[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 202 (Friday, October 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61788-61789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24716]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XL32


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) is 
scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop Committee in November, 2008 
to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive 
economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to 
the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES: This meeting will be held on Monday, November 3, 2008 at 9:30 
a.m.

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, One 
Thurber Street, Warwick, RI 02886; telephone: (401) 734-9600; fax: 
(401) 734-9700
    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 committee will review analyses prepared 
for Council response to Section 7 Endangered Species Act Consultation 
for the Scallop Fishery Management Plan (Biological Opinion) and 
discuss potential management measures to comply with findings of 
biological opinion that would be developed in Framework Adjustment 21. 
The committee will also review measures already under consideration

[[Page 61789]]

and develop any new alternatives needed to complete the range of 
options under consideration for Amendment 15. The primary management 
topic left to develop is the implementation of annual catch limits 
(ACLs). Other alternatives that may be revisited or revised at this 
meeting include: measures to rationalize the limited access scallop 
fishery; revision of the overfishing definition; modifications to 
specific aspects of the general category limited entry program 
implemented by Amendment 11; measures to address essential fish habitat 
(EFH) closed areas in the Scallop FMP if the EFH Omnibus Amendment is 
delayed; alternatives to improve the research set-aside program; and 
modifying the start date of the scallop fishing year. The committee may 
discuss other topics at their discretion.

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, 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 14, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-24716 Filed 10-16-08; 8:45 am]
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