Reports and guidance documents; availability, etc.: Longline fisheries; incidental catch reduction of seabirds; national plan of action,

[Federal Register: December 29, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 249)]

[Notices]

[Page 73017-73018]

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

[DOCID:fr29de99-56]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 120999G]

National Plan of Action for the Reduction of Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; schedule change; public meeting; request for comments.

SUMMARY: The United States, through a collaborative effort of NMFS and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), announces the availability of a draft National Plan of Action for the Reduction of Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries (NPOA-Seabirds). The United States, through

[[Page 73018]]

NMFS, also announces a schedule change for the NPOA-Seabirds. NMFS will host a public meeting to receive comments from members of the public on the draft NPOA-Seabirds. To accommodate people unable to attend a meeting or wishing to provide written comments, NMFS solicits written comments on the NPOA-Seabirds.

DATES: A public hearing on the NPOA-Seabirds will be held at 3:00 p.m. on January 19, 2000. Submit comments on the NPOA-Seabirds to the appropriate address or fax number by 5:00 p.m. on January 18, 2000.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at NOAA-NMFS Headquarters, 1315 East-West Highway, SSMC3 Room 14836, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Comments on the NPOA-Seabirds may be sent to David Kerstetter, NOAA- NMFS/SF4, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, or by fax to 301-713-2313. Comments will not be accepted via e-mail or internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Kerstetter, 301-713-2276, ext. 107, or fax 301-713-2313.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States, through a collaborative effort of NMFS and the FWS, is developing a NPOA-Seabirds pursuant to the endorsement of the International Plan of Action for the Reduction of Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Committee on Fisheries (COFI) Meeting in February 1999. The United States has committed itself to developing this NPOA-Seabirds and reporting to COFI on its implementation no later than 2001.

A previous Federal Register document dated September 8, 1999 (64 FR 48987), provided a tentative time frame for the completion of this project and an outline of the contents of the NPOA-Seabirds. The time frame has been revised as provided here, and the structure of the NPOA- Seabirds, but not the content, has been changed. Public comments received regarding this September 8, 1999, document will be addressed in the notice of availability of the final NPOA-Seabirds.

Time Frame:

NPOA-Seabirds

December 27, 1999: Release draft NPOA-Seabirds for public comment via posting of the document on the NMFS web site (www.nmfs.gov). The document will also be provided in hard copy upon request (see ADDRESSES).

January 2000: Public comment period on draft NPOA-Seabirds.

January 19, 2000: Public meeting on NPOA-Seabirds.

February 2000: Release final NPOA-Seabirds via a Federal Register notice of availability and posting on the NMFS web site (www.nmfs.gov). The document will also be provided in hard copy upon request (see ADDRESSES).

Special Accommodations

The public meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to David Kerstetter (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 7 days prior to the meeting.

Dated: December 22, 1999. Gary C. Matlock, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 99-33856Filed12-29-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F