[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 177 (Wednesday, September 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54030-54031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15197]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 081606A]


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; U.S. Atlantic Swordfish 
Fishery Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice; additional public meeting.

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SUMMARY: On August 31, 2006, NMFS published in the Federal Register a 
notice announcing five public meetings to obtain from U.S. Atlantic 
swordfish fishery participants and other members of the public 
recommendations regarding potential management measures so as to fully 
harvest the swordfish quota allocated to the United States by the 
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas 
(ICCAT). In response to requests from swordfish fishery participants in 
South Florida, NMFS is adding an additional meeting in Fort Lauderdale, 
FL, in September 2006.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on September 27, 2006, from 7-9 
p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the Broward County Main 
Library, 100 South Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sari Kiraly at (301) 713-2347.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A notice announcing five public meetings (in 
Houma, LA; Manahawkin, NJ; Peabody, MA; Manteo, NC; and Panama City, 
FL) to obtain recommendations regarding potential management measures 
so as to fully harvest the Atlantic swordfish quota allocated to the 
United States by ICCAT was published in the Federal Register on August 
31, 2006 (71 FR 51803). This notice announces an additional meeting.

Background

    The U.S. Atlantic swordfish fishery is managed under the Fishery 
Management Plan for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish and Sharks, and 
regulations at 50 CFR part 635 under the authority of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et 
seq.) and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA) (16 U.S.C. 971 et 
seq.). Regulations issued under the authority of ATCA implement the 
recommendations of ICCAT. In the last several years, the U.S. Atlantic 
swordfish fishery has not fully harvested the available quota allocated 
by ICCAT. The adjusted 2005 North Atlantic swordfish total quota was 
6,336.1 mt dw, which included a baseline quota of 2,937.6 and a quota 
carry-over of 3,398.5 mt dw. The total U.S. North Atlantic quota 
allocation for the 2006 fishing year is 2,937.6 mt dw, and the carry-
over is yet to be determined. NMFS anticipates that the pending 
September 2006 stock assessment may identify the North Atlantic 
swordfish stock as fully rebuilt. Fishermen and others have asked NMFS 
to assist in revitalizing this fishery. Also, at its November 2006 
meeting ICCAT will likely review swordfish management measures and 
quota allocations. Therefore, NMFS is considering potential management 
measures for the U.S. Atlantic swordfish fishery that would address 
factors limiting the ability to catch the allocated quota, and to aid 
in revitalizing the fishery so that swordfish are harvested in a 
sustainable and economically viable manner, while bycatch is minimized 
to the extent practicable. At the September 27, 2006 public meeting 
NMFS wishes to obtain recommendations from swordfish fishery 
participants and other members of the public regarding potential 
management measures for the fishery to fully harvest the available 
quota.

[[Page 54031]]

Special Accommodations

    The meeting will be physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Sari Kiraly at (301) 713-2347, no 
later than September 20, 2006.

    Dated: September 7, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-15197 Filed 9-12-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S