[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 81 (Wednesday, April 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22834-22835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10637]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 042199G]
Caribbean Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
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SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a
series of fact-finding meetings in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates.
ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific locations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caribbean Fishery Management Council,
268 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, PR 00918-2577,
telephone: (787) 766-5926.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Tuesday May 11, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Location: Conference Room, Legislature Building, Charlotte Amalie,
St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
Wednesday, May 12, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Location: Conference Room, Legislature Building, St. John, U.S.V.I.
Thursday, May 13, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Location: Conference Room, Caravelle Hotel, 44A Queen Cross Street,
Christinasted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.
Monday, May 17, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Location: Refugio Las Marias, Vieques, PR
Tuesday, May 18, 1999 -- 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: El Meson Criollo, Carr. 987, Km. 3.2, Fajardo, PR
Tuesday May 18, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Location: Conference Room, Casa Alcaldia of Naguabo, Naguabo, PR
Wednesday, May 19, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
[[Page 22835]]
Location: Conference Room, Ponce Hilton Hotel, 1150 Ave. Caribe,
Ponce, PR
Thursday, May 20, 1999 -- 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Conference Room, Villa Parguera Hotel, 304 St., Km. 3.3,
La Parguera, Lajas, PR
Thursday, May 20, 1999 -- 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Location: Conference Room, Joyuda Beach Hotel, Rd. 102, Bo. Joyuda,
Cabo Rojo, PR
Friday, May 21, 1999 -- 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Location: Centro Comunal of Barrio Jarealito, Arecibo, PR
The Caribbean Fishery Management Council will hold a series of fact
finding meetings in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islanda to obtain
input from fishery and the general public on possible management
measures proposed by, among others, Project Reef Keeper and some
concerned citizens. The first of the proposed measures is the phasing
out of fish traps in around ten years. The idea here is to avoid the
damage to the reef and fish species when traps are deployed on top of
reefs, and when these are lost continuing killing fish for a long time.
The Council has not taken a position on this or any of the measures
that are to be discussed at the meetings. The other two measures the
Council need comments on are the banning of gill nets and the
prohibition to use SCUBA gear to fish for queen conch, lobster and some
reef fishes, the commercial and/or recreational fisheries. The
proponents of these measures believe that the use of gill nets is
jeopardizing the recovery of the already over-exploited resources.
Furthermore, there is the notion that SCUBA is the main reason why the
stocks of queen conch and lobster are so depleted. The Council wishes
to find more information on these important and drastic measures before
the preparation of an option paper that could initiate the process of
development of amendments to the fishery management plans to ban any of
these methods of fishing written statements regarding agenda issues.
Although other issues not contained in this agenda may come before
this Council for discussion, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act, those issues may not be the
subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted
to those issues specifically identified in this notice.
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically accessible to people with
disabilities. For more information or request for sign language
interpretation and/other auxiliary aids, please contact Mr. Miguel A.
Rolon, Executive Director, Carribbean Fishery Management Council, 268
Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, PR 00918-2577, telephone:
(787) 766-5926, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: April 22, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-10637 Filed 4-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
