[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 240 (Monday, December 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 65683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32679]



[[Page 65683]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 112597B]


Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel and Atlantic Billfish 
Advisory Panel; Public Meetings

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Advisory Panels (AP) for Highly Migratory Species and for 
Atlantic Billfish will hold their meetings on January 11, 12, and 13, 
1998, in Baltimore, MD, to discuss future management options for highly 
migratory species and for Atlantic billfish.

DATES: The Highly Migratory Species AP meeting will be held on January 
11, 1998, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on January 12, 1998, from 
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be a technical workshop on billfish 
issues on the evening of January 12, 1998, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
The Atlantic Billfish AP meeting will be held on January 13, 1998, from 
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The AP meetings will be held at the Sheraton Inner Harbor 
Hotel, 300 South Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Liz Lauck or Jill Stevenson, 1315 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, telephone: (301) 713-2347, 
Fax (301) 713-1917.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The AP for Highly Migratory Species and the 
AP for Atlantic Billfish were established under the authority of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 
1801 et seq. These APs will assist the Secretary of Commerce in 
collecting information related to the amendment of the Billfish Fishery 
Management Plan and to the future fishery management plan for highly 
migratory species. Both AP meetings are open to the public and will be 
attended by members of the AP, including appointed members, 
representatives of the five fishery management councils that work with 
highly migratory species (HMS), the Atlantic and Gulf states that work 
with HMS, the Atlantic and Gulf states marine fisheries commissions, 
and the Chair of the U.S. Advisory Committee to the International 
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas.
    Potential agenda items for the Highly Migratory Species AP meeting 
include--
    (1) Bluefin tuna quotas and
    (2) Bluefin tuna effort controls.
    Potential agenda items for the Atlantic Billfish meeting include--
    (1) Rebuilding schedules;
    (2) Overfishing definitions; and
    (3) Review of billfish comments collected at scoping meetings.
    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Jill Stevenson (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 7 days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: December 8, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-32679 Filed 12-12-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F