[Federal Register: January 18, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 11)]
[Notices]
[Page 2913-2914]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18ja06-27]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 011106E]
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 3-day Council meeting on January 31, and February 1 and 2, 2006, to
consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2006, through
Thursday, February 2, 2006, beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and 8:30
a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay,88
Spring Street, Portland, ME; telephone: (207) 775-2311.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director,
New England Fishery Management Council, telephone: (978) 465-0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Following introductions, the Council will receive reports from the
Council Chairman and Executive Director, the NMFS Regional
Administrator, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council liaisons, NOAA General Counsel and
representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement and the
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the Joint New England
and Mid-Atlantic Council Trawl Survey Committee. During the morning
session, the Council will review the Habitat Committee's work on
development of essential fish habitat (EFH) designation alternatives
and alternatives for Habitat Areas of Particular Concern, both under
consideration for inclusion in the New England Fishery Management
Council's (NEFMC) Omnibus EFH Amendment 2. Following a lunch break,
there will be an open public comment period to address items not listed
on the agenda. A public hearing is then scheduled to receive comments
on the revised proposed action (with additional analyses) under
consideration for Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery
Management Plan (FMP). This will be followed by a Council vote to
approve the final Herring FMP management measures and completion of the
Final Environmental Impact Statement.
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
During the morning session of the meeting the Magnuson-Stevens Act
Committee will provide recommendations for Council approval concerning
NEFMC positions on a bill currently before Congress. This will be
followed by a Stock Assessment Public Review Workshop during which the
status of whiting, mackerel, and Illex squid will be reviewed along
details of the multispecies virtual population analysis used. The
remainder the day will be spent on groundfish-related issues. The
Council intends to approve final action on Framework Adjustment 42 to
the Northeast Multispecies FMP. Measures may include changes to days-
at-sea (DAS) allocations or use, possession limits and gear
requirements for commercial vessels. They may also address recreational
fishing measures, extension of the DAS leasing and transfer programs
and Special Access Programs, and possible renewal of the Category B
(regular) DAS Program. Framework Adjustment 3 to the Monkfish FMP also
will be discussed and possibly approved under the groundfish agenda
item, given that it may be incorporated into Framework 42. If approved,
measures would prohibit both limited access multispecies and monkfish
permit holders from using a multispecies B regular DAS when fishing on
a monkfish DAS. A third subject to be addressed during discussions on
groundfish involves consideration of a control date for party/charter
boats in the Northeast. If approved, vessels participating in the
fishery after the control date may be treated differently than those in
the fishery prior to implementation of the control date.
Thursday, February 2, 2006
The Council will receive a report on the Ecosystems Pilot Project
stakeholder workshops, a presentation on coastal pollution and marine
fisheries productivity, and recommendations from the Council's
Scientific and Statistical Committee and Social Sciences Advisory
Committee about future directions concerning the incorporation of
ecosystems principles into fisheries management programs. The Research
Steering Committee will report on its review of completed research
projects and research priorities for 2006. During the final agenda item
the Scallop Committee will ask the Council for approval of a scoping
document for Amendment 11 to the Scallop FMP. The intent of the action
contemplated is to provide more effective management for the general
category scallop fishery and to change the scallop fishing year. Future
scallop management actions and their timelines also will be discussed.
The Council also will consider and may approve a recommendation from
the Capacity Committee to allow permit stacking for limited access
scallop vessels.
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
[[Page 2914]]
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens 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 12, 2006.
Emily Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-455 Filed 1-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S