SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ( printed page 55086)

Agenda

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

The Council will begin the meeting with introductions and announcements by Council Chair Daniel Salerno, followed by the swearing-in of new and reappointed Council members by the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO). The Council will then elect officers for 2026-2027.

The Council will receive reports on recent activities from the Council Chair and Executive Director; the GARFO Regional Administrator; NOAA General Counsel; the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC); the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC); the U.S. Coast Guard; NOAA Enforcement; and Highly Migratory Species (HMS).

Following reports, Daniel Salerno will provide a report from the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP), including an update on the Panel's July meeting and the Regional Industry-Based Trawl Survey. Dr. Anna Mercer of the NEFSC Cooperative Research Branch will then provide a presentation on cooperative research activities. After a Council photo and lunch break, the Council will receive a report from the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), chaired by Dr. Conor McManus, including the SSC's overfishing limit and acceptable biological catch recommendations for Atlantic herring and a summary of recommendations from the Dynamic Reference Points Workshop.

The Council will then receive a report from the Atlantic Herring Committee, chaired by Peter Whelan, and take final action to set Atlantic herring specifications for Fishing Years (FY) 2027-2031. The Committee will also provide updates on river herring and shad management measures.

The Council will then hold an open period for public comment on Council issues that are not listed on the agenda. The meeting will adjourn at approximately 5 p.m. At 6 p.m., the Council will hold a public outreach event at Hotel 1620 to provide an opportunity for an informational exchange and foster open lines of communication among all meeting attendees.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

The second day of the meeting will begin with a report from Council staff on the evaluation of vessel baseline restrictions across New England and Mid-Atlantic limited access fisheries. The Council will then receive a report from the Habitat Committee, chaired by Melissa Smith, and take final action on the 2026 Essential Fish Habitat Framework. The Committee will also report on the evaluation of the Great South Channel clam dredge exemption program. Next, the Council will receive a report from the Scallop Committee, chaired by Melanie Griffin, including an update on the action to set scallop specifications for Fishing Years 2027 and 2028 (default) and Framework 42 measures to develop sub-management units in the Northern Gulf of Maine and regional allocations of Limited Access Days-at-Sea.

After a lunch break, Council staff will present the results of the Regional Stock Prioritization process and recommendations from the New England Regional Coordinating Committee and then review recommendations related to Executive Order 14276, including the priority recommendations included in NOAA Fisheries' July 2 letter to the Council. The Council will end day two with a discussion of and a potential action to establish 2027 Council work priorities.

Thursday, September 17, 2026

The third day of the meeting will begin with a presentation from Corie Grewal and Jennifer Goebel of GARFO on scoping for future Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan rulemaking. Council staff will then provide a presentation on the Implementation Plan for the Council's Holistic Strategic Plan Initiative, and the Council will consider approval of the Council's Holistic Strategic Plan. Next, Deirdre Boelke of the Fisheries Insight Network will present the draft design of the 11-State Regional Fund Administration fisheries compensation program and discuss opportunities for public comment. Executive Director Cate O'Keefe will then provide Council planning updates, including the status and planning of fishery management plans, Council priorities, Inflation Reduction Act initiatives, and other Council activities. The meeting will conclude with other business and adjourn at approximately 12 p.m.

Special Accommodations

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Executive Director Cate O'Keefe (see ADDRESSES ) at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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

91 FR 55085