Maine Lobster Advisory Council
January 2012 Meeting

Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 4:00 pm
at the Natural Resources Service Center, 6 Beech Street in Hallowell.

New England Fisheries Management Council

January 31 - February 2, 2012
Sheraton Harborside, Portsmouth, NH

 

Maine Sea Urchin Zone Council

January 2012 Meeting

The next council meeting will be January 5, 2012,
Ellsworth Middle School cafeteria, 20 Forest Avenue, 5:30pm.

If you would like to be added to an email list to receive notices of upcoming meetings, please contact Trisha Cheney De Graaf.

Meeting dates and agendas are tentative and you should call Trisha Cheney De Graaf before attending any meeting or for agenda information. All meetings are open to the public.

NOAA Seeks Comments On Lobster Trap Controls In Area 1

NOAA today announced that it is seeking public comments
on proposed measures that would control lobster trap fishing
effort in Area 1(Federal inshore waters - Gulf of Maine).

How to submit public comments:

• Electronic Submissions:
Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal http://www.regulations.gov.
Click the “submit a comment” icon, then enter
NOAA-NMFS-2011-0234 in the keyword search.
Locate the document you wish to comment on from the resulting list and click on the “submit a comment” icon to the right of that line;
• Fax: (978) 281-9135, Attn: Robert Ross;
• Mail: Robert Ross, NMFS, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.
Mark the outside of the envelope: “Comments on Lobster Area 1 Proposed Rule.”

Comments must be received by
5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 3, 2012.

 

Dept. of Marine Resources
Notice of Emergency Rule-Making

Chapter 45.05(1)(A)(2) Shrimp Season, 2011 – 2012, Emergency Rule

These emergency regulations begin the process of establishing the 2011 – 2012 Northern Shrimp season in compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Northern Shrimp Fishery Management Plan, and voted upon by the ASMFC Northern Shrimp Section at a public hearing October 28, 2011 and conference call Nov., 30, 2011. Trawlers may start January 2, 2012 and may fish Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Trappers may start February 1, 2012, may fish daily and shall have a 1,000 lb catch limit per vessel per day. Trawlers and trappers may only land once per day. When 95% of the catch limit of 2,000 mt (~4.4 million lbs) has been reached, notwithstanding Chapter 45.05(1)(A)(1), persons will be informed by public notice in a newspaper circulated in the general area of the season end date. The Section or Commissioner also reserved the option to adjust the effort control measures such as days out, trip limits, trap limits, time of day, etc. A public hearing will be held in the affected area if requested of the Commissioner in writing by 5 persons. The hearing will be held within 30 days of the Commissioner receiving the written requests.

Effective: January 2, 2012

AGENCY CONTACT PERSON:
Terry Stockwell (207-624-6553)

Mail written comments to:
DMR, attn: T. Stockwell, SHS 21, Augusta ME 04333

For more information:
Online the web link for a copy of the rule is:
http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rulemaking/

Or, to obtain a hardcopy by US mail write:
DMR, attn: T. Stockwell, SHS 21, Augusta ME 04333
TEL: 207-624-6553, or EMAIL: Terry.Stockwell@maine.gov
FAX: (207) 624-6024 or TTY: (207) 633-9500

To ensure consideration, comments must include your name and the organization you represent, if any.

Please be aware that any risk of non-delivery associated with submissions by fax or e-mail is on the sender.