[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 5, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58177-58178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-20002]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

[I.D. 051603C]
RIN 0648-AQ65


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Amendments to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, and Sharks and the 
Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Billfish

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

ACTION: Extension of comment period; rescheduling of the Joint Advisory 
Panel meeting.

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SUMMARY: Due to the need to reschedule three public hearings regarding 
the draft Consolidated Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP), and the extended recovery period needed for the 
Gulf region constituents from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, NMFS is 
extending the comment period to provide adequate opportunity for public 
comment on the draft Consolidated HMS FMP and its proposed rule. NMFS 
is extending the comment period until March 1, 2006. The original 
comment period was scheduled to conclude on October 18, 2005. The three 
public hearings were cancelled in Federal Register documents on 
September 7 and 23, 2005. The draft Consolidated HMS FMP and its 
proposed rule describe a range of management measures that could impact 
fishermen and dealers for all HMS fisheries. NMFS is also rescheduling 
the October 11-13, 2005, HMS and Billfish Advisory Panels (AP) meeting 
to February 21-23, 2006. The intent of this meeting is to consider 
alternatives for the conservation and management of HMS as presented in 
the draft Consolidated HMS FMP and its proposed rule.

DATES: Written comments on the August 19, 2005 (70 FR 48804), proposed 
rule and the draft HMS FMP must be received no later than 5 p.m. on 
March 1, 2006.
    The rescheduled AP meeting will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on 
Tuesday, February 21, 2006, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, 
February 22, 2006, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 23, 
2006.

ADDRESSES: The AP meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn, 8777 Georgia 
Avenue (Rt. 97), Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    Written comments on the proposed rule and draft HMS FMP may be 
submitted to Karyl Brewster-Geisz, Highly Migratory Species Management 
Division by any of the following:
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject line 
the following identifier: Atlantic HMS FMP.
     Mail: 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 
Please mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on Draft HMS FMP.''
     Fax: 301-427-2592.
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    Copies of the draft HMS FMP and other relevant documents are 
available on the Highly Migratory Species Management Division's website 
at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms or by contacting Karyl Brewster-Geisz at 
301-713-2347.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information concerning the 
draft Consolidated HMS FMP and its proposed rule contact: Karyl 
Brewster-Geisz, Margo Schulze-Haugen, or Heather Stirratt at 301-713-
2347 or fax 301-713-1917; Russ Dunn at 727-824-5399 or fax 727-824-
5398; or Mark Murray-Brown at 978-281-9260 or fax 978-281-9340. For 
information regarding the rescheduled AP meeting contact Heather 
Stirratt at the specified number above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic HMS fisheries are managed under 
the dual authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the

[[Page 58178]]

Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA). The FMP for Atlantic Tunas, 
Swordfish, and Sharks, finalized in 1999, the FMP for Atlantic 
Billfish, finalized in 1988, and amendments to those FMPs are 
implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 635.
    On August 19, 2005 (70 FR 48804), NMFS published a proposed rule, 
requested comments on the draft Consolidated HMS FMP, and scheduled 24 
public hearings throughout September and October 2005 to receive 
comments from fishery participants and other members of the public 
regarding the proposed rule and draft Consolidated HMS FMP. On 
September 7, 2005 (70 FR 53146), NMFS announced the cancellation of two 
public hearings (in New Orleans, LA, and Orange Beach, AL) due to 
Hurricane Katrina and one meeting location change. Later, on September 
23, 2005 (70 FR 55814), NMFS announced the cancellation of a third 
public hearing (in Key West, FL) due to Hurricane Rita. NMFS intends to 
reschedule all three public hearings at a later date and will publish 
the dates, times, and locations of those hearings in the Federal 
Register. In order to incorporate these rescheduled hearings into the 
public comment period, and to provide adequate opportunities for public 
comment by constituents, NMFS is extending the public comment period on 
the proposed rule and draft HMS FMP to 5 p.m., March 1, 2006.
    Finally, NMFS has cancelled the October 11-13, 2005, AP meeting, 
and rescheduled the meeting for February 21-23, 2006, at the Holiday 
Inn in Silver Spring, MD.

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 561 and 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: September 30, 2005.
John H. Dunnigan,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-20002 Filed 9-30-05; 3:16 pm]
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