[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 40 (Monday, March 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 10197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5182]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D.012798B]


Highly Migratory Species and Billfish Advisory Panels; Public 
Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) and Billfish 
Advisory Panels (APs) will hold a joint meeting to discuss issues in, 
and future management options for, the fisheries for Atlantic HMS.

DATES: The meeting will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on March 
16, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on March 17, and from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 
p.m. on March 18, 1998. A public comment period is scheduled for 
Tuesday, March 17, 1998, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the meeting 
location.

ADDRESSES: The APs will meet at the Radisson Bay Harbor Inn, 7700 
Courtney Campbell Causeway, Tampa, FL. Written comments should be 
submitted to, and informational materials related to the AP meeting are 
available from, Jill Stevenson, Highly Migratory Species Management 
Division, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Stevenson, telephone: (301) 713-
2347, fax: (301) 713-1917.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The HMS and Billfish APs have been 
established under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. The APs will 
assist the Secretary of Commerce in collecting and evaluating 
information relevant to the development of a fishery management plan 
(FMP) for Atlantic tunas, swordfish and sharks and an amendment to the 
Billfish FMP. All AP meetings are open to the public and will be 
attended by members of the AP, including appointed members, 
representatives of the five Fishery Management Councils that work with 
HMS, and the Chair, or his representative, of the U.S. Advisory 
Committee to the International Commission for the Conservation of 
Atlantic Tunas. A public comment period is scheduled for Tuesday, March 
17, 1998 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the meeting location. Comments are 
solicited on overfishing definitions and rebuilding analyses that will 
be presented at the AP meeting on Tuesday. To request informational 
materials related to the AP discussion or to submit public comments on 
overfishing definitions and rebuilding analyses, see ADDRESSES. Agenda 
items for the joint AP meeting include discussion of:
    1. Objectives for the HMS FMP and Billfish FMP amendment;
    2. Rebuilding scenarios for overfished stocks of Atlantic HMS;
    3. Development of overfishing criteria and definitions for Atlantic 
HMS;
    4. Research and monitoring requirements in HMS fisheries;
    5. Permitting and reporting requirements in HMS fisheries; and
    6. Enforcement issues in HMS fisheries.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Jill Stevenson, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910, phone (301) 713-2347, at least 7 days prior to the 
meeting date.

    Dated: February 23, 1998.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-5182 Filed 2-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F