[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 191 (Wednesday, October 3, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 56330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19544]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

RIN 0648-AU89


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management 
Measures; Amendment 2 to the Consolidated Highly Migratory Species 
Fishery Management Plan

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: Due to public, Regional Fishery Management Council, and 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission requests, NMFS is extending 
the comment period to provide additional opportunity for public comment 
on the draft Amendment 2 to the Consolidated Highly Migratory Species 
(HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and its proposed rule. NMFS is 
extending the comment period until November 2, 2007. The original 
comment period was scheduled to conclude on October 10, 2007. The draft 
Amendment 2 to the Consolidated HMS FMP and its proposed rule describe 
a range of management measures that could impact fishermen and dealers 
for HMS fisheries.

DATES: The deadline for receiving written comments on the July 27, 2007 
(72 FR 41392), proposed rule and the draft Amendment 2 to the 
Consolidated HMS FMP is extended from October 10, 2007, to 5 p.m. on 
November 2, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 0648-AU89, by any one 
of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov 
or by email to [email protected]. Please write in the subject line 
``Comment on Amendment 2.''
     Fax: 301-713-1917, Attn: Michael Clark
     Mail: Attn: Michael Clark, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910. Please mark the outside of the envelope ``Comment on 
Amendment 2.''
    INSTRUCTIONS: All comments received are part of the public record 
and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without 
change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, 
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly 
accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or 
otherwise sensitive or protected information.
    NMFS will accept anonymous comments. Attachments to electronic 
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or 
Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Copies of the draft Amendment 2 to the Consolidated HMS FMP and 
other relevant documents are available on the HMS Management Division's 
website at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms or by contacting HMS at 301-713-
2347.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information concerning the 
draft Amendment 2 to the Consolidated HMS FMP and its proposed rule, 
contact: Michael Clark at 301-713-2347 or fax 301-713-1917; or Jackie 
Wilson at 240-338-3936 or fax 404-806-9188.

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 Atlantic Tunas Convention 
Act (ATCA). The Consolidated HMS FMP, finalized in 2006, and amendments 
to that FMP are implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 635.
    On July 27, 2007 (72 FR 41392), NMFS published a proposed rule that 
requested comments on the draft Amendment 2 to the Consolidated HMS 
FMP, and scheduled 10 public hearings throughout August and September 
2007 to receive comments from fishery participants and other members of 
the public regarding the proposed rule and draft Amendment 2 to the 
Consolidated HMS FMP. NMFS has since received many requests to extend 
the comment period in order to allow for more adequate comment 
submissions. In order to accommodate these requests and to provide 
additional opportunities for public comment by constituents, NMFS is 
extending the public comment period on the proposed rule and draft 
Amendment 2 to the Consolidated HMS FMP to 5 p.m., November 2, 2007.

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

    Dated: September 28, 2007.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-19544 Filed 10-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S