# Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council; Public Hearings
**AGENCY:**
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
**ACTION:**
Notice of public hearings.
**SUMMARY:**
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) will hold hearings to allow for public input on Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery (FMP).
**DATES:**
Written comments will be accepted until May 27, 2007. All meetings begin at 7 a.m. For specific dates and locations of the hearings see *SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION* .
**ADDRESSES:**
Comments may be submitted through any of the following methods:
• Mail: Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management
Council, Room 2115 Federal Building, 300 South New Street, Dover, Delaware 19904.
• FAX: 302-674-5399.
• E-mail: *[email protected]* . Please indicate the subject as SMB 9 Comments.
• Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: *http://www.regulations.gov* .
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Daniel T. Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Room 2115 Federal Building, 300 South New Street, Dover, Delaware 19904, 302-674-2331, ext. 19.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
**Background**
The purpose of the hearings is to receive public input on management actions under consideration in Amendment 9 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish FMP. The proposed management actions could:
(1) Allow multi-year specifications for all four species managed through the FMP,
(2) Extend or eliminate the moratorium on entry into the directed *Illex* squid fishery,
(3) Revise the current overfishing definition for *Loligo* squid,
(4) Designate EFH for *Loligo* eggs,
(5) Implement area closures to reduce damage to habitat from squid-mackerel-butterfish fisheries,
(6) Increase the minimum codend mesh size requirement in the *Loligo* fishery,
(7) Modify the exemption of the *Illex* fishery from the minimum codend mesh size requirement of the *Loligo* fishery,
(8) Modify the *Loligo* incidental catch limit in the *Illex* fishery during *Loligo* fishery closures,
(9) Establish a requirement for electronic daily reporting in the directed *Illex* fishery,
(10) Establish gear restricted areas that are seasonally closed to small-mesh gear.
**Dates and Locations of the Hearings**
Monday May 14, 2007: Hilton Garden Inn Providence Airport, One Thuber Street, Warwick, RI 02886.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007: Holiday Inn Express East End, 1707 Old Country Road, Riverhead, NY 11901.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007: The Grand Hotel, 1045 Beach Ave., Cape May, NJ 08204.
Thursday, May 17, 2007: Days Inn Norfolk Airport, 5708 Northampton Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23455.
**Special Accommodations**
The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to M. Jan Bryan at the Mid-Atlantic Council Office (302) 674-2331 extension 18 at least five days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: April 24, 2007.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.