[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 182 (Friday, September 19, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 54885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24113]


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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: Rescheduling of public hearings; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: Due to concern regarding the path of Hurricane Isabel, NMFS is 
canceling two public hearings that were previously published in the 
Federal Register on August 12, 2003, and scheduled for September 17, 
2003, in Pawleys Island, SC and September 22, 2003, in Manteo, NC. The 
public hearings are rescheduled for October 1, 2003, in Manteo, NC, and 
October 2, 2003, in Pawleys Island, SC. These hearings are being held 
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). Due to rescheduling the hearings, NMFS is also extending 
the comment period of the proposed rule for Amendment 1, published in 
the Federal Register on August 1, 2003, from September 30, 2003, to 
October 3, 2003.

DATES: The public hearings will be held on:
    1. Wednesday, October 1, 2003, from 7 - 9 p.m. in Manteo, NC, and
    2. Thursday, October 2, 2003, from 7 - 9 p.m. in Pawleys Island, 
SC.
    Comments on the proposed rule for Amendment 1, published at 68 FR 
45196, August 1, 2003, must be received no later than 5 p.m., on 
October 3, 2003.

ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be held in:
    1. North Carolina Aquarium, Roanoke Island, Airport Road, Manteo, 
NC 27954, and
    2. Waccamaw Neck Branch Library, 24 Commerce Dr., Pawleys Island, 
SC 29585.
    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 email or Internet. 
Copies of draft Amendment 1 can be obtained from the HMS website at: 
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hmspg.html.

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 (HMS FMP), finalized in 1999, is implemented by 
regulations at 50 CFR part 635. On August 1, 2003 (68 FR 45196), NMFS 
published in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would amend some 
of the regulations in the HMS FMP. Complete descriptions of the 
measures, as well as the purpose and need for the proposed actions, are 
contained in the proposed rule and are not repeated here.
    On August 12, 2003 (68 FR 47904), NMFS published in the Federal 
Register notice of six public hearings. Due to concern regarding the 
path of Hurricane Isabel, NMFS is canceling and rescheduling two of 
those public hearings. The hearing previously scheduled for September 
17, 2003, in Pawleys Island, SC, is now scheduled for October 2, 2003, 
in Pawleys Island, SC (see DATES and ADDRESSES). The hearing previously 
scheduled for September 22, 2003, in Manteo, NC, is now scheduled for 
October 1, 2003, in Manteo, NC (see DATES and ADDRESSES). The schedule 
for the other public hearings remains unchanged.
    Additionally, in order to incorporate these rescheduled hearings 
during the public comment period, NMFS is extending the public comment 
period on the proposed rule until 5 p.m. on October 3, 2003.
    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

    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: September 16, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-24113 Filed 9-17-03; 1:54 pm]
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