added 
and listed items may be deleted. The meeting may be closed to discuss 
internal administrative matters.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to M. Jan Saunders (302-674-2331 extension 18) at 
least five days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: May 2, 2006.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-6841 Filed 5-4-06; 8:45 am]
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