New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice; public meeting.

SUMMARY:

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Skate Committee in January, 2011 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 meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 9:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES:

This meeting will be held at the Clarion Hotel, 1230 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04102; telephone: (207) 774-5611; fax: (207) 871-0510.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Oversight Committee will review the draft final Skate Framework Adjustment 1 document and analysis using best available data to recommend a change in the skate wing possession limit for fishing year 2011. The Oversight Committee may also discuss other skate management issues including but not limited to the specification setting process for fishing years 2012 and 2013, if time permits. The Council will approve a Framework Adjustment 1 alternative at the January Council meeting intended to allow implementation early in the 2011 fishing year.

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 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.

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

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