[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 166 (Thursday, August 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45798-45799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23015]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D.080498D]
Caribbean Fishery Management Council and National Marine
Fisheries Service; Public Hearings
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public hearings and public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) will
convene public hearings on its draft Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)
Generic Amendment to the Fishery Management Plans of the U.S. Caribbean
(draft Generic EFH Amendment). The Council is developing its EFH
Generic Amendment to address EFH-related requirements of the Magnuson-
Steven Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
NMFS is developing an EFH recommendation to the Council on its
Generic EFH Amendment in accordance with the requirements of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act. The NMFS EFH recommendation to the Council will
involve NMFS' review of, and comments on, the Council's draft Generic
EFH Amendment. The NMFS recommendation to the Council will be available
for public distribution on August 31, 1998, and also will be available
to the public at the Council's hearings. NMFS will hold a public
hearing on its draft EFH recommendation immediately following the
Council's public hearing of September 2, 1998, in St. Croix, U.S.V.I.
DATES: Written comments on the Council's draft Generic EFH Amendment
will be accepted through September 15, 1998. Written comments on the
NMFS draft EFH recommendations will be accepted through September 15,
1998. The Council's public hearings will be held on August 31, and on
September 1, 2, 3, and 8, 1998. NMFS will hold a public hearing on its
draft EFH recommendation on September 2, 1998 following the Council's
public hearing in St. Croix, U.S.V.I.
ADDRESSES: The hearings will be held in the U.S.Virgin Islands and in
Puerto Rico. For specific hearing locations and times, see
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Copies of the Council's draft Generic EFH
Amendment can be obtained by calling the Council at (787) 766-5926.
Written comments on the draft Generic EFH Amendment should be sent to
the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 268 Munoz Rivera Avenue,
Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-2577; fax (787) 766-6239.
Copies of the NMFS draft EFH recommendation can be obtained by calling
the Habitat Conservation Division, NMFS Southeast Region, at (727) 570-
5317. Written comments on the NMFS draft EFH recommendation should be
addressed to: Habitat Conservation Division, NMFS Southeast Region,
9721 Executive Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702-2432. Comments
should be marked to indicate ``Draft EFH Recommendation to CFMC.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the draft Generic
EFH Amendment, contact the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 268
Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-2577;
telephone (787) 766-5926; fax (787) 766-6239. For information on the
NMFS draft EFH recommendation, contact the Habitat Conservation
Division, NMFS Southeast Region, 9721 Executive Center Drive N., St.
Petersburg, FL 33702-2432; telephone (727) 570-5317.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council will hold six public hearings on
a draft Generic EFH Amendment addressing EFH in the U.S. Caribbean. The
Generic EFH Amendment would amend all of the Council's approved and
implemented fishery management plans (FMPs) to address the EFH
requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The description and
identification of EFH for these FMPs is mandated by sections 303(a)(7)
and 305 (b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The following is a summary of
the draft Generic EFH Amendment:
1. EFH is identified and described based on areas where various
life stages of the 17 selected managed species and the coral complex
commonly occur. The selected species are: Nassau grouper, Epinephelus
striatus, red hind, Epinephelus guttatus, coney, Epinephelus fulvus,
yellowtail, Ocyurus chrysurus, mutton, Lutjanus analis, school master,
Lutjanus apodus, grey snapper, Lutjanus griseus, silk snapper, Lutjanus
vivants, butterfly fish, Chaetodon sprattus, squirrel fish, Holocentrus
ascensionis, white grunt, Haemulon plumber, queen triggerfish, Balistes
vetula, tilefish, Malacanthus plumieri, redtail parrot fish, Sparisoma
chrysopterum, trunk fish, Lactophrys quadricornis, spiny lobster,
Panulirus argus, and queen conch, Strombus gigas.
2. The selected species represent some of the key species under
management by the Council. Collectively, these species commonly occur
throughout all the marine and estuarine waters of the U.S. Caribbean.
EFH for the remaining managed species will be addressed in future FMP
amendments, as appropriate.
3. EFH is defined as everywhere that the above managed species
commonly occur. Because these species collectively occur in all
habitats of the U.S. Caribbean, the EFH includes all waters and
substrates (mud, sand, shell, rock, and associated biological
communities), including subtidal vegetation (seagrasses and algae) and
adjacent intertidal vegetation (wetland and mangroves). Therefore, EFH
includes virtually all marine waters and substrates (mud, shell, rock,
coral reefs, and associated biological communities) from the shoreline
to the seaward limit of the EEZ.
4. Threats to EFH from fishing and nonfishing activities are
identified.
5. Whenever possible, options to conserve and enhance EFH are
provided and research needs are identified.
6. No management measures and, therefore, no regulations are
proposed at this time. Fishing-related management measures to minimize
any identified impacts are deferred to future amendments when the
Council has the information necessary to decide if the measures are
practicable.
Hearings
The Council hearings will be held in the following locations and
times:
Monday, August 31, 1998, from 7-10 p.m. at the Legislature Building
in Cruz Bay, St. John, U.S.V.I.;
[[Page 45799]]
Tuesday, September 1, 1998, from 7-10 p.m., at the Legislature
Building in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.;
Wednesday, September 2, 1998, from 7-10 p.m., at the Conference
Room of the Caravelle Hotel, in St. Croix. U.S.V.I.;
Thursday, September 3, 1998, from 7-10 p.m., at the Conference Room
of the Holiday Inn Hotel in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico (Holiday Inn Hotel
address is 2701 Highway Number 2, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 00680);
Tuesday, September 8, 1998, from 1-3 p.m., at the Casa Alcaldia of
Fajardo, Fajardo, Puerto Rico; and
Tuesday, September 8, 1998, from 7-10 p.m., at the Travelodge Hotel
in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico (Travelodge Hotel address is 1313 Isla Verde
Avenue, Carolina, Puerto Rico).
NMFS is developing an EFH recommendation to the Council in
accordance with the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The NMFS
EFH recommendation to the Council involves a review of, and comments
on, the Council's draft Generic EFH Amendment. The NMFS draft
recommendation to the Council will be available for public distribution
on August 31, 1998, and will be available at the Council's public
hearings. Copies may be requested from the NMFS Habitat Conservation
Division (see ADDRESSES). Written comments on the NMFS draft EFH
recommendation may be sent to the NMFS Habitat Conservation Division,
Southeast Region (see ADDRESSES). A public hearing will be held on the
draft NMFS EFH recommendation immediately following the Council's
September 2, 1998, public hearing in St. Croix, U.S.V.I.
Special Accommodation
The hearings are open to the public, and will be conducted in
English. They are physically accessible to people with disabilities.
For more information or requests for sign language interpretation or
other auxiliary aids, please contact Mr. Miguel A. Rolon at the council
at least 5 days prior to the meeting dates (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT).
Dated: August 21, 1998.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-23015 Filed 8-24-98; 2:48 pm]
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