[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 33 (Thursday, February 19, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7719-7720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-3638]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 223
[I.D 020904A]
RIN 0648-AR69
Sea Turtle Conservation; Public Hearing Notification
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public hearing.
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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is announcing its
intent to hold a public hearing to inform interested parties of the
proposed prohibitions and restrictions on Virginia pound net leaders
and to accept public comments on this action.
DATES: NMFS will hold a public hearing at the Holiday Inn SunSpree
Resort - Virginia Beach, on Thursday, February 19, 2004, at 7 p.m.,
eastern daylight time.
ADDRESSES: The Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort - Virginia Beach is located
at 3900 Atlantic Avenue, at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and 39th
Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 (ph. 757-428-1711). The public hearing
will take place in the Cape Henry Room.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Upite (ph. 978-281-9328 x6525),
NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposed rule was issued on February 6,
2004 (69 FR 5810), which proposes to prohibit the use of all pound net
leaders from May 6 to July 15 each year in the Virginia waters of the
mainstem Chesapeake Bay, south of 37[deg] 19.0' N. lat. and west of
76[deg] 13.0' W. long., and all waters south of 37[deg] 13.0' N. lat.
to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay,
and the portion of the James River downstream of the Hampton Roads
Bridge Tunnel (I-64) and the York River downstream of the Coleman
Memorial Bridge (Route
[[Page 7720]]
17). Additionally, the rule proposes to prohibit the use of all leaders
with stretched mesh greater than or equal to 8 inches (20.3 cm) and
leaders with stringers from May 6 to July 15 each year in the Virginia
waters of the Chesapeake Bay outside the aforementioned closed area,
extending to the Maryland-Virginia State line (approximately 37[deg]
55' N. lat., 75[deg] 55' W. long.) and the Rappahannock River
downstream of the Robert Opie Norris Jr. Bridge (Route 3), and from the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to the COLREGS line at the mouth of the
Chesapeake Bay. Additional information on the justification for this
action can be found in that proposed rule.
NMFS recognizes the need and importance to obtain public comment on
the proposed action. In addition to the February 19 meeting announced
in this notice, NMFS is accepting written comments on the proposed
action. Written comments on the proposed rule or requests for copies of
the literature cited, the draft Environmental Assessment, or Regulatory
Impact Review and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis should be
addressed to the Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected
Resources, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Comments
and requests for supporting documents may also be sent via fax to 978-
281-9394. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or the
Internet. The public comment period closes at 5 p.m., eastern daylight
time, on March 8, 2004.
In preparing the final rule for this action, NMFS will fully
consider the public comments received during the 30-day comment period
(either in writing or verbally during the public hearing).
Special Accommodations
This meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. Requests
for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be
directed to Carrie Upite, telephone 978-281-3928 x6525, fax 978-281-
9394, at least 5 days before the scheduled meeting date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: February 12, 2004.
Laurie K. Allen,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-3638 Filed 2-18-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S