[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 44 (Monday, March 8, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10470-10471]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4733]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XT75


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Monkfish Fishery Management Plan Amendment 5; reschedule of 
public hearings.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) has 
rescheduled two public hearings to solicit comments on proposals to be 
included in the Draft Amendment 5 to the Monkfish Fishery Management 
Plan (FMP).

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before 5 p.m. e.s.t., 
March 9, 2010. The public hearings will be held on March 8, 2010 and 
March 9, 2010. For specific dates and times, see SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: The Council will take comments at public meetings in 
Riverhead, NY and Lakewood, NJ. For specific locations, see 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Written comments should be sent to Patricia 
Kurkul, Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, 55 
Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Comments may also be sent 
via fax to (978) 281-9135 or submitted via e-mail to 
[email protected] with ``Monkfish Amendment 5 Public Hearing 
Comments'' in the subject line. Requests for copies of the public 
hearing document and other information should be directed to Paul J. 
Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 50 
Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The New England Fishery Management Council's 
Monkfish Committee is holding public hearings for Amendment 5 to the 
Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The primary purpose of this 
amendment is to address the new requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act that the 
Council adopt Annual Catch Limits (ACLs) and Accountability Measures 
(AMs) and manage the fishery at long-term

[[Page 10471]]

sustainable levels. According to the Act, these measures must be 
adopted by 2011. Amendment 5 will also include revised biological and 
management reference points to bring the FMP into compliance with 
revised National Standard 1 Guidelines. Further, Amendment 5 will 
specify total allowable catch targets and associated days-at-sea (DAS) 
and trip limits for the directed fishery to supplant the current 
specifications that it adopted for the 2007-2009 fishing years along 
with an extension provision which will apply for the 2010 fishing year. 
Amendment 5 contains proposals to make modifications to the FMP to 
improve the Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, to minimize bycatch 
resulting from trip limit overages, to accommodate those vessels 
fishing in groundfish sectors who would no longer be required to use 
their allocated groundfish DAS, to require all limited access monkfish 
vessels to use a VMS when on a monkfish DAS, and to allow the landing 
of monkfish heads.
    The public hearing document, as well as the draft Amendment 5 
document incorporating an Environmental Assessment, is available on the 
Monkfish page of the Council's website (www.nefmc.org) or from the 
Council office.
    After the close of the public comment period, the Monkfish 
Oversight Committee and Industry Advisory Panel will review the 
comments and develop recommendations to the New England and Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Councils on the measures to be submitted as 
final action for Amendment 5. The Councils will make their decisions in 
April, 2010 for submission to the National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS). If approved by NMFS, Amendment 5 will take effect at the start 
of the 2011 fishing year.
    The original public hearings were listed in the January 14, 2010 
Federal Register (75 FR 2111) and the new dates, times, locations and 
telephone numbers of the hearings are as follows:
    Monday, March 8, 2010 at 12:30 p.m.-Holiday Inn Express East End, 
1707 Old Country Road, Riverhead, NY 11901; telephone: (631) 548-1000.
    Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 9 a.m.-Hilton Garden Inn, 1885 Route 70, 
Lakewood, NJ 08701; telephone: (732) 262-5232.

Special Accommodations

    These hearings are physically accessible to people with physical 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at 
least five days prior to the meeting date.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: March 2, 2010.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-4733 Filed 3-5-10; 8:45 am]
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