CONTACT: Scott Smullen FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9/13/96
To prepare for the November meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, and to gather views on future domestic regulations, the National Marine Fisheries Service will hold a series of regional public meetings to discuss the latest science and management issues associated with some of the most sought after fish in the Atlantic -- tuna, swordfish and billfish.
This is the first time the fisheries service and the ICCAT Advisory Board of fishermen and industry members have travelled regionally to gather public views on international issues surrounding highly migratory species. The information will be used by the U.S. ICCAT commissioners to shape priorities before meeting with 23 other countries in Spain to discuss the latest stock assessments for highly migratory fish and negotiate country-specific fishing quotas for some species. Fisheries service officials will spend the second half of each regional meeting addressing domestic highly migratory species management issues.
"At the public meetings, we intend to explain the complicated and restrictive process of international negotiations involved with ICCAT highly migratory fish management, but more importantly, we will listen to the fishermen to find out what they would like for the U.S. commission to accomplish as a delegation in Spain," said Rollie Schmitten, director of the National Marine Fisheries Service. "We also want to give fishermen a forum to discuss recent agency improvements to domestic tuna management and other upcoming regulation changes. This is part of the agency's continuing efforts to develop improved management plans with direct input from fishermen."
Discussion during the first half of the public meetings will focus on the role of the ICCAT advisory committee and U.S. ICCAT commissioners, the status of highly migratory fish stocks managed by ICCAT, and the issues ICCAT will face this year. The latter half of the meetings will be spent discussing domestic issues regarding tuna and billfish regulations and any related regional concerns fishermen may have.
The public has an additional opportunity for public input on international issues. The annual Fall ICCAT Advisory Committee will hold a pubic comment session on Nov. 6, from 2 - 6:00 p.m., at 1325 East-West Highway, Building 2, Silver Spring, Md.
The 1996 ICCAT annual meeting will be held Nov. 22-29 in San Sebastian, Spain. ICCAT is an international body concerned with the management of tuna and tuna-like fishes in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
The public meeting schedule is:
Sep. 16 Sep. 17
6 - 10:00 p.m. 6 - 10:00 p.m.
Omni Hotel Quality Inn Midtown
1601 Belvedere Road 3900 Tulane Avenue
West Palm Beach, Fla. New Orleans, La.
Oct. 18 Oct. 19
6 - 10:00 p.m. 7 - 10:00 p.m.
World Trade Center Suffolk Community College
164 Northern Avenue Shinnecock Bldg., Room S-101
Boston, Mass. Speonk/Riverhead Road
Riverhead, N.Y.
Oct. 21 Oct. 22
6 - 10:00 p.m. 6 - 10:00 p.m.
Quality Inn Belmar Municipal Courtroom
Lake Wright Convention Center 601 Main Street
6280 Northhampton Blvd. Belmar, N.J.
Norfolk, Va.