[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 198 (Friday, October 11, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 54847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22290]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XV103


South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
hold a series of scoping meetings via webinar (with listening stations 
in North Carolina) pertaining to Regulatory Amendment 34 to the Snapper 
Grouper Fishery Management Plan for the South Atlantic Region. The 
amendment would designate artificial reefs in the federal waters off 
North Carolina and South Carolina as Special Management Zones (SMZ) and 
implement fishing gear restrictions within the SMZs.

DATES: The public scoping meetings will be held via webinar (with 
listening stations in North Carolina) on October 28-30, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held via webinar.
    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: The scoping meetings will be conducted via 
webinar with assigned listening stations (in North Carolina only). The 
scoping meetings will begin at 6 p.m. Registration for the webinars is 
required. Registration information will be posted on the Council's 
website at https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/ as it becomes available. Listening stations will be available 
at the following locations:

October 28, 2019 Webinar

    Dare County Administration Building, 954 Marshall Collins Dr. 
(Commissioners Meeting Room), Manteo, NC 27954; Phone: (252) 475-5555.

October 29, 2019 Webinar

    N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Central District Office, 5285 
Highway 70 West, Morehead City, NC 28557; Phone: (252) 726-7021.

October 30, 2019 Webinar

    N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries Southern District Office, 127 
Cardinal Drive Extension, Wilmington, NC 28405; Phone: (910) 796-7215.

Regulatory Amendment 34 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan

    The draft regulatory amendment contains proposed actions to:
    Establish 30 Special Management Zones at permitted artificial reef 
sites in federal waters off the coast of North Carolina. Within the 
SMZs, harvest of snapper grouper species would be allowed with 
handline, rod and reel, and spear. All harvest by spear would be 
limited to the applicable recreational bag limit.
    Establish four additional SMZs at permitted artificial reef sites 
in federal waters off the coast of South Carolina. Within the SMZs, 
harvest of snapper grouper species would only be allowed with handline, 
rod and reel, and spear (without powerheads) and harvest would be 
limited to the applicable recreational bag limit.
    During the scoping meetings, Council staff will present an overview 
of the draft amendment and will be available for informal discussions 
and to answer questions via webinar. Area Council members will be 
present at each of the Listening Stations. Members of the public will 
have an opportunity to go on record to record their comments for 
consideration by the Council. A public comment form will also be 
available online. The comment form, a copy of the Regulatory Amendment 
34 Scoping Document, and additional information will be posted on the 
Council's website as it becomes available at: https://safmc.net/safmc-meetings/public-hearings-scoping-meetings/.

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 public hearings.

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


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

    Dated: October 8, 2019.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-22290 Filed 10-10-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P