[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 178 (Friday, September 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43336-43337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19645]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XF689


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 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 Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at 9 
a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, 
185 MacArthur Drive, New Bedford, MA 02740; phone: (774) 634-2000.
    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 Habitat Committee will be briefed on offshore wind projects in 
various

[[Page 43337]]

stages of planning and development. This agenda item will include 
presentations from various companies as well as BOEM staff, and time 
for questions and discussion. The committee plans to discuss 2018 
Council priorities related to habitat and recommend specific priorities 
to the Council. They will also review recent Plan Development Team 
(PDT) activity related to the Deep-Sea Coral Amendment, with a focus on 
development and analysis of broad zone Option 7 as discussed at the 
June 2017 Council meeting. Provide guidance for additional work. The 
committee will review recent PDT activity related to the Clam Dredge 
Framework. Provide guidance for development of management alternatives 
using updated habitat and clam survey data. They also plan to discuss 
if there are any habitat-related fishery regulations that could be 
eliminated, improved, or streamlined. Several recent Executive Orders 
have been issued about streamlining current regulations, and NOAA is 
seeking public input on the efficiency and effectiveness of current 
regulations and whether they can be improved. Other business may 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. 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: September 12, 2017.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-19645 Filed 9-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P