New England Fishery Management Council Meeting
DoubleTree Hotel
50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923
Phone: 978/777-2500 ; Fax: 978/750-7959
December 16-18, 2013

PRINTABLE VERSION OF AGENDA

Monday, December 16, 2013

10:00 a.m. Introductions and Announcements (Chairman Terry Stockwell)

10:10  Management Priorities Discussion(Tom Nies, Executive Director)

Finalize NEFMC management priorities for 2014, exclusive of the herring fishery priorities approved by the Council on November 20, 2013

12:15 p.m. Lunch Break

1:15    Open Period for Public Comments (Terry Stockwell)

               Opportunity for the public to provide brief comments on items relevant to Council business but not listed on the
               agenda; please note, a new Council policy calls for individuals to sign up to comment during this period and
               limit remarks to between 3-5 minutes  

1:30 Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) Report (Dr. Jake Krizer, SSC Chairman)

Review of committee recommendations on overfishing level (OFL) and acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendations for sea scallops for fishing years 2014-2015; the report also will include the SSC’s review of an OFL and ABC for Gulf of Maine haddock for fishing years 2013-2015

2:30   Scallop Committee Report(Mary Beth Tooley)

Framework Adjustment 25 – Review and approve recent Scallop Committee recommendations which include new specification alternatives for fishing years 2014-2015, as well as potential modifications to several other measures

4:00    National Standard 2 Briefing (Dr. Jim Weinberg, NEFSC)

Review of the July 2013 final rule concerning the National Standard 2 Guidelines, in which NOAA Fisheries provides guidance on what constitutes the best scientific information available for fisheries managed under federal fishery management plans, as well as related issues

5:00        Adjourn for the day          

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

8:30 a.m.      Groundfish Committee Report(Frank Blount)

Framework Adjustment 51 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) – Final action
Major issues to be considered include:

• Revisions to the Gulf of Maine cod and American plaice rebuilding plans;
• The 2014-2016 OFL, ABC, and ACL for white hake; the 2014-2015 OFL, ABC, and ACL for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, and ACLs for Eastern Georges Bank haddock and Eastern Georges Bank cod;
• Small-mesh fishery accountability measures for the Georges Bank yellowtail flounder sub-ACL;
• Process for in-season quota adjustments to the U.S./Canada total allowable catches and haddock quota distribution in the Eastern and Western U.S./Canada Areas; and
• A prohibition on possession of yellowtail flounder by the limited access scallop fishery

12:30 p.m.        Lunch Break 

1:30         Groundfish Committee Report- Continued until adjournment for the day                               

Wednesday, December 18, 2013
8:30 a.m.      Habitat Committee Report(David Preble)

Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2 – Review the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, identify preferred alternatives, and approve the DEIS for initial submission to NOAA

12:00 p.m.        Lunch Break

1:00                Habitat Committee Report - Continued until meeting adjournment                           

4:00                Other Business

Times listed next to the agenda items are estimates and are subject to change.
The 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 actions are available for review prior to a final vote by the Council. Please call (978) 465-0492 for copies or check the Council website - www.nefmc.org.

Submitting Comments? If you plan to submit written comments to be included in the materials for Council consideration at this meeting, they must be received at the NEFMC office by 12 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 11, 2013. If using email, please send to comments@nefmc.org.