55814 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 184 / Friday, September 23, 2005 / Proposed Rules 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 635 

[I.D. 051603C] 

RIN 0648–AQ65 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 

Amendments to the Fishery 

Management Plan for Atlantic Tunas, 

Swordfish, and Sharks and the Fishery 

Management Plan for Atlantic Billfish 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Cancellation of a public hearing. 

SUMMARY: Due to the mandatory 

evacuation of the Florida Keys for 

Hurricane Rita, NMFS is cancelling a 

public hearing on the draft Consolidated 

Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery 

Management Plan (FMP) and proposed 

rule that was scheduled for September 

21, 2005, in Key West, FL. NMFS 

intends to reschedule the Key West 

public hearing at a later date. The draft 

Consolidated HMS FMP and the 

proposed rule describe a range of 

management measures that could 

impact fishermen and dealers for all 

HMS fisheries. 

DATES: The hearing scheduled for 

September 21, 2005, in Key West, FL, 

has been cancelled and will be 

rescheduled at a later date. 

ADDRESSES: The location of the 

rescheduled hearing will be announced 

at a later date and published in the 

Federal Register. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Heather Stirratt or Karyl Brewster-Geisz 

at (301) 713–2347. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Atlantic HMS fisheries are managed 

under the dual authority of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the 

Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA). 

The FMP for Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, 

and Sharks, finalized in 1999, and the 

FMP for Atlantic Billfish, finalized in 

1988, are implemented by regulations at 

50 CFR part 635. 

On August 19, 2005 (70 FR 48804), 

NMFS published a proposed rule and 

draft Consolidated HMS FMP, and 

scheduled 24 public hearings 

throughout September and October 2005 

to receive comments from fishery 

participants and other members of the 

public regarding the proposed rule and 

draft Consolidated HMS FMP. On 

September 7, 2005 (70 FR 53146), NMFS 

announced two cancellations due to 

Hurricane Katrina and one meeting 

location change. Due to the mandatory 

evacuation of the Florida Keys for 

Hurricane Rita, NMFS is cancelling a 

third public hearing that was scheduled 

for September 21, 2005, in Key West, 

FL. NMFS intends to reschedule the Key 

West public hearing at a later date, and 

may extend the comment period, if 

necessary, to ensure adequate 

opportunities for public comment by 

constituents. Notification of the new 

date and location would be published in 

the Federal Register. The schedule for 

the other public hearings remains 

unchanged. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Heather Stirratt, 

(301) 713–2347, at least 7 days prior to 

the hearing in question. 

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 561 and 16 U.S.C. 1801 

et seq. 

Dated: September 19, 2005. 

Alan Risenhoover, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–19048 Filed 9–20–05; 1:12 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S