[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 166 (Thursday, August 27, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45793-45794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23013]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[I.D. 082098B]
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Public hearings, request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will
hold public hearings to allow for input on Amendment 12 to the Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass;
Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish FMP; and
Amendment 12 to the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog FMP. These
amendments are intended to comply with the new and revised national
standards and other required provisions of the Sustainable Fisheries
Act (SFA).
DATES: Written comments on the amendments will be accepted until
September 25, 1998. The public hearings are scheduled to be held
September 8 and 9, 1998, 6 to 10 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council, 300 South New Street, Dover, DE 19904.
The hearings will be held in Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey,
Maryland, and Virginia. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific
times and locations of the hearings.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Moore, Ph.D., Acting
Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 302-674-
2331, ext. 16.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
These FMP amendments are proposed to bring the Summer Flounder,
Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP; the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and
Butterfish FMP; and the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog FMP into
compliance with the new and revised national standards and other
required provisions of the SFA. Specifically, these amendments propose
to revise the overfishing definitions for summer flounder, scup, black
sea bass, Atlantic mackerel, Loligo pealei, Illex illecebrosus,
butterfish, surf clam and ocean quahog; identify essential habitat for
these species; and address the new and revised national standards of
the SFA relative to existing management measures. These amendments also
propose to add a framework adjustment procedure that would allow the
Council to add or modify management measures through a streamlined
public review process. In addition, Amendment 12 to the Atlantic Surf
Clam and Ocean Quahog FMP proposes to implement an operator permit
requirement. Also, Amendment 8 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and
Butterfish FMP proposes to include vessel length, weight, and
horsepower restrictions for domestic harvesting vessels in the Atlantic
mackerel fishery.
Public Hearings
The dates and locations of the hearings are scheduled as follows:
1. Tuesday, September 8, 1998, 6-10 p.m.--Comfort Inn, 1940 Post
Road, Warwick, RI;
2. Tuesday, September 8, 1998, 6-10 p.m.--Quality Inn Lake Wright,
6280 Northampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA;
3. Wednesday, September 9, 1998, 6-10 p.m.--Holiday Inn MacArthur
Airport, 3845 Veterans Memorial Highway, Ronkonkoma, NY;
4. Wednesday, September 9, 1998, 6-10 p.m.--Cape May Extension
Office, Dennisville Road, Cape May Courthouse, NJ; and
5. Wednesday, September 9, 1998, 6-10 p.m.--Sheraton
Fountainebleau,
[[Page 45794]]
10100 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD.
The hearings will be tape recorded with the tapes filed as the
official transcript of the hearings.
Special Accommodations
The hearings are physically accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids
should be directed to Joanna Davis at the Council at least 5 days prior
to the hearing date (see ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. et seq.
Dated: August 21, 1998.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-23013 Filed 8-24-98; 3:17 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
