Start Preamble

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of a public meeting.

SUMMARY:

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

DATES:

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 24, 2009, at 9:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at theClarion Hotel, 1230 Congress Street, Portland, ME; telephone: (207) 774-5611; fax: (207) 871-0510.

Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.

Start Further Info

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

End Further Info End Preamble Start Supplemental Information

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The items of discussion in the committee's agenda are as follows:

1. Continue development of management alternatives to be included in Amendment 4 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP);

2. Develop alternatives for annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) and discuss related changes to the Atlantic herring fishery specification process;

3. Continue discussion and development of management alternatives related to catch monitoring, which may include: monitoring and reporting requirements for herring vessels and processors, observer coverage and at-sea monitoring, shore-side monitoring and sampling, vessel monitoring system (VMS) requirements, and other measures.

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.

Start Authority

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

End Authority Start SignatureEnd Signature End Supplemental Information