[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 139 (Thursday, July 18, 1996)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 37436-37437] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-18190] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [I.D. 070996A] Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Public hearings; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold public hearings to allow for input on Amendment 6 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries (FMP). The hearings will be tape recorded with the tapes filed as the official transcript of the hearings. DATES: Written comments will be accepted through August 1, 1996. The hearings are scheduled as follows: 1. July 29, 1996, 7 p.m., Warwick, RI. 2. July 29, 1996, 7 p.m., Virginia Beach, VA. 3. July 30, 1996, 7:30 p.m., Long Island, Riverhead, NY. 4. July 31, 1996, 7 p.m., Cape May Courthouse, NJ. ADDRESSES: Send comments to: David R. Keifer, Executive Director, Mid- Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Room 2115 Federal Building, 300 South New Street, Dover, DE 19904. The hearings will be held at the following locations: 1. Warwick--Holiday Inn at the Crossings, 801 Greenwich Avenue, Warwick, RI 2. Virginia Beach--Days Inn, 5708 Northampton Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA 3. Long Island, Riverhead--Ramada East End, Exit 72 L.I.E. and Route 25, Long Island, Riverhead, NY [[Page 37437]] 4. Cape May Courthouse--Cape May Extension Office, Dennisville Road, Cape May Courthouse, NJ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David R. Keifer, (302) 674-2331. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Amendments 2 through 5 to the FMP, as adopted by the Council and approved by NMFS, established procedures for setting annual catch specifications for Atlantic mackerel, Loligo squid, Illex squid, and butterfish, required that commercial vessels and party and charter boats obtain permits, established overfishing definitions for the four species, established policies related to the foreign fishery and joint ventures, eliminated foreign fisheries for butterfish and the squids, implemented moratoria on entry of additional vessels into the squid and butterfish fisheries, allowed for seasonal quotas in the Loligo fishery, implemented a minimum mesh net in the Loligo fishery, and developed a dealer and vessel reporting system. The management measures for Amendment 6 adopted by the Council for hearings are: 1. Revised overfishing definitions for Illex and Loligo squid and Atlantic butterfish. 2. Provision for NMFS to close the U.S. directed fishery for Loligo, Illex, or butterfish when U.S. fishermen have harvested 95 percent of the allowable domestic annual harvest (DAH) if such closure is necessary to prevent DAH from being exceeded. 3. The Director, Northeast Region, NMFS, may impose season closures in the Illex fishery to improve yield per recruit from the fishery, based upon the recommendation of the Council. This may include delaying the opening of the directed Illex fishery if substantial increases in yield will result from such closures. The public hearings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to David R. Keifer (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to the hearing dates. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: July 12, 1996. Richard W. Surdi, Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 96-18190 Filed 7-17-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F