[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 170 (Friday, August 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44575-44576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18978]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG452


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold a series of scoping meetings pertaining to Amendment 47 to the 
Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan of the South Atlantic Region 
addressing modifications to the South Atlantic Charter/Headboat for 
Snapper-Grouper permit.

DATES: The series of scoping meetings will be held from October 1 
through November 1, 2018. All meetings will begin at 6 p.m.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.
    Council address: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 4055 
Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, N Charleston, SC 29405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, Public Information 
Officer, SAFMC; phone: (843) 571-4366 or toll free: (866) SAFMC-10; 
fax: (843) 769-4520; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public scoping comments are being solicited 
for measures proposed in draft Amendment 47 to the Snapper Grouper 
Fishery Management Plan of the South Atlantic Region addressing 
modifications to the federal South Atlantic Charter/Headboat for 
Snapper-Grouper permit (for-hire permit). Public scoping occurs early 
in the amendment development process and the Council is soliciting 
input on proposed options that include a moratorium on for-hire 
permits, options for the start date of a moratorium, exceptions for 
eligibility, transferability of for-hire permits, options to allow new 
entrants, establishing a for-hire permits pool, creating multiple for-
hire permit types, and implementing a time limit or sunset

[[Page 44576]]

provision for a moratorium on for-hire permits. Options are also being 
considered for modifying the current permit condition that specifies a 
harvest prohibition on snapper grouper species in state water when the 
species is closed to harvest in federal waters, issuing a for-hire 
permit for an individual rather than a vessel, and attaching a 
consistent identifying number to the federal for-hire permit in a 
similar manner as is applied to limited entry permits.
    Council staff will provide an overview of options being considered 
for draft Snapper Grouper Amendment 47 and answer questions during each 
scoping meeting. Public comments will be accepted at each scoping 
meeting location on the specified date.

In-Person Scoping Meetings

1. October 1, 2018--Safe Harbor Seafood, 4371 Ocean Street, 
Jacksonville, FL 32233; Phone: (904) 247-0255
2. October 2, 2018--Eau Gallie Civic Center, 1551 Highland Avenue, 
Melbourne, FL 32935; Phone: (321) 608-7400
3. October 3, 2018--Loxahatchee River Center, 805 North U.S. Highway 
One, Jupiter, FL 33477; Phone: (561) 743-7123
4. October 4, 2018, Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, Key 
West, FL 33040; Phone: (305) 295-4385
5. October 9, 2018--Coastal Electric Cooperative, 1265 South Coastal 
Highway, Midway, GA 31320; Phone: (912) 884-3311
6. October 9, 2018--Jennette's Pier, 7223 South Virginia Dare Trail, 
Nags Head, NC 27959; Phone: (252) 255-1501
7. October 10, 2018--North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries 
Central District Office, 5285 Highway 70W, Morehead City, NC 28557; 
Phone: (252) 808-8011
8. October 11, 2018--Cape Fear Museum, 814 Market Street, Wilmington, 
NC 28401; Phone: (910) 798-4362
9. October 29, 2018--Murrells Inlet Community Center, 4462 Murrells 
Inlet Road, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576; Phone: (843) 545-3651
10. October 30, 2018--Haddrells Point Fin to Feather, 887 Ben Sawyer 
Boulevard, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464; Phone: (843) 881-3644
11. November 1, 2018--Hilton Head Boat House, 405 Squire Pope Road, 
Hilton Head, SC 29926; Phone: (843) 681-2628

Submitting Written Comments

    The Council requests that written comments be submitted using the 
online public comment form available from the Council's website. All 
comments submitted using the online form will be automatically posted 
to the website and accessible for Council members and the public to 
view. The direct link to the Public Hearing and Scoping meeting page 
and the public comment form is: http://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings. Written comments may also be submitted by 
mail or FAX. All written comments are due by 5 p.m. on November 5, 
2018.
    Comments may be submitted by mail to: Gregg Waugh, Executive 
Director, SAFMC, 4055 Faber Place Drive, Suite 201, North Charleston, 
SC 29405. Fax comments to 843/769-4520.
    The Snapper Grouper Amendment 47 scoping document, public comment 
form, and other relevant materials will be posted on the Council's 
website as they become available.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for auxiliary aids should be directed to the 
council office (see ADDRESSES) 3 days prior to the meeting.

    Note: The times and sequence specified in this agenda are 
subject to change.


    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: August 28, 2018.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-18978 Filed 8-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P