[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 179 (Tuesday, September 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55434-55435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-22018]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XD500
New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC); Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold
a 3-day meeting to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,
September 30-October 2, 2014, and will start at 8:30 a.m., each day.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Cape Codder Resort, 1225
Iyannough Road, Hyannis, MA 02601; telephone: (855) 861-4370; fax:
(508) 771-6564. For online information about the venue check http://www.capecodderresort.com/.
Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone: (978) 465-0492.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director,
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
The Council meeting will begin with introductions, the formal
swearing-in of new and reappointed members, and the election of the
2014 Council officers. Immediately after these issues have been
addressed, the members will hear a report by the Northeast Fisheries
Science Center (NEFSC) staff who will summarize the 59th Northeast
Regional Stock Assessment Workshop/Stock Assessment Review Committee
findings. The focus will be on Gulf of Maine haddock and Atlantic sea
scallops. NEFSC staff will also present a summary of the Transboundary
Resources Assessment Committee (TRAC) Report on the 2014 stock
assessments for Eastern Georges Bank cod and haddock, and Georges Bank
yellowtail flounder. The Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee
(SSC) will provide its overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable
biological catch (ABC) recommendations for stocks of Gulf of Maine
haddock and Gulf of Maine cod, Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, four
small-mesh multispecies stocks (northern and southern whiting and
northern and southern red hake), and Atlantic sea scallops. Discussions
also will include committee comments on the draft ABC risk policy
statement provided by the Risk Policy Working Group. After a lunch
break, the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee (TMGC) will ask
the Council to review and possibly approve its recommendations for
fishing year 2015 quotas for Eastern Georges Bank cod and Eastern
Georges Bank haddock and the Georges Bank stock of yellowtail flounder.
Other TMGC-related issues also may be addressed. Prior to meeting
adjournment for the day, the Council intends to discuss and possibly
modify the management measures under consideration for inclusion in
Framework Adjustment 26 to the Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan
(FMP), including a review of 2014 survey results, potential fishery
specifications, and other measures.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
In general, the Council will spend this day on Northeast
Multispecies (Groundfish) FMP-related issues. There will be a report on
the recent Gulf of Maine cod 2014 assessment update to be followed by a
discussion of topics that will likely evolve from the assessment and
peer review results. These could include but are not limited to a
request for emergency action or other approaches that are brought
forward during the discussion. The NEFMC will then address Framework
Adjustment 53 to the FMP. The current timeline provides for approval of
the range of alternatives for inclusion in this action. Measures under
consideration may address Gulf of Maine cod, fishing year 2015-17
specifications for several groundfish stocks, windowpane flounder sub-
annual catch limits and accountability measures, expansion of the Gulf
of Maine cod spawning closure, a rollover provision that would apply to
groundfish fishery specifications, and several other measures. Next,
Amendment 18 to the FMP will be discussed. The Council could approve
additional alternatives for inclusion in this action--accumulation
limits and an inshore/offshore line to address the concentration of
fishing effort in the inshore Gulf of Maine. Before the Council
adjourns for the day, they will receive a summary report on the
development of an Omnibus Industry-Funded Monitoring Amendment. Based
on the information provided, the Council may consider and approve
committee recommendations on
[[Page 55435]]
alternatives for inclusion in the amendment.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
The Council will receive brief reports from the NEFMC Chairman and
Executive Director (including information and possible action on
bluefin tuna management), the NOAA Fisheries Regional Administrator,
the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council liaisons, NOAA General Counsel and NOAA Law
Enforcement, and representatives of the Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission and U.S Coast Guard. The Ecosystem-based Fisheries
Management (EBFM) Committee will provide a progress report on recent
work, including a summary of perspectives of stakeholders, climate
change vulnerability and governance, and additional issues. The
Northeast Fisheries Science Center will report on the process used to
develop stock assessment updates. This will be followed by an
opportunity for the public to provide brief comments on items that are
relevant to Council business but are otherwise not listed on the
published agenda. The Council's Risk Policy Working Group will ask for
approval of a Draft Risk Policy Statement it has developed and discuss
steps about how it would apply across all Council-managed FMPs. The
NEFMC Whiting Committee will ask for approval of a range of management
adjustments to be included in a 2014 specifications document, pending a
decision on the issues to be addressed in this action (whether to
address overfishing of northern red hake). Depending on that outcome,
the Council could initiate a framework adjustment in lieu of developing
a specifications document at this meeting. Finally, the Council will
have its first discussion on its 2015 draft management priorities.
Members will address any additional outstanding business prior to
meeting adjournment.
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 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 Thomas A. Nies (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days
prior to the meeting date.
Dated: September 11, 2014.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-22018 Filed 9-15-14; 8:45 am]
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