[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 91 (Thursday, May 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27440-27441]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11280]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Public Hearing; Request for Comments.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a supplemental public hearing to solicit Scoping comments on Draft 
Amendment 19 to the Northeast Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP).

DATES: The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 10 
a.m.

ADDRESSES: The Council will take comments at the public hearing at the 
Holiday Inn, 31 Hampshire Street,

[[Page 27441]]

Mansfield, MA 02048; telephone: (508) 339-2200.
    The written comment period has been extended and should be sent to 
Paul Howard, Executive Director, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, 
MA 01950. Comments may also be sent via fax to (978) 465-3116 or 
submitted via email to [email protected] with ``Comment on Small Mesh 
Multispecies Amendment 19'' 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. The public hearing document is also accessible 
electronically via the Internet at http://www.nefmc.org/mesh/index.html.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Council staff will provide information on 
the status of Amendment 19 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. The draft 
alternatives include annual limits on catch and landings by fishery 
program and/or stock, in-season and post-season accountability measures 
including incidental possession limits, year round red hake possession 
limits, monitoring and specification setting procedures, and a proposed 
increase in the 30,000 lbs. silver hake possession limit in the 
Southern New England and Mid-Atlantic Exemption Areas. Final 
alternatives were approved at the April 24-26, 2012 Council meeting, 
but the Council will take supplemental action at the June 19-21, 2012 
Council meeting on proposed increase in the 30,000 lbs. silver hake 
(whiting) possession limit. There will be time available for questions 
and answers.
    Written comment period has been extended on the draft amendment and 
must be received by 5 p.m. EDT, Thursday, May 24, 2012 and may be 
mailed to the Council office at the address above, faxed to (978) 465-
3116 or emailed to: [email protected] (attention/subject line: Comment 
on Small Mesh Multispecies Amendment 19).

Special Accommodations

    The hearing is 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 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: May 7, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-11280 Filed 5-9-12; 8:45 am]
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