Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Monkfish Fishery; Amendment 2, 9029-9030 [05-3583]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 36 (Thursday, February 24, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 9029-9030]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3583]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 041229366-4366-01; I.D. 122304D]
RIN 0648-AQ25


Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Monkfish 
Fishery; Amendment 2

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of public comment period and 
correction.

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SUMMARY: NMFS extends for 10 days the public comment period on the 
proposed rule to implement the management measures contained in 
Amendment 2 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), as published 
on January 14, 2005. NMFS also corrects the description of the 
qualification years for the proposed modification to the monkfish 
limited access program that was incorrectly described in the preamble 
to the January 14, 2005, proposed rule. NMFS also clarifies the 
description of the proposed possession limit for the Offshore Fishery 
Program in the Southern Fishery Management Area (SFMA) provided in the 
preamble of the Amendment 2 proposed rule to be per monkfish day-at-sea 
(DAS).

DATES: The comment period on the proposed rule will be reopened from 
February 24, 2005, through March 7, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the proposed rule may be submitted by 
any of the following methods:
     E-mail: E-mail comments may be submitted to 
mnkamnd2@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line the following ``Comments 
on the Proposed Rule for Monkfish Amendment 2.''
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Comments submitted by mail should be sent to 
Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS, One 
Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298. Mark the outside of the 
envelope ``Comments on the Proposed Rule for Monkfish Amendment 2.''
     Facsimile (fax): Comments submitted by fax should be faxed 
to (978) 281-9135.
    Written comments regarding the burden-hour estimates or other 
aspects of the collection-of-information requirements contained in the 
proposed rule should be submitted to the Regional Administrator at the 
address above and by e-mail to David--Rostker@omb.eop.gov, or fax to 
(202) 395-7285.
    Copies of Amendment 2, its Regulatory Impact Review (RIR), 
including the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), and the 
Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) are available 
on request from Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery 
Management Council, 50 Water Street, Newburyport, MA 01950. These 
documents are also available online at https://www.nefmc.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison R. Ferreira, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, (978) 281-9103; fax (978) 281-9135; e-mail 
allison.ferreira@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On January 14, 2005 (70 FR 2586), NMFS published a proposed rule in 
the Federal Register that would implement the management measures 
contained in Amendment 2, if approved. The New England and Mid-Atlantic 
Fishery Management Councils developed Amendment 2 to address a number 
of issues that arose out of the implementation of the original FMP, as 
well as issues that were identified during public scoping. One of the 
issues that arose out of the implementation of the original FMP was 
unattainable permit qualification criteria for vessels in the southern 
end of the range of the fishery. To address this issue, Amendment 2 
proposes a modification to the limited access permit qualification 
criteria. The qualification criteria referenced in the regulatory text 
of the January 14, 2005, proposed rule correctly stated that the 
qualification years under this modified limited access program would be 
1995 through 1998. However, the preamble to the proposed rule 
incorrectly listed the qualification years as 1994 through 1998. 
Therefore, NMFS corrects the qualification years referenced in the 
preamble of the proposed rule published on January 14, 2005 (70 FR 
2586), to read as follows: ''... during the qualification period March 
15 through June 15, for the years 1995 through 1998. ...''
    NMFS is also clarifying the proposed possession limit for vessels 
participating in the Offshore Fishery Program in the SFMA described on 
page 2587 of the preamble for the January 14, 2005,

[[Page 9030]]

proposed rule. The proposed possession limit of 1,600 lb (725.7 kg) of 
monkfish tails is intended to be per monkfish DAS, not per trip.
    The public comment period on the proposed rule ended on February 
14, 2005. In order to provide the public with the opportunity to 
comment on the corrected proposed rule for Amendment 2, NMFS is 
reopening the public comment for a period for 10 days, beginning on 
February 24, 2005, and ending on March 7, 2005.
    In addition, the preamble to the proposed rule published on January 
14, 2004, 70 FR 2586, which was the subject of FR Doc. 05-755, on page 
2586, third column, beginning on the third line from the bottom the 
words ``the years 1994 through 1998. Two'' are removed and in their 
place the following words ``the years 1995 through 1998. Two ...'' are 
added.

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

    Dated: February 17, 2005.
Rebecca Lent,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-3583 Filed 2-23-05; 8:45 am]
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