Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 178 / Monday, September 15, 1997 / Proposed Rules 48207

Environmental Impact Statement

released concurrently with the

publication of the proposed rule. This

grizzly bear reintroduction does not

conflict with existing or anticipated

Federal agency actions or traditional

public uses of wilderness areas or

surrounding lands.

Public Comments Solicited

The Service has scheduled hearings

on October 1, 2, and 3, 1997, with

registration beginning 1 hour prior to

each hearing (see DATES and ADDRESSES

above). Anyone wishing to make an oral

statement for the record is encouraged

to provide a written copy of their

statement to be presented to the Service

at the start of the hearing. In the event

that there is a large audience, the time

allotted for oral statements may have to

be limited.

Oral and written statements

concerning the proposed rule will

receive equal consideration by the

Service. There are no limits to the

length of written comments presented at

the hearing or mailed to the Service.

News releases announcing the date,

time, and location of the hearings are

being published in newspapers

concurrently with this Federal Register

notice.

The previous comment period on this

proposal is scheduled to close on

October 9, 1997. To accommodate these

hearings, the Service extends the

comment period. Written comments

may now be submitted until November

1, 1997, to the Service office identified

in the ADDRESSES section above. All

comments must be received before the

close of the comment period to be

considered.

Author

The author of this notice is Chuck

Davis, Regional Environmental

Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, Region 6, P.O. Box 25486, DFC,

Denver, CO 80225–0486; telephone

303–236–7400 extension 235.

Authority

The authority for this action is the

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as

amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Dated: September 8, 1997.

Ralph O. Morgenweck,

Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.

[FR Doc. 97–24337 Filed 9–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 090897E]

New England Fishery Management

Council; Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Public meeting.

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery

Management Council (Council) will

hold a 2-day public meeting to consider

actions affecting New England fisheries

in the exclusive economic zone.

DATES: The meeting will be held on

Wednesday, October 1, 1997, at 10 a.m.

and on Thursday, October 2, 1997, at

8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the Colonial Hilton, 427 Walnut Street

(Route 128 South), Wakefield, MA;

telephone (781) 245-9300. Requests for

special accommodations should be

addressed to the New England Fishery

Management Council, 5 Broadway,

Saugus, MA 01906-1097; telephone:

(781) 231-0422.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

J. Howard, Executive Director, New

England Fishery Management Council,

(781) 231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

October 1, 1997

At the recommendation of the

Monkfish Committee, the Council may

request that the Secretary of Commerce

implement interim management

measures for the monkfish fishery. The

Council also will continue work on the

monkfish amendment to the Northeast

Multispecies Fishery Management Plan

(FMP). Following this discussion, there

will be reports from the Council

Chairman, Executive Director, NMFS

Regional Administrator, Northeast

Fisheries Science Center, Mid-Atlantic

Fishery Management Council liaisons,

and representatives of the Coast Guard

and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries

Commission. Groundfish issues to be

discussed during the afternoon session

include the timetable in the Northeast

Multispecies FMP that requires an

annual review and evaluation of plan

measures. Currently, any modifications

or new measures considered necessary

to meet the plan objectives must be

developed as a framework adjustment to

the plan and must be submitted to

NMFS by February 1 of each year. There

also will be an update on progress to

develop whiting management measures.

Prior to adjourning for the day both

the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management

Council and the New England Council

will hold a joint scoping hearing to

solicit comments on the management of

spiny dogfish.

October 2, 1997

The morning session will begin with

a presentation of the results of the most

recent Stock Assessment Workshop,

with an advisory on the status of

summer flounder, scup, black sea bass,

and Gulf of Maine northern shrimp. The

Marine Mammal Committee will

recommend that the Council endorse its

comments on the interim final rule

implementing the Large Whale Take

Reduction Plan and the proposed rule to

implement a take reduction plan for

harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine.

The Scallop Committee will report on

its discussions about an alternative

approach to the development of

Amendment 7 to the Sea Scallop

Fishery Management Plan (Sea Scallop

FMP). The amendment was initially

proposed only to address effort

consolidation (transfer of days-at-sea

between vessels with sea scallop

permits), but may now include a

framework adjustment process to open

and close areas to enhance scallop

conservation as well as revisions to

other Sea Scallop FMP provisions so as

to be in compliance with the

Sustainable Fisheries Act. The

Chairman of the Herring Committee will

update the Council on the recent

scoping hearings and plans for the

development of a Herring Fishery

Management Plan.

Dr. Pamela Mace, Ocean Fishery

Resources Division, NMFS, will provide

a briefing on an initiative by the United

Nation’s Food and Agriculture

Organization to address management of

fishing capacity, seabird bycatch and

mortality in longline fisheries, and

shark conservation and management.

The Interspecies Committee will

recommend approval of measures to

eliminate inconsistencies in vessel

permit, upgrading, and replacement

provisions in different fishery

management plans for purposes of

preparing a public hearing document.

The Chairman also will review the

committee’s discussion of criteria for

exempted fisheries. Finally there will be

a report on the measures adopted by

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries

Commission for inclusion in

Amendment 3 to the American Lobster

Fishery Management Plan. The Council

will adjourn the meeting after the
48208 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 178 / Monday, September 15, 1997 / Proposed Rules

conclusion of any other outstanding

business.

Although other issues not contained

in this agenda may come before this

Council for discussion, in accordance

with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act,

those issues may not be the subject of

formal Council action during this

meeting. Council action will be

restricted to those issues specifically

identified in the agenda listed in this

notice.

Special Accommodations

This meeting is physically accessible

to people with disabilities. Requests for

sign language interpretation or other

auxiliary aids should be directed to Paul

J. Howard (see ADDRESSES) at least 5

days prior to the meeting date.

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

Dated: September 9, 1997.

Bruce Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–24410 Filed 9–12–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F