[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 194 (Thursday, October 7, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 60145]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-22597]



[[Page 60145]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 092904B]


Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Scoping Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold nine public hearings to inform the public and obtain comments on 
drafts of Amendment 15 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) and Amendment 24 to the Reef Fish FMP.

DATES: The meetings will be held in October 2004. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for specific dates, locations, and times. Written public 
comments must be received by the Council on or before November 5, 2004.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates, locations, 
and times.
    Written comments should be sent to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery 
Management Council, 3018 North U.S. Highway 301, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL 
33619. Comments may also be submitted via e-mail to 
[email protected].
    Copies of the draft amendments are available by contacting the Gulf 
of Mexico Fishery Management Council at the mailing address or e-mail 
address specified above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Leard, Deputy Executive Director, 
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 813-228-2815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will hold nine public hearings 
to solicit public input on drafts of Amendment 15 to the Coastal 
Migratory Pelagics FMP and Amendment 24 to the Reef Fish FMP (see 
ADDRESSES for information on obtaining these draft amendments). Each of 
these draft amendments contain alternatives to: (1) allow the existing 
commercial permit moratoria to expire, (2) extend the moratoria for an 
additional 5 or 10 years, or (3) replace the moratoria with permanent 
limited access systems that would, in essence, maintain the cap on the 
number of permits indefinitely, or until replaced or eliminated by 
additional actions by the Council. The Council is soliciting public 
comment on these alternatives and on other alternatives not currently 
included in the draft amendments. The Council is soliciting public 
comment on these issues through public hearings, by mail, and by e-
mail.
    Public hearings will be held at the following dates and locations 
beginning at 7 p.m. and concluding no later than 10 p.m.:
    1. Monday, October 18, 2004, Brownsville Events Center, 1 Events 
Center Boulevard, Brownsville, TX 78526; telephone: 956-554-0700;
    2. Tuesday, October 19, 2004, Port Aransas Community Center, 408 
North Allister, Port Aransas, TX 78373; telephone: 361-749-4111;
    3. Tuesday, October 19, 2004, DoubleTree Grand Key Resort, 3990 S. 
Roosevelt Boulevard, Key West, FL 33040; telephone: 888-310-1540 (joint 
public hearing with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council);
    4. Wednesday, October 20, 2004, San Luis Resort,
    5222 Seawall Boulevard, Galveston Island, TX 77651; telephone: 409-
744-1500;
    5. Thursday, October 21, 2004, Grand Isle Community Center, 3811 
Highway 1, Grand Isle, LA 70358; telephone: 985-787-3196;
    6. Monday, October 25, 2004, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
3500 Delwood Beach Road, Panama City, FL 32408; telephone: 850-234-
6541;
    7. Tuesday, October 26, 2004, Riverview Plaza Hotel, 64 South Water 
Street, Mobile, AL 36602; telephone: 251-415-3068;
    8. Wednesday, October 27, 2004, Palace Casino Resort, 158 Howard 
Avenue, Biloxi, MS 39530; telephone: 800-725-2239; and
    9. Thursday, October 28, 2004, Madeira Beach City Hall, 300 
Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708; telephone: 727-391-9951.
    These hearings will be open to the public and physically accessible 
to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation 
or other auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see 
ADDRESSES) by October 12, 2004.

    Dated: September 30, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-22597 Filed 10-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S