Meetings: New England Fishery Management Council,

[Federal Register: March 9, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 47)]

[Notices]

[Page 12514-12515]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr09mr00-45]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 022900D]

New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 2-day public meeting on March 22 and 23, 2000, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 22, 2000, beginning at 9 a.m., and Thursday, March 23, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Tavern on the Harbor, 30 Western Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930; telephone (978) 283-4200. Requests for special accommodations should be addressed to the New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Wednesday, March 22, 2000

After introductions, the meeting will begin with reports on recent activities from the Council Chairman, Executive Director, the NMFS Regional Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid- Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of the Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Following reports, there will be consideration and approval of a schedule of Council management actions for 2000, including approval of modifications to the joint fishery management plan development process. The Research Steering Committee Chairman will review recent committee activities including the development of groundfish research priorities, and cooperative efforts with NMFS to fund collaborative research through recent Congressional appropriations. The Spiny Dogfish Committee will review the results of the joint Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC)/New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) Scientific and Statistical Committee meeting concerning the 2000-2001 annual specifications for the spiny dogfish fishery, the conclusions of the MAFMC/NEFMC Joint Spiny Dogfish Committee meeting, and the subsequent recommendations of the full MAFMC on the management of spiny dogfish. Following receipt of this information, the Council will consider and approve

[[Page 12515]]

its response to this management issue. The Sea Scallop Committee will review comments provided at the recent Sea Scallop FMP Amendment 10 scoping hearings and approve the range of issues to be addressed in that amendment.

Announcement of Experimental Fishery Application

The NMFS Regional Administrator will discuss during the reports portion of the agenda the receipt of an experimental fishing proposal submitted by the Maine Department of Marine Resources (MEDMR) to conduct an experimental fishery for Atlantic halibut. This announcement serves as public notification of the experimental fishing proposal. Specifically, the Regional Administrator is seeking comment on the provisions of the experimental fishing proposal in relation to the goals of management measures for Atlantic halibut contained in the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP).

The objective of the proposed experiment is to contribute to the protection and rebuilding of Atlantic halibut by enabling the collection and analyses of basic biological and ecological data essential for the long-term sustainable management of Atlantic halibut. The proposed experiment would collect data on the distribution, relative abundance, migration, stock definition, mortality rates, stock size, yield and other significant biological reference points for Atlantic halibut. The proposed experiment would also collect data on age and growth, size, sex composition, and rate of onset of sexual maturity.

The experimental fishery has been proposed for April 15 through June 15 of each year through 2003 in the northern portion of the Gulf of Maine. The proposed experiment would allow eight vessels, selected by MEDMR, to participate and land up to six Atlantic halibut, 36 inches (66 cm) or greater, per day, for up to 60 days during each year. Halibut caught over the daily limit and those under 36 inches (66 cm) would be tagged and released. Participating vessel owners would be required to be trained in sampling scales, otoliths, stomachs and gonads. Vessel owners would also be required to accommodate observers, use tub trawl gear no longer than 100 hooks, use 1500 circle hooks only, and report catch and other relevant information on special logbooks devised by MEDMR.

Thursday, March 23, 2000

The second day of the meeting will begin with a discussion and possible approval of recommended options for managing fishing capacity in New England fisheries. The Council also may agree to forward approved options to the appropriate oversight committees for further consideration. During the Groundfish Committee Report, the Council will provide guidance to the committee on objectives developed for Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP. Additional input will focus on the resolution of overfishing definition issues and stock rebuilding timelines, alternatives developed to date by the committee and other issues identified for inclusion in the amendment. Northeast Fisheries Science Center staff will then present a report on Stock Definition of New England groundfish. Prior to addressing any other outstanding business, the Red Crab and Herring Committees will each brief the Council on the recent scoping hearings.

Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Council 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 Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Documents pertaining to framework adjustment actions are available for public review 7 days prior to a final vote by the Council. Copies of the documents may be obtained from the Council (see ADDRESSES).

Special Accommodations

This meeting is physically accessible to people with 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.

Dated: March 3, 2000. Bruce C. Morehead, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00-5781Filed3-8-00; 8:45 am]

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