Notice2025-17308

New England Fishery Management Council; 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
September 9, 2025

Issuing agencies

Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Abstract

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 3-day hybrid meeting with both in-person and webinar participation options to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 172 (Tuesday, September 9, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 9, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 43414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-17308]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XF168]


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.

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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold 
a 3-day hybrid meeting with both in-person and webinar participation 
options to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the 
exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 
September 23 through 25, 2025, beginning at 9 a.m. each day.

ADDRESSES: 
    Meeting address: The meeting will be held at the Beauport Hotel, 55 
Commercial Street, Gloucester, MA 01930; telephone (978) 282-0008; 
online at <a href="https://www.beauporthotel.com/">https://www.beauporthotel.com/</a>. Register for the webinar at 
<a href="https://nefmc-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__1D1JgTwSc2Nj-i3MF3bhw#/registration">https://nefmc-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__1D1JgTwSc2Nj-i3MF3bhw#/registration</a>
    Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone (978) 465-0492; 
<a href="http://www.nefmc.org">www.nefmc.org</a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cate O'Keefe, Executive Director, New 
England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492, ext. 
113.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Agenda

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

    The Council will begin the meeting with introductions and 
announcements by Acting Council Chair Daniel Salerno, followed by the 
swearing-in of new and reappointed Council members and the election of 
officers for the 2025-2026 term.
    The Council will then receive reports from the Council Chair and 
Executive Director, the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office 
(GARFO), NOAA General Counsel, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center 
(NEFSC), the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC), the 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), the U.S. Coast 
Guard, NOAA Enforcement, and the Highly Migratory Species Advisory 
Panel.
    Following reports, Council staff will present recommendations under 
Executive Order 14276, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, for 
Council approval. The Council will then take final action on an omnibus 
Management Flexibility Action addressing specification frequency, 
rollover provisions, in-season adjustment authority, and related 
measures.
    After the lunch break, the Council will receive a report from the 
Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel (NTAP) on its July 2025 meeting and 
updates on the Regional Industry-Based Trawl Survey (RIBTS) pilot 
project. The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), chaired by Dr. 
Conor McManus, will present overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable 
biological catch (ABC) recommendations for northern and southern 
monkfish and the skate complex, as well as scallop specification 
process recommendations.
    The Council will then hear from the Monkfish and Skate Committees 
and take final action on Framework 17 to set monkfish specifications 
for 2026-2028 and defaults for 2029-2030, along with final action on 
skate specifications for 2026-2027 and defaults for 2028-2030. The 
meeting will adjourn at 5 p.m.
    At 6 p.m., the Council will host a public outreach session at the 
Beauport Hotel to foster informal discussion among Council members, 
staff, industry participants, and members of the public.

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

    The second day will begin with a presentation from the NEFSC 
Cooperative Research Branch, followed by the Scallop Committee report 
on Framework Adjustment 40, survey updates, the Scallop Strategic Plan, 
and the Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota 
Program Review.
    Next, the Groundfish Committee will report on Amendment 25, 
including Council final action to incorporate four cod stock units into 
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, and provide an 
update on Framework 72.
    After a Council photo and lunch break, the Habitat Committee will 
present final action on an Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) framework 
revising EFH designations for Atlantic herring, Atlantic cod, skates, 
and monkfish. The Climate and Ecosystem Steering Committee will provide 
updates on process mapping, Inflation Reduction A-funded projects, and 
regional climate and ecosystem initiatives.
    The day will conclude with an open public comment period for issues 
not listed on the agenda.

Thursday, September 25, 2025

    The Council will begin with a report from the On-Demand Gear 
Conflict Working Group, including final action on an omnibus framework 
to revise gear-marking regulations for the use of fixed gear without 
persistent buoy lines in New England and Mid-Atlantic fisheries. The 
Council also will review and approve the Working Group's final report 
under its Terms of Reference.
    The Council will then hold an initial discussion of 2026 Council 
priorities, followed by planning updates from the Executive Director. 
The meeting will conclude with any other business and adjourn at noon.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Executive Director Cate O'Keefe (see ADDRESSES) 
at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: September 5, 2025.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-17308 Filed 9-8-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on September 9, 2025.

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