[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 8, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1024-1025]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-323]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

[I.D. 010203A]


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fisheries; Atlantic Bluefin 
Tuna; Commercial Shark Management Measures

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: NMFS will conduct four public hearings to receive comments 
from fishery participants and other members of the public regarding 
proposed regulations to reduce dead discards of Atlantic bluefin tuna 
(BFT) in the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery and emergency 
regulations in the Atlantic shark fisheries that implemented commercial 
quotas for 2003 and suspended the commercial minimum size limit. NMFS 
previously published the proposed rule regarding incidental catch 
requirements of BFT on December 24, 2002. NMFS previously published the 
emergency rule regarding Atlantic sharks on December 27, 2002.

DATES: Written comments on the proposed rule regarding BFT must be 
received by 5 p.m. on February 7, 2003. Written comments on the 
emergency rule regarding Atlantic sharks must be received by 5 p.m. on 
February 14, 2003. The public hearings will be held from January 22 to 
January 30, 2003. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and 
times.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held in Barnegat Light, NJ; Manteo, NC; 
Treasure Island, FL; and Fairhaven, MA. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
for specific locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad McHale or Dianne Stephan at 978-
281-9260 regarding the proposed rule on BFT and Karyl Brewster-Geisz at 
301-713-2347 regarding the emergency rule on commercial shark 
management measures.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS proposes to amend regulations governing 
the BFT fishery to reduce discards of BFT in the Atlantic pelagic 
longline fishery. The intent of these actions is to minimize dead 
discards of BFT and improve management of the Atlantic pelagic longline 
fishery, while complying with the National Standards of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) 
and allowing harvest of BFT consistent with recommendations of the 
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. The 
December 24, 2002, proposed rule (67 FR 78404) contains the background 
information for this measure and that information is not repeated here.
    NMFS issued an emergency rule, effective December 31, 2002, that 
set the 2003 commercial quotas for large and small coastal sharks, 
suspended the commercial minimum size limit, and allowed regulations on 
season-specific quota adjustments and counting dead discards and state 
landings after a Federal closure against the commercial quotas to go 
into effect. These regulations are necessary to ensure that the 
regulations in force are based on the best available science. The 
December 27, 2002, emergency rule (67 FR 78990) contains the background 
information for these measures and that information is not repeated 
here.

Hearing and Meeting Dates, Times, and Locations

    The hearings for the proposed and emergency rules will be conducted 
jointly at the identified locations. NMFS intends to dedicate half of 
the hearing time to each rule. The public hearing schedule is as 
follows:

Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - Barnegat Light, NJ, 7 - 9 p.m.

    Barnegat Light Fire House
    10th Boulevard Street
    Long Island Beach
    Barnegat Light, NJ 08006

Monday, January 27, 2003 - Manteo, NC, 7 - 9 p.m.

    North Carolina Aquarium
    Airport Road
    Manteo, NC 27954

Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - Treasure Island, FL, 7 - 9 p.m.

    Garden Room
    City of Treasure Island Community Center
    1 Park Place at 106th Avenue
    Treasure Island, FL 33706

[[Page 1025]]

Thursday, January 30, 2003 - Fairhaven, MA, 7 - 9 p.m.

    Holiday Inn Express
    110 Middle Street
    Fairhaven, MA 02719

Special Accommodations

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

    Dated: January 2, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-323 Filed 1-7-03; 8:45 am]
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