# 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.
**SUMMARY:**
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public hybrid meeting of its Whiting Joint Advisory Panel and Plan Development Team (PDT) to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This meeting will be held in-person with a webinar option. Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.
**DATES:**
This webinar will be held on Wednesday April 1, 2026, at 10 a.m. EST Webinar registration URL information: *https://nefmc-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/XzaThacQQz-hTJCDHKLmPw* .
**ADDRESSES:**
This meeting will be held at DoubleTree by Hilton, 2081 Post Road, Warwick, RI, 028869; Phone (401) 739-3000.
*Council address:* New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Cate O'Keefe, Ph.D., Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council; telephone: (978) 465-0492.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
**Agenda**
The Whiting Advisory Panel and Plan Development Team will meet to discuss preliminary analyses of the small-mesh multispecies fishery in preparation for management action as well as the status and potential application of the Council's new risk policy to set specifications. They will also discuss small-mesh fishery management issues to be identified by the advisors as well as the possible management measures and alternatives to consider for 2026 and future management actions. Other business will be discussed, if necessary.
Although non-emergency issues not contained on the agenda may come before this 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 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 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 Cate O'Keefe, Ph.D., Executive Director, at (978) 465-0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
*Authority:* 16 U.S.C. 1801 *et seq.*
Dated: March 16, 2026.
Rey Israel Marquez,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.