[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 142 (Thursday, July 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43026-43027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17393]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD405


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings and scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold a series of public hearings and scoping meetings in August. Public 
hearings will be held for the Generic Accountability Measures and 
Dolphin Allocation Amendment, Amendment 32 to the Snapper Grouper 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) addressing blueline tilefish management 
measures, Regulatory Amendment 20 to the Snapper Grouper FMP addressing 
snowy grouper measures, South Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagic 
Framework Amendment 2 addressing measures for Atlantic Spanish 
mackerel, Amendment 7 to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP and Amendment 33 to the 
Snapper Grouper FMP. The latter amendments address management measures 
for fillets to be transported from The Bahamas into the U.S. Exclusive 
Economic Zone. Public scoping will be held on Amendment 35 to the 
Snapper Grouper FMP (species removal) and Amendment 36 to the Snapper 
Grouper FMP (Spawning Special Management Zones). See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

DATES: The series of public hearings and scoping meetings will be held 
August 6, 2014 through August 14, 2014. The hearings/scoping meetings 
will be held from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. Council staff will present an 
overview of the amendments and will be available for informal 
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 public hearing and scoping topics for 
consideration by the Council. Local Council representatives will attend 
the meetings and take public comment. Written comments will be accepted 
until 5 p.m. on August 18, 2014. 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

[[Page 43027]]

29405. Fax comments to (843) 769-4520. Email all comments to: 
[email protected]. Note: Persons should include the name of the 
amendment or amendments in the ``Subject Line'' of the email message 
when submitting comments via email.
    Copies of the public hearing and scoping documents are available by 
contacting Kim Iverson, Public Information Officer, 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 under 
the Public Hearings & Scoping Meeting page 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:
    Public hearings: The Generic Accountability Measure (AM) and 
Dolphin Allocation Amendment would modify the AM triggering criteria 
for species in the snapper grouper management complex and golden crab 
to help bring consistency across species managed by the Council. The 
amendment could also modify commercial and recreational sector 
allocations for dolphin (mahi mahi). Snapper Grouper Amendment 32 
includes actions to end overfishing and rebuild the blueline tilefish 
stock in the South Atlantic; Snapper Grouper Regulatory Amendment 20 
proposes adjustments to the rebuilding strategy, Acceptable Biological 
Catch, Annual Catch Limit and other management measures for snowy 
grouper. Coastal Migratory Pelagic Framework Amendment 2 includes 
measures to revise the quota and trip limit system for the commercial 
harvest of Atlantic Spanish Mackerel in the Southern Zone (as proposed 
in Amendment 20B, this zone includes the EEZ off of South Carolina, 
Georgia, and the east coast of Florida). Both Dolphin Wahoo Amendment 7 
and Snapper Grouper Amendment 33 address measures to allow recreational 
fishermen to bring fillets from The Bahamas.
    Scoping: Snapper Grouper Amendment 35 includes options to remove 
four species (black snapper, dog snapper, mahogany snapper, and 
schoolmaster) from the Snapper Grouper Management Complex. Snapper 
Grouper Amendment 36 includes options to develop a process for 
identifying spawning sites/aggregations of species in the snapper 
grouper management complex, including speckled hind and warsaw grouper, 
based on the characteristics of sites important for spawning. The 
public is encouraged to provide information on possible spawning areas 
as part of the scoping process. The Council is considering options to 
use Special Management Zones to protect known spawning aggregations.

Public Hearing and Scoping Meeting Schedule

    August 6, 2014--Bay Watch Resort & Conference Center, 2701 S. Ocean 
Boulevard, N. Myrtle Beach, SC 29582; telephone: (834) 272-4600;
    August 7, 2014--The Crystal Coast Civic Center, 3505 Arendell 
Street, Morehead City, NC 28557; telephone: (252) 247-3883;
    August 11, 2014--Key West Marriott Beachside, 3841 N. Roosevelt 
Boulevard, Key West, FL 33040; telephone: (305) 296-8100;
    August 12, 2014--Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront, 1550 N. Atlantic 
Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931; telephone: (321) 799-0003;
    August 13, 2014--Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk, 1515 Prudential 
Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32207; telephone: (904) 396-5100; and
    August 14, 2014--Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, 175 Bourne Avenue, 
Pooler, GA 31322; telephone: (912) 743-8888.

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) 
3 days prior to the start of each meeting.

    Dated: July 18, 2014.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-17393 Filed 7-23-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P