Council Meeting Agenda | May 20-22, 2003

Tavern on the Harbor, 30 Western Avenue

Gloucester, MA 01930

Telephone (978) 283-4200 | Fax (978) 283-0204

Tuesday, May 20, 2003

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

9:10 Reports on Recent Activities

Council Chairman, Executive Director, 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

11:30 Briefing on Coordination of Groundfish and Scallop Management Issues (Chris Kellogg)

Review of the development of Framework Adjustment 39 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP); the action would allow scallop vessels to fish in the Georges Bank groundfish closed areas on a controlled basis during 2004-2007

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:00 Open Period for Public Comments (Thomas Hill)

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

1:30 Enforcement Committee Report (Mark Amorello)

Review of enforcement analyses developed for draft Amendment 2 to the Monkfish FMP as well as the groundfish habitat alternatives in draft Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP; discussion of recommendations concerning the use of Vessel Monitoring Systems as they relate to the U.S./Canada Resource Sharing Agreement that is now included in draft Amendment 13

2:30 Groundfish Committee Update (Frank Blount)

Progress report on the development of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement being prepared in conjunction with draft Amendment 13 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP

3:00 Groundfish Issues (Thomas Hill)

Opportunity to comment on the NMFS proposed rule to extend the multispecies settlement agreement measures until Amendment 13 implementation; items scheduled for discussion may include, but are not limited to, issues that affect the recreational sector and gillnet fishery

Wednesday, May 21, 2003

8:30 a.m. Monkfish Committee Report (Barbara Stevenson)

Consideration and approval of measures to be analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement being prepared for Amendment 2 to the Monkfish FMP; the amendment is being proposed to address various problems in the management program including the following:

· possible adjustments to the days-at sea-system (for example, de-linking the use of monkfish

days-at-sea from multispecies and scallop days-at-sea), incidental catch limits, measures to minimize impacts of the fishery on essential fish habitat, and other components of the plan; as well as

· a separate offshore fishery program in the Southern Management Area and adjustments to the limited access permit qualification criteria for vessels fishing south of 38 degrees

As a separate item, the Council also will consider a recommendation concerning the vessel upgrade baseline for permits that have been transferred to smaller vessels

12:30 p.m. Lunch

1:30 Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) Update (Craig MacDonald, SBNMS Superintendent)

Review of the process to revise the sanctuary management plan and the status of the revisions

- agenda continued on reverse side -

2:30 Habitat Committee Report (Douglas Hopkins)

· Review and possible approval of habitat alternatives to be incorporated in the Herring and Salmon FMPs to comply with the AOC v. Daley Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) lawsuit and Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements for EFH;

· Review and approval of the Joint Advisory Panel’s final recommendation for a habitat closed area alternative to be included in draft Amendment 13 to the Multispecies FMP;

· Review of the timeline and purpose of Amendment 2 to the Omnibus Habitat Amendment being prepared to meet the five-year Magnuson-Stevens Act review requirement

**Please note for this evening, there will be a Scallop Public Hearing at the Tavern on the Harbor at

7:00 p.m. and a Joint NEFMC/ASMFC Herring Committee meeting at the Kings Grant Inn, Trask Lane, Danvers at 7:00 p.m.**

Thursday, May 22, 2003

8:30 a.m. NMFS Observer Program Presentation (David Potter, Northeast Fisheries Science Center staff)

Briefing on the NMFS observer program, including a review of mandatory coverage, program requirements and data confidentiality issues

9:30 Herring Committee Report (Lewis Flagg)

· Review of the herring assessment prepared by the U.S./Canada Transboundary Resource Assessment Committee and Herring Plan Development Team recommendations regarding the annual specifications for the 2004 fishing year (January 1 - December 31, 2004);

· Consideration of a “rollover” of current (2003) specifications until Amendment 2 is completed (2005 fishing year); and final approval of herring specifications for the 2004 fishing year

12:30 p.m. Lunch

1:30 Review of Bycatch Workshop Results (RI Sea Grant staff)

Presentation summarizing discussions that occurred at a series of bycatch workshops hosted by the Sea Grant College Programs and held throughout the New England region in 2002

2:30 Research Steering Committee Update (John Williamson)

Briefing on recent activities, including industry-based survey, study fleet and cod-tagging pilot programs, and a Request for Proposals related to habitat issues

3:15 Other Business

Times listed next to the agenda items are estimates and are subject to change. This meeting is physically accessible to people with

disabilities. Council member financial disclosure forms are available for examination at the 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 Council action are available for review prior to a final vote by the Council. Please call (978) 465-0492 for copies or check the Council website at www.nefmc.org. Please note that if you are submitting comments for Council consideration at this meeting they must be received at the office at least 72 hours prior to the start of the meeting.

notice mailing date: 4/29/03