[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 16540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6761]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XB097


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 Oversight Committee 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 Friday, April 6, 2012 at 9:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hotel Providence, 139 
Mathewson Street, Providence, RI 02903; telephone: (401) 861-8000; fax: 
(401) 454-4306.
    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. Specifically, the Committee will review updated 
boundaries for some of the potential adverse effects minimization 
areas, and for the discrete coral zones. Other issues related to these 
options/alternatives will also be discussed. The Council will review 
the deep-sea coral alternatives at their April 24-26 meeting. Also, the 
Committee will receive a presentation from Stellwagen Bank National 
Marine Sanctuary staff regarding an ecological research area proposal 
that they have developed within the boundaries of the Sanctuary. The 
Committee is considering designation of dedicated habitat research 
areas as part of the Omnibus Amendment and requested this briefing at 
their last meeting. An update about Habitat Plan Development Team work 
on this topic will also be provided.
    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.

    Dated: March 15, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-6761 Filed 3-20-12; 8:45 am]
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