Fishery conservation and management: Caribbean, Gulf, and South Atlantic fisheries— Coastal migratory pelagic resources,

[Federal Register: October 25, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 205)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 57436]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr25oc99-25]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 101299F]

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.

SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene six public hearings on Draft Amendment 12 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Draft Amendment 12) and its draft supplemental environmental impact statement (draft SEIS).

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on November 29, 1999. The hearings will be held from November 3 to November 29, 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 the draft SEIS are available from Kerry O'Malley at 803-571-4366 and will also be available to the public at the hearings.

The hearings will be held in Florida, Georgia, 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, 803-571-4366; Fax: 803-769-4520; E-mail address: kerry.omalley@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will hold public hearings on Draft Amendment 12 and the associated draft SEIS. Draft Amendment 12 includes management measures that would (1) prohibit the harvest and possession of red porgy; (2) require the Council to review the status of the red porgy resource every 3 years to determine whether the moratorium on harvest should be repealed; (3) establish a maximum sustainable yield of 5,285.4 metric tons (mt) for red porgy; (4) set optimum yield for red porgy at the yield produced by a stock size of 10,000 mt; (5) establish the two components of the overfishing definition for red porgy as: (a) the maximum fishing mortality threshold is the fishing mortality rate (F) in excess of F35% static spawning potential ratio (SPR) which is between 0.58 (F30%) and 0.33 (F40%) based on a 14 inch (35.6 cm) total length minimum size limit and data through 1996, and (b) minimum stock size threshold is the stock size associated with 20% SPR which is estimated at 3,000 mt. Current stock size was estimated to be 685 mt based on data through 1996; (6) set the rebuilding timeframe for red porgy at 18 years; (7) in the snapper grouper limited access system, allow same owner permit transfer regardless of vessel size for individuals harvesting snapper grouper species with a non-transferable 225 pound trip limit permit; and (8) modify the framework procedure for regulatory adjustments of the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region by adding the following list of management options and measures that could be implemented via such framework procedure as: Description, identification, and regulation of fishing activities to protect essential fish habitat (EFH) and EFH-habitat areas of particular concern (EFH-HAPC); management measures to reduce or eliminate the adverse effects of fishing activities or fishing gear on EFH or EFH-HAPCs; and regulation of EFH-HAPCs.

In the following locations the hearings will begin at 6 p.m. and end when all business is completed:

1. Wednesday, November 3, 1999--Sombrero Resort and Marina,19 Sombrero Blvd., Marathon, FL 33050; Phone: 305-743-2250;

2. Wednesday, November 10, 1999--Richmond Hill City Hall, 40 Richard R. Davis Drive, Richmond Hill, GA 31324; Phone: 912-756-3345;

3. Thursday, November 11, 1999--Carteret Community College, 3505 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557; Phone: 252-247-3093;

4. Monday, November 15, 1999--Ramada Inn Surfside, 3125 S. Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118; Phone: 1-800-255-3838;

5. Wednesday, November 17, 1999--Town & Country Inn, 2008 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29407; Phone: 843-571-1000; and

6. Monday, November 29, 1999--Blockade Runner, 275 Waynick Boulevard, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480, Phone: 910-256-2251.

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 October 29, 1999.

Dated: October 19, 1999. Bruce C. Morehead, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 99-27769Filed10-22-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F