[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 81 (Wednesday, April 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22834-22835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10637]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 042199G]


Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 
series of fact-finding meetings in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 
268 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, PR 00918-2577, 
telephone: (787) 766-5926.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Tuesday May 11, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
    Location: Conference Room, Legislature Building, Charlotte Amalie, 
St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
     Wednesday, May 12, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
    Location: Conference Room, Legislature Building, St. John, U.S.V.I.
     Thursday, May 13, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
    Location: Conference Room, Caravelle Hotel, 44A Queen Cross Street, 
Christinasted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.
     Monday, May 17, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
    Location: Refugio Las Marias, Vieques, PR
     Tuesday, May 18, 1999 -- 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    Location: El Meson Criollo, Carr. 987, Km. 3.2, Fajardo, PR
     Tuesday May 18, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
    Location: Conference Room, Casa Alcaldia of Naguabo, Naguabo, PR
     Wednesday, May 19, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

[[Page 22835]]

    Location: Conference Room, Ponce Hilton Hotel, 1150 Ave. Caribe, 
Ponce, PR
     Thursday, May 20, 1999 -- 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
    Location: Conference Room, Villa Parguera Hotel, 304 St., Km. 3.3, 
La Parguera, Lajas, PR
     Thursday, May 20, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
    Location: Conference Room, Joyuda Beach Hotel, Rd. 102, Bo. Joyuda, 
Cabo Rojo, PR
     Friday, May 21, 1999 -- 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
    Location: Centro Comunal of Barrio Jarealito, Arecibo, PR
    The Caribbean Fishery Management Council will hold a series of fact 
finding meetings in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islanda to obtain 
input from fishery and the general public on possible management 
measures proposed by, among others, Project Reef Keeper and some 
concerned citizens. The first of the proposed measures is the phasing 
out of fish traps in around ten years. The idea here is to avoid the 
damage to the reef and fish species when traps are deployed on top of 
reefs, and when these are lost continuing killing fish for a long time. 
The Council has not taken a position on this or any of the measures 
that are to be discussed at the meetings. The other two measures the 
Council need comments on are the banning of gill nets and the 
prohibition to use SCUBA gear to fish for queen conch, lobster and some 
reef fishes, the commercial and/or recreational fisheries. The 
proponents of these measures believe that the use of gill nets is 
jeopardizing the recovery of the already over-exploited resources. 
Furthermore, there is the notion that SCUBA is the main reason why the 
stocks of queen conch and lobster are so depleted. The Council wishes 
to find more information on these important and drastic measures before 
the preparation of an option paper that could initiate the process of 
development of amendments to the fishery management plans to ban any of 
these methods of fishing written statements regarding agenda issues.
    Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before 
this Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the 
subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted 
to those issues specifically identified in this notice.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. For more information or request for sign language 
interpretation and/other auxiliary aids, please contact Mr. Miguel A. 
Rolon, Executive Director, Carribbean Fishery Management Council, 268 
Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, PR 00918-2577, telephone: 
(787) 766-5926, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: April 22, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-10637 Filed 4-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F