NOAA Fisheries Director Applauds Council Action on Amendment 13, Calls for Special Meeting to Address Remaining Concerns
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NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center N E W SWoods Hole, Mass. -- The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) is pleased that the New England Fishery Management Council completed its work on Amendment 13 of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan on time, and is requesting that the Council convene a special meeting as early as possible to address followup issues identified in developing the amendment. NOAA Fisheries is within the Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration."The Council has submitted Amendment 13 for formal review and processing, and we expect to have the proposal available for public review no later than January 2004," said NOAA Fisheries Director Bill Hogarth. "We will handle any additional followup issues through a separate review process. It is important that Amendment 13 meet the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Managment Act and the court-ordered deadline," Hogarth added. In developing Amendment 13, NOAA Fisheries and the council utilized the maximum flexibility under the law. Measures include special access programs, phased-in rebuilding plans for certain groundfish stocks, a days-at-sea leasing program, and an increased cod trip limit. "I want to again compliment the Council for meeting its deadline to complete Amendment 13," said Hogarth. "Working with the fishing industry, the environmental community, and the public, the council adopted a proposal expected to meet court mandates and incorporate flexibility for fishermen, while also rebuilding stocks identified as overfished in the groundfish complex." _________________________________ NOAA Fisheries is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation’s living marine resources through scientific research, management, enforcement, and the conservation of marine mammals and other protected marine species and their habitat. To learn more about NOAA Fisheries, please visit http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. |
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