Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Fisheries for Dolphin and Wahoo

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 020498B]

Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;

Fisheries for Dolphin and Wahoo

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

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Request that NMFS designate the South Atlantic Fishery

Management Council to prepare a fishery management plan (FMP) and

subsequent FMP amendments (amendments) for dolphin and wahoo; reopening

of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: On March 9, 1998, NMFS published a notice in the Federal

Register advising of and requesting comments on the request of the

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) to

be designated by NMFS, under procedures of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), as the Regional

Fishery Management Council (Council) to prepare an FMP and amendments

for the fisheries for dolphin, Coryphaena hippurus, and wahoo,

Acanthocybium solanderi, throughout their range in the exclusive

economic zone (EEZ) of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico

and Caribbean Sea. NMFS is reopening the public comment period to

afford the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) and

other members of the public more time to consider the South Atlantic

Council's proposal.

DATES: The comment period reopens May 5, 1998; comments must be

submitted by June 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be directed to Dr. Andrew J. Kemmerer,

Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 Executive Center

Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Godcharles, 813-570-5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: At the request of the Gulf Council, NMFS

reopens the public comment period and requests comments on the South

Atlantic Council's request to be designated by NMFS, under Magnuson-

Stevens Act procedures, as the Council to prepare an FMP and amendments

for the fisheries for dolphin and wahoo throughout their range in the

EEZ of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean

Sea. A notice previously published in the Federal Register (63 FR

11422, March 9, 1998) described the details of the South Atlantic

Council's request and requested comments on that proposal through April

8, 1998. The Gulf Council has requested more time to more fully

consider the issues and impacts of the proposal at its meeting during

the week of May 11-15, 1998, in Destin, Florida. Reopening the public

comment period will allow the Gulf Council the requested time to

consider, develop, and submit to NMFS more specific and extensive

comments on the proposal. By publishing this notice in the Federal

Register, NMFS also affords other concerned or potentially impacted

entities further opportunity for comment.

NMFS again requests public comments on the South Atlantic Council's

proposal to be designated as the Council to prepare a new FMP to manage

dolphin and wahoo throughout the Atlantic Ocean. Written comments

received from both this and the previous notice will be reviewed and

considered prior to NMFS' decision on this request.

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

[[Page 24775]]

Dated: April 28, 1998.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine

Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98-11893 Filed 5-4-98; 8:45 am]

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