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###### Department of Commerce

###### National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

          - 50 CFR Part 648
          - [I.D. 042307E]

# AGENCY:

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

# ACTION:

 Notice of public hearings.

# SUMMARY:

 The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) will hold hearings to allow for public input on Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery (FMP).

# DATES:

                         Written comments will be accepted until May 27, 2007. All meetings begin at 7 a.m. For specific dates and locations of the hearings see                         **SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION**                        .                    

# ADDRESSES:

Comments may be submitted through any of the following methods:
      - Mail: Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management

Council, Room 2115 Federal Building, 300 South New Street, Dover, Delaware 19904.
      - FAX: 302-674-5399.
      - E-mail: info@mafmc.org . Please indicate the subject as SMB 9 Comments.                    
      - Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov .                    

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

 Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Room 2115 Federal Building, 300 South New Street, Dover, Delaware 19904, 302-674-2331, ext. 19.

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

## Background

The purpose of the hearings is to receive public input on management actions under consideration in Amendment 9 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish FMP. The proposed management actions could:

(1) Allow multi-year specifications for all four species managed through the FMP,

                    (2) Extend or eliminate the moratorium on entry into the directed                     *Illex*                     squid fishery,                

                    (3) Revise the current overfishing definition for                     *Loligo*                     squid,                

                    (4) Designate EFH for                     *Loligo*                     eggs,                          ( print page 21198)    

(5) Implement area closures to reduce damage to habitat from squid-mackerel-butterfish fisheries,

                    (6) Increase the minimum codend mesh size requirement in the                     *Loligo*                     fishery,                

                    (7) Modify the exemption of the                     *Illex*                     fishery from the minimum codend mesh size requirement of the                     *Loligo*                     fishery,                

                    (8) Modify the                     *Loligo*                     incidental catch limit in the                     *Illex*                     fishery during                     *Loligo*                     fishery closures,                

                    (9) Establish a requirement for electronic daily reporting in the directed                     *Illex*                     fishery,                

(10) Establish gear restricted areas that are seasonally closed to small-mesh gear.

## Dates and Locations of the Hearings

Monday May 14, 2007: Hilton Garden Inn Providence Airport, One Thuber Street, Warwick, RI 02886.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007: Holiday Inn Express East End, 1707 Old Country Road, Riverhead, NY 11901.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007: The Grand Hotel, 1045 Beach Ave., Cape May, NJ 08204.

Thursday, May 17, 2007: Days Inn Norfolk Airport, 5708 Northampton Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23455.

## Special Accommodations

The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to M. Jan Bryan at the Mid-Atlantic Council Office (302) 674-2331 extension 18 at least five days prior to the meeting date.

Dated: April 24, 2007.

James P. Burgess,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. E7-8197 Filed 4-27-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-S