[Federal Register: October 7, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 194)]
[Notices]
[Page 60145]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07oc04-29]
[[Page 60145]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 092904B]
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Scoping Hearings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public hearings; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will
hold nine public hearings to inform the public and obtain comments on
drafts of Amendment 15 to the Coastal Migratory Pelagics Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) and Amendment 24 to the Reef Fish FMP.
DATES: The meetings will be held in October 2004. See SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION for specific dates, locations, and times. Written public
comments must be received by the Council on or before November 5, 2004.
ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates, locations,
and times.
Written comments should be sent to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council, 3018 North U.S. Highway 301, Suite 1000, Tampa, FL
33619. Comments may also be submitted via e-mail to
gulfcouncil@gulfcouncil.org.
Copies of the draft amendments are available by contacting the Gulf
of Mexico Fishery Management Council at the mailing address or e-mail
address specified above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Leard, Deputy Executive Director,
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; telephone: 813-228-2815.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will hold nine public hearings
to solicit public input on drafts of Amendment 15 to the Coastal
Migratory Pelagics FMP and Amendment 24 to the Reef Fish FMP (see
ADDRESSES for information on obtaining these draft amendments). Each of
these draft amendments contain alternatives to: (1) allow the existing
commercial permit moratoria to expire, (2) extend the moratoria for an
additional 5 or 10 years, or (3) replace the moratoria with permanent
limited access systems that would, in essence, maintain the cap on the
number of permits indefinitely, or until replaced or eliminated by
additional actions by the Council. The Council is soliciting public
comment on these alternatives and on other alternatives not currently
included in the draft amendments. The Council is soliciting public
comment on these issues through public hearings, by mail, and by e-
mail.
Public hearings will be held at the following dates and locations
beginning at 7 p.m. and concluding no later than 10 p.m.:
1. Monday, October 18, 2004, Brownsville Events Center, 1 Events
Center Boulevard, Brownsville, TX 78526; telephone: 956-554-0700;
2. Tuesday, October 19, 2004, Port Aransas Community Center, 408
North Allister, Port Aransas, TX 78373; telephone: 361-749-4111;
3. Tuesday, October 19, 2004, DoubleTree Grand Key Resort, 3990 S.
Roosevelt Boulevard, Key West, FL 33040; telephone: 888-310-1540 (joint
public hearing with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council);
4. Wednesday, October 20, 2004, San Luis Resort,
5222 Seawall Boulevard, Galveston Island, TX 77651; telephone: 409-
744-1500;
5. Thursday, October 21, 2004, Grand Isle Community Center, 3811
Highway 1, Grand Isle, LA 70358; telephone: 985-787-3196;
6. Monday, October 25, 2004, National Marine Fisheries Service,
3500 Delwood Beach Road, Panama City, FL 32408; telephone: 850-234-
6541;
7. Tuesday, October 26, 2004, Riverview Plaza Hotel, 64 South Water
Street, Mobile, AL 36602; telephone: 251-415-3068;
8. Wednesday, October 27, 2004, Palace Casino Resort, 158 Howard
Avenue, Biloxi, MS 39530; telephone: 800-725-2239; and
9. Thursday, October 28, 2004, Madeira Beach City Hall, 300
Municipal Drive, Madeira Beach, FL 33708; telephone: 727-391-9951.
These hearings will be open to the public and physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation
or other auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see
ADDRESSES) by October 12, 2004.
Dated: September 30, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-22597 Filed 10-6-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S