Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 117 / Monday, June 17, 1996 / Proposed Rules 30589

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531–1544; and 16

U.S.C. 742a et seq., unless otherwise noted.

Dated: June 11, 1996.

Rolland A. Schmitten,

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 96–15324 Filed 6–14–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

50 CFR Part 669

[I.D. 060496E]

Caribbean Fishery Management

Council; Public Hearing

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Public hearing; request for

comments.

SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery

Management Council (Caribbean

Council) will convene one public

hearing on alternatives for closed areas

to protect spawning aggregations of red

hind in an area off Mayaguez, PR.

DATES: Written comments will be

accepted on or before July 15, 1996. The

public hearing will be held on June 19,

1996, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be sent to, and copies of a document

summarizing the management

alternatives to be considered are

available from, Mr. Miguel A. Rolon,

Executive Director, Caribbean Fishery

Management Council, 268 Munoz

Rivera Ave., Suite 1108, San Juan, PR

00918. The hearing will be held at the

Joyuda Plaza Hotel, Cabo Rojo, PR.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Miguel A. Rolon, 809–766–5926; Fax:

809–766 6239.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Caribbean Council will be

holding a public hearing on alternatives

for closed areas to protect the spawning

aggregations of the red hind grouper,

which usually form during the period

December 1 through February 28 of each

consecutive year.

The current regulations implementing

the Fishery Management Plan for the

Reef Fish Fishery of Puerto Rico and the

U.S. Virgin Islands establish a closed

area off Mayaguez, PR, to protect the

spawning grounds of this grouper

species. Recent information obtained by

the Caribbean Council indicates that the

red hind aggregations are taking place in

other sites outside the present closed

area. The Caribbean Council will be

considering closed area alternatives that

would be more effective in protecting

the red hind spawning aggregations

while resulting in fewer adverse

regulatory impacts to fishers.

Alternatives under consideration

include: (1) No action (i.e., keep the

same area of seasonal closure

(Amendment 2 of the Reeffish FMP,

1993)); (2) closing an area of 1/2 mile

(2.41 km) radius around ‘‘Buoy 8’’ to all

fishing from December 1 to February 28

of each fishing year; (3) closing an area

of 1/2 mile (2.41 km) radius around

‘‘Buoy 6’’ to all fishing from December

1 to February 28 of each fishing year; (4)

closing an area of 1/2 mile (2.41 km)

radius centered around a buoy to be

deployed in the area known as ‘‘El Bajo

de Sico’’ to all fishing between

December 1 to February 28 of each

fishing year; and (5) closing all three

areas identified above to all fishing

between December 1 and February 28 of

each fishing year.

Special Accommodations

This hearing is physically accessible

to people with disabilities. For more

information or requests for sign

language interpretation and/or other

auxiliary aids please contact Mr. Miguel

A. Rolon at 809–766–5926 (see

ADDRESSES) at least 5 days prior to the

hearing date.

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

Dated: June 11, 1996.

Richard H. Schaefer,

Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and

Management, National Marine Fisheries

Service.

[FR Doc. 96–15232 Filed 6–14–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F