[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 3, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 96-97]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22512]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 635
[I.D. 110206A]
RIN 0648-AU86
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS); U.S. Atlantic Swordfish
Fishery Management Measures
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification of public hearings.
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SUMMARY: NMFS published a proposed rule on November 28, 2006, to amend
regulations governing the U.S. Atlantic swordfish fishery that would
provide a reasonable opportunity for U.S. vessels to more fully harvest
the domestic U.S. North Atlantic swordfish quota. This notice announces
the dates, locations, and times of seven public hearings to obtain
public comment on the proposed rule. Comments received at these
hearings will assist NMFS in selecting management measures to more
fully utilize the International Commission on the Conservation of
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)-recommended U.S. North Atlantic swordfish quota
in recognition of the improved stock status of North Atlantic
swordfish. These public hearings will be combined with scoping meetings
on potential shark management measures that require an amendment to the
Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan
(HMS FMP). Notice of the shark scoping meetings is published today in a
separate Federal Register document.
DATES: Public hearings will be held in January 2007. For specific dates
and times, see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
[[Page 97]]
As published on November 28, 2006 (71 FR 68784), written comments
on the proposed rule must be received no later than 5 p.m. January 31,
2007.
ADDRESSES: Public hearings will be held in Madeira Beach, FL; Fort
Pierce, FL; Destin, FL; Manteo, NC; Houma, LA; Gloucester, MA; and
Manahawkin, NJ. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for details.
As published on November 28, 2006 (71 FR 68784), written comments
on the proposed rule should be mailed to Sari Kiraly, Highly Migratory
Species Management Division by any of the following methods:
E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject line
the following identifier: ``I.D. 110206A.''
Written: 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Please mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on Swordfish
Revitalization Proposed Rule.''
Fax: (301) 713-1917.
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Copies of the Draft Environmental Assessment, proposed rule, the
2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and other relevant documents are available
from the Highly Migratory Species Management Division website at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms or by contacting Sari Kiraly (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sari Kiraly at (301) 713-2347, Michael
Clark at (301) 713-2347, or Richard Pearson (727) 824-5399.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic swordfish fishery is managed
under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act. The Consolidated
HMS FMP is implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 635.
On November 28, 2006 (71 FR 68784), NMFS published a proposed rule
that summarized options that may increase opportunities for U.S.
vessels to fully harvest the ICCAT-recommended U.S. North Atlantic
swordfish quota. That proposed rule would increase swordfish retention
limits for incidental swordfish permit holders, and modify recreational
swordfish retention limits for HMS Charter/Headboat and Angling
category permit holders. The proposed rule would also modify HMS
limited access vessel upgrading restrictions for pelagic longline (PLL)
vessels. These actions would address persistent underharvests of the
domestic swordfish quota, while continuing to minimize bycatch to the
extent practicable, so that swordfish are harvested in a sustainable,
yet economically viable manner. The comment period on the proposed rule
ends on January 31, 2007.
Request for Comments
Seven public hearings will be held in January 2007 to provide the
public an opportunity to comment on proposed swordfish management
measures (November 28, 2006; 71 FR 68784) to be included in the
upcoming final rule. These public hearings will be held in conjunction
with scoping meetings for an amendment to the HMS FMP to gather
comments on implementing future shark management measures. Information
regarding the scoping meetings for potential shark management measures
is published today in a separate Federal Register notice. The time
allotted to swordfish and shark management measures will be distributed
accordingly to provide ample opportunity for the public to comment on
both topics. Time may be split equally or additional time may be
allotted to either shark or swordfish measures, as necessary, depending
on the attendees' primary interests.
Hearing Dates, Times, and Locations
Public hearings for the November 28, 2006 (71 FR 68784) proposed
rule are scheduled as follows:
1. Wednesday, January 17, 2007, 6-9 p.m. Northeast Regional Office,
One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.
2. Thursday, January 18, 2007, 6-9 p.m. City of Madeira Beach, 300
Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708.
3. Thursday, January 18, 2007, 6-9 p.m. Manahawkin Public Library,
129 North Main Street, Manahawkin, NJ 08050.
4. Tuesday, January 23, 2007, 6-9 p.m. Destin Community Center, 101
Stahlman Avenue, Destin, FL 32541.
5. Thursday, January 25, 2007, 6-9 p.m. Bayou Black Recreational
Center, 3688 Southdown Mandalay Road, Houma, LA 70360.
6. Tuesday, January 30, 2007, 6-9 p.m. Fort Pierce Library, 101
Melody Lane, Fort Pierce, FL 34950.
7. Wednesday, January 31, 2007, 6-9 p.m. Manteo Town Hall, 407
Budleigh Street, Manteo, NC 27954.
Public Hearings Code of Conduct
The public is reminded that NMFS expects participants at the public
hearings to conduct themselves appropriately. At the beginning of each
hearing, a representative of NMFS will explain the ground rules (e.g.,
alcohol is prohibited from the hearing room; attendees will be called
to give their comments in the order in which they registered to speak;
each attendee will have an equal amount of time to speak; and attendees
should not interrupt one another). The NMFS representative will attempt
to structure the hearing so that all attending members of the public
will be able to comment, if they so choose, regardless of the
controversial nature of the subject(s). Attendees are expected to
respect the ground rules, and, if they do not, they will be asked to
leave the hearing.
Special Accommodations
The hearings are physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Michael Clark (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT) at least 7 days prior to the hearing.
Authority: 16 U.S.C et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 26, 2006.
Karyl K. Brewster-Geisz,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-22512 Filed 12-29-06; 8:45 am]
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