81 FR 35736 - New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 107 (June 3, 2016)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 107 (June 3, 2016)
| Page Range | 35736-35737 | |
| FR Document | 2016-13132 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 107 (Friday, June 3, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 35736-35737] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-13132] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XE665 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, NEFMC) will hold a three-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, June 21, 22, and 23, 2016. It will start at 9 a.m. on June 21, 8:30 a.m. on June 22, and at 8 a.m. on June 23. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring Street, Portland, ME 04101; telephone: (800) 345-5050; or online at http://www.innbythebay.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, ext. 113. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Agenda Tuesday, June 21, 2016 After introductions and any announcements, the Council meeting will open with brief reports from the NEFMC Chairman and Executive Director, the NOAA Regional Administrator for the Greater Atlantic Region (GAR), Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, NOAA General Counsel and Office of Law Enforcement representatives, and staff from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and the U.S Coast Guard. Following these reports, the Enforcement/VMS Committee will review feedback from other species committees on the Office of Law Enforcement's priorities, as well as recommendations on other issues. A public comment period is then scheduled during which any member of the public may bring issues forward that relate to Council business but are not included on the published agenda for this meeting. Next, BOEM will update the Council on the status of offshore wind leasing in the Atlantic and discuss a request for comments on the site assessment and site characterization activities proposed off NY. After a lunchbreak, the NEFMC's Small Mesh Multispecies will review a progress report on the small-mesh multispecies (whiting/hake) fishery fleet history to develop limited access alternatives for Amendment 22, and reconsider proceeding with development of this action. Next, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center will provide a presentation on its Draft Climate Regional Action Plan. Under the Scientific and Statistical Committee report the Council will receive an update on SSC discussions about improving groundfish catch advice, provide its comments on the Risk Policy Working Group's ``roadmap,'' its comments on the five-year review of the scallop limited access general category ITQ program, and comments on the Draft Northeast Regional Climate Science Action Plan. Before adjourning [[Page 35737]] for the day the Council will develop NEFMC comments on this plan. Wednesday, June 22, 2016 The second day of the meeting will begin with a review of NOAA Fisheries' proposed rule for Atlantic sturgeon critical habitat. During this morning session, the Scallop Committee will discuss initiating Framework Adjustment 28--fishery specifications for 2017-18, and discuss management alternatives that may be considered in the action. These will include measures to: (1) Restrict the possession of shell stock inshore of the days-at-sea demarcation line north of 42[deg]20' N; (2) modify the process for setting scallop fishery annual catch limits; (3) modify scallop access areas consistent with potential changes to habitat and groundfish mortality closed areas; and (4) modify gear to further protect small scallops. The committee also will ask for approval of priorities for the 2017-18 research set-aside program (RSA). The Council may also discuss modifying its Scallop RSA policy. The Groundfish Committee will then review a progress report on a draft white paper about monitoring strategies for the commercial groundfish fishery. The committee will ask the Council to initiate Framework Adjustment 56, an action to set specifications for the US/CA stocks and witch flounder for fishing years 2017-18, modify the process used to set recreational management measures, establish a sub-annual catch limit for northern windowpane flounder in the scallop fishery, allocate northern windowpane flounder to groundfish sectors, modify the groundfish monitoring program, and possibly other measures. The committee will ask for approval of the range of alternatives to consider in a framework adjustment that would revise the Georges Bank haddock catch cap for the herring fishery and associated accountability measures. After lunch the Council will continue with the groundfish report and complete the discussion of the Georges Bank haddock catch cap in the Atlantic herring fishery. Last, the Atlantic Herring Committee will review outcomes of a recent workshop on an Atlantic herring acceptable biological catch control rule management strategy evaluation (MSE), and approve fishery objectives, performance metrics and features of control rules to be evaluated in the MSE. Thursday, June 23, 2016 The final meeting day will begin with the Omnibus Industry-Funded Monitoring Amendment. The Council intends to select preferred alternatives for monitoring coverage targets in the Atlantic herring fishery and approve the draft Environmental Assessment for public comment. The Council chair will then give an update on the recent Trawl Survey Advisory Panel meeting. The Council will review an update to NOAA's Catch Share Guidance document and review/approve any new NEFMC comments on the revised draft, if necessary. The Council will discuss and approve comments on the Northeast Regional Planning Body's draft Northeast Regional Ocean Plan. Lastly, the Risk Policy Working Group will review final guidance on implementation of the NEFMC's approved risk policy. The Council will adjourn after it addresses any other outstanding business during the afternoon of June 23rd. Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject 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: May 31, 2016. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2016-13132 Filed 6-2-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![35736 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 107 / Friday, June 3, 2016 / Notices
document number for the catch the submittal of data and scanned Street, Portland, ME 04101; telephone:
certificate or re-export certificate. document images through a (800) 345–5050; or online at http://
Examples of the types of scanned combination of AESTIR data www.innbythebay.com/. Council
images that will be submitted to the DIS transmission and DIS. A proposed rule address: New England Fishery
are: the international statistical to address this planned transition was Management Council, 50 Water Street,
documents pertaining to the harvest, re- published on December 29, 2015 (80 FR Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950;
export documents for product imported 81251). This test covers communication telephone: (978) 465–0492.
