New England Fishery Management Council

50 Water Street, Mill 2

Newburyport, MA 01950

Tel (978) 465-0492 | Fax (978) 465-3116

 

Council Meeting Agenda | January 28-30, 2003

Courtyard by Marriott

1000 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Tel (603) 436-2121 | Fax (603) 430-7666

 

 

Tuesday, January 28, 2003

9:00 a.m.       Introductions and Announcements (Thomas Hill)

 

9:05              Stock Assessment Public Review Workshop (Dr. Terry Smith, NEFSC)

                     Presentation of the advisory report from the 36th Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop; the status of yellowtail flounder (including stock identification issues), winter flounder, northern shrimp and striped bass will be reviewed

 

11:00            Transboundary Monitoring Group Committee Report (David Borden)

                     Briefing on the December 17-18, 2002 meeting covering the Resource Sharing Agreement discussions with Canada

 

noon             Lunch

 

1:00 p.m.      Groundfish Oversight Committee Report (Frank Blount)

·          Review of Amendment 13 timeline, including a discussion of analytic and peer review requirements necessary to complete the amendment, implications of considering different rebuilding periods, alternatives that should be analyzed under different rebuilding time periods, and possible elimination of alternatives from further consideration;

·          Development of a recommendation to NMFS for implementation of a days-a-sea leasing program to be implemented prior to the adoption of Amendment 13; and

·          Preliminary discussion of measures to implement the U.S./Canada Resource Sharing Agreement

 

 


       7:00 p.m. - Scoping hearing to solicit comments on Amendment 1 to the

Spiny Dogfish FMP on Tuesday evening

 

 

Wednesday, January 29, 2003

8:30              Scallop Committee Report (Mark Amorello)

Review and approve the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP Amendment 10 Draft Supplemental Environmental

                     Impact Statement (SEIS); issues to be considered include:

·          An area rotation system and access to the Georges Bank groundfish closed areas;

·          Measures to minimize habitat and bycatch impacts;

·          Changes to the framework adjustment process, days-at-sea adjustments and other changes to the plan as required;

·          Interim measures to access the Georges Bank areas and close areas elsewhere in 2004;

Following approval of this document, the Council will schedule a series of public hearings to seek comments on the draft Amendment 10 alternatives and the associated SEIS

 

Noon             Lunch

 

1:00 p.m.      Scallop Committee Report - continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, January 30, 2003

8:30 a.m.       Reports on Recent Activities

                     Council Chairman, Executive Director (including a presentation on a Council work plan to accomplish 2003 priorities), NMFS Regional Administrator, NOAA General Counsel, Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council liaisons, and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, NMFS Enforcement and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

 

10:30            Open Period for Public Comments (Thomas Hill)

                     Opportunity for brief comments on items relevant to Council business, but not otherwise listed on the agenda

 

11:00            NMFS Consultation on the American Lobster FMP (Pat Kurkul, NMFS Regional Administrator)

                     Formal consultation with an opportunity for Council comment on regulations, both proposed and future, developed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

 

noon             Lunch

 

1:00 p.m.      Whiting Committee Report (David Borden)

·          Approval of final action on Framework Adjustment 38 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP

      (whiting, red hake, and offshore hake); measures include the establishment of an exempted

grate raised footrope trawl fishery in the inshore Gulf of Maine with specifications for a season, fishing area, mesh size, gear restrictions, whiting possession limits and other incidental catch limits;

·          Possible approval of a new control date to determine future participation in the whiting, red hake and offshore hake fisheries

 

3:00              Skate Committee Report (David Pierce)

Final approval of Skate FMP submission documents, including a description of the management measures, draft regulations, and a summary of impacts; the FMP includes permit and reporting requirements, prohibitions on the possession of barndoor skate, thorny skate, and smooth skate in the Gulf of Maine, and a possession limit for the skate wing fishery

 

4:00              Other Business (Thomas Hill)

 

 

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.

Times listed next to the agenda items are estimates and are subject to change.

Member financial disclosure forms are available for examination at any Council meeting.

 

Although other non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subjects 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. Documents pertaining to final action on framework adjustments are available for public review 7 days prior to approval by the Council. Please call (978) 465-0492 for copies or check the Council website at www.nefmc.org.

                                                                                                                                                                           notice mailing date: 1/8/03