[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 169 (Friday, August 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 45734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-18813]
[[Page 45734]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XT015
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Fisheries; Pelagic Longline Fishery Management
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public hearing.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces an additional public hearing for a
proposed rule NMFS published on July 12, 2019. The proposed rule would
adjust regulatory measures that reduce bluefin tuna bycatch in the
pelagic longline fishery for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS).
DATES: The public hearing will be held at the Greater Atlantic Regional
Fisheries Office in Gloucester, MA on September 19, 2019, from 5 p.m.-7
p.m. Comments on the proposed rule must be submitted on or before
September 30, 2019. For the specific date, time, and address
information see the ADDRESSES section of this document.
ADDRESSES: NMFS will hold a public hearing on the proposed rule to
adjust regulatory measures that reduce bluefin tuna bycatch in the
pelagic longline fishery for Atlantic HMS on September 19, 2019 from 5
p.m.-7 p.m. at the following address: National Marine Fisheries
Service, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, Hearing Room A, 55
Great Republic Dr, Gloucester, MA 01930.
You may submit comments on the proposed rule, identified by NOAA-
NMFS-2018-0035, by any one of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2018-0035, click the
``Comment Now'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach
your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Craig Cockrell, NMFS/SF1,
1315 East-West Highway, National Marine Fisheries Service, SSMC3,
Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Instructions: Please include the identifier NOAA-NMFS-2018-0035
when submitting comments. Comments sent by any other method, to any
other address or individual, or received after the close of the comment
period, may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part
of the public record and generally will be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address), confidential business information,
or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender
will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter
``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Cudney, 727-824-5399 or Craig
Cockrell, 301-427-8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Need for Additional Hearing
On July 12, 2019, NMFS published a proposed rule in the Federal
Register (84 FR 33205) that would adjust regulatory measures put in
place to reduce bluefin tuna bycatch in the pelagic longline fishery
for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS). Specifically, the proposed
measures address the Northeastern United States Closed Area, the Cape
Hatteras Gear Restricted Area, and the Spring Gulf of Mexico Gear
Restricted Area as well as the weak hook requirement in the Gulf of
Mexico.
In the proposed rule, NMFS scheduled a hearing in Gloucester, MA on
July 16, 2019. Recently, NMFS has received feedback from the public
that there was not a sufficient amount of time (i.e., three business
days) between publication of the proposed rule and the date of the
public hearing in Gloucester, MA for news of the hearing to be shared
across information networks to interested constituents. Therefore, NMFS
is scheduling this additional hearing (see ADDRESSES) in Gloucester, MA
to gather additional comment from the affected public in this area.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 27, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-18813 Filed 8-29-19; 8:45 am]
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