[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 166 (Thursday, August 27, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45793-45794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23013]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 082098B]


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.

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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold public hearings to allow for input on Amendment 12 to the Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass; 
Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish FMP; and 
Amendment 12 to the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog FMP. These 
amendments are intended to comply with the new and revised national 
standards and other required provisions of the Sustainable Fisheries 
Act (SFA).

DATES: Written comments on the amendments will be accepted until 
September 25, 1998. The public hearings are scheduled to be held 
September 8 and 9, 1998, 6 to 10 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council, 300 South New Street, Dover, DE 19904.
    The hearings will be held in Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, 
Maryland, and Virginia. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 
times and locations of the hearings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Moore, Ph.D., Acting 
Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 302-674-
2331, ext. 16.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    These FMP amendments are proposed to bring the Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP; the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and 
Butterfish FMP; and the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog FMP into 
compliance with the new and revised national standards and other 
required provisions of the SFA. Specifically, these amendments propose 
to revise the overfishing definitions for summer flounder, scup, black 
sea bass, Atlantic mackerel, Loligo pealei, Illex illecebrosus, 
butterfish, surf clam and ocean quahog; identify essential habitat for 
these species; and address the new and revised national standards of 
the SFA relative to existing management measures. These amendments also 
propose to add a framework adjustment procedure that would allow the 
Council to add or modify management measures through a streamlined 
public review process. In addition, Amendment 12 to the Atlantic Surf 
Clam and Ocean Quahog FMP proposes to implement an operator permit 
requirement. Also, Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and 
Butterfish FMP proposes to include vessel length, weight, and 
horsepower restrictions for domestic harvesting vessels in the Atlantic 
mackerel fishery.

Public Hearings

    The dates and locations of the hearings are scheduled as follows:
    1. Tuesday, September 8, 1998, 6-10 p.m.--Comfort Inn, 1940 Post 
Road, Warwick, RI;
    2. Tuesday, September 8, 1998, 6-10 p.m.--Quality Inn Lake Wright, 
6280 Northampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA;
    3. Wednesday, September 9, 1998, 6-10 p.m.--Holiday Inn MacArthur 
Airport, 3845 Veterans Memorial Highway, Ronkonkoma, NY;
    4. Wednesday, September 9, 1998, 6-10 p.m.--Cape May Extension 
Office, Dennisville Road, Cape May Courthouse, NJ; and
    5. Wednesday, September 9, 1998, 6-10 p.m.--Sheraton 
Fountainebleau,

[[Page 45794]]

10100 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD.
    The hearings will be tape recorded with the tapes filed as the 
official transcript of the hearings.

Special Accommodations

    The hearings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Joanna Davis at the Council at least 5 days prior 
to the hearing date (see ADDRESSES).

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. et seq.

    Dated: August 21, 1998.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-23013 Filed 8-24-98; 3:17 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F