[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 92 (Friday, May 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 27717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11380]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice; public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) 
Groundfish Committee will meet to consider actions affecting New 
England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 9 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn, 31 Hampshire 
Street, Mansfield, MA 02048; telephone: (508) 339-2200; fax: (508) 339-
1040.
    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: The items of discussion in the committee's 
agenda are as follows:
    The Groundfish Oversight Committee will discuss possible 
adjustments to sector management measures and issues related to setting 
Acceptable Biological Catches (ABCs), Annual Catch Limits (ACLs), and 
Accountability Measures (AMs). After receiving reports from the 
Groundfish Advisory Panel and the Recreation Advisory Panel, the 
Committee will continue to develop options to improve sector 
monitoring, including both at-sea and dockside monitoring. They may 
discuss different funding mechanisms, appropriate coverage levels, and 
full retention of allocated groundfish species. With respect to ABCs/
ACLs/AMs, the Committee will consider additional sub-ACLs for the 
scallop fishery for stocks such as SNE/MAB windowpane flounder and SNE/
MA winter flounder. As directed in the letter from the National Marine 
Fisheries Service approving Framework 47, Committee members will also 
discuss additional reactive AMs for wolffish, SNE/MA winter flounder, 
and Atlantic halibut. The Committee may begin a discussion of 
recreational fishing measures for FY 2013. Options identified by the 
Committee will be included in a future management action or actions 
that will be considered by the Council in the fall of 2012. The 
Committee may also discuss other business, such as issues related to 
Georges Bank yellowtail flounder management.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 
of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to 
those issues specifically identified 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.

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.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: May 8, 2012.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-11380 Filed 5-10-12; 8:45 am]
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