Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 46 / Monday, March 10, 1997 / Proposed Rules 10821

133Although Authorization of Service is described

in this exhibit, it is not one of the activities

included as a feeable activity for regulatory fee

purposes pursuant to Section 9(a)(1) of the Act. 47

U.S.C. § 159(a)(1).

d. Signatories

36. A Signatory to INMARSAT is an

Administration or government, or the

telecommunications entity designated

as sole operating entity by an

Administration or government, which

participates in the International Mobile

Satellite Organization (INMARSAT) in

order to develop and operate a global

maritime satellite telecommunication

system which serves maritime

commercial and safety needs of the

United States and foreign countries. A

Signatory to INTELSAT is an

Administration or government, or the

telecommunications entity designated

as sole operating entity by an

Administration or government, which

participates in the International

Telecommunications Satellite

Organization (INTELSAT) in order to

develop, construct, operate, and

maintain the space segment of the global

commercial telecommunications

satellite system established under the

Interim Agreement and Special

Agreement signed by Governments on

August 20, 1964. For FY 1997, we are

proposing that Signatories to

INMARSAT and INTELSAT will be

assessed an annual regulatory fee of

$326,025 in order to recover the cost of

the Commission’s regulatory activities

associated with such entities.

e. International Bearer Circuits

37. Regulatory fees for International

Bearer Circuits are to be paid by the

facilities-based common carriers (either

domestic or international) activating the

circuit in any transmission facility for

the provision of service to an end user

or resale carrier. Payment of the fee for

bearer circuits by private submarine

cable operators is required for circuits

sold on an indefeasible right of use

(IRU) basis or leased to any customer

other than an international common

carrier authorized by the Commission to

provide U.S. international common

carrier services. Compare FY 1994

Report and Order at 5367. The fee is

based upon active 64 Kbps circuits, or

their equivalent circuits. Under this

formulation, 64 Kbps circuits or their

equivalent will be assessed a fee.

Equivalent circuits include the 64 Kbps

circuit equivalent of larger bit stream

circuits. For example, the 64 Kbps

circuit equivalent of a 2.048 Mbps

circuit is 30 64 Kbps circuits. Analog

circuits such as 3 and 4 KHz circuits

used for international service are also

included as 64 Kbps circuits. However,

circuits derived from 64 Kbps circuits

by the use of digital circuit

multiplication systems are not

equivalent 64 Kbps circuits. Such

circuits are not subject to fees. Only the

64 Kbps circuit from which they have

been derived will be subject to payment

of a fee. For FY 1997, we are proposing

that the regulatory fee be $5.00 for each

active 64 Kbps circuit or equivalent. For

analog television channels we will

assess fees as follows:

Analog television channel size in

MHz

No. of

equivalent 64

Kbps circuits

36 .................................................. 630

24 .................................................. 288

18 .................................................. 240

f. International Public Fixed

38. This fee category includes

common carriers authorized under Part

23 of the Commission’s Rules to provide

radio communications between the

United States and a foreign point via

microwave or HF troposcatter systems,

other than satellites and satellite earth

stations, but not including service

between the United States and Mexico

and the United States and Canada using

frequencies above 72 MHz. For FY 1997,

we are proposing that International

Public Fixed Radio Service licensees

will pay a $315 annual regulatory fee

per call sign.

g. International (HF) Broadcast

39. This category covers International

Broadcast Stations licensed under Part

73 of the Commission’s Rules to operate

on frequencies in the 5,950 KHz to

26,100 KHz range to provide service to

the general public in foreign countries.

For FY 1997, we are proposing that

International HF Broadcast Stations will

pay an annual regulatory fee of $390 per

station license.

Attachment I—Description of FCC

Activities

Authorization of Service: The

authorization or licensing of radio

stations, telecommunications

equipment, and radio operators, as well

as the authorization of common carrier

and other services and facilities.

