[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 18 (Monday, January 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4847-4848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1424]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XF31


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.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a three-day Council meeting on February 12-14, 2008, to consider 
actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 
(EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 12 beginning at 9 
a.m., and Wednesday and Thursday, February 13-14, beginning at 8:30 
a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Harborside Hotel, 
250 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801; telephone: (603) 431-2300.
    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, February 12, 2008

    Following introductions and any announcements the Council will 
receive a series of brief reports from the Council Chairman and 
Executive Director, the NOAA Fisheries Northeast Regional 
Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council liaisons, NOAA General Counsel, NOAA 
Enforcement and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard and the 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

[[Page 4848]]

    The Council also will review and approve a scoping document for 
Amendment 15 to the Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Issues 
that are likely to be included are annual catch limits and 
accountability measures, measures to address excess capacity and allow 
sectors in the limited access scallop fishery and reconsideration of 
the current scallop overfishing definition. Following an brief 
opportunity for the public to address items that are otherwise not 
listed on the Council agenda, there will be a final review of several 
Council policies concerning enforcement, advisory panels and sectors. 
The day will conclude with an update on the development of the 
Amendment 3 to the Skate FMP.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

    The Council's Research Steering Committee Chairman will recommend 
approval of comments on the NMFS proposed rule that would revise the 
experimental fishery permit process and ask for consideration and 
approval of Council research priorities for 2008. The Council also will 
review the findings of the committee concerning any cooperative 
research final reports they have reviewed. As a separate agenda item, 
the Council will consider commenting on any current experimental 
fishery permit applications. The Habitat Committee will review and 
discuss its recommendations on the previously designated Southern 
Canyon Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPCs) and possibly ask for 
approval of any modifications to those HAPCs. The last item of the day 
will involve review and approval of a process to consider additional 
gears for use in the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Regular B 
Days-at-Sea Program and the U.S./Canada Haddock Special Access Program. 
The Council also will review and approve an annual catch limit 
alternative for Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

    Groundfish issues will be covered throughout the final day of the 
meeting and will include consideration and approval of alternatives to 
be analyzed for Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP, 
including but not limited to effort controls, sector administration, 
research set-asides, annual catch limits and accountability measures 
and allowing vessels to possess both a limited access scallop and a 
groundfish permit.
    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 23, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-1424 Filed 1-25-08; 8:45 am]
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