[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58586-58587]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23622]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 091002G]


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a 
meeting of its Habitat and Environmental Protection Advisory Panel (AP) 
and a joint meeting of the Habitat and Environmental Protection AP and 
Coral Advisory Panel in Charleston, SC.

DATES: The meetings will be held October 1-3, 2002. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: These meetings will be held at the Town and Country Inn, 
2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407; telephone: 843-571-1000 or 
1-800-334-6660.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information 
Officer; telephone: (843) 571-4366; fax: (843) 769-4520; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Habitat and Environmental Protection AP 
will meet October 1, 2002 from 1 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. and October 2, 
2002, from 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon. The Habitat and Environmental 
Protection AP and Coral Advisory Panel will meet jointly October 2, 
2002, from 1:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. and October 3, 2002 from 8:30 a.m. 
until 3 p.m.
    Habitat and Environmental Protection AP Meeting--The AP will be 
briefed on and discuss the Final Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Rule 
which was published on January 17, 2002 replacing the interim Final 
Rule of December 19, 1997 on which the original EFH and EFH-Habitat 
Area of Particular Concern (EFH-HAPC) designations were made. The 
Councils have, pursuant to the Final EFH Rule, been directed to update 
EFH and EFH-HAPC information and designations; in addition, pursuant to 
revisions to NOAA General Counsel interpretation of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) the Councils will be required to update 
all Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for all Federal Fishery 
Management Plans under their jurisdiction.
    Information compiled during this process will further facilitate 
meeting both the EFH and the NEPA mandate. The AP will discuss a 
Council workshop process that integrates two directives in the Final 
Rule for Essential Fish Habitat: (1) the review and update of EFH 
information, and (2) the consideration of ecosystem-based management 
through development of a Fishery Ecosystem Plan (EEP) for the South 
Atlantic Region.
    In addition, the Habitat and Environmental Protection AP will 
review and make recommendations and draft revisions to Council habitat 
policy statements on Oil and Gas Exploration, Development and 
Transportation, and Dredging and Dredge Disposal. The AP will also 
initiate the development of policy statement on in-stream flow.
    Joint Habitat AP and Coral AP Meeting--The Coral AP will provide 
additional input on draft revisions to policy statements. During the 
joint meeting, the panels will discuss and develop recommendations on 
additional Coral HAPCs, hear a presentation on deepwater habitats off 
of North Carolina and receive a briefing on nearshore mapping efforts. 
The Panels will also discuss preliminary characterization of habitat 
associated with Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) proposed for public 
hearing.
    Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come 
before this group for discussion, 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 and any issues 
arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action 
under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's 
intent to take final action to address the emergency.

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 September 27, 2002.


[[Page 58587]]


    Dated: September 12, 2002.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-23622 Filed 9-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S