Fishery conservation and management: Northeastern United States fisheries— Atlantic Fishery Management Council; hearings,

[Federal Register: August 27, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 166)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 45793-45794]

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

[DOCID:fr27au98-51]

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.

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 filedas 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. 98-23013Filed8-24-98; 3:17 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F