and re-exported from another country and coordination among the agencies FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
before shipment to the United States, or and the filers for the exportation of Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director,
other specific and required catch/ these fisheries products. The agencies New England Fishery Management
harvest documentation pertaining to the will also be testing new operational Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492, ext.
product being exported. Note that in processes in real time with actual ACE 113.
cases where an electronic bluefin tuna filings in the production environment SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
catch document (eBCD) has been that include test messages to
created in the centralized system communicate errors in filing and release Agenda
implemented by the International status updates to the port and to the Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Commission for the Conservation of filer.
Atlantic Tunas, a reduced data set After introductions and any
consisting of the eBCD number and the VII. Confidentiality announcements, the Council meeting
exporter permit number would suffice will open with brief reports from the
All data submitted and entered into
as an export filing, without need for any NEFMC Chairman and Executive
ACE is subject to the Trade Secrets Act
forms submitted via DIS. Director, the NOAA Regional
(18 U.S.C. 1905) and is considered
For information regarding fish Administrator for the Greater Atlantic
confidential, except to the extent as
products regulated by NMFS and data, Region (GAR), Northeast Fisheries
otherwise provided by law. As stated in
information, forms and documents Science Center and Mid-Atlantic
previous notices, participation in this or Fishery Management Council liaisons,
required by NMFS, see the any of the previous ACE tests is not
implementation guidelines for the NOAA General Counsel and Office of
confidential and upon a written Law Enforcement representatives, and
NMFS at: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/ Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
aes. staff from the Atlantic States Marine
request, a name(s) of an approved Fisheries Commission and the U.S Coast
V. Test Participation Criteria and participant(s) will be disclosed by CBP Guard. Following these reports, the
Participation Procedure in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552. Enforcement/VMS Committee will
Any party seeking to participate in Dated: May 27, 2016. review feedback from other species
this test must provide CBP, in their Jeffrey Weir, committees on the Office of Law
request to participate, their filer code Acting Director, Office for International Enforcement’s priorities, as well as
and the port(s) at which they are Affairs and Seafood Inspection, National recommendations on other issues. A
interested in filing the appropriate PGA Marine Fisheries Service. public comment period is then
data set and DIS information. Requests [FR Doc. 2016–13125 Filed 6–2–16; 8:45 am] scheduled during which any member of
to participate in this test will be BILLING CODE 3510–22–P the public may bring issues forward that
accepted throughout the duration of the relate to Council business but are not
test. To be eligible to apply for this test, included on the published agenda for
the applicant must be a self-filing DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE this meeting. Next, BOEM will update
exporter who has the ability to file AES the Council on the status of offshore
export declarations or a broker who has National Oceanic and Atmospheric wind leasing in the Atlantic and discuss
the ability to file AES export Administration a request for comments on the site
declarations; and the applicant files RIN 0648–XE665 assessment and site characterization
declarations for NMFS commodities that activities proposed off NY. After a
are the subject of this test. All test New England Fishery Management lunchbreak, the NEFMC’s Small Mesh
participants are required to use a Council; Public Meeting Multispecies will review a progress
software program that has completed report on the small-mesh multispecies
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries (whiting/hake) fishery fleet history to
ACE certification testing for export data.
