99-19173. Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources; Public Hearings

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 27, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 40544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19173]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 071699E]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources; Public Hearings

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will 
convene four public hearings on Draft Amendment 12 to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Coastal Migratory Pelagics in the Gulf of Mexico 
and South Atlantic (draft Amendment 12) and its draft environmental 
assessment (draft EA) and draft regulatory impact review (draft RIR). 
Draft Amendment 12 contains provisions for extending the commercial 
king mackerel permit moratorium for 3 or 5 years from its current 
expiration date of October 15, 2000, to provide time for the Council 
and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to develop and 
implement a controlled access system for the king mackerel fishery.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on September 16, 
1999. The hearings will be held from August 16 through August 18, 1999. 
See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Bob Mahood, Executive 
Director, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, One Southpark 
Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699. Copies of draft Amendment 
12 and EA are available from Kerry O'Malley at 843-571-4366. Draft 
Amendment 12 and its draft EA and draft RIR will also be available to 
the public at the hearings.
    The hearings will be held in Florida, South Carolina, and North 
Carolina. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for locations of the hearings 
and special accommodations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kerry O'Malley, South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council, 843-571-4366; Fax: [phone]; E-mail address: 
[e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will hold public hearings on 
draft Amendment 12 and its draft EA and draft RIR. Draft Amendment 12 
includes management measures that would extend the commercial king 
mackerel permit moratorium beyond its current expiration date of 
October 15, 2000. The following options are being considered by the 
Council, with B as the preferred option: Option A--Extend the 
commercial king mackerel permit moratorium from its current expiration 
date of October 15, 2000, to October 15, 2003, or until replaced with a 
license limitation, limited access, and/or individual fishing quota or 
individual transferable quota system, whichever occurs first; and 
Option B--Extend the commercial king mackerel permit moratorium from 
its current expiration date of October 15, 2000, to October 15, 2005, 
or until replaced with a license limitation, limited access, and/or 
individual fishing quota or individual transferable quota system, 
whichever occurs first.
    The hearings will begin at 6 p.m. and will end when all business is 
completed at all of the following locations:
    1. Monday, August 16, 1999--Carteret Community College, 3505 
Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC; telephone:[phone];
    2. Tuesday, August 17, 1999--Town & Country Inn, 2008 Savannah 
Highway, Charleston, SC; telephone: [phone];
    3. Tuesday, August 17, 1999--Best Western-Miami Airport, 1550 NW 
LeJuene Road, Miami, FL; telephone: [phone]; and
    4. Wednesday, August 18, 1999--Sea Turtle Inn, 1 Ocean Blvd, 
Atlantic Beach, FL; telephone: [phone].

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES) 
by August 9, 1999.

    Dated: July 21, 1999.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-19173 Filed 7-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F