[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59747-59748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-16786]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 100406C]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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 meetings of its Monkfish Advisory Panel and 
Monkfish Oversight Committee in October and November, 2006, to consider 
actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ). Recommendations from these groups will be brought to the full 
Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES: These meetings will be held on Tuesday, October 31, 2006, at 
9:30 a.m. and Wednesday, November 1, 2006, at 9:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at the Sheraton Ferncroft, 50 
Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923; telephone: (978) 777-2500; fax: 
(978) 750-7991.
    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: The schedule and agenda for the following 
meetings are as follows:

1. Tuesday, October 31, 2006; Monkfish Advisory Panel meeting.

    The advisory panel will review the draft Framework Adjustment 4 
documents and analyses and make recommendations to the Monkfish 
Committee and the Councils for final measures to be adopted at the 
November New England Council meeting and the December Mid-Atlantic 
Council meeting, and subsequently submitted to the National Marine 
Fisheries Service. Framework 4 includes alternatives for target total 
allowable catch (TAC) alternatives and associated trip limits and days-
at-sea (DAS) alternatives for the final three years of the monkfish 
rebuilding program starting May 1, 2007. Framework 4 also contains 
other alternatives including eliminating the directed fishery; backstop 
provisions to ensure that management measures achieve the target TAC on 
an ongoing basis; modification or elimination of the DAS carryover 
provision; and modification of the boundary of the North Carolina/
Virginia area monkfish fishery. Following the completion of the 
Framework 4 business, the advisors will discuss and make 
recommendations to the Monkfish Committee on possible adjustment to the 
monkfish incidental catch limit on scallop vessels fishing in the 
scallop closed area access programs. The advisors will also discuss and 
outline the issues related to the development of a monkfish DAS leasing 
program.

2. Wednesday, November 1, 2006; Monkfish Oversight Committee meeting.

    The Committee will review the draft Framework Adjustment 4 
documents and analyses and the recommendations of the Monkfish Advisory 
Panel and finalize recommendations for measures to be adopted at the 
November New England Council meeting and the December Mid-Atlantic 
Council meeting and subsequently submitted to the National Marine 
Fisheries Service. Framework 4 includes alternatives for target total 
allowable catch (TAC) alternatives and associated trip limits and days-
at-sea alternatives for the final three years of the monkfish 
rebuilding program starting May 1, 2007. Framework 4 also contains 
other alternatives including eliminating the directed fishery; backstop 
provisions to ensure that management measures achieve the target TACs 
on an ongoing basis; modification or elimination of the DAS carryover 
provision and

[[Page 59748]]

modification of the boundary of the North Carolina/Virginia area 
monkfish fishery. Following the completion of the Framework 4 business, 
the Committee will discuss and make recommendations to the Councils on 
possible adjustment to the monkfish incidental catch limit on scallop 
vessels fishing in the scallop closed area access programs. The 
Committee will also review comments and recommendations of the Advisory 
Panel on the development of a monkfish DAS leasing program.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before these groups 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

    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, Executive 
Director, at (978) 465-0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: October 5, 2006.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-16786 Filed 10-10-06; 8:45 am]
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