Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 57 / Tuesday, March 25, 1997 / Proposed Rules 14103

collected through January 1996. Boise,

Idaho.

U.S. Geological Survey 1996b. Annual

report summarizing results of Bruneauarea ground water-level and spring

discharge monitoring through June

1996. Boise, Idaho.

U.S. Geological Survey 1996c. Annual

report summarizing results of Bruneauarea ground water-level and spring

discharge monitoring through

September 1996. Boise, Idaho.

Varricchione, J. T. and G. W. Minshall

1995. 1994 Monitoring Report: Bruneau

hot springsnail (Pyrgulopsis

bruneauensis). Technical Bulletin No.

95–14, Idaho Bureau of Land

Management.

Varricchione, J. T. and G. W. Minshall

1995. Gut content analysis of wild

Gambusia and Tilapia in Hot Creek,

Bruneau, Idaho. Unpublished report,

Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho.

Varricchione, J.T. and G. W. Minshall

1996. 1995 Monitoring Report: Bruneau

hot springsnail (Pyrgulopsis

bruneauensis). Idaho Bureau of Land

Management Technical Bulletin No. 96–

8. Stream Ecology Center, Idaho State

University, Pocatello, Idaho.

Authority

The authority for this action is the

Endangered Species Act, as amended

(16 U.S.C. 1531–1544.)

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 17

Endangered and threatened species,

Exports, Imports, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements,

Transportation.

Dated: March 18, 1997.

Thomas J. Dwyer,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 97–7449 Filed 3–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 031497B]

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management

Council; Public Hearings

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Public hearings; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: The Mid-Atlantic Fishery

Management Council (Council) will

hold public hearings to allow for input

on proposed Amendment 10 to the

Fishery Management Plan for the

Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog

Fishery (FMP).

DATES: Written comments will be

accepted until May 2, 1997. The public

hearings will being at 7 p.m. and will be

tape recorded with the tapes filed as the

official transcript of the hearings. The

hearings are scheduled as follows:

1. Tuesday, April 8, 1997, Machias,

ME

2. Wednesday, April 9, 1997,

Ellsworth, ME

3. Monday, April 14, 1997, Cape May

Courthouse, NJ

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: David R.

Keifer, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic

Fishery Management Council, Room

2115 Federal Building, 300 South New

Street, Dover, DE 19904–6790.

The hearings will be held at the

following locations:

1. Machias—University of Maine

(Science Building, Room 202), 9 O’Brien

Avenue, Machias, ME, telephone 207–

255–1200.

2. Ellsworth—Holiday Inn, 215 High

Street, Ellsworth, ME, telephone 207–

667–9341.

3. Cape May Courthouse—Cape May

Extension Office, Dennisville Road,

Cape May Courthouse, NJ, telephone

609–465–5115.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David R. Keifer, 302-674-2331 (fax 302–

674–5399).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An

individual transferable quota (ITQ)

allocation system for the FMP was

implemented in Amendment 8 (55 FR

24184, June 14, 1990). It was

discovered, about that time, that the

Maine inshore ocean quahog, or

‘‘mahogany quahog,’’ fishery that

occurred on the same species (Arctica

islandica) was moving out of state

waters into the exclusive economic zone

(EEZ). This created quite a problem, in

that the Magnuson Fishery Conservation

and Management Act mandated that ‘‘to

the extent practical, an individual stock

of fish shall be managed as a unit

throughout its range, and interrelated

stocks of fish shall be managed as a unit

or in close coordination’’ (National

Standard 3). The small inshore Maine

mahogany ocean quahog fishery differs

profoundly from the traditional EEZ

ocean quahog fishery that occurs on

Georges Bank and south, because the

mahogany quahogs are harvested at a

much smaller average size by fishermen

on a much smaller scale individually

than in the ocean quahog fishery. The

management tools developed during the

first 20 years of Federal management for

surf clams and ocean quahogs did not fit

the Maine fishery well. In 1990, as a

temporary expedient, it was decided to

declare the Maine ocean quahog fishery

‘‘experimental,’’ pending a better and

permanent solution. Amendment 10 is

intended to provide that solution and

fully integrate the Maine fishery into the

FMP upon the expiration of the

experimental fishery on September 30,

1997. Amendment 10 would create a

separate additional unit of quota (27,611

bushels, or less than 1 percent of the

total EEZ quota) for ocean quahogs

landed in Maine from the EEZ. There

are currently no limitations on entry

into the fishery. Vessel owners and

dealers would have to obtain permits

and comply with all reporting

requirements, as has been done during

the experimental fishery. The principal

intent of Amendment 10 would be to

preserve the artisanal nature of this

fishery with the minimal amount of

Federal intrusion necessary for the

conservation and management of the

fishery. Amendment 10 would also

introduce a voluntary vessel tracking

system (VTS) and would require

mandatory operator permits.

Participants in the Maine ocean

quahog fishery would be required to

comply with the provisions of

Amendment 8 to the FMP, except as

modified by the following proposed

management measures:

1. The Governor of the State of Maine

would receive an allocation for ocean

quahogs landed in Maine from the EEZ.

2. The initial provisional EEZ quota

(27,611 bushels) would be the average of

the first 5 years of the experimental

fishery.

3. The State of Maine would continue

to test for and certify for paralytic

shellfish poisoning (PSP) in the ocean

quahogs landed in its State, whether

from the EEZ or Territorial Sea to ensure

public health.

4. The status of the Maine allocation

would have the same legal status as

ITQs for the remainder of the fishery.

Just as those quota owners may make

any financial arrangements that they see

fit (consistent with governing

regulations) for the harvesting of their

quota, so could the Governor of Maine.

5. The State of Maine would

administer the EEZ quota, except that

no program would exempt participants

from any of the permitting and reporting

requirements specified in Amendment

10 or prior amendments to the FMP.

6. Non-Maine vessels that hold ITQs

for quahogs would not be prohibited

from fishing in the Federal waters off

Maine but, if they choose to land their

catch in Maine, they would be required

to adhere to all State landings laws.
14104 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 57 / Tuesday, March 25, 1997 / Proposed Rules

7. There would be no provision to

convert Maine allocation (bag tags) to

cage tags or cage tags to bag tags.

8. Maine reporting would be in

number of ‘‘bushels’’ through bag tags.

All vessels and dealers participating

in the Maine fishery would be required

to maintain and submit logbooks

pursuant to § 648.7(b)(ii). Federal

reporting, as is currently required for

the experimental fishery, would

continue. Maine landing laws require all

bushels of Maine ocean quahogs to be

tagged for PSP. Maine would continue

their bag tag program, which could be

used as a basis for allocation should

Maine decide to distribute its allocation.

Any surf clam or ocean quahog

fishermen may decide to voluntarily

participate in a vessel tracking system

(VTS) rather than the mandatory call-in

system currently in place. The VTS

requirements are specified at § 648.9.

All surf clam and ocean quahog

fishermen would be required to have

operator permits. Operator permit

requirements are specified at § 648.5.

The hearings are physically accessible

to people with disabilities. Requests for

sign language interpretation or other

auxiliary aids should be directed to

David Keifer at the Council (see

ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to the

hearing date.

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

Dated: March 19,1997.

Bruce Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–7531 Filed 3-24-97; 8:45 am]

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