[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 98 (Friday, May 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23997-23998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12027]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XP39


Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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

DATES: The meetings will be held Monday, June 8, 2009 through Thursday, 
June 11, 2009. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and 
times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Radisson Martinique on 
Broadway, 49 West 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001; telephone: (212) 
736-3800.
    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 Monday, June 8 (in closed session) the 
RSA Committee will meet with NMFS officials from noon until 3 p.m. The 
RSA Committee will meet (in open session) NMFS Cooperative Research 
staff from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. On Tuesday, June 9, the Squid, Mackerel, 
Butterfish Committee will meet from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. The Surfclam, 
Ocean Quahog, and Tilefish Committee will meet from 11 a.m. until 12:30 
p.m. The Ecosystems and Ocean Planning Committee will meet from 1:30 
p.m. until 4:30 p.m. A scoping session for Sea Turtle Conservation and 
Recovery in Relation to the Atlantic Trawl Fisheries will be held from 
7 p.m. until 9 p.m. On Wednesday, June 10, the Council will hold its 
Business Session from 8 a.m. until 9:45 a.m. From 9:45 a.m. until 10:30 
a.m., NMFS officials will provide a presentation regarding the agency's 
Sea Turtle Conservation and Recovery Strategy. From 10:30 a.m. until 12 
p.m., the Council will discuss Amendment 11 to Squid, Mackerel, and 
Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). From 1 p.m. until 3 p.m., the 
Council will discuss Amendment 5 to the Monkfish FMP. From 3 p.m. until 
4:30 p.m., Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish Specifications for 2010 will 
be developed and adopted. From 4:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., Surfclam and 
Ocean Quahog Specifications for 2010 will be developed and adopted. On 
Thursday, June 11, the Executive Committee will meet from 8 a.m. until 
9 a.m. The ACL/AM Committee will meet from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. The 
Council will convene at 10:30 a.m. to receive a presentation on the New 
England Council's Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Omnibus Amendment from 
10:30 a.m. until noon. From 1 p.m. until 1:30 p.m., the Council will 
receive a presentation from Rutgers University Scientists regarding 
``Developing Ecological Indicators for Spatial Fisheries Management''. 
NMFS' officials will provide a Marine Debris Program presentation from 
1:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. From 2:30 p.m. until 4 p.m., the Council will 
receive Committee Reports and discuss and act on any continuing or new 
business.
    Agenda items by day for the Council's Committees and the Council 
itself are: Monday, June 8, the RSA Committee with the NMFS' 
Cooperative Research Staff will hold a closed session to review and 
comment on 2010 RSA proposals. In open session, the RSA Committee will 
receive a presentation from the NMFS' Cooperative Research Staff on 
NMFS' draft Cooperative Research Strategic plan, review and discuss 
Mid-Atlantic RSA program performance and ways to improve program 
coordination with other cooperative research efforts, and develop 
comments as appropriate for Council consideration. On Tuesday, June 9, 
the Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish Committee will meet with Advisors 
to review the Scientific and Statistical Committee's (SSC) advice and 
Monitoring Committee's recommendations for the 2010 quota levels and 
associated management measures; develop quota specifications and 
associated management measures for Council consideration and action; 
review and address status of Amendment 11; and, review and discuss 
butterfish bycatch in Hudson Canyon. The Surfclam, Ocean Quahog, and 
Tilefish Committee will meet with Advisors to review staff 
recommendations for the 2010 quota specifications and associated

[[Page 23998]]

management measures for surfclams and ocean quahogs; and, develop quota 
specifications and associated management measures for Council 
consideration and action. The Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Committee 
will meet to review and discuss NMFS' Report to Congress [State of 
Science to Support an Ecosystem Approach to Regional Fishery 
Management--MSA Section 406(f)]; receive an update on status of 
proposed LNG facilities in the Mid-Atlantic Council's jurisdiction off 
New Jersey/New York; and, receive an overview of NMFS' role and 
responsibilities regarding non-fishery uses of the ocean. An evening 
scoping session for Sea Turtle Conservation and Recovery in Relation to 
the Atlantic Trawl Fisheries will be held. On Wednesday, June 10, the 
Council will convene to conduct its regular Business Session, receive 
Organizational, Council Liaison, Executive Director Reports, and 
receive a report on the status of MAFMC's FMPs. A presentation will be 
provided by NMFS officials on Sea Turtle Strategy and Potential Impacts 
on Mid-Atlantic Fisheries. The Council will review alternatives 
associated with the proposed management measures and select preferred 
alternatives for Amendment 11 to the Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish 
FMP. The Council will also review and adopt the Public Hearing Document 
(PHD) and associated Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
regarding Amendment 11. The Council will review the Monkfish Advisory 
Panel, Oversight Committee, and the SSC recommendations, and identify 
measures to be developed and considered in the DEIS for Amendment 5 to 
the Monkfish FMP. The Council will review the SMB Committee's 
recommendations for 2010 quota specifications and associated management 
measures, and develop and adopt 2010 quota specifications and 
associated management measures for Atlantic mackerel, squids, and 
butterfish. The Council will review the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog 
Committee's recommendations for 2010 quota specifications (year 3 of 
the existing 2008-10 multi-year quota specifications) and associated 
management measures, and, as appropriate, adopt any changes to the 2010 
quota specifications. On Thursday June 11, the Executive Committee will 
meet to review highlights of the May 2009 Council Coordination 
Committee (CCC) meeting, review and discuss proposed rules for Marine 
Protected Areas (MPA) designations and Council operations Statement of 
Operating Practices and Procedures (SOPP), and consider scheduling a 
one-day meeting to address ACL/AM options. The ACL /AM Committee will 
review comments received during the current scoping period, and discuss 
possible additions, deletions, or modifications to description of 
alternatives to be considered in the Omnibus Amendment based on 
comments received. The Council will then receive a presentation by a 
New England Council official regarding its Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) 
Omnibus Amendment and potential impact on Mid-Atlantic Fisheries. The 
Council will receive a presentation by Rutgers University Scientists 
regarding ``Developing Ecological Indicators for Spatial Fisheries 
Management'' and a presentation by a NMFS' official regarding its 
Marine Debris Program. The Council will then hear Committee Reports and 
conduct 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 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 the 
public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action 
to address such emergencies.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is 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: May 19, 2009.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-12027 Filed 5-21-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S