[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69613-69614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-27353]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XL81


Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), its 
Omnibus Annual Catch Limits/Accountability Measures (ACL/AM) Committee, 
its Research Set-Aside (RSA) Committee, its Ecosystems and Ocean 
Planning Committee, its Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish Committee, its 
Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Committee, and its Executive Committee will hold 
public meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held on Tuesday, December 9, 2008 through 
Thursday, December 11, 2008. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 
dates and times.

[[Page 69614]]


ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Gurney's Inn Resort & Spa, 
290 Old Montauk Highway, Montauk, NY 11954; telephone: (631) 668-2345.
    Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 300 S. 
New St., Room 2115, 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 ext. 
19.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On Tuesday, December 9, The Council will 
convene jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's 
(ASMFC) Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board from 8:30 a.m. 
until 4 p.m. From 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., the Council's Omnibus ACL/AM 
Committee will meet. From 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., there will be a RSA 
presentation. On Wednesday, December 10, concurrent sessions of the RSA 
Committee and the Ecosystems and Ocean Planning Committee will meet 
from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. The Council will convene at 9:30 and meet 
until 12 p.m. From 1 p.m. until 1:15 p.m., there will be an awards 
presentation. The Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish Committee will meet 
from 1:15 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. The Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Committee will 
meet from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. On Thursday, December 11, the 
Executive Committee will meet from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. The Council will 
convene at 9 a.m. and meet until 12 noon.
    Agenda items by day for the Council's Committees and the Council 
itself are:
    Tuesday, December 9--The Council will convene jointly with the 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASFMC) Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board. They will review and discuss the 
Monitoring Committee's and Advisory Panel's recommendations on summer 
flounder, scup, and black sea bass recreational management measures, 
and develop and approve management measures for the 2009 summer 
flounder, scup, and black sea bass recreational fisheries. The Omnibus 
ACL/AM Committee will review Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) requirements 
for ACL/AMs, review the Council's comments on National Standard (NS) 1 
proposed rule, review the Council's prior position on ACL/AM approach, 
and develop a timeline/plan of action to address ACL/AM requirements. 
An evening presentation/demonstration of an RSA project regarding size 
and bag limit model for party boats will be presented.
    Wednesday, December 10--The RSA Committee will review final reports 
of recently released closed out RSA awards. The Ecosystems and Ocean 
Planning Committee will prioritize future Committee activities. The 
Council will convene to discuss its regular business session to approve 
October Council minutes, approve actions from the October meeting, and 
receive various organizational reports. The Council will then review 
and discuss the Spiny Dogfish Committee's recommendations for the spiny 
dogfish quota and related management measures for 2009/10 and beyond 
fishing years and adopt quota and related management measures for 2009/
10 and beyond fishing years. The Fisheries Achievement Award and the 
Ricks E Savage Award will be presented. The Squid, Mackerel, and 
Butterfish Committee will review and clarify Amendment 11 management 
alternatives, to include a mackerel limited entry program, essential 
fish habitat (EFH) designations, at-sea processing issues, and ACL/AMs. 
The Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Committee will review market power analyses 
for the excessive shares issue and discuss Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP) objectives and need for changes.
    Thursday, December 11--The Executive Committee will report on the 
October Northeast Region Coordinating Council (NRCC) meeting and 
address Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) membership process 
and logistics/mechanics of using the SSC to provide advice to the 
Council. The Council will receive a presentation by Robert Brock of the 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on its Research and Management 
Plan for Deep Sea Corals and Sponges. The Council will have a brief 
discussion regarding the April 2008 Council intent for Tilefish Gear 
Restricted Areas. The Council will hear Committee reports and discuss 
any continuing and new business.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before the Council for discussion, these issues may not be the subject 
of formal Council action during theses meetings. 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 the 
public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final actions 
to address such emergencies.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Bryan, (302) 674-2331 ext 
18, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: November 13, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-27353 Filed 11-18-08; 8:45 am]
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