[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 200 (Monday, October 17, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64073-64074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26758]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA763


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice; public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) 
Groundfish Advisory Panel, Recreational Advisory Panel and Groundfish 
Oversight Committee will hold three meetings to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meetings will be held November 1-2, 2011. For specific dates 
and times, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at the Radisson Hotel Plymouth 
Harbor, 180 Water Street, Plymouth, MA 02360; telephone: (508) 747-4900 
and fax: (508) 746-5386. For specific locations, see SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.
    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 schedule and agenda for the following 
three meetings are as follows:

Council Meetings: Locations, Schedules, and Agendas

1. Tuesday, November 1, 2011 Beginning at 9 a.m.--Groundfish Advisory 
Panel

    The Groundfish Advisory Panel (GAP) will meet to develop advice 
that will be considered by the Groundfish Committee at a November 2, 
2011 meeting, and by the full Council at its November 2011 meeting. The 
GAP will review draft Framework Adjustment 47 to the Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FW 47) and provide 
recommendations for preferred alternatives. FW 47 will modify 
specifications for the fishery and consider changes to accountability 
measures. They will also consider draft groundfish management 
priorities for 2012 and may develop recommendations for those 
priorities. The GAP may review information from a sector workshop in 
October and may prioritize the issues raised at that workshop.

2. Tuesday, November 1, 2011 Beginning at 9 a.m.--Recreational Advisory 
Panel

    The Recreational Advisory Panel (RAP) will meet to develop advice 
that will be considered by the Groundfish Committee at a November 2, 
2011 meeting, and by the full Council at its November 15-17, 2011 
meeting. The RAP will review information on fishing year 2010 catches 
and will develop advice on accountability measures (AMs) for any stocks 
where catches exceeded the recreational fishery annual catch limit. 
Indications are that an AM will be needed for Gulf of Maine haddock. 
The RAP will also review groundfish management priorities for 2012 and 
may develop recommendations for those priorities.

3. Wednesday, November 2, 2011 Beginning at 9 a.m.--Groundfish 
Oversight Committee

    The Groundfish Committee will meet to continue development of 
Framework Adjustment 47 to the Northeast

[[Page 64074]]

Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FW 47) and other issues. During 
its deliberations the Committee will consider the advice of the 
Groundfish Advisory Panel and the Recreational Advisory Panel. FW 47 
will modify specifications for the fishery and consider changes to 
accountability measures, as well as adjust other measures. Changes to 
the specifications could include the adoption of sub-annual catch 
limits that limit the catches of Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic 
Bight (SNE/MAB) windowpane and/or SNE winter flounder by the scallop 
fishery, and SNE/MAB windowpane by other fisheries. The Committee will 
review draft FW 47 and may develop recommendations for preferred 
alternatives that will be presented to the Council. The Committee will 
review groundfish management priorities for 2012 and will develop a 
Committee recommendation on these priorities. The Committee will also 
consider information from a sector review workshop planned for October 
and may prioritize the issues identified at the workshop that need to 
be addressed to improve sector performance. Finally, the Committee will 
develop advice on any accountability measures that may be needed for 
the recreational fishery (indications are that an AM will be needed for 
Gulf of Maine haddock). Committee recommendations will be presented to 
the Council etc. Other business may be discussed.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before these groups for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during these meetings. Action will be restricted to 
those issues specifically identified in this notice and any issues 
arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action 
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are 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 working days prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: October 12, 2011.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-26758 Filed 10-14-11; 8:45 am]
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