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) is scheduling a joint public meeting of its Whiting Joint Committee and Advisory Panel via webinar to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

DATES:

This webinar will be held on Monday, November 16, 2020 at 9.30 a.m. Webinar registration URL information: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7403653215518712077.

ADDRESSES:

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Agenda

The Whiting Committee and Advisory Panel will receive a preliminary Annual Monitoring Report and management recommendations from the Whiting Plan Development Team, including a summary of the management track assessment results, catch limit recommendations, fishery performance for fishing year 2019, updated economic summary data, 2017-19 bycatch estimates, and other items. They will also receive a preliminary report on the SSC recommendations for 2021-23 specifications. The Committee and Advisory Panel will provide advice for the annual monitoring report and develop management recommendations for the 2021-23 specifications package to be considered at the December 2020 Council Meeting and approved at the January 2021 Council meetings. Other business will be discussed if necessary.

Although non-emergency issues not contained on the 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 the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency. The public also should be aware that the meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request.

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, Executive Director, at (978) 465-0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

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