Includes policy direction, program

development, legal services, and

executive direction, as well as support

services associated with authorization

activities.133

Policy and Rulemaking: Formal

inquiries, rulemaking proceedings to

establish or amend the Commission’s

rules and regulations, action on

petitions for rulemaking, and requests

for rule interpretations or waivers;

economic studies and analyses;

spectrum planning, modeling,

propagation-interference analyses, and

allocation; and development of

equipment standards. Includes policy

direction, program development, legal

services, and executive direction, as

well as support services associated with

policy and rulemaking activities.

Enforcement: Enforcement of the

Commission’s rules, regulations and

authorizations, including investigations,

inspections, compliance monitoring,

and sanctions of all types. Also includes

the receipt and disposition of formal

and informal complaints regarding

common carrier rates and services, the

review and acceptance/rejection of

carrier tariffs, and the review,

prescription and audit of carrier

accounting practices. Includes policy

direction, program development, legal

services, and executive direction, as

well as support services associated with

enforcement activities.

Public Information Services: The

publication and dissemination of

Commission decisions and actions, and

related activities; public reference and

library services; the duplication and

dissemination of Commission records

and databases; the receipt and

disposition of public inquiries;

consumer, small business, and public

assistance; and public affairs and media

relations. Includes policy direction,

program development, legal services,

and executive direction, as well as

support services associated with public

information activities.

[FR Doc. 97–5744 Filed 3–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Parts 630 and 678

[I.D. 022897G]

Atlantic Swordfish Fishery; Atlantic

Shark Fishery; Public Hearings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Public hearings; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: The Highly Migratory Species

Division (HMS Division) will convene

12 hearings to obtain comments from

the public on Draft Amendment 1 to the
10822 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 46 / Monday, March 10, 1997 / Proposed Rules

Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic

Swordfish (Swordfish FMP), on Draft

Amendment 1 to the Fishery

Management Plan for Sharks of the

Atlantic Ocean (Shark FMP) and

proposed rules implementing a limited

access system for each fishery. The

proposed rule for the Shark FMP was

published in the Federal Register on

December 27, 1996 and the proposed

rule for the Swordfish FMP was

published on February 26, 1997. NMFS

is also requesting written comments on

Draft Amendment 1 to the Swordfish

FMP, the Draft Amendment 1 to the

Shark FMP and on the proposed rules.

DATES: Written comments will be

accepted until April 28, 1997. Public

hearings will be held in March and

April. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

for specific dates and times of the

hearings.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be sent to Dr. Rebecca Lent, Chief, HMS

Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries

(F/SF1), 1315 East-West Highway, Silver

Spring, MD 20910 (FAX: 301–713–

1917). Clearly mark the outside of the

envelope ‘‘Limited Access Comments.’’

Copies of the proposed rule and Draft

Amendment 1 to the Swordfish FMP,

which includes an environmental

assessment and regulatory impact

review, are available from James

Chambers at the same address. Public

hearings will be held in Maine, Rhode

Island, New York, New Jersey,

Maryland, North Carolina, Florida,

Louisiana, the U.S. Virgin Islands and

Puerto Rico. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for locations of the

hearings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James Chambers, Fishery Management

Specialist, or Margo Schulze, Fishery

Biologist, HMS Division, 301–713–2347.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Issues that

are addressed in Draft Amendment 1 to

the Swordfish FMP include: Proposed

implementation of a two-tiered permit

system consisting of directed and

incidental permits for the commercial

fishery, eligibility criteria for these

permits based on historical

participation, transferability provisions,

the permitting process, upgrading

restrictions and ownerships limits.

A complete description of the

measures, including the purpose and

need for the proposed action concerning

Atlantic swordfish, is contained in the

proposed rule published February 26,

1997 (62 FR 8672), and is not repeated

here. Copies of the proposed rule and

Draft Amendment 1 to the Swordfish

FMP may be obtained by writing (see

ADDRESSES) or calling one of the contact

persons (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT). Draft Amendment 1 to the

Shark FMP and its proposed rule were

published December 27, 1996 (61 FR

68202), and address similar issues to

those in proposed rule and Draft

Amendment 1 to the Swordfish FMP.

