Notice2026-11212
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
June 4, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 3-day meeting with online 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 91 Issue 107 (Thursday, June 4, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 107 (Thursday, June 4, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33703-33705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-11212]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XF812]
New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce Department.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will
[[Page 33704]]
hold a 3-day meeting with online webinar participation options to
consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ).
DATES: The meeting will be held Tuesday, June 23 through Thursday, June
25, 2026, beginning at 9 a.m. EDT each day.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Mystic Hilton, 20 Coogan
Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355; telephone (860) 572-0731; online at
<a href="https://www.hilton.com/">https://www.hilton.com/</a>. Webinar registration: Information on how to
register and provide public comment via webinar will be posted on the
Council's June 2026 meeting web page at: <a href="https://www.nefmc.org/calendar/june-2026-council-meeting">https://www.nefmc.org/calendar/june-2026-council-meeting</a>.
Register for the webinar at <a href="https://nefmc-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/IyLoe416TOSXhGj9th0g6g">https://nefmc-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/IyLoe416TOSXhGj9th0g6g</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, June 23, 2026
The Council will begin the meeting with introductions and
announcements from Council Chair Daniel Salerno, followed by opening
remarks from NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Eugenio
Pi[ntilde]eiro-Soler. The Council will then receive reports on recent
activities from the Council Chair and Executive Director; the Greater
Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) Regional Administrator; NOAA
Office of 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 representatives associated with
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, Highly
Migratory Species, and the Dolphin-Wahoo fishery.
Next, Council staff will provide an update on Executive Order
14276, including evaluation of vessel baseline restrictions across New
England and Mid-Atlantic limited access fisheries and a NOAA request to
consider rescinding the Atlantic herring Industry-Funded Monitoring
(IFM) Program. The Council also will receive an Enforcement Committee
report on the function of the restructured committee and recent meeting
activities.
Following a lunch break, the Council will receive a report from the
NEFSC Fishery Monitoring and Research Division on division activities
and initiatives. The Council will then receive a report from the
Atlantic Herring Committee and may initiate an action to set Atlantic
herring specifications for fishing years 2027-2031, river herring and
shad management measures, and other measures if necessary. The Council
also will receive a progress report on related work.
The Council will conclude the day with a report from the Monkfish
and Skate Coordinated Committee, including an overview of input
received during listening sessions focused on identifying fishery
improvements. The Council will adjourn for the day at approximately 5
p.m., followed by a public outreach event celebrating the 50th
Anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act to foster open communication among meeting attendees.
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
On the second day, the Council will receive a report from the
Scallop Committee. The Council may initiate Framework Adjustment 42 to
set Atlantic Sea scallop specifications for fishing years 2027 and 2028
(default), develop sub-management units in the Northern Gulf of Maine
(NGOM), and consider regional allocations of Limited Access Days-at-Sea
(DAS) with analysis of carryover provisions. The Council also will
select research set-aside (RSA) priorities for 2027/2028 and receive
updates on the Scallop Strategic Plan and projection methods.
Next, the Council will receive a Habitat Committee report that
includes recommendations for Designated Habitat Research Areas (DHRAs),
an update on the 2026 Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Framework, and a
review of objectives for the Great South Channel clam dredge exemption
program evaluation. The Council then will receive an update on
development of the implementation plan for the Council's Holistic
Strategic Plan Initiative.
Following an open period for public comment on Council issues not
listed on the agenda and a lunch break, the Council will receive a
report from the Groundfish Committee. The Council may initiate
Framework Adjustment 74 to set specifications for groundfish stocks for
fishing years 2027-2031, establish U.S./Canada Total Allowable Catch
levels for fishing years 2027/2028, and consider other measures. The
Council also will review the Amendment 23 Monitoring Program Review
draft report and receive updates on Framework 68 to revise Acceptable
Biological Catch (ABC) control rules.
The Council will then receive Part 1 of a report from the Risk
Policy Working Group and may take final action on the Risk Policy
Concept and provide instructions for Council factor weighting. The
Council will adjourn for the day at approximately 4:30 p.m. Voting
Council members will then meet in a closed session to complete global
factor weighting for the Council's Risk Policy process.
Thursday, June 25, 2026
On the final day, the Council will receive Part 2 of the Risk
Policy Working Group report, including Council approval of global
factor weights for application to the Risk Policy and a demonstration
of the Risk Policy Toolkit.
Next, the Council will receive a report from the Small-Mesh
Multispecies (Whiting) Committee and may update or initiate an action
to set specifications for small-mesh multispecies stocks for fishing
years 2027-2031 and other related measures.
The Council also will receive a presentation funded through the
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on Ecosystem Component Species Analysis,
including a review of a framework for considering Ecosystem Component
species and associated evaluation factors. The Council then will
receive planning updates from the Executive Director on Council
activities, including fishery management plans, Council priorities, IRA
initiatives, and other ongoing efforts. The Council will address other
business before adjourning the meeting at approximately 12:30 p.m.
Although non-emergency issues not contained on this agenda may come
before the Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject
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 Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's
intent to take final action to address the emergency. The public also
should be aware that the meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16
U.S.C. 1852, a copy
[[Page 33705]]
of the recording is available upon request.
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.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 1, 2026.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-11212 Filed 6-3-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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