Notice2024-05513
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 15, 2024
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public webinar to collect input on the Summer Flounder Commercial Mesh Size Exemptions Framework/Addendum.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 52 (Friday, March 15, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 52 (Friday, March 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 18907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05513]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XD799]
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public
webinar to collect input on the Summer Flounder Commercial Mesh Size
Exemptions Framework/Addendum.
DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, from 2 p.m.
until 4 p.m. EDT. For agenda details, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via webinar. Connection information
will be posted prior to the meeting at <a href="http://www.mafmc.org">www.mafmc.org</a>.
Council address: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 N
State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901; telephone: (302) 674-2331;
<a href="http://www.mafmc.org">www.mafmc.org</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher M. Moore, Ph.D., Executive
Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, telephone: (302)
526-5255.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
(Council) will host a webinar to collect public input on draft
alternatives for a framework action/addendum to consider revisions to
two exemptions to the summer flounder commercial minimum mesh size
requirements, including: (1) the Small Mesh Exemption Program (SMEP),
and (2) the flynet exemption. This action was initiated in response to
a Fall 2023 review of summer flounder commercial mesh regulations, and
is being developed jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission's Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board (Board).
Under the SMEP vessels landing more than 200 pounds of summer
flounder east of longitude 72[deg]30.0' W, from November 1 through
April 30, and using mesh smaller than 5.5-inch diamond or 6.0-inch
square are required to obtain a SMEP permit from NMFS. Based on
suggestions made by fishing industry representatives during the Fall
2023 review of this exemption, the Council and Board are considering
modifications to the exempted area associated with this exemption.
The Council and Board are also considering modifications to the
regulatory definition of a flynet as it relates to the flynet exemption
to the summer flounder commercial minimum mesh size. Under the flynet
exemption, vessels fishing with a two-seam otter trawl flynet with a
specific mesh configuration are also exempt from the minimum mesh size
requirements. The definition of an exempted flynet is being
reconsidered in light of changes in the use and configuration of
commercial trawl gear since this exemption was put in place in the
1990s.
The overarching aim of these considerations is to modernize these
requirements, taking into account current fishing industry gear usage
and practices. The Council seeks to provide additional flexibility to
fishery participants while ensuring continued adherence to the
conservation objectives outlined in the Fishery Management Plan.
The primary target audience for this webinar includes: (a) any
commercial industry participant using trawl gear to fish for summer
flounder, (b) commercial fishing industry participants utilizing either
of the summer flounder mesh size exemptions while targeting any
species, (c) any stakeholder with knowledge of these gear types and
their use, and (d) any member of the public who wishes to provide
comments or recommendations on these regulations. Additional
information including background documents, can be found on the
Council's website at: <a href="https://www.mafmc.org/">https://www.mafmc.org/</a>.
Special Accommodations
The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should
be directed to Shelley Spedden, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior
to the meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 11, 2024.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-05513 Filed 3-14-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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