[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 52 (Friday, March 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 18907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05513]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XD799]


Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); 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 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public 
webinar to collect input on the Summer Flounder Commercial Mesh Size 
Exemptions Framework/Addendum.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, from 2 p.m. 
until 4 p.m. EDT. For agenda details, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via webinar. Connection information 
will be posted prior to the meeting at www.mafmc.org.
    Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 N 
State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; telephone: (302) 674-2331; 
www.mafmc.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive 
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, telephone: (302) 
526-5255.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council 
(Council) will host a webinar to collect public input on draft 
alternatives for a framework action/addendum to consider revisions to 
two exemptions to the summer flounder commercial minimum mesh size 
requirements, including: (1) the Small Mesh Exemption Program (SMEP), 
and (2) the flynet exemption. This action was initiated in response to 
a Fall 2023 review of summer flounder commercial mesh regulations, and 
is being developed jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board (Board).
    Under the SMEP vessels landing more than 200 pounds of summer 
flounder east of longitude 72[deg]30.0' W, from November 1 through 
April 30, and using mesh smaller than 5.5-inch diamond or 6.0-inch 
square are required to obtain a SMEP permit from NMFS. Based on 
suggestions made by fishing industry representatives during the Fall 
2023 review of this exemption, the Council and Board are considering 
modifications to the exempted area associated with this exemption.
    The Council and Board are also considering modifications to the 
regulatory definition of a flynet as it relates to the flynet exemption 
to the summer flounder commercial minimum mesh size. Under the flynet 
exemption, vessels fishing with a two-seam otter trawl flynet with a 
specific mesh configuration are also exempt from the minimum mesh size 
requirements. The definition of an exempted flynet is being 
reconsidered in light of changes in the use and configuration of 
commercial trawl gear since this exemption was put in place in the 
1990s.
    The overarching aim of these considerations is to modernize these 
requirements, taking into account current fishing industry gear usage 
and practices. The Council seeks to provide additional flexibility to 
fishery participants while ensuring continued adherence to the 
conservation objectives outlined in the Fishery Management Plan.
    The primary target audience for this webinar includes: (a) any 
commercial industry participant using trawl gear to fish for summer 
flounder, (b) commercial fishing industry participants utilizing either 
of the summer flounder mesh size exemptions while targeting any 
species, (c) any stakeholder with knowledge of these gear types and 
their use, and (d) any member of the public who wishes to provide 
comments or recommendations on these regulations. Additional 
information including background documents, can be found on the 
Council's website at: https://www.mafmc.org/.

Special Accommodations

    The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should 
be directed to Shelley Spedden, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior 
to the meeting date.
    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: March 11, 2024.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-05513 Filed 3-14-24; 8:45 am]
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