[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 59580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-22343]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 092904D]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries; Public Hearing on Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Pacific Islands Regional Office of NMFS, in coordination 
with the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, will hold a public 
hearing in Honolulu, HI, to receive comments on a draft environmental 
impact statement (DEIS) for management measures being considered for 
the domestic pelagic fisheries in the Pacific Ocean. The DEIS describes 
and assesses the likely environmental impacts of a range of 
alternatives for two fishery management actions. The first action is 
aimed at cost-effectively reducing the potentially harmful effects of 
fishing by Hawaii-based longline vessels on seabirds. The second is 
aimed at establishing an effective management framework for pelagic 
squid fisheries in the Pacific, including fishing activities within the 
exclusive economic zone of the U.S. and on the high seas. The first 
action would be taken through the Fishery Management Plan for the 
Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (FMP), under the 
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act. The second action would be taken both through the FMP and under 
the authority of the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act.

DATES: Public hearings will be held as follows: Wednesday, October 6, 
2004, from 5 to 7 p.m., on Hawaii Island in Hilo, HI; Thursday, October 
7, 2004, from 6 to 8 p.m., on Oahu Island in Honolulu, HI; and Friday, 
October 8, 2004, on Kauai Island in Lihue, HI. All times are Hawaii 
Standard Time.

ADDRESSES: The public hearings will be held at the following locations: 
On Hawaii Island at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, Campus Center, 
Room 301, 200 W. Kawili St., Hilo, HI; On Oahu Island at the office of 
the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1164 Bishop Street, 
Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI; On Kauai Island, at Kamakahelei Middle 
School, Room E-101, 4431 Nuhou St., Lihue, HI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Graham, NMFS, 808-973-2937.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS was made available to the public on 
August 27, 2004, as described in a Notice of Availability published in 
the Federal Register by the Environmental Protection Agency on that 
date. The public comment period for the DEIS ends October 12, 2004.
    To obtain a copy of the DEIS or for additional information, contact 
NMFS (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). The DEIS is also available 
on the Internet at http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/pir/.

Special Accommodations

    This hearing is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Tom Graham, 808-973-2937 (voice) or 808-973-2941 
(fax), by October 6, 2004.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., and 16 U.S.C. 5501 et seq.

    Dated: September 30, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-22343 Filed 10-4-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S