Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 95 / Tuesday, May 16, 2000 / Notices 31149

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 042500A]

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species;

Exempted Fishing Permits

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Issuance of EFPs; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS requests comment on

its intent to issue Exempted Fishing

Permits (EFPs) to qualifying holders of

Atlantic Swordfish and Shark limited

access permits who held an Atlantic

Tunas permit in a commercial category

other than the Longline category at the

time the Highly Migratory Species

Fishery Management Plan (HMS FMP)

was implemented on July 1, 1999. If

issued, these EFPs would exempt

eligible applicants from the requirement

to have a valid Atlantic Tunas Longline

category permit for authorization to

retain swordfish and to fish for Atlantic

tunas (other than Atlantic bluefin tuna)

with pelagic longline gear.

DATES: Written comments on issuance of

the subject EFPs must be received on or

before May 26, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Rebecca

Lent, Chief, Highly Migratory Species

Management Division (F/SF1), NMFS,

1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring,

MD 20910. Copies of the regulations

pertaining to issuance of EFPs for

Atlantic HMS as well as the application

information may also be requested from

the Highly Migratory Species

Management Division. Comments will

not be accepted if submitted via email

or internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Margo Schulze-Haugen or Karyl

Brewster-Geisz; phone: 301–713–2347;

fax: 301–713–1917.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EFPs for

the Atlantic HMS fisheries are issued

under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)

and/or the Atlantic Tunas Convention

Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.).

Implementing regulations concerning

scientific research activity, exempted

fishing, and exempted educational

activity, pertaining to the Atlantic HMS

fisheries appear at 50 CFR 600.745 and

50 CFR 635.32. NMFS may issue EFPs

to authorize activities otherwise

prohibited by the Atlantic HMS

regulations at 50 CFR 635. Such EFPs

are at times necessary to facilitate the

conduct of scientific research or the

acquisition of information and data, for

the enhancement of safety at sea, for the

purpose of collecting animals for public

education or display, or for investigating

means of reducing bycatch, economic

discards or regulatory discards.

Among other things, the HMS FMP

implemented a limited access program

for the swordfish and shark fisheries. To

reduce the potential for regulatory

discards of sharks, swordfish and tunas

in the pelagic longline fisheries, the

HMS FMP also established limited

access for the Atlantic Tunas Longline

category. The regulations implementing

the HMS FMP specify that only vessels

issued an Atlantic Tunas Longline

category permit as well as limited access

permits for both Atlantic Sharks and

Atlantic Swordfish are authorized to use

pelagic longline gear to fish for Atlantic

tunas other than Atlantic bluefin tuna

[§ 635.21(d)(1)]. Further, the regulations

stipulate that a limited access permit for

swordfish is not valid unless the vessel

has also been issued a limited access

shark permit and an Atlantic Tunas

Longline category permit [§ 635.4(f)(4)].

This new requirement to hold all

three limited access permits presumed

that vessels were specialized for the

pelagic longline fisheries and was

necessary to cap fishing effort and avoid

regulatory discards. However, the joint

permit requirement precludes certain

vessel operators, who did not previously

have an Atlantic Tunas Longline

category permit, from using pelagic

longline gear and from retaining

Atlantic swordfish or BAYS tunas

(bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, or skipjack

tunas) taken by longline gear

[§ 635.4(l)(2)(viii) and (ix)]. These vessel

operators had maintained permits in

other Atlantic Tunas commercial

categories as needed to conduct their

preferred directed fishing operations for

bluefin tuna (e.g., Atlantic Tunas

General category). When the bluefin

tuna season was closed, these vessel

operators conducted longline fisheries

for sharks, swordfish and BAYS and,

consequently, their catch histories

qualified the vessels for limited access

swordfish and/or shark permits. For

these vessel operators, retaining the

Atlantic Tunas permit in the preferred

category for directed bluefin tuna

fishing now causes a conflict with

regulations on using pelagic longline

gear.

At the time the HMS FMP was

implemented, NMFS issued EFPs for the

1999 fishing year to those Atlantic

Swordfish and Shark limited access

permit holders who also held valid

Atlantic Tunas permits in categories

other than Longline. NMFS deemed this

action appropriate because the new

regulations inadvertently prohibited

activities that had previously been

authorized and because it was not clear

what economic impacts would result if

these vessel operators could no longer

participate in multiple seasonal

fisheries. The EFPs authorized the use

of pelagic longline gear in the

swordfish/BAYS fisheries and

authorized the retention of Atlantic

swordfish while allowing the vessel

owner to retain the Atlantic Tunas

permits in the preferred directed bluefin

fishing commercial category. In this

way, unintended adverse economic

impacts were mitigated while NMFS

collected information to assess the need

for changes to the regulations.

NMFS intends to re-issue such EFPs

for the 2000 fishing year, pending

submission of an application, which

includes economic information on the

use of multiple gears during the 1999

and expected 2000 fishing years. NMFS

is seeking public comment on its

intention to re-issue these EFPs for the

purpose of additional economic data

collection prior to evaluating the need

for regulatory changes.

