[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 205 (Monday, October 25, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 57436]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27769]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 101299F]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources; Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene six public hearings on Draft Amendment 12 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic 
Region (Draft Amendment 12) and its draft supplemental environmental 
impact statement (draft SEIS).

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on November 29, 
1999. The hearings will be held from November 3 to November 29, 1999. 
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Bob Mahood, Executive 
Director, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, One Southpark 
Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699. Copies of Draft Amendment 
12 and the draft SEIS are available from Kerry O'Malley at 803-571-4366 
and will also be available to the public at the hearings.
    The hearings will be held in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and 
North Carolina. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for locations of the 
hearings and special accommodations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kerry O'Malley, South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council, 803-571-4366; Fax: 803-769-4520; E-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will hold public hearings on 
Draft Amendment 12 and the associated draft SEIS. Draft Amendment 12 
includes management measures that would (1) prohibit the harvest and 
possession of red porgy; (2) require the Council to review the status 
of the red porgy resource every 3 years to determine whether the 
moratorium on harvest should be repealed; (3) establish a maximum 
sustainable yield of 5,285.4 metric tons (mt) for red porgy; (4) set 
optimum yield for red porgy at the yield produced by a stock size of 
10,000 mt; (5) establish the two components of the overfishing 
definition for red porgy as: (a) the maximum fishing mortality 
threshold is the fishing mortality rate (F) in excess of F35% static 
spawning potential ratio (SPR) which is between 0.58 (F30%) and 0.33 
(F40%) based on a 14 inch (35.6 cm) total length minimum size limit and 
data through 1996, and (b) minimum stock size threshold is the stock 
size associated with 20% SPR which is estimated at 3,000 mt. Current 
stock size was estimated to be 685 mt based on data through 1996; (6) 
set the rebuilding timeframe for red porgy at 18 years; (7) in the 
snapper grouper limited access system, allow same owner permit transfer 
regardless of vessel size for individuals harvesting snapper grouper 
species with a non-transferable 225 pound trip limit permit; and (8) 
modify the framework procedure for regulatory adjustments of the 
Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South 
Atlantic Region by adding the following list of management options and 
measures that could be implemented via such framework procedure as: 
Description, identification, and regulation of fishing activities to 
protect essential fish habitat (EFH) and EFH-habitat areas of 
particular concern (EFH-HAPC); management measures to reduce or 
eliminate the adverse effects of fishing activities or fishing gear on 
EFH or EFH-HAPCs; and regulation of EFH-HAPCs.
    In the following locations the hearings will begin at 6 p.m. and 
end when all business is completed:
    1. Wednesday, November 3, 1999--Sombrero Resort and Marina,19 
Sombrero Blvd., Marathon, FL 33050; Phone: 305-743-2250;
    2. Wednesday, November 10, 1999--Richmond Hill City Hall, 40 
Richard R. Davis Drive, Richmond Hill, GA 31324; Phone: 912-756-3345;
    3. Thursday, November 11, 1999--Carteret Community College, 3505 
Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557; Phone: 252-247-3093;
    4. Monday, November 15, 1999--Ramada Inn Surfside, 3125 S. Atlantic 
Avenue, Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118; Phone: 1-800-255-3838;
    5. Wednesday, November 17, 1999--Town & Country Inn, 2008 Savannah 
Highway, Charleston, SC 29407; Phone: 843-571-1000; and
    6. Monday, November 29, 1999--Blockade Runner, 275 Waynick 
Boulevard, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480, Phone: 910-256-2251.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES) 
by October 29, 1999.

    Dated: October 19, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-27769 Filed 10-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F