Meetings: New England Fishery Management Council,

[Federal Register: May 12, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 91)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 25472]

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

[DOCID:fr12my99-31]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 050399D]

New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Public meeting.

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 2-day public meeting on May 26 and 27, 1999, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 26, 1999, at 9:30 a.m. and on Thursday, May 27, 1999, at 8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Plymouth Inn, 180 Water Street, Plymouth, MA 02360; telephone (508) 747-4900. Requests for special accommodations should be addressed to the New England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906-1036; telephone: (781) 231-0422. Copies of framework adjustment documents may be obtained from the Council.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council (781) 231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Wednesday, May 26, 1999

After introductions, the Executive Director of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will discuss the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program process from a Council perspective. During the Groundfish Committee Report which follows, the committee will make recommendations to the Council regarding approval of Framework Adjustment 31 (FWA 31) to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Possible management measures on FWA 31 would require vessels in the multispecies fishery to remove four 30-day blocks out of their fishing time in the fishery to achieve the FMP objectives for Georges Bank cod and minimize impacts on other regulated species. Other possible measures in this framework include eliminating the Gulf of Maine cod trip limit program running clock, raising the cod minimum size to 21 inches (0.5 m), and reducing the number of hooks and gillnets fished by fixed gear vessels on Georges Bank. The Groundfish Committee also will provide the Council with an update on the development Amendment 13 to the FMP. The discussion of groundfish issues will continue throughout the rest of the afternoon.

Thursday, May 27, 1999

The meeting will commence with reports from the Council Chairman, Executive Director, Acting NMFS Regional Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of the Coast Guard and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. During the Scallop Committee Report, the Council will identify issues to be addressed by Amendment 10 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP, including rotational area management. Additionally, the Council will issue recommendations to the Acting Regional Administrator for specific research proposals utilizing the 1 percent scallop Total Allowable Catch set-aside from Closed Area II. During the Whiting Committee Report, the committee will recommend ways to modify the mesh size/possession limit enrollment program and expand the use of net strengtheners to the 2.5 inch (0.06 m) category in the whiting fishery. Any recommendations approved by the Council may be submitted to NMFS for its consideration as a public comment on Amendment 12 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. The Council will discuss industry-based gear research and information collection opportunities during years 1 and 2 of plan implementation. During the afternoon session, the Interspecies Committee will report on and ask for approval of committee priorities, including vessel permit consistency and upgrading issues and recommendations for changing the start dates of the fishing years. The committee will report on their discussions about vessel capacity management. The Habitat, Enforcement, Dogfish, Herring, and Ad-hoc Vessel Buyback Committees will update the Council on their activities.

Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before this Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the subject of formal Council action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice.

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: May 6, 1999. Bruce Morehead, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 99-12031Filed5-11-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F