[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 2460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-541]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN: 0648-XF02


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold a series of public scoping meetings regarding a proposed 
Comprehensive Allocation Amendment, Amendment 17 to the Snapper Grouper 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the South Atlantic, Amendment 18 to 
the Snapper Grouper FMP for the South Atlantic, and commercial 
allocation of the South Atlantic king mackerel quota. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

DATES: The series of 5 public scoping meetings will be held February 4 
- 7, 2008 and February 20, 2008. All scoping meetings will be open from 
2 p.m. - 5 p.m. and from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Council staff and area Council 
members will be available for informal round table discussions and to 
answer questions. Members of the public will have an opportunity to go 
on record at any time during the meeting hours to record their comments 
on the scoping issues for Council consideration. Written comments must 
be received in the South Atlantic Council's office by 5 p.m. on 
February 22, 2008. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Bob Mahood, Executive 
Director, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber Place 
Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405, or via email to: 
[email protected] for the Comprehensive Allocation Amendment; 
[email protected] for Amendment 17 to the Snapper Grouper FMP; 
[email protected] for Amendment 18 to the Snapper Grouper FMP; 
and [email protected] for the commercial king mackerel quota 
allocation comments. Copies of the scoping documents are available from 
Kim Iverson, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 Faber 
Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, SC 29405; telephone: (843) 
571-4366 or toll free at (866) SAFMC-10. Copies will also be available 
online at www.safmc.net as they become available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North 
Charleston, SC 29405; telephone: (843) 571-4366; fax: (843) 769-4520; 
email address: [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Meeting Dates and Locations:

    The scoping meetings will be held at the following locations:
    1. February 4, 2008 - The Mutiny Hotel, 2951 South Bayshore Drive, 
Coconut Grove, FL 33133, telephone: (305) 441-2100;
    2. February 5, 2008 - Radisson Resort at the Port, 8701 Astronaut 
Boulevard, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920, telephone: (321) 784-0000;
    3. February 6, 2008 - Quality Inn, 125 Venure Drive, Brunswick, GA 
31525, telephone: (912) 265-4600;
    4. February 7, 2008 - Sheraton New Bern, 100 Middle Street, New 
Bern, NC 28560, telephone: (252) 638-3585;
    5. February 20, 2008 - Hilton Garden Inn, 5265 International Blvd., 
North Charleston, South CA 29418, telephone: (843) 308-9331.
    The public scoping meetings will address overlapping fisheries 
issues for the South Atlantic region. These include: (1) A 
Comprehensive Allocation Amendment - the Council is considering this 
amendment to address commercial and recreational sector allocations of 
species under its jurisdiction in order to meet the Annual Catch Limit 
requirements; (2) Amendment 17 to the Snapper Grouper FMP - addressing 
requirements to establish Annual Catch Limits and Accountability 
Measures for overfished species by 2010 as specified in the 
Reauthorized Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 
reduction of bycatch for deepwater snapper grouper species, options for 
the black sea bass pot and longline gear snapper grouper fisheries, 
changes to the golden tilefish fishing year, a 6-month winter closure 
for the snowy grouper fishery, extension of the management unit (and 
regulations) through the Mid-Atlantic Council's area of jurisdiction, 
golden tilefish allocations, and possible removal of some species from 
the snapper grouper fishery management unit; (3) Amendment 18 to the 
Snapper Grouper FMP - addressing possible Limited Access Privilege 
Programs for the commercial snapper grouper fishery; and (4) Commercial 
allocation of the commercial king mackerel fishery. With possible 
reductions in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for South Atlantic king 
mackerel, the Council is looking at options to ensure allocations of 
the commercial quota are fairly distributed from North Carolina to 
Florida.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are 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 3 days prior to the start of each meeting.

    Dated: January 10, 2008.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-541 Filed 1-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S