Fishery conservation and management: Atlantic swordfish,

[Federal Register: August 20, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 161)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 44602]

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

[DOCID:fr20au98-24]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 630

[I.D. 121597D]

Atlantic Swordfish Fishery; Reopening of Comment Period and Hearing Announcement

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

ACTION: Reopening of comment period and hearing announcement.

SUMMARY: NMFS reopens the public comment period on a proposed rule to establish annual quotas for the South Atlantic swordfish fishery and to change quota adjustment procedures. Also, NMFS announces three hearings.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 1, 1998. Hearings will be held on August 26, 1998, in Warwick, RI; August 28, 1998, in Fairhaven, MA; and September 1, 1998, in St. Croix, USVI.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to, and the proposed rule and draft Environmental Assessment are available from, Jill Stevenson, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. Hearings will be held at the following locations: August 26, 1998, 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Radisson Airport Hotel Providence, 2081 Post Road, Warwick, RI; for directions only, (401) 739-3000; August 28, 1998, 7-10 p.m. at the Seaport Inn, Fairhaven, MA, for directions only (800) 835-7678; September 1, 1998, 7-9 p.m. at the Hotel on the Cay, Protestant Cay, St. Croix, USVI, for directions only, (340) 773-2035.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Stevenson or Steve Meyers, telephone: (301) 713-2347, fax: (301) 713-1917.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic swordfish fishery is managed under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.). On June 10, 1998, NMFS published a proposed rule (63 FR 31710) to establish annual quotas for the South Atlantic swordfish fishery. The notice also contained proposed measures to change the quota adjustment procedures for the North and South Atlantic swordfish fisheries. Initial comments in response to that notice included requests to extend the comment period on these measures due to the far-ranging nature of the swordfish fishing fleet and the need to schedule public hearings on these issues. Therefore, NMFS reopens the public comment period through September 1, 1998.

Dated: August 14, 1998. Gary C. Matlock, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98-22360Filed8-14-98; 4:39 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F