New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting, 2867 [E7-934]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 2867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-934]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 011707E]


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a three-day Council meeting on February 6-8, 2007, to consider actions 
affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 6 beginning at 1 
p.m., and Wednesday and Thursday, February 7 and 8, beginning at 8:30 
a.m. each day.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Harborside Hotel, 
250 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801; telephone: (603) 431-2300.
    Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

    Following introductions, the Council will hear a series of brief 
reports from the Council Chairman and Executive Director, the NOAA 
Northeast Regional Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Center 
and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, NOAA General 
Counsel and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA Enforcement, 
and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Following these 
reports, the Council will have a general discussion about at-sea 
processing vessels, including potential monitoring, reporting, observer 
and Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) requirements. Changes to Council 
processes and procedures as a result of reauthorization of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act will then be 
reviewed. The day will conclude with a report from the Council's 
Enforcement Committee. Its chair will discuss committee progress to 
develop recommendations concerning the use of VMS and other tools to 
address safety-at sea, regulatory compliance, and other fishery 
management-related activities.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

    During the morning session, the Council will receive a report on 
the comments received in response to public hearings held to consider 
standardized bycatch reporting methodology alternatives. The Council 
will also hold a hearing on Amendment 13 to the Sea Scallop Fishery 
Management Plan. The intent is to provide an opportunity for the public 
to comment on the establishment of a mechanism to reactivate the 
industry-funded observer program in the scallop fishery. The hearing 
will be followed by final action on the amendment. The Council will 
then discuss the alternatives identified in Amendment 11 to the Scallop 
Plan, some of which may be affected by provisions in the newly 
reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Council will hear an update 
concerning the status of five stocks of small mesh multispecies 
whiting, red hake and offshore hake. The briefing also will address 
issues related to the development of the next small mesh multispecies 
amendment. An open period for the public to address any other Council-
related business will be provided at this point in the day. During the 
afternoon session of the meeting, the Trawl Survey Committee will seek 
approval of recommendations related to the FSV Henry Bigelow, soon to 
be deployed in the Northeast Region. At the end of the day, the Council 
plans to review and approve Phase I of the Essential Fish Habitat Draft 
Supplemental Environmental Impacts Statement.

Thursday, February 8, 2007

    The Council's Research Steering Committee Chairman will report on 
the committee's recommendations concerning the use of information 
provided in several cooperative research final reports. This will be 
followed by a discussion of other issues related to cooperative 
research, including the future use of industry-based surveys. There 
will be a presentation on the results of the 44th Northeast Regional 
Stock Assessment Workshop. The status of surf clams, ocean quahogs, and 
the skate complex will be reviewed. The Groundfish Committee will 
provide a report to the Council on scoping comments received for 
Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. The 
Council will consider committee recommendations concerning alternatives 
to be developed, including input from the on the Recreational Advisory 
Panel.
    Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda 
may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be 
the subjects 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 that 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 Paul J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days 
prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: January 18, 2007.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-934 Filed 1-22-07; 8:45 am]
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