[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 117 (Friday, June 16, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 37754-37755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15305]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 060100B]


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Hearing

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

ACTION: Public hearing; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene an additional public hearing regarding the draft Fishery 
Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic 
Ocean, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico (draft FMP). The overall goal of 
the FMP is to provide a comprehensive management structure for dolphin 
and wahoo in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean 
exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The FMP will take a precautionary 
approach in conserving these fishery resources, achieving optimum yield 
(OY), and maintaining current allocations among user groups. The 
hearing dates and locations for the Council's other hearings on the 
draft FMP were announced in an earlier Federal Register document (65 FR 
20428, April 17, 2000).

DATES: The hearing will be held on June 25, 2000. The Council will 
accept written comments on the draft FMP through July 7, 2000. See


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: for the specific date and time of the public 
hearing.

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 the draft FMP 
are available from Kim Iverson, South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council, One Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699; 
telephone: 843-571-4366. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific 
hearing location.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council, One Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 
29407-4699; telephone: 843-571-4366; fax: 843-769-4520; email address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed FMP Management Measures

    The draft FMP provides for the following: Establishment of 
management units for dolphin and wahoo; proposed dealer, vessel and 
operator permit requirements; reporting requirements; establishment of 
a maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and OY; definition of overfishing for 
dolphin and wahoo; and the establishment of a framework procedure for 
regulatory adjustments without requiring FMP amendments.
    The following proposed management measures are under consideration 
for dolphin and wahoo in the Atlantic EEZ: (1) Prohibition of the sale 
of recreationally caught fish in the Atlantic EEZ; (2) a limit on the 
percent of dolphin harvested in the Atlantic EEZ by the recreational 
fishery and the commercial fishery, at 87 percent and 13 percent, 
respectively. (Note: Should either sector's catch exceed these 
percentages, the Council will review the data and evaluate the need for 
additional regulations which may be established through the FMP's

[[Page 37755]]

framework procedures); (3) a recreational bag limit of 5 to 10 dolphins 
per person per day, excluding the captain and crew of for-hire boats in 
the Atlantic EEZ; (4) a commercial dolphin trip limit of 1,000 to 5,000 
lb (453.6 to 2268.0 kg) or an equivalent number of fish, with no 
transfer at sea allowed in the Atlantic EEZ; (5) no minimum size limit 
for dolphin in the Atlantic EEZ; (6) a commercial trip limit for wahoo 
of 500 lb (226.8 kg) or an equivalent number of fish, with no transfer 
at sea allowed in the Atlantic EEZ; (7) no minimum size limit for wahoo 
in the Atlantic EEZ; (8) a recreational bag limit of two wahoo per 
person per day for the recreational fishery, excluding the captain and 
crew of for-hire boats in the Atlantic EEZ; (9) specification of 
allowable gear for dolphin and wahoo in the Atlantic EEZ as surface 
longline and as hook-and-line gear including manual, electric, or 
hydraulic rod and reels, bandit gear, and spearfishing gear; (10) 
prohibition of the use of pelagic longline gear for dolphin and wahoo 
concurrent with time/area closures to the use of such gear for highly 
migratory pelagic species in the Atlantic EEZ; (11) establish a fishing 
year of January 1 to December 31 for the dolphin and wahoo fishery; 
(12) identification of essential fish habitat (EFH) for dolphin and 
wahoo in the Atlantic; and (13) identification of EFH--Habitat Areas of 
Particular Concern for dolphin and wahoo in the Atlantic.

Time and Location for the Public Hearing

    The public hearing regarding the draft FMP for Dolphin/Wahoo will 
be held at the following date, time, and location.
    June 25, 2000, 7:00 p.m., Quality Inn Lake Wright, 6280 
Northhampton Blvd., Norfolk, VA 23502, Telephone: 757-461-6251.
    Copies of the draft FMP can be obtained from the Council (see 
ADDRESSES).

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 June 19, 2000.

    Dated: June 12, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director , Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-15305 Filed 6-15-00; 8:45 am]
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