NMFS is also seeking public comment

on possible issuance of EFPs to vessel

owners who currently have the required

limited access permits for Atlantic

Swordfish, Atlantic Sharks and the

Atlantic Tunas Longline category, but

who would elect to obtain an Atlantic

Tunas commercial permit in another

category in order to conduct other

seasonal fisheries (e.g., handgear instead

of longline). Note that Atlantic bluefin

tuna caught with longline gear could

not be retained with such an EFP.

NMFS has received a request from a

fisherman interested in obtaining an

EFP so that he can fish in the Atlantic

Tunas Charter/Headboat category on a

seasonal basis and still retain Atlantic

swordfish and BAYS taken with

longline gear at other times. Issuing

EFPs in such cases would broaden the

eligibility to vessel owners who are not

in conflict with the current regulations

but who would now elect to participate

in multiple seasonal fisheries. Issuing

EFPs in such cases would broaden the

means of collecting additional economic

information from prospective multiple

gear fishermen.

A final decision on issuance of EFPs

will depend on the submission of all

required information, NMFS’ review of

public comments received on the

applications, conclusions of any

environmental analyses conducted

pursuant to the National Environmental

Policy Act, and on any consultations

with any appropriate Regional Fishery

31150 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 95 / Tuesday, May 16, 2000 / Notices

Management Councils, states, or Federal

agencies. For copies of the HMS fishing

regulations, EFP application materials

and information on special reporting

requirements for those persons issued

EFPs, contact Rebecca Lent (see

ADDRESSES).

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: May 11, 2000.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–12275 Filed 5–11–00; 3:16 pm]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS

Notice of Meeting

The next meeting of the Commission

of Fine Arts is scheduled for May 18,

2000, at 10 am in the Commission’s

offices at the National Building Museum

(Pension Building), Suite 312, Judiciary

Square, 441 F Street, NW., Washington,

DC 20001–2728. Items of discussion

will include designs for projects

affecting the appearance of Washington,

DC, including buildings and parks.

Inquires regarding the agenda and

requests to submit written or oral

statements should be addressed to

Charles H. Atherton, Secretary,

Commission of Fine Arts, at the above

address or call 202–504–2200.

Individuals requiring sign language

interpretation for the hearing impaired

should contact the Secretary at least 10

days before the meeting date.

Dated in Washington, DC, April 30, 2000.

Charles H. Atherton,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–12194 Filed 5–15–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6330–01–M

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING

COMMISSION

Sunshine Act Meeting

AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING:

Commodity Futures Trading

Commission.

TIME AND DATE: 11 a.m., Friday, June 2,

2000.

PLACE: 1155 21st St., NW., Washington,

DC, 9th Floor Conference Room.

STATUS: Closed.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Surveillance

Matters.

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jean A. Webb, 202–418–5100.

Jean A. Webb,

Secretary of the Commission.

[FR Doc. 00–12358 Filed 5–12–00; 11:31 am]

BILLING CODE 6351–01–M

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING

COMMISSION

Sunshine Act Meeting

AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING:

Commodity Futures Trading

Commission.

TIME AND DATE: 11 a.m., Friday, June 9,

2000.

PLACE: 1155 21st St., NW., Washington,

DC, 9th Floor Conference Room.

STATUS: Closed.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Surveillance

Matters.

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jean A. Webb, 202–418–5100.

Jean A. Webb,

Secretary of the Commission.

[FR Doc. 00–12359 Filed 5–12–00; 11:31 am]

BILLING CODE 6351–01–M

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING

COMMISSION

Sunshine Act Meetings

AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING:

Commodity Futures Trading

Commission.

TIME AND DATE: 11 a.m., Friday, June 16,

2000.

PLACE: 1155 21st St., NW., Washington,

DC, 9th Floor Conference Room.

STATUS: Closed.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Surveillance

Matters.

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jean A. Webb, 202–418–5100.

Jean A. Webb,

Secretary of the Commission.

[FR Doc. 00–12360 Filed 5–12–00; 11:31 am]

BILLING CODE 6351–01–M

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING

COMMISSION

Sunshine Act Meeting

AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING:

Commodity Futures Trading

Commission.

TIME AND DATE: 11 a.m., Friday, June 33,

2000.

PLACE: 1155 21st St., NW., Washington,

DC, 9th Floor Conference Room.

STATUS: Closed.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Surveillance

Matters.

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jean A. Webb, 202–418–5100.

Jean A. Webb,

Secretary of the Commission.

[FR Doc. 00–12361 Filed 5–12–00; 11:31 am]

BILLING CODE 6351–01–M

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING

COMMISSION

Sunshine Act Meeting

AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING:

Commodity Futures Trading

Commission.

TIME AND DATE: 11 a.m., Friday, June 30,

2000.

PLACE: 1155 21st St., NW., Washington,

DC, 9th Floor Conference Room.

STATUS: Closed.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Surveillance

Matters.

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jean A. Webb, 202–418–5100.

Jean A. Webb,

Secretary of the Commission.

[FR Doc. 00–12362 Filed 5–12–00; 11:31 am]

BILLING CODE 6351–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

Proposed collection; comment request

AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary of

Defense (Personnel and Readiness).

ACTION: Notice.

In compliance with Section

3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the

Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel

and Readiness) announces the following

proposed reinstatement of a public

information collection and seeks public

comment on the provisions thereof.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of burden of the

proposed information collection; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the information collection on

respondents, including through the use

of automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.