National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Notice of public meetings.
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), its Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish Committee; its Demersal Committee; its Law Enforcement Committee; Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Committee; its Science and Statistical Committee; its Executive Committee; its Bycatch/LAPP Committee; and, its Joint Spiny Dogfish Committee, will hold public meetings.
The meetings will be held on Monday, June 9, 2008 through Thursday, June 12, 2008. See
The meetings will be held at the Sheraton Convention Center Hotel, Two Miss America Way, Atlantic City, NJ 08401; telephone: (609) 344–3535.
Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; telephone: (302) 674–2331 ext. 19.
On Monday, June 9, the Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish Committee with Advisors will meet from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. There will be a concurrent session of the Demersal Committee from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. A Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish public hearing on Amendment 10 to the Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish Fishery Management Plan will be held from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, June 10, the Squid, Mackerel, Butterfish Committee with Advisors will meet from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. The Law Enforcement Committee will meet from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. The Surfclam, Ocean Quahog and Tilefish Committee with Advisors will meet from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. A tour of a local clam dock facility and operations thereof will be held from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. The New England Fishery Management Council will hold an Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan scoping meeting on
On Wednesday, June 11, the Scientific and Statistical and Research Set-Aside Committees will meet jointly from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. The Council will convene at 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. to conduct its Business Session and receive Organizational, Liaison, Executive Director and Status of Fishery Management Plan reports. From 3 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. the Council will develop and adopt specifications regarding the 2009 fishing year for Squid, Mackerel, and Butterfish.
On Thursday, June 12, the Executive Committee will meet from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. The Bycatch/LAPP Committee will meet from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. The Joint Spiny Dogfish Committee will meet from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The Council will convene at 12:30 p.m. to adopt any changes to the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog specifications for 2009 and 2010 fishing years; receive a presentation regarding the integration of National Environmental Policy Act requirements into the Magnuson-Stevens Act; receive Committee reports; and, conduct continuing and new business.
Agenda items by day for the Council's Committees and the Council itself are:
Beginning at 6 p.m. the New England Fishery Management Council will conduct a scoping meeting for development of Amendment 4 to the Herring Fishery Management Plan. Amendment 4 will focus on issues related to catch monitoring (landings and discards); Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act requirements such as Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures; and, sector allocations and/or other Limited Access Privilege Programs. The Council is seeking comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in Amendment 4 and the kinds of management measures that should be considered.
Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before the Council for discussion, these issues may not be the subject of formal Council action during these meetings. 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 the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address such emergencies.
These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Bryan, (302) 674–2331, ext 18 at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.