[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 147 (Monday, August 2, 1999)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 41905-41906] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-19642] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 622 [I.D. 072099F] Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings
Agency
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
Action
Notice of public hearings; request for comments.
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Summary
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene a series of 10 public workshops on the possible use of marine reserves as a fishery management tool in Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Dates
Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on September 13, 1999. The public workshops will be held from August 9 through 24, 1999. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific dates and times of the public hearings.
Addresses
Written comments should be sent to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 3018 U.S. Highway 301, North, Suite 1000, Tampa, Florida 33619. Copies of the scoping documents that will be used at the workshops (Marine Reserves for Fisheries Management: Questions and Answers; and Marine Reserves Technical Document) can be obtained from the Council office at 813-228-2815; web site: https:// www.gulfcouncil.org.
For Further Information Contact
Steven Atran, Population Dynamics Statistician, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; (813) 228- 2815; Fax: 813-225-7015.
Supplementary Information
These workshops are to introduce the concept of marine reserves, i.e., zones of restricted or no fishing, to the public, to solicit public comment on whether they are an appropriate tool to use for fishery management in the Gulf of Mexico, and if so, how they should be used. No specific options to create marine reserves will be presented at these workshops, but the the Council will consider comments provided by the workshop participants in deciding whether and how to proceed with the development of marine reserves. The Council intends to use an outside facilitator to gain the greatest amount of input from participants and avoid any perceptions of bias. The workshops will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the following locations: 1. Monday, August 9, 1999--Four Points Sheraton, 3777 North Expressway, Brownsville, TX; telephone: 956-547-1500; 2. Tuesday, August 10, 1999--Ellis Memorial Library, 700 West Avenue A, Port Aransas, TX; telephone: 512-749-4116; 3. Wednesday, August 11, 1999--Texas A&M University Auditorium, 200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston, TX; telephone: 409-740-4416; 4. Thursday, August 12, 1999--Four Points Sheraton, 333 Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA; telephone: 504-525-9444; 5. Monday, August 16, 1999--J. L. Scott Marine Education Center & Aquarium, 115 East Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, MS; telephone: 228-374- 5550; 6. Tuesday, August 17, 1999--Hilton Beachfront Garden Inn, 23092 Perdito
Beach Boulevard, Orange Beach, AL; telephone: 334-974-1600; 7. Wednesday, August 18, 1999--The Boardwalk Beach and Conference Center, 9600 South Thomas Drive, Panama City Beach, FL; telephone: 850- 234-3484; 8. Thursday, August 19, 1999--Steinhatchee Elementary School, 1st Avenue South, Steinhatchee, FL; telephone: 352-498-3303; 9. Monday, August 23, 1999--Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, Key West, FL; telephone: 305-292-4431; and 10. Tuesday, August 24, 1999--Radisson Bay Harbor Inn, 7700 Courtney Campbell Causeway, Tampa, FL; telephone: 813-281-8900.
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Anne Alford at the Council (see ADDRESSES) by August 2, 1999.
Dated: July 27, 1999. Bruce C. Morehead, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 99-19642 Filed 7-30-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F