[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 229 (Friday, November 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70855-70856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28065]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD642


Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC); Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings, request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is developing an 
Amendment to the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management 
Plan (called the Cost Recovery Amendment) that will address cost 
recovery in these fisheries, how stock status determination criteria 
are updated, and optimum yield ranges in the plan.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted from December 15, 2014 until 
January 16, 2015. Four public hearings will be held during this comment 
period. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates, times, and locations.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent by any of the following 
methods:
     Email to the following address: 
[email protected]; Include ``Cost Recovery Amendment 
Comments'' in the subject line;
     Mail or hand deliver to Dr. Christopher M. Moore, 
Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 North 
State Street, Suite 201, Dover, Delaware 19901. Mark the outside of the 
envelope ``Cost Recovery Amendment Comments''; or
     Fax to (302) 674-5399.
     A Web form for submitting comments is available on the 
Council's Web site: http://www.mafmc.org/comments/costrecoveryamendment. The draft Amendment document may be obtained 
from the Council office at the previously provided address, or by 
request to the Council by telephone (302) 674-2331, or via the Internet 
at http://www.mafmc.org.
     Comments may also be provided verbally at any of the four 
public hearings. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for dates, times, and 
locations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Christopher M. Moore, Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council, 800 North State Street, Suite 201, Dover, 
DE 19901, (telephone (302) 674-2331). The Council's Web site, 
www.mafmc.org also has details on the meeting location, webinar listen-
in access, and public hearing materials.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is developing this 
Amendment to the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management 
Plan (called the Cost Recovery Amendment) to implement (1) measures for 
collecting fees and recovering costs associated with the management of 
the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog individual transferrable quota 
fisheries, (2) measures that facilitate incorporation of revised stock 
status determination criteria (i.e., biological reference points) for 
surfclams and ocean quahogs into the Fishery Management Plan, and (3) 
measures that would modify or eliminate the optimum yield (OY) ranges 
for surfclam and ocean quahog currently in the plan.
    The Amendment contains a range of management alternatives under 
consideration by the Council, and their expected impacts as indicated 
by the Environmental Assessment. During the public comment period, 
which will include public hearings, the public may comment on any 
aspect of the draft Amendment. Following a review of the comments and 
further development of alternatives, the Council will choose preferred 
management measures and submit the Amendment to the Secretary of 
Commerce for approval and publication of proposed and final rules, both 
of which have additional comment periods.

Public Hearings

    The dates and locations of the public hearings are as follows.
     Monday, January 12, 2015. 6:30 p.m. Hilton Garden Inn 
Providence Airport, 1 Thurber Street, Warwick, Rhode Island, 02886, 
telephone: (401) 734-9600;
     Tuesday, January 13, 2015. 6 p.m. Internet webinar, 
Connection information to be available at http://www.mafmc.org or by 
contacting the Council (see ADDRESSES above);
     Wednesday, January 14, 2015. 6:30 p.m. The Grand Hotel, 
1045 Beach Avenue, Cape May, New Jersey 08204, telephone: (609) 884-
5611; and

[[Page 70856]]

     Thursday, January 15, 2015. 6:00 p.m. Ocean Pines Branch 
Library, 11107 Cathell Road, Berlin, MD 21811, telephone: (410) 208-
4014.

Special Accommodations

    These public hearings are accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should 
be directed to Kathy Collins, (302) 526-5253, at least 5 days prior to 
the meeting date.

    Dated: November 21, 2014.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-28065 Filed 11-26-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P