[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 70 (Monday, April 12, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19147-19148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8234]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 300 and 635

[I.D. 040604C]


International Fisheries; Atlantic Highly Migratory Species

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 public comment 
regarding proposed regulations to establish the Highly Migratory 
Species International Trade Permit and implement reporting requirements 
associated with the international trade of bluefin tuna, bigeye tuna, 
southern bluefin tuna, and swordfish. The proposed rule for this action 
was published in the Federal Register on March 29, 2004.

[[Page 19148]]


DATES: The public hearings will be held in April and May 2004. For 
specific dates and times, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Comments on 
the proposed rule must be received no later than 5 p.m. on May 10, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be held in Miami, FL; New York 
City, NY; Honolulu, HI; Piti, Guam; and Long Beach, CA. For specific 
locations, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Written comments should be 
mailed to Dianne Stephan, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, 
NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA, 01930. Comments may be 
submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for providing e-mail comments 
is [email protected]. Include in the subject line of the e-mail 
comment the following document identifier: Nero HMS Trade Rule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dianne Stephan (Atlantic coast or 
other), 978-281-9397; Raymond Clarke (Western Pacific), 808-973-2935; 
David Hamm (Guam) 808-983-5330, Lori Robinson (Gulf coast), 228-769-
8964; or Patricia J. Donley (West coast), 562-980-4033.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed regulations would implement the 
recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of 
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to track the international trade of swordfish 
and bigeye tuna, would implement the recommendation of the Inter-
American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) to track the international 
trade of bigeye tuna, would require dealers to comply with the southern 
bluefin tuna statistical document program adopted by the Commission for 
the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, and would expand the current 
bluefin tuna statistical document program to include the re-export of 
bluefin tuna. The Atlantic Tuna Conventions Act of 1975 (16 U.S.C. 971 
et seq.) authorizes the promulgation of regulations as may be necessary 
and appropriate to implement ICCAT recommendations. The Tuna 
Conventions Act of 1950 (16 U.S.C. 951 et seq.) authorizes rulemaking 
to carry out IATTC recommendations. A complete description of the 
proposed regulatory measures, as well as the purpose and need for the 
proposed actions, is contained in the proposed rule (March 29, 2004, 69 
FR 16211) and is not repeated here.

Schedule of Public Hearings

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

1. Wednesday, April 21, 2004 - Miami, FL, 1-3 p.m.

    Embassy Suites Hotel, 3974 NW South River Drive, Miami, FL

2. Thursday, April 22, 2004 - New York City, NY, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

    Holiday Inn Wall Street, 15 Gold Street, New York City, NY

3. Thursday, April 29, 2004 - Honolulu, HI, 1-3 p.m.

    NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office, 1601 Kapiolani 
Boulevard, Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI

4. Tuesday, May 4, 2004 - Piti, Guam, 1-3 p.m.

    Port Authority of Guam, 1026 Cabras Highway, Piti, Guam

5. Thursday, May 6, 2004 - Long Beach, CA, 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m.

    NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Regional Office, Glen M. Anderson Federal 
Building, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA

Special Accomodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Dianne Stephan, (978) 281-9397, at 
least 7 days prior to the hearing in question.

    Dated: April 6, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-8234 Filed 4-7-04; 2:22 pm]
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