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and develop limited access alternatives for
At this time, data and DIS submissions
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Amendment 22, and reconsider
may be submitted for exports filed at
Commerce. proceeding with development of this
any operational port. Test participants
should contact their client ACTION: Notice of public meeting. action. Next, the Northeast Fisheries
representative regarding export Science Center will provide a
SUMMARY: The New England Fishery presentation on its Draft Climate
declarations eligible for the test and Management Council (Council, NEFMC)
operational ports (see ADDRESSES). A Regional Action Plan. Under the
will hold a three-day meeting to Scientific and Statistical Committee
current listing of the participating ports consider actions affecting New England
and the date each port becomes report the Council will receive an
fisheries in the exclusive economic zone update on SSC discussions about
operational for the test may be found on (EEZ). improving groundfish catch advice,
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
the designated Web site (see DATES).
DATES: The meeting will be held on provide its comments on the Risk Policy
VI. Anticipated Process Changes Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Working Group’s ‘‘roadmap,’’ its
The current paper process for June 21, 22, and 23, 2016. It will start comments on the five-year review of the
reporting exports under the NMFS at 9 a.m. on June 21, 8:30 a.m. on June scallop limited access general category
Highly Migratory Species (HMS) and the 22, and at 8 a.m. on June 23. ITQ program, and comments on the
Antarctic Marine Living Resources ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at Draft Northeast Regional Climate
(AMLR) Programs will be replaced by the Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring Science Action Plan. Before adjourning
VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:20 Jun 02, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\03JNN1.SGM 03JNN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/81_FR_35843/page/1.svg)
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 107 / Friday, June 3, 2016 / Notices 35737
for the day the Council will develop for monitoring coverage targets in the designation as new national marine
NEFMC comments on this plan. Atlantic herring fishery and approve the sanctuaries.
draft Environmental Assessment for
Wednesday, June 22, 2016 SUMMARY: On June 13, 2014, NOAA
public comment. The Council chair will
The second day of the meeting will then give an update on the recent Trawl published a final rule re-establishing the
begin with a review of NOAA Fisheries’ Survey Advisory Panel meeting. The Sanctuary Nomination Process (SNP)
proposed rule for Atlantic sturgeon Council will review an update to which allows communities to submit
critical habitat. During this morning NOAA’s Catch Share Guidance nominations to NOAA for consideration
session, the Scallop Committee will document and review/approve any new as new national marine sanctuaries. The
discuss initiating Framework NEFMC comments on the revised draft, rule included the final review process,
Adjustment 28—fishery specifications if necessary. The Council will discuss national significance criteria, and
for 2017–18, and discuss management management considerations that NOAA
and approve comments on the Northeast
alternatives that may be considered in uses to evaluate community
Regional Planning Body’s draft
the action. These will include measures nominations for inclusion in the
Northeast Regional Ocean Plan. Lastly,
to: (1) Restrict the possession of shell inventory of areas that could be
the Risk Policy Working Group will
stock inshore of the days-at-sea considered for designation as national
review final guidance on
demarcation line north of 42°20′ N; (2) marine sanctuaries. The rule also states
implementation of the NEFMC’s
modify the process for setting scallop that NOAA will publish a Federal
approved risk policy. The Council will
fishery annual catch limits; (3) modify Register notice when areas have been
adjourn after it addresses any other
scallop access areas consistent with added to the inventory. This notice
outstanding business during the
potential changes to habitat and announces that NOAA has added four
afternoon of June 23rd. sanctuary nominations to the SNP
groundfish mortality closed areas; and
Although other non-emergency issues inventory between June 2014 and April
(4) modify gear to further protect small
not contained in this agenda may come 2016.
scallops. The committee also will ask
before this Council for discussion, those FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
for approval of priorities for the 2017–
issues may not be the subject of formal Annie Sawabini, NOAA Office of
18 research set-aside program (RSA).
action during this meeting. Council National Marine Sanctuaries, 1305 East
The Council may also discuss modifying
its Scallop RSA policy. The Groundfish action will be restricted to those issues West Highway, Silver Spring MD 20910.
