[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 46 (Monday, March 10, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 10821-10822]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5783]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 630 and 678

[I.D. 022897G]


Atlantic Swordfish Fishery; Atlantic Shark Fishery; Public 
Hearings

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

ACTION: Public hearings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Highly Migratory Species Division (HMS Division) will 
convene 12 hearings to obtain comments from the public on Draft 
Amendment 1 to the

[[Page 10822]]

Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Swordfish (Swordfish FMP), on 
Draft Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan for Sharks of the 
Atlantic Ocean (Shark FMP) and proposed rules implementing a limited 
access system for each fishery. The proposed rule for the Shark FMP was 
published in the Federal Register on December 27, 1996 and the proposed 
rule for the Swordfish FMP was published on February 26, 1997. NMFS is 
also requesting written comments on Draft Amendment 1 to the Swordfish 
FMP, the Draft Amendment 1 to the Shark FMP and on the proposed rules.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until April 28, 1997. Public 
hearings will be held in March and April. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
for specific dates and times of the hearings.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Dr. Rebecca Lent, Chief, 
HMS Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), 1315 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (FAX: 301-713-1917). Clearly mark the 
outside of the envelope ``Limited Access Comments.'' Copies of the 
proposed rule and Draft Amendment 1 to the Swordfish FMP, which 
includes an environmental assessment and regulatory impact review, are 
available from James Chambers at the same address. Public hearings will 
be held in Maine, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, North 
Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. 
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for locations of the hearings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Chambers, Fishery Management 
Specialist, or Margo Schulze, Fishery Biologist, HMS Division, 301-713-
2347.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Issues that are addressed in Draft Amendment 
1 to the Swordfish FMP include: Proposed implementation of a two-tiered 
permit system consisting of directed and incidental permits for the 
commercial fishery, eligibility criteria for these permits based on 
historical participation, transferability provisions, the permitting 
process, upgrading restrictions and ownerships limits.
    A complete description of the measures, including the purpose and 
need for the proposed action concerning Atlantic swordfish, is 
contained in the proposed rule published February 26, 1997 (62 FR 
8672), and is not repeated here. Copies of the proposed rule and Draft 
Amendment 1 to the Swordfish FMP may be obtained by writing (see 
ADDRESSES) or calling one of the contact persons (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT). Draft Amendment 1 to the Shark FMP and its 
proposed rule were published December 27, 1996 (61 FR 68202), and 
address similar issues to those in proposed rule and Draft Amendment 1 
to the Swordfish FMP.
    To accommodate people unable to attend a hearing or wishing to 
provide additional comments, NMFS also solicits written comments on the 
proposed rules.
    The public hearings are scheduled as follows:
    1. Friday, March 21, 1997--City Hall (Commission Chambers, 1st 
floor), 100 North Andrews Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301, (954) 761-
5002, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.
    2. Monday, March 31, 1997--West Bank Regional Library Meeting Room 
(1st floor), 2751 Manhattan Boulevard (near Lapalco Boulevard), Harvey, 
LA 70058-6144, (504) 364-3972, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.
    3. Tuesday, April 1, 1997--Town Hall Auditorium, 19305 Gulf 
Boulevard, Indian Shores, FL 33785, (813) 595-4020, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
    4. Wednesday, April 2, 1997--Monroe County Public Library 
(Auditorium), 700 Flemming Street, Key West, FL 33040 (305) 292-3595, 4 
p.m.-6 p.m.
    5. Thursday, April 3, 1997--Pan Am Dock (East), Isla Grande, San 
Juan, PR 00907, (803) 522-1509, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
    6. Saturday, April 5, 1997--Town Hall at the Caravelle Hotel, 44A 
Queen Cross Street, Saint Croix, USVI 00820, (809) 773-0687, 3 p.m.-6 
p.m.
    7. Tuesday, April 8, 1997--Portland Public Library (Room 316), 5 
Monument Square, Portland, ME 04101, (207) 871-1755, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
    8. Wednesday, April 9, 1997--Providence Biltmore Hotel
    State Suite C (2nd level), Kennedy Plaza, Providence RI 02903,
    (401) 455-3027, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.
    9. Thursday, April 10, 1997--Montauk Fire Hall, 12 Flamingo Avenue, 
Montauk, NY 11954, (516) 668-5695, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
    10. Friday, April 11, 1997--Barnegat Light Firehouse, 10th and 
Boulevard Streets, Long Beach Island, Barnegat Light, NJ 08006, (609) 
494-1280, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
     11. Sunday, April 13, 1997--North Carolina Aquarium (Auditorium), 
Airport Road, Manteo, NC 27954, (919) 473-3494, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
    12. Monday, April 28, 1997--NOAA, First Floor Conference Room 
(1W611), Silver Spring Metro Center Building 4,
    1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, (301) 713-2227, 10 
a.m.-12 p.m.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to James Chambers or Margo Schulze 
(see ADDRESSES) at least 15 days before the hearing date.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. and 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.

    Dated: March 4, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-5783 Filed 3-7-97; 8:45 am]
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