Atlantic Billfish Fisheries

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 644

[I.D. 022294C]

Atlantic Billfish Fisheries

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

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Atlantic billfishes; notice of an additional scoping meeting

and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS previously announced scoping meetings for Atlantic

billfish on February 9, 1994. The purpose of the scoping meetings is 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 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 will be

prepared for the initial hearing and revised, based on written and oral

comments, for subsequent hearings. This notice announces an additional

scoping meeting and extends the comment period for the billfish scoping

meetings.

DATES: Written scoping comments must be received on or before May 2,

1994. The scoping meeting will be held from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., March

15, 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 meeting will be held at the Hynnes Convention Center,

Room 208 (NFI Room/Lounge), 900 Boyleston Avenue, Boston, MA.

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

301-713-1035.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Scoping Meeting

Depending upon the interest of the audience, the Meeting Officer

may increase the length of the meetings, and additional meetings may be

announced at a later date. These hearings are physically accessible to

people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or

other auxiliary aids should be directed to Richard H. Schaefer by March

11, 1994 (see ADDRESSES).

Dated: February 23, 1994.

David S. Crestin,

Acting Office Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and

Management.

[FR Doc. 94-4535 Filed 2-24-94; 10:01 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-P