To accommodate people unable to

attend a hearing or wishing to provide

additional comments, NMFS also

solicits written comments on the

proposed rules.

The public hearings are scheduled as

follows:

1. Friday, March 21, 1997—City Hall

(Commission Chambers, 1st floor), 100

North Andrews Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale,

FL 33301, (954) 761–5002, 3 p.m.–6

p.m.

2. Monday, March 31, 1997—West

Bank Regional Library Meeting Room

(1st floor), 2751 Manhattan Boulevard

(near Lapalco Boulevard), Harvey, LA

70058–6144, (504) 364–3972, 3 p.m.–6

p.m.

3. Tuesday, April 1, 1997—Town Hall

Auditorium, 19305 Gulf Boulevard,

Indian Shores, FL 33785, (813) 595–

4020, 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

4. Wednesday, April 2, 1997—Monroe

County Public Library (Auditorium),

700 Flemming Street, Key West, FL

33040 (305) 292–3595, 4 p.m.–6 p.m.

5. Thursday, April 3, 1997—Pan Am

Dock (East), Isla Grande, San Juan, PR

00907, (803) 522–1509, 4 p.m.–7 p.m.

6. Saturday, April 5, 1997—Town

Hall at the Caravelle Hotel, 44A Queen

Cross Street, Saint Croix, USVI 00820,

(809) 773–0687, 3 p.m.–6 p.m.

7. Tuesday, April 8, 1997—Portland

Public Library (Room 316), 5 Monument

Square, Portland, ME 04101, (207) 871–

1755, 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

8. Wednesday, April 9, 1997—

Providence Biltmore Hotel

State Suite C (2nd level), Kennedy

Plaza, Providence RI 02903,

(401) 455–3027, 3 p.m.–6 p.m.

9. Thursday, April 10, 1997—

Montauk Fire Hall, 12 Flamingo

Avenue, Montauk, NY 11954, (516)

668–5695, 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

10. Friday, April 11, 1997—Barnegat

Light Firehouse, 10th and Boulevard

Streets, Long Beach Island, Barnegat

Light, NJ 08006, (609) 494–1280, 7

p.m.–10 p.m.

11. Sunday, April 13, 1997—North

Carolina Aquarium (Auditorium),

Airport Road, Manteo, NC 27954, (919)

473–3494, 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

12. Monday, April 28, 1997—NOAA,

First Floor Conference Room (1W611),

Silver Spring Metro Center Building 4,

1305 East-West Highway, Silver

Spring, MD 20910, (301) 713–2227, 10

a.m.–12 p.m.

Special Accommodations

These meetings are physically

accessible to people with disabilities.

Requests for sign language

interpretation or other auxiliary aids

should be directed to James Chambers

or Margo Schulze (see ADDRESSES) at

least 15 days before the hearing date.

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

U.S.C. 971 et seq.

Dated: March 4, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–5783 Filed 3–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 022797A]

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 on March

12 and 13, 1997, to consider actions

affecting New England fisheries in the

exclusive economic zone.

DATES: The meeting will be held on

Wednesday, March 12, 1997, at 10 a.m.

and on Thursday, March 13, 1997, at

8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place

at the King’s Grant Inn, Route 128 and

Trask Lane, Danvers, MA; telephone

(508) 774-6800. Requests for special

accommodations should be addressed to

the New England Fishery Management

Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus, MA

01906-1097; telephone: (617) 231-0422.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

J. Howard, Executive Director, New

England Fishery Management Council,

(617) 231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

March 12, 1997

The March 12 session will begin with

Enforcement Committee

recommendations on cod trip limits and

fishing vessels transiting closed areas. In

addition to reviewing NMFS and Coast

Guard reports to the Council on recent

enforcement actions, the Enforcement

Committee will provide an update on a

Vessel Tracking System trial program

and an evaluation of the current scallop

regulations. The Scallop Committee will

review its most recent discussion of