Committee will then review a progress specifically listed in this notice and any
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
report on a draft white paper about issues arising after publication of this
monitoring strategies for the commercial notice that require emergency action I. Background
groundfish fishery. The committee will under section 305(c) of the Magnuson- The National Marine Sanctuaries Act
ask the Council to initiate Framework Stevens Act, provided that the public (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.)
Adjustment 56, an action to set has been notified of the Council’s intent authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to
specifications for the US/CA stocks and to take final action to address the identify and designate as national
witch flounder for fishing years 2017– emergency. marine sanctuaries areas of the marine
18, modify the process used to set Special Accommodations environment, including the Great Lakes,
recreational management measures, which are of special national
establish a sub-annual catch limit for This meeting is physically accessible significance; to manage these areas as
northern windowpane flounder in the to people with disabilities. Requests for the National Marine Sanctuary System;
scallop fishery, allocate northern sign language interpretation or other and to provide for the comprehensive
windowpane flounder to groundfish auxiliary aids should be directed to and coordinated conservation and
sectors, modify the groundfish Thomas A. Nies (see ADDRESSES) at least management of these areas and the
monitoring program, and possibly other 5 days prior to the meeting date. activities affecting them in a manner
measures. The committee will ask for Dated: May 31, 2016. which complements existing regulatory
approval of the range of alternatives to Tracey L. Thompson, authorities. Section 303 of the NMSA
consider in a framework adjustment that Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable provides national marine sanctuary
would revise the Georges Bank haddock Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. designation standards and factors
catch cap for the herring fishery and [FR Doc. 2016–13132 Filed 6–2–16; 8:45 am]
required in determining whether an area
associated accountability measures. qualifies for consideration as a potential
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
After lunch the Council will continue national marine sanctuary, and section
with the groundfish report and complete 304 establishes procedures for national
the discussion of the Georges Bank DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE marine sanctuary designation and
haddock catch cap in the Atlantic implementation. Regulations
herring fishery. Last, the Atlantic National Oceanic and Atmospheric implementing the NMSA and each
Herring Committee will review Administration national marine sanctuary are codified
outcomes of a recent workshop on an in Part 922 of Title 15 of the Code of
Atlantic herring acceptable biological Notice of Sites Added to the Inventory Federal Regulations.
catch control rule management strategy of Possible Areas for Designation as On June 28, 2013, NOAA issued a
evaluation (MSE), and approve fishery New National Marine Sanctuaries proposed rule to re-establish the
objectives, performance metrics and Sanctuary Nomination Process (SNP)
AGENCY: Office of National Marine and requested public comment on the
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
features of control rules to be evaluated
Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean proposed amendments to ONMS
in the MSE.
Service (NOS), National Oceanic and regulations (78 FR 38848). On June 13,
Thursday, June 23, 2016 Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2014, NOAA issued a final rule
The final meeting day will begin with Department of Commerce (DOC). addressing the nearly 18,000 comments
the Omnibus Industry-Funded ACTION: Notice of sites added to the NOAA received on the proposed rule,
Monitoring Amendment. The Council Sanctuary Nomination Process and finalized the national significance
intends to select preferred alternatives inventory of possible areas for criteria, management considerations,
VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:20 Jun 02, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\03JNN1.SGM 03JNN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/81_FR_35843/page/2.svg)
Document Created: 2018-02-08 07:29:36
Document Modified: 2018-02-08 07:29:36
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of public meeting. | |
| Dates | The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, June 21, 22, and 23, 2016. It will start at 9 a.m. on June 21, 8:30 a.m. on June 22, and at 8 a.m. on June 23. | |
| Contact | Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492, ext. 113. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 35736 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XE66 |
2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR