New England Fishery Management Council; Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Reopening of Comment Period

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 021097C]

New England Fishery Management Council; Mid-Atlantic Fishery

Management Council; Reopening of Comment Period

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

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Public hearings; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils

(Councils) held public hearings to receive comments on Amendment 9 to

the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Councils

are reopening the comment period to allow additional time for all

interested parties to submit written comments.

DATES: The comment period, which closed on March 14, 1997, is reopened

through April 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or requests for copies of the public

hearing document, draft Amendment 9 document, or the draft Supplemental

Environmental Impact Statement should be directed to Paul J. Howard,

Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway,

Saugus, MA 01906; telephone 617-231-0422, or David Keifer, Executive

Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 300 South New

Street, Suite 2115, Dover, DE 19901; telephone 302-674-2331.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Howard, 617-231-0422.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 21, 1997 (62 FR 7991), NMFS

published a notification of public hearings on Amendment 9 to the FMP

and comments were solicited through March 14, 1997. The Councils are

aware of the public interest in the management measures being proposed

for the monkfish fishery and want to allow

[[Page 14389]]

interested parties additional time to comment.

Amendment 9 to the FMP would bring monkfish under Federal

management authority through the Northeast region (Virginia to Maine).

The Councils are considering two management areas for monkfish, a

northern fishery management area and a southern fishery management area

based on the differences in fisheries in the Gulf of Maine versus areas

to the south. Total allowable landings targets already have been

established for the two fishery management areas and are consistent

with the monkfish overfishing definition and a rebuilding strategy

adopted by the Councils.

A limited access program for vessels that target and land large

volumes of monkfish would be based on historic participation in the

fishery. These limited access vessels could target monkfish under a

seasonal quota or under a limited number of days-at-sea, depending on

the management measures in the final amendment. Trip limits would be

used to control monkfish bycatch.

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

Dated: March 20, 1997.

George H. Darcy,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine

Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97-7719 Filed 3-25-97; 8:45 am]

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