[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 14 (Friday, January 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3486-3487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1418]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 011499C]


Atlantic Tuna Fisheries; Public Hearings; Advisory Panel Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings and Advisory Panel meetings; request 
for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS will hold 26 public hearings to receive comments from 
fishery participants and other members of the public regarding proposed 
regulations to implement the draft Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic 
Tunas, Swordfish, and Sharks (HMS FMP), and draft Amendment 1 to the 
Atlantic Billfish Fishery Management Plan (Billfish Amendment).
    NMFS previously published Notices of Availability for the HMS FMP 
(63 FR 57093) and for the Billfish Amendment (63 FR 54433). NMFS 
extends the comment period for the HMS FMP and reopens the comment 
period for the Billfish Amendment to coincide with the comment period 
on the forthcoming proposed rule.
    To accommodate people unable to attend a hearing or wishing to 
provide additional comments, NMFS also solicits written comments on the 
proposed rule.
    NMFS will hold consecutive meetings of the Atlantic Highly 
Migratory Species (HMS) and Billfish Advisory Panels (APs), with a 
half-day joint meeting, to discuss comments and advise NMFS on the HMS 
FMP and Billfish Amendment, respectively.

DATES: The HMS AP meeting will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on 
Monday, February 22, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 
23, and from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24. The 
Billfish AP meeting will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on 
Thursday, February 25, and from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, 
February 26. A joint session of the HMS and Billfish APs will be held 
from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24.
    See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates, times, and locations of 
the public hearings. Written comments on the proposed rule must be 
received on or before March 4, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The APs will meet at the NOAA Science Center, 1301 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. Informational materials related 
to the AP meetings are available from Alicon Morgan, Highly Migratory 
Species Management Division, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, 
Maryland 20910.
    See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for the public hearing locations. 
Written comments on the proposed rule should be sent to Rebecca Lent, 
Chief, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, Office of 
Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Clearly mark the outside of 
the envelope ``FMP comments.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicon Morgan at 301-713-2347, or 
Sarah McLaughlin at 978-281-9146.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed regulatory amendments, draft 
HMS FMP and draft Billfish Amendment that are the subject of the 
hearings are necessary to address requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, implement recommendations of 
the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas as 
required by the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act, and consolidate existing 
regulations, organized by species, for the conservation and management 
of highly migratory species into one part of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR), organized by theme, as part of the President's 
Regulatory Reinvention Initiative.
    A complete description of the measures, and the purpose and need 
for the proposed actions, is contained in the proposed rule, to be 
published February 20, 1999 and is not repeated here. Copies of the 
proposed rule may be obtained by writing (see ADDRESSES) or calling one 
of the contact persons (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Dates, Times, and Locations of Public Hearings

    The public hearing schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, February 3, 1999, Charleston, SC, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Department of Natural Resources
    Marine Research Institute Auditorium
    217 Fort Johnson Road
    Charleston, SC 29412

Wednesday, February 3, 1999, St. Augustine, FL, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Northeast Florida Marlin Association Clubhouse
    30 Harbor Drive
    St. Augustine, FL 32095

Wednesday, February 3, 1999, Old San Juan, PR, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Club Nautico
    482 Fernandez Juncos Avenue
    Old San Juan, PR 00905
    [Note: This public hearing will be conducted in English]

Thursday, February 4, 1999, Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    U.S.V.I. Game Fishing Club
    6501 Red Hook Plaza, Suite 201
    Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI 00802

Friday, February 5, 1999, Brunswick, GA, 7-10 p.m.

    Comfort Inn I-95
    5308 New Jesup Highway
    Brunswick, GA 31523

Monday, February 8, 1999, Miami, FL, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Sheraton Biscayne Bay Hotel
    495 Brickell Avenue
    Miami, FL 33131
    [Note: This public hearing will cover the Billfish Amendment only.]

Tuesday, February 9, 1999, Key West, FL, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Holiday Inn Beachside Resort and Convention Center

[[Page 3487]]

    3841 N. Roosevelt Boulevard
    Key West, FL 33040

Tuesday, February 9, 1999, Houma, LA, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Holiday Inn Holidome
    210 S. Hollywood Road
    Houma, LA 70360

Wednesday, February 10, 1999, New Orleans, LA, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Crowne Plaza
    333 Poydras Street
    New Orleans, LA 70130

Thursday, February 11, 1999, Port Aransas, TX, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    University of Texas at Austin
    Marine Science Institute
    750 Channel View Drive
    Port Aransas, TX 78337

Monday, February 15, 1999, Fairhaven, MA, 7-10 p.m.

    Seaport Inn
    110 Middle Street
    Fairhaven, MA 02719

Monday, February 15, 1999, Madeira Beach, FL, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    City Hall
    300 Municipal Drive
    Madeira Beach, FL 33708

Tuesday, February 16, 1999, Nags Head, NC, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Ramada Inn
    1701 S. Virginia Dare Trail
    Nags Head, NC 27948

Tuesday, February 16, 1999, Panama City, FL, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Panama City Laboratory
    National Marine Fisheries Service
    3500 Delwood Beach Road
    Panama City, FL 32408

Wednesday, February 17, 1999, Fort Pierce, FL, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Radisson Resort North Hutchinson Island
    2600 North A1A
    Fort Pierce, FL 34949

Wednesday, February 17, 1999, Norfolk, VA, 7-10 p.m.

    Quality Inn Lake Wright Resort
    6280 Northampton Boulevard
    Norfolk, VA 23502

Wednesday, February 17, 1999, Orange Beach, AL, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Hilton Garden Inn
    23092 Perdido Beach Boulevard
    Orange Beach, AL 36561

Thursday, February 18, 1999, Montauk, NY, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Montauk Fire Department
    12 Flamingo Avenue
    Montauk, NY 11954

Thursday, February 18, 1999, Barnegat Light, NJ, 7-10 p.m.

    Barnegat Light Firehouse
    corner of West 10th Street and Central Avenue
    Barnegat Light, NJ 08006

Friday, February 19, 1999, Freeport, NY, 7-10 p.m.

    Freeport Recreational Center
    130 East Merrick Road
    Freeport, NY 11520

Friday, February 19, 1999, Toms River, NJ, 7-10 p.m.

    Quality Inn
    290 State Highway 37 East
    Toms River, NJ 08753

Wednesday, February 24, 1999, Silver Spring, MD, 7-10 p.m. NOAA Science 
Center

    1301 East-West Highway
    Silver Spring, MD 20910

Tuesday, March 2, 1999, Gloucester, MA, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

    Sawyer Free Library
    2 Dale Avenue
    Gloucester, MA 01930

Wednesday, March 3, 1999, West Bath, ME, 7-10 p.m.

    New Meadows Inn
    360 Bath Road
    West Bath, ME 04530

Wednesday, March 3, 1999, Ocean City, MD, 7-10 p.m.

    City Hall
    Third Street and Baltimore Avenue
    Ocean City, MD 21842

Thursday, March 4, 1999, Rockport, ME, 7:00-10:00 p.m. Maine 
Fishermen's Forum

    Samoset Resort
    220 Warrenton Street
    Rockport, ME 04856

Special Accomodations

    These hearings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Rebecca Lent (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 7 days prior to the hearing.

    Dated: January 15, 1999.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-1418 Filed 1-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F