[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73017-73018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33856]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 120999G]
National Plan of Action for the Reduction of Incidental Catch of
Seabirds in Longline Fisheries
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability; schedule change; public meeting;
request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The United States, through a collaborative effort of NMFS and
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), announces the availability of a
draft National Plan of Action for the Reduction of Incidental Catch of
Seabirds in Longline Fisheries (NPOA-Seabirds). The United States,
through
[[Page 73018]]
NMFS, also announces a schedule change for the NPOA-Seabirds. NMFS will
host a public meeting to receive comments from members of the public on
the draft NPOA-Seabirds. To accommodate people unable to attend a
meeting or wishing to provide written comments, NMFS solicits written
comments on the NPOA-Seabirds.
DATES: A public hearing on the NPOA-Seabirds will be held at 3:00 p.m.
on January 19, 2000. Submit comments on the NPOA-Seabirds to the
appropriate address or fax number by 5:00 p.m. on January 18, 2000.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at NOAA-NMFS Headquarters,
1315 East-West Highway, SSMC3 Room 14836, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Comments on the NPOA-Seabirds may be sent to David Kerstetter, NOAA-
NMFS/SF4, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, or by fax to
301-713-2313. Comments will not be accepted via e-mail or internet.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Kerstetter, 301-713-2276, ext.
107, or fax 301-713-2313.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States, through a collaborative
effort of NMFS and the FWS, is developing a NPOA-Seabirds pursuant to
the endorsement of the International Plan of Action for the Reduction
of Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries by the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Committee on Fisheries
(COFI) Meeting in February 1999. The United States has committed itself
to developing this NPOA-Seabirds and reporting to COFI on its
implementation no later than 2001.
A previous Federal Register document dated September 8, 1999 (64 FR
48987), provided a tentative time frame for the completion of this
project and an outline of the contents of the NPOA-Seabirds. The time
frame has been revised as provided here, and the structure of the NPOA-
Seabirds, but not the content, has been changed. Public comments
received regarding this September 8, 1999, document will be addressed
in the notice of availability of the final NPOA-Seabirds.
Time Frame:
NPOA-Seabirds
December 27, 1999: Release draft NPOA-Seabirds for public comment
via posting of the document on the NMFS web site (www.nmfs.gov). The
document will also be provided in hard copy upon request (see
ADDRESSES).
January 2000: Public comment period on draft NPOA-Seabirds.
January 19, 2000: Public meeting on NPOA-Seabirds.
February 2000: Release final NPOA-Seabirds via a Federal Register
notice of availability and posting on the NMFS web site (www.nmfs.gov).
The document will also be provided in hard copy upon request (see
ADDRESSES).
Special Accommodations
The public meeting is physically accessible to people with
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to David Kerstetter (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 7 days prior to the meeting.
Dated: December 22, 1999.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-33856 Filed 12-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
