[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 67 (Thursday, April 8, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17901-17902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-7996]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XV71


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 three-day Council meeting on April 27-29, 2010 to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will begin on each of the three days at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Mystic Hilton Hotel, 20 
Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355; telephone: (860) 572-0731; fax: 
(860) 572-0328.
    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 27, 2010

    Following any introductions and announcements, the Council meeting 
will begin with 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, as well as NOAA General Counsel, 
representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Atlantic States Marine 
Fisheries Commission and NOAA Enforcement. These reports will be 
followed by a review of any experimental fishery permit applications 
that have been received since the last Council meeting. There will be a 
brief review of several policy changes to the Council's Handbook and a 
vote on those changes. The Herring Committee will then report on the 
details of its recommendation concerning the timing of the next 
Atlantic herring benchmark assessment, as well as provide the full 
Council with an overview of discussions to date on the development of 
Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP). 
Following a lunch break the Habitat Committee will review the 
development of Omnibus Amendment 2 management alternatives to minimize 
any adverse effects of fishing on essential fish habitat. The Monkfish 
Committee will ask for approval of final action on Amendment 5 to the 
Monkfish FMP. Measures under consideration include annual catch limits 
and accountability measures, along with days-at-sea and trip limits for 
2011-2013 and other modifications.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

    The second day of the Council meeting will begin with a review of 
the most recent Interspecies Committee discussions. Topics will include 
fishery management plan restructuring and/or consolidation; setting 
accumulation limits for the Northeast multispecies fishery, including 
possible control dates for the limits to become effective; and a 
committee work plan.
    There will be a presentation by scientists from the Universities of 
CT and RI titled ``Goals and Concerns of Fishery Stakeholder in the 
Development of Catch Share Management in NE.'' The Council's Scientific 
and Statistical Committee (SSC) will report after a lunch break on its 
recommendations for revised skate and red crab Acceptable Biological 
Catch levels. The Council will consider action for both the Skate and 
Red Crab FMPs after the SSC report. Fishery management measures in each 
plan may be modified.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

    The Council's Groundfish Committee will discuss and possibly select 
alternative rebuilding strategies for

[[Page 17902]]

Georges Bank yellowtail flounder as well as the vessel buyback 
provisions in the reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act. During this report the Council also will consider a 
process for the approval of additional management sectors in the 
Northeast multispecies fishery for 2011. Following this agenda item, 
the there will be an open period for public comments on issues related 
to fisheries management issues, but not listed on the meeting agenda. 
During the afternoon session, the Council plans on an update from the 
Joint Groundfish/Scallop Committee. The committee has been tasked with 
development of an amendment to facilitate the transfer of groundfish 
landings between the multispecies and scallop fisheries. Draft goals 
and objectives and initial identification of measures may be included 
under this topic. Before meeting adjournment, the Council may address 
any other outstanding business related to this meeting.
    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: April 5, 2010.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-7996 Filed 4-7-10; 8:45 am]
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