[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7994-7995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4349]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 697

[I.D. 021197A]
RIN 0648-AH58


Atlantic Weakfish Fisheries; Public Hearings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public hearings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS will hold three public hearings to receive comments from 
fishery participants and other members of the public regarding proposed 
regulations on the harvest and possession of weakfish in the exclusive 
economic zone of the Atlantic Ocean from Maine through Florida.

DATES: Written comments on the proposed rule and supporting documents 
(Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Regulatory 
Impact Review (DSEIS/RIR) must be received on or before March 17, 1997. 
The public hearings will be held during the month of March. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates and times of the public hearings.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Richard H. Schaefer, 
Chief, Staff Office of Intergovernmental and Recreational Fisheries 
(Fx2), National Marine Fisheries Service, 8484 Georgia Avenue, Suite 
425, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Clearly mark the outside of the envelope 
``Atlantic Weakfish Comments.'' The public hearings will be held in New 
Jersey, Delaware, and North Carolina. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 
the public hearing locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Meyer/Paul Perra, 301-427-2014.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed regulations are necessary to be 
compatible with rules already implemented by the coastal states through 
the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Amendment 3 to the 
Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Weakfish, and to ensure the 
rebuilding of the weakfish stock along the east coast of the Atlantic 
Ocean.
    A complete description of the measures, and the purpose and need 
for the proposed action, is contained in the proposed rule published on 
February 14, 1997 (62 FR 6935) and is not repeated here. Copies of the 
proposed rule may be obtained by writing (see ADDRESSES) or calling the 
contact person (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    To accommodate people unable to attend a hearing or wishing to 
provide additional comments, NMFS also solicits written comments on the 
proposed rule.

[[Page 7995]]

    The public hearings will be held as follows:
    Tuesday, March 4, 1997, Cape May Court House, NJ 7-9 p.m.
    Rutgers' Cooperative Extension Office
    355 South Dennis/Court House Road (Route 657)
    Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
    Thursday, March 6, 1997, Manteo, NC, 7-9 p.m.
    North Carolina Aquarium
    Airport Road
    Manteo, NC 27954
    Monday, March 10, 1997, Dover, DE, 7:30-9 p.m.
    Department of Natural Resources
    Environmental Control Auditorium
    89 Kings Highway
    Dover, DE 19903
    The purpose of this document is to alert the interested public of 
hearings and provide for public participation. These hearings are 
physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign 
language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to 
Thomas Meyer by February 25, 1997 (see ADDRESSES).

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-4349 Filed 2-20-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F