[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 135 (Tuesday, July 15, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 41769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-17867]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

[I.D. 070803B]


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Swordfish and Bluefin Tuna 
Quotas; Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings.

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SUMMARY: NMFS will hold three public hearings to receive comments from 
fishery participants and other members of the public regarding two 
proposed regulations. The first proposed rule, previously published in 
the Federal Register on June 20, 2003, would implement the 
recommendations from the 2002 meeting of the International Commission 
for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) regarding North and 
South Atlantic swordfish. The second proposed rule, previously 
published in the Federal Register on July 10, 2003, would implement the 
2003 fishing year specifications for the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) 
fishery to set BFT quotas for each of the established fishing 
categories, to set General category effort controls, to allocate 25 
metric tons of BFT to account for incidental catch of BFT by pelagic 
longline vessels in the vicinity of the management boundary area, to 
define the management boundary area and applicable restrictions, and to 
revise permit requirements to allow General category vessels to 
participate in registered recreational HMS fishing tournaments and to 
allow permit applicants a 10-day period to make permit category changes 
to correct errors. To accommodate people unable to attend a hearing or 
wishing to provide written comments, NMFS also solicits written 
comments on these proposed rules.

DATES: The public hearings are scheduled as follows:
    1. Tuesday, July 29, 2003-Gloucester, MA 7-9 p.m.
    2. Tuesday, July 29, 2003-Madeira Beach, FL 7-9 p.m.
    3. Friday, August 1, 2003-Silver Spring, MD 1-3 p.m.
    Written comments on the proposed rule regarding swordfish must be 
received by 5 p.m. on August 4, 2003. Written comments on the proposed 
rule regarding bluefin tuna must be received on or before August 8, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: The locations for the public hearings are as follows:
    1. Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930
    2. City Hall, 300 Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708
    3. NOAA Science Center, 1301 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910
    Written comments on the swordfish proposed rule should be sent to: 
Christopher Rogers, Chief, Highly Migratory Species Management 
Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), NMFS, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Comments also may be sent via 
facsimile (fax) to 301-713-1917. Written comments on the bluefin tuna 
proposed rule should be sent to: Brad McHale, Highly Migratory Species 
Management Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), NMFS, One 
Blackburn Dr. Gloucester, MA 01930. Comments also may be sent via 
facsimile (fax) to 978-281-9340. Comments will not be accepted if 
submitted via e-mail or the Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tyson Kade at 301-713-2347 regarding 
the proposed rule for swordfish or Brad McHale at 978- 281-9260 
regarding the proposed rule for bluefin tuna.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed regulations that are the 
subject of the hearings are necessary to address requirements of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act for the 
conservation and management of HMS.Complete descriptions of the 
measures, and the purpose and need for the proposed actions, are 
contained in the proposed rules and are not repeated here. The 
swordfish proposed rule published June 20, 2003 (68 FR 36967), and the 
bluefin tuna proposed rule published July 10, 2003 (68 FR 41103). 
Copies of the proposed rule may be obtained by writing (see ADDRESSES) 
or by calling the listed contact person (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT).

Public Hearings

    The hearings for each proposed rule will be conducted jointly at 
the identified locations (see ADDRESSES). NMFS intends to dedicate half 
of the hearing time to each rule. The public is reminded that NMFS 
expects participants at the public hearings to conduct themselves 
appropriately. At the beginning of each public hearing, a NMFS 
representative will explain the ground rules (e.g., alcohol is 
prohibited from the hearing room; attendees will be called to give 
their comments in the order in which they registered to speak; each 
attendee will have an equal amount of time to speak; and attendees 
should not interrupt one another). The NMFS representative will attempt 
to structure the hearing so that all attending members of the public 
will be able to comment, if they so choose, regardless of the 
controversial nature of the subject(s). Attendees are expected to 
respect the ground rules, and, if they do not, they will be asked to 
leave the hearing.

Special Accommodations

    The public hearings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Tyson Kade (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 7 days prior to the hearing or meeting.

    Dated: July 9, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-17867 Filed 7-14-03; 8:45 am]
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