Atlantic Billfish Fisheries

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 644

[I.D. 070194C]

Atlantic Billfish Fisheries

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Date change for scoping meeting, and extension of comment

period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS previously announced scoping meetings for Atlantic

billfish to receive comments concerning the Atlantic billfish fishery

from fishery participants and other members of the public regarding a

definition of overfishing, reducing fishing mortality, reporting

requirements, and other issues. NMFS announces a change of meeting date

for a previously announced billfish scoping meeting and extends the

comment period for the scoping meetings.

DATES: Written scoping comments must be received by October 1, 1994.

The scoping meeting originally announced for August 15, 1994, in

Morehead City, NC, will be held on August 3, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Written scoping comments should be sent to Richard B. Stone,

Chief, Highly Migratory Species Management Division (F/CM4), Office of

Fisheries Conservation and Management, National Marine Fisheries

Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 14853, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Clearly mark the outside of the envelope ``Atlantic Billfish Scoping

Comments''. Input for the issues/options statement may also be provided

to the same address, or by sending a fax to C. Michael Bailey at 301-

713-1035.

The scoping meeting will be held at the following location:

August 3, 1994, Morehead City, NC, 7 to 10 p.m.

Carteret Community College

Joslyn Hall

3505 Arendale Street

Morehead City, NC 28557-2989.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: C. Michael Bailey, 301-713-2347 or

fax, 301-713-1035.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Scoping Meeting

NMFS previously announced scoping meetings on February 9, 1994 (59

FR 5978), March 1, 1994 (59 FR 9720), April 5, 1994 (59 FR 15882) and

June 16, 1994 (59 FR 30903). Depending upon the interest of the

audience, the Meeting Officer may increase the length of the meeting.

Additional meetings will be announced at a later date. NMFS is also

soliciting written comments on issues of concern in this fishery. NMFS

requests input at any time during the scoping process, by mail or by

fax. An issues/options statement was prepared for the initial hearing

and revised for subsequent hearings, based on written and oral

comments. This hearing is physically accessible to people with

disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other

auxiliary aids should be directed to Richard B. Stone by July 29, 1994

(see ADDRESSES).

Dated: July 6, 1994.

David S. Crestin,

Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 94-16714 Filed 7-8-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-F