[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 61 (Friday, March 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16644-16645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6440]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG66


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 3-day Council meeting on April 15-17, 2008, to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 15 beginning at 10 
a.m., and Wednesday and Thursday, April 16 and 17, beginning at 8:30 
a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Providence Biltmore Hotel, 
11 Dorrance Street, Providence, RI 02903; telephone: (401) 421-0700.
    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, April 15, 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. The Council also will 
review any experimental fishery permits requests published since the 
last Council meeting and possibly offer comments. Following a lunch 
break, the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee will make 
recommendations concerning acceptable biological catch levels for 
winter and thorny skates while the Skate Committee will report on 
progress to develop winter and thorny skate rebuilding and management 
alternatives for inclusion in Amendment 3 to the Skate Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP). The committee will ask the Council to consider 
and approve precautionary annual catch limits, accountability measures 
and additional management measures to address recent changes in the 
skate fishery. The last agenda item of the day will involve an update 
by Virginia Institute of Marine Science staff on the institution's 
Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

    The Council will review and approve comment letters regarding the 
Minerals Management Service's Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Cape Wind Energy Project and the Revised Framework for Developing a 
National System for Marine Protected Areas. A report from the Monkfish 
Committee will follow, during which the Council intends to take final 
action on Framework 6 to the Monkfish FMP. The Mid-Atlantic and New 
England Councils are considering eliminating backstop measures adopted 
in an earlier action that would reduce or eliminate days-at-sea in 2009 
if landings exceeded catch targets in either or both of the two 
monkfish management areas during this current fishing year. The 
Enforcement Committee will review its recommendations concerning any 
changes to the running clock prohibition and review its initial 
discussion about sector monitoring and enforcement. During the 
afternoon session there will be a preliminary report on a Gulf of Maine 
Research Institute project to evaluate the monitoring, reporting and 
enforcement needs necessary to effectively track catch by sector 
vessels in New England. During the last agenda item, the Council's 
Groundfish Committee will provide an update on Amendment 16, including 
a review of annual catch limit and accountability measures, as well as 
effort control measures and sector policy issues.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

    During the Herring Committee report the Council will review and 
approve a scoping document for Amendment 4 to the Atlantic Herring FMP 
and review the amendment timeline. The Northeast Fisheries Science 
Center will provide an update on trawl survey gear and calibration 
exercises regarding the FSVs

[[Page 16645]]

Albatross and Bigelow. The Scallop Survey Advisory Panel will discuss 
new terms of reference and plans to calibrate the new survey dredge on 
the RV Sharp during the 2008 sea scallop survey. This report will be 
followed by a period for the public to comment on fisheries related 
issues that are not listed on the agenda. Any other outstanding 
business will be addressed before the meeting adjourns.
    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: March 25, 2008.
William D. Chappell,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-6440 Filed 3-27-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S