[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 186 (Monday, September 26, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 65997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23075]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE899


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) is 
scheduling a public meeting of its Joint Scallop Advisory Panel (AP) 
and Plan Development Team (PDT) 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, October 13, 2016, at 9:30 
a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Boston 
Logan, 100 Boardman Street, Boston, MA 02128; Phone: (617) 567-6789; 
Fax: (617) 461-0798.
    Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, 
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Agenda

    The Scallop AP and PDT will review Framework 28 (FW28) alternatives 
and analyses. The primary focus of this meeting will be to provide 
input on the range of specification alternatives that may be included 
in FW28. FW28 will set specifications including ABC/ACLs, DAS, access 
area allocations for LA and LAGC, hard-TAC for NGOM management area, 
target-TAC for LAGC incidental catch and set-asides for the observer 
and research programs for fishing year 2017 and default specifications 
for fishing year 2018. Management measures in FW28 include: (1) 
Measures to restrict the possession of shell stock inshore of 
42[deg]20' N.; (2) measures to apply spatial management to fishery 
specifications (ACL flowchart); (3) measures to modify the Closed Area 
I access area boundary, consistent with potential changes to habitat 
and groundfish mortality closed areas. The AP/PDT may also discuss 
scallop related issues under consideration in groundfish Framework 56. 
Other business will be discussed as necessary.
    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 these meetings. 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 Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, at 978-465-
0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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

    Dated: September 21, 2016.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-23075 Filed 9-23-16; 8:45 am]
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