65FR37754A South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Hearing
robop...@us.govnews.org
Posting-number: Volume 65, Issue 117, Page 37754A
[Federal Register: June 16, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 117)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 37754-37755]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16jn00-28]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[I.D. 060100B]
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Hearing
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Public hearing; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will
convene an additional public hearing regarding the draft Fishery
Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic
Ocean, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico (draft FMP). The overall goal of
the FMP is to provide a comprehensive management structure for dolphin
and wahoo in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean
exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The FMP will take a precautionary
approach in conserving these fishery resources, achieving optimum yield
(OY), and maintaining current allocations among user groups. The
hearing dates and locations for the Council's other hearings on the
draft FMP were announced in an earlier Federal Register document (65 FR
20428, April 17, 2000).
DATES: The hearing will be held on June 25, 2000. The Council will
accept written comments on the draft FMP through July 7, 2000. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: for the specific date and time of the public
hearing.
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 the draft FMP
are available from Kim Iverson, South Atlantic Fishery Management
Council, One Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699;
telephone: 843-571-4366. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific
hearing location.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Iverson, South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council, One Southpark Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC
29407-4699; telephone: 843-571-4366; fax: 843-769-4520; email address:
kim.i...@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed FMP Management Measures
The draft FMP provides for the following: Establishment of
management units for dolphin and wahoo; proposed dealer, vessel and
operator permit requirements; reporting requirements; establishment of
a maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and OY; definition of overfishing for
dolphin and wahoo; and the establishment of a framework procedure for
regulatory adjustments without requiring FMP amendments.
The following proposed management measures are under consideration
for dolphin and wahoo in the Atlantic EEZ: (1) Prohibition of the sale
of recreationally caught fish in the Atlantic EEZ; (2) a limit on the
percent of dolphin harvested in the Atlantic EEZ by the recreational
fishery and the commercial fishery, at 87 percent and 13 percent,
respectively. (Note: Should either sector's catch exceed these
percentages, the Council will review the data and evaluate the need for
additional regulations which may be established through the FMP's
[[Page 37755]]
framework procedures); (3) a recreational bag limit of 5 to 10 dolphins
per person per day, excluding the captain and crew of for-hire boats in
the Atlantic EEZ; (4) a commercial dolphin trip limit of 1,000 to 5,000
lb (453.6 to 2268.0 kg) or an equivalent number of fish, with no
transfer at sea allowed in the Atlantic EEZ; (5) no minimum size limit
for dolphin in the Atlantic EEZ; (6) a commercial trip limit for wahoo
of 500 lb (226.8 kg) or an equivalent number of fish, with no transfer
at sea allowed in the Atlantic EEZ; (7) no minimum size limit for wahoo
in the Atlantic EEZ; (8) a recreational bag limit of two wahoo per
person per day for the recreational fishery, excluding the captain and
crew of for-hire boats in the Atlantic EEZ; (9) specification of
allowable gear for dolphin and wahoo in the Atlantic EEZ as surface
longline and as hook-and-line gear including manual, electric, or
hydraulic rod and reels, bandit gear, and spearfishing gear; (10)
prohibition of the use of pelagic longline gear for dolphin and wahoo
concurrent with time/area closures to the use of such gear for highly
migratory pelagic species in the Atlantic EEZ; (11) establish a fishing
year of January 1 to December 31 for the dolphin and wahoo fishery;
(12) identification of essential fish habitat (EFH) for dolphin and
wahoo in the Atlantic; and (13) identification of EFH--Habitat Areas of
Particular Concern for dolphin and wahoo in the Atlantic.
Time and Location for the Public Hearing
The public hearing regarding the draft FMP for Dolphin/Wahoo will
be held at the following date, time, and location.
June 25, 2000, 7:00 p.m., Quality Inn Lake Wright, 6280
Northhampton Blvd., Norfolk, VA 23502, Telephone: 757-461-6251.
Copies of the draft FMP can be obtained from the Council (see
ADDRESSES).
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 June 19, 2000.
Dated: June 12, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director , Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-15305 Filed 6-15-00; 8:45 am]
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