[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 36 (Friday, February 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11560-11561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03641]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF241


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 workshop of its Habitat 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 Monday, March 13, 2017, Tuesday, 
March 14, 2017 and Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. each day.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Fairfield Inn & Suites, 185 
MacArthur Drive, New Bedford, MA 02740 on Monday, March 13 and Tuesday, 
March 14, 2017 and at the Sheraton Harborside, 250 Market Street, 
Portsmouth, NH 03801 on Wednesday, March 15, 2017.
    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 Council is developing management areas to protect deep-sea or 
cold water corals found offshore New England from impacts due to 
fishing gear interactions. Concentrations of corals occur in the 
canyons, continental slope, and seamounts south of Georges Bank, and 
also in deep waters of the Gulf of Maine, including some inshore sites 
(Mt. Desert Rock and Outer Schoodic Ridge) as well as in Jordan and 
Georges Basins offshore. Some coral habitats appear to be actively 
fished, while others appear to be beyond the current footprint of 
bottom-tending gear operations.
    In developing these coral management areas, the Council is seeking 
to minimize their impacts on existing fisheries. Designing these areas 
to accommodate fishing activity requires a detailed understanding of 
where different gears are used in relation to the potential coral 
management areas. Therefore, the Council is seeking guidance from 
active fishermen who use bottom-tending gears (trawls, traps, and other 
gear types) offshore in the Gulf of Maine and in the slope and canyon 
region south of Georges Bank. Other stakeholders interested in coral 
management are also welcome to attend the workshops and provide their 
input. Specifically, the Council is seeking: (1) Industry information 
on fishing activities within proposed coral protection zones; and (2) 
suggestions about how to refine management area boundaries to limit 
impacts to fishing operations while still providing protection for 
corals.
    Three days of discussion in two locations are scheduled:
     In New Bedford (March 13 and 14) the workshop will focus 
on fishing activity in and around the draft deep-sea coral zones south 
of Georges Bank (canyons and continental slope). These zones are 
generally deeper than 150 fathoms. Note that large pelagic fishermen 
who work in the canyon/slope region are not proposed to be impacted by 
the Coral Amendment. The discussion is intended to carry over between 
the two days, so participants are encouraged to attend on both Monday 
and Tuesday if possible.
     In Portsmouth (March 15) the workshop will focus on 
fishing activity in Jordan Basin and the Lindenkohl Knoll area of 
Georges Basin. Proposals for the inshore areas around Outer Schoodic 
Ridge and Mount Desert Rock are not the intended focus of this 
Portsmouth gathering.
    The purpose of these workshops is to refine the boundaries of the 
Council's existing proposals. Public hearings will be conducted later 
this spring to solicit comments, including general support of or 
opposition to, all areas proposed in the amendment.
    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

[[Page 11561]]

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. This meeting will be 
recorded. Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is 
available upon request.

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

    Dated: February 21, 2017.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-03641 Filed 2-23-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P