The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold
a 3-day meeting from Tuesday through Thursday, April 24-April 26, 2012,
to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ).

DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 24th, Wednesday,
April 25th and Thursday, April 26th beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, and
8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Hilton Hotel, 20 Coogan
Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355-1900; telephone: (860) 572-0731; fax: (860)
572-0328.

Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water
Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, Executive Director,
New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.

For agenda and more details 

NMFS has determined that the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) daily retention limit that applies to vessels permitted in the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat category (when fishing recreationally for BFT) should be adjusted for the remainder of 2012, based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments and based on preliminary 2012 landings data. NMFS also closes the southern area Angling category fishery for
large medium and giant (``trophy'') BFT. These actions are being taken consistent with the BFT fishery management objectives of the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan (Consolidated HMS FMP) and to prevent overharvest of the 2012 Angling category quota.

DATES: Effective April 7, 2012, through December 31, 2012.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

This meeting will be held on Monday, April 16, 2012 at 8 a.m.

The meeting will be held at the Hotel Providence, 137 Mathewson Street, Providence, RI 02903; telephone: (401) 861-8000; fax: (401) 861-8002.
    Council address: New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.

NOAA announced that fishermen will be allowed to catch up to 6,700 metric tons
of Gulf of Maine cod in 2012. This end result of collaborative work with the fishing industry to
find a solution that prevented a much larger cut to the allowable catch for the 2012 fishing year.

In late 2011, a new stock assessment for Gulf of Maine cod found the stock declined
unexpectedly, making major reductions in catch limits necessary for the 2012 fishing year, as
required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. NOAA and
the New England Fishery Management Council, which includes state officials and fishermen,
worked with the fishing industry to identify flexibility within federal fisheries law that could both
protect cod and provide sustained fishing opportunities. As a result, the quota for 2012 will be
set at 6,700 metric tons, which is within the range recommended by the New England Fishery
Management Council. Without this collaborative approach, the catch limit for this fishing year
would have been set below 1,500 metric tons. 

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Whiting Oversight Committee on April 17, 2012 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces two public hearings for the proposed 2012 BFT quota specifications.  The dates and locations of the public hearings are as follows:

April 4, 2012, 2 to 4 p.m.
NMFS, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930

April  10, 2012,2:30 to 4 p.m.
NMFS Science Center, 1301  East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910