[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 95 (Monday, May 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 27265]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13130]



[[Page 27265]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D.] 050898A


Highly Migratory Species and Billfish Advisory Panels; Public 
Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) and Billfish 
Advisory Panels (AP) will hold consecutive meetings, with a half- day 
joint meeting, to discuss issues in, and future management options for 
the fisheries for, Atlantic HMS.

DATES: The Billfish AP meeting will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 
on May 26, and from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on May 27. The HMS AP 
meeting will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on May 28, 1998. A 
joint session of the Billfish and HMS APs is scheduled for May 27 from 
1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. A public comment period will be held Wednesday, 
May 27, 1998, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the meeting location.

ADDRESSES: The APs will meet at the Islandia Marriott Long Island 
Hotel, 3635 Express Drive North, Happauge, NY 11788. Written comments 
should be submitted to, and informational materials related to the AP 
meeting are available from, Jill Stevenson or Liz Lauck, Highly 
Migratory Species Management Division, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, Maryland 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Stevenson or Liz Lauck, 
telephone: (301) 713-2347, fax: (301) 713-1917.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The HMS and Billfish APs have been 
established under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. The APs will 
assist the Secretary of Commerce in collecting and evaluating 
information relevant to the development of a fishery management plan 
(FMP) for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, and sharks and to an amendment to 
the Billfish FMP. All 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 
HMS, and the Chair, or his representative, of the U.S. Advisory 
Committee to the International Commission for the Conservation of 
Atlantic Tunas. A public comment period is scheduled for Wednesday, May 
27, 1998, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the meeting location. Comments are 
solicited on draft overfishing definition criteria and on rebuilding 
plans that will be discussed at the AP meetings. To request 
informational materials related to the AP discussion or to submit 
public comments, please see ADDRESSES.
    Agenda items for the AP meetings include discussion of:
    1. Objectives for the draft HMS FMP and draft Billfish FMP 
amendment;
    2. Development of overfishing criteria and definitions for Atlantic 
HMS;
    3. Rebuilding scenarios for overfished stocks of Atlantic HMS;
    4. Description of the fisheries and fishing activities; and
    5. Essential fish habitat requirements as they relate to HMS 
fisheries.
    6. Safety of human life at sea.

Special Accommodations

    This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Liz Lauck, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, 
MD 20910, phone (301) 713-2347, at least 7 days prior to the meeting 
date.

    Dated: May 12, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-13130 Filed 5-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F