[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 155 (Tuesday, August 12, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 47904-47905]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20516]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

[I.D. 010903D]


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS); Atlantic Shark 
Management Measures

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 six public hearings to receive comments from 
fishery participants and other members of the public regarding proposed 
shark regulations and draft Amendment 1 to the Fishery Management Plan 
for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish and Sharks (Amendment 1). The proposed 
rule for Amendment 1, published in the Federal Register on August 1, 
2003, and would change among other things, the rebuilding timeframe for 
LCS, the commercial regulations, the recreational regulations, and 
implement a number of measures to reduce bycatch. Additionally, 
Amendment 1 also proposes updates to essential fish habitat (EFH) 
identifications for sandbar, blacktip, finetooth, dusky, and nurse 
sharks.

DATES: The public hearings will be held in August and September 2003. 
For specific dates and times, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Comments 
on the proposed rule and Amendment 1 must be received no later than 5 
p.m., on September 30, 2003.

ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be held in New Orleans, LA; Madeira 
Beach, FL; Montauk, NY; Pawleys Island, SC; Manteo, NC; and Atlantic 
Beach, FL. For specific locations, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. 
Written comments on this action should be mailed to Christopher Rogers, 
Chief, NMFS Highly Migratory Species Management Division, 1315 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; or faxed to (301) 713-1917. 
Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or Internet. 
Copies of draft Amendment 1 can be obtained from the HMS website at: 
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/

[[Page 47905]]

hmspg.html, or by contacting Karyl Brewster-Geisz, Heather Stirratt, or 
Chris Rilling at (301) 713-2347 or Greg Fairclough at (727) 570-5741.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karyl Brewster-Geisz, Heather 
Stirratt, or Chris Rilling at (301) 713-2347 or Greg Fairclough at 
(727) 570-5741.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic shark fisheries are managed 
under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act. The Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Tunas, 
Swordfish, and Sharks, finalized in 1999, is implemented by regulations 
at 50 CFR part 635. Complete descriptions of the measures, as well as 
the purpose and need for the proposed actions, are contained in the 
proposed rule (August 1, 2003, 68 FR 45196 and Amendment 1) and are not 
repeated here.
    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.

Schedule of Public Hearings

    The dates, times, and locations of the meetings are scheduled as 
follows:

1. Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - New Orleans, LA, 7-9 p.m.

    New Orleans Airport Hilton Hotel, 901 Airline Drive, Kenner, 
Louisiana

2. Thursday, September 4, 2003 - Madeira Beach, FL, 7-9 p.m.

    City of Madeira Beach, 300 Municipal Dr., Madeira Beach, FL 33708

3. Monday, September 8, 2003 - Montauk, NY, 7-9 p.m.

    Montauk Fire House, 12 Flamingo Avenue, Montauk, NY 11954

4. Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - Pawleys Island, SC, 7-9 p.m.

    Waccamaw Neck Branch Library, 24 Commerce Dr., Pawleys Island, SC 
29585

5. Monday, September 22, 2003 - Manteo, NC, 7-9 p.m.

    North Carolina Aquarium, Roanoke Island, Airport Road, Manteo, NC 
27954

6. Thursday, September 25, 2003 - Atlantic Beach, FL, 7-9 p.m.

    City of Atlantic Beach, Atlantic Beach City Chambers, 800 Seminole 
Rd., Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Heather Stirratt, (301) 713-2347, 
at least 7 days prior to the hearing in question.

    Dated: August 7, 2003.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable FIsheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-20516 Filed 8-11-03; 8:45 am]
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