[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 24 (Monday, February 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5774-5775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2551]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA980


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice; public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is 
scheduling a public meeting of its Habitat/MPA/Ecosystem Committee, in 
February 2012, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in 
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will 
be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if 
appropriate.

DATES: This meeting will be held on Thursday, February 23, 2012, at 
9:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at the Sheraton Harborside Hotel, 
250 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801; telephone: (603) 431-2300; 
fax: (603) 433-5649.
    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 purpose of this meeting is for the 
Council's Habitat Committee to recommend management measures for 
further development and analysis in Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat 
Amendment 2. Two types of measures will be considered at the meeting: 
(1) options to minimize the adverse effects of fishing on Essential 
Fish Habitat and (2) alternatives to protect deep-sea corals from the 
impacts of fishing.
    Note that this meeting was originally planned for January 25, 2012 
as the second day of a 2-day meeting, but was cancelled due to 
scheduling conflicts. However, the management measures listed above 
were discussed by the Habitat Committee and its Advisory Panel during 
day one of that meeting, which was held as planned on January 24. The 
outcomes of those discussions will be considered at this meeting, along 
with any additional analyses and recommendations prepared by the 
Habitat Plan Development Team.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during this meeting. 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 
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, Executive Director, at (978) 465-
0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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


[[Page 5775]]


    Dated: February 1, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-2551 Filed 2-3-12; 8:45 am]
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