Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Modification of Access to the Eastern U.S./Canada Area, 39970-39972 [05-13673]
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39970
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 132 / Tuesday, July 12, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
Issued on: June 29, 2005.
Jeffrey W. Runge,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05–13248 Filed 7–11–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–59–C
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
49 CFR Part 575
[Docket No. NHTSA–05–xx]
RIN 2127–AF81
as 49 CFR 575.103(e)(2)(ii). However,
the cross reference in 49 CFR
575.103(e)(2)(ii) was incorrectly listed
as 49 CFR 575.103(e)(2)(i)(E) (the then
existing 49 CFR 575.103(e)(5)) instead of
all of 49 CFR 575.103(e)(2)(i).
This notice corrects that error.
This correction will not impose or
relax any substantive requirements or
burdens on manufacturers. Therefore,
NHTSA finds for good cause that any
notice and opportunity for comment on
this correcting amendment is not
necessary.
List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 575
Truck-Camper Loading; Correction
Consumer protection, Motor vehicle
safety, Reporting and recordkeeping,
Tires.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 040112010–4114–02; I.D.
063005A]
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
Provisions; Fisheries of the
Northeastern United States; Northeast
Multispecies Fishery; Modification of
Access to the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; access and gear
modification.
AGENCY:
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Correcting amendment.
I
SUMMARY: On July 12, 1996, the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) published a final rule that
rescinded Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 126, Truck-camper
loading, and combined its provisions
with 49 CFR 575.103, Truck-camper
loading. When combining these two
regulations, NHTSA inadvertently
changed a cross reference so that it
refers to only one of five information
requirements, instead of all five as it
had previously. This document corrects
that error.
DATES: Effective August 11, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Versailles, Office of International
Policy, Fuel Economy and Consumer
Programs, (Telephone: 202–366–0846)
(Fax: 202–493–2290).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July
12, 1996, the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA)
published a final rule that rescinded
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 126, Truck-camper loading, and
combined its provisions with 49 CFR
575.103, Truck-camper loading (61 FR
36655).
Prior to the July 12, 1996, final rule,
49 CFR 575.103(e) required
manufacturers of trucks capable of
accommodating a slide-in camper to
provide five items of information
contained in paragraphs (e)(1) through
(5) of that standard. If a manufacturer
recommended that the truck not be used
for a slide-in camper, the manufacturer
was required by 49 CFR 575.103(f) to
provide a statement to that effect instead
of the information in 49 CFR 575.103(e).
The July 12, 1996, final rule
renumbered the then existing 49 CFR
575.103(e) as 49 CFR 575.103(e)(2)(i)
and the then existing 49 CFR 575.103(f)
SUMMARY: The Administrator, Northeast
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator),
has projected that the total allowable
I 1. The authority citation continues to
catch (TAC) for Georges Bank (GB) cod
read as follows:
allocated for harvest from the Eastern
U.S./Canada Area will be fully
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115,
harvested prior to the end of the fishing
30117, 30166; delegation of authority at CFR
year if the rate of GB cod harvest
1.50.
remains at the current level. In
I 2. Paragraph 575.103(e)(2)(ii) is revised
response, this action limits all Northeast
to read as follows:
(NE) multispecies days-at-sea (DAS)
vessels to one trip into the Eastern U.S./
§ 575.103 Truck-camper loading.
Canada Area per month through the end
*
*
*
*
*
of the 2005 fishing year. In addition,
(e) Requirements
this action requires all NE multispecies
DAS vessels fishing in the Eastern U.S./
*
*
*
*
*
Canada Area to use a haddock separator
(2) Trucks
trawl for the remainder of the fishing
*
*
*
*
*
year. This action is being taken to slow
the rate of GB cod harvest from the
(ii) If a truck would accommodate a
slide-in camper but the manufacturer of Eastern U.S./Canada Area and to
the truck recommends that the truck not prolong access to the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area throughout the 2005
be used for that purpose, the
fishing year and to help prevent overinformation specified in paragraph
harvesting the GB cod TAC from the
(e)(2)(i) of this section shall not be
Eastern U.S./Canada Area during the
provided but instead the manufacturer
2005 fishing year in accordance with the
shall provide a statement that the truck
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
should not be used to carry a slide-in
Conservation and Management Act.
camper.
DATES: The requirement that NE
*
*
*
*
*
multispecies DAS vessels are limited to
Issued: July 7, 2005.
one trip per month into the Eastern
U.S./Canada Area is effective 0001 hr
Stephen R. Kratzke,
local time, July 12, 2005, through 2400
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
hr local time, April 30, 2006. Two
[FR Doc. 05–13651 Filed 7–11–05; 8:45 am]
exceptions to this one trip per month
BILLING CODE 4910–59–P
requirement are discussed in the
supplementary information section of
this temporary rule.
The requirement for NE multispecies
DAS vessels to use a haddock separator
trawl in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area is
effective 0001 hr local time, July 27,
2005, through 2400 hr local time, April
30, 2006.
AGENCY:
VerDate jul<14>2003
14:34 Jul 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
49 CFR part 575 is corrected by making
the following correcting amendment:
PART 575—[CORRECTED]
PO 00000
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\12JYR1.SGM
12JYR1
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 132 / Tuesday, July 12, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Douglas W. Christel, Fishery Policy
Analyst, phone (978) 281–9141, fax
(978) 281–9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations governing fishing activity in
the U.S./Canada Management Area are
found at 50 CFR 648.85(a)(3). The U.S./
Canada Resource Sharing
Understanding implemented by
Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies
FMP (April 27, 2004; 69 FR 22906)
established hard TACs for GB cod, GB
haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder.
The hard TACs for GB cod and GB
haddock are specific to the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area while the hard TAC for GB
yellowtail flounder applies to vessel
operations in both the Eastern and
Western U.S./Canada Areas. The final
GB cod TAC allocation for the 2005
fishing year is specified at 260 mt (July
7, 2005; 70 FR 39190). These TACs are
monitored using catch information
obtained from vessel monitoring system
(VMS) catch reports, observer data, and
other available information.
Once the Regional Administrator
projects that any one of these TACs have
been caught, the Regional Administrator
is required to close the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area to all NE multispecies DAS
vessels pursuant to § 648.85(a)(3)(iv)(E).
To prevent the fishery from overharvesting these species, the Regional
Administrator may implement
regulations intended to slow the rate of
harvest of these species once the
Regional Administrator projects that 30
percent and/or 60 percent of the TAC
allocations for GB cod, GB haddock, or
GB yellowtail flounder have been
harvested, as specified at
§ 648.85(a)(3)(iv)(D). These regulations
provide the Regional Administrator
with the authority to modify gear
requirements and modify or close access
to the U.S./Canada Management Areas,
among other provisions.
Based upon available information, to
date, NE multispecies DAS vessels have
harvested over 50 percent of the GB cod
TAC. At this rate, the GB cod TAC
would be harvested well before the end
of the 2005 fishing year on April 30,
2006. Based on this information, and the
rate at which GB cod is being harvested,
this action limits NE multispecies DAS
vessels to one trip into the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area per month for the
remainder of the 2005 fishing year.
Vessels that have already declared their
intent to fish in the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area (VMS Area Codes 2, 5, or 6)
through VMS, departed on a trip, and
crossed the demarcation line as of 0001
hours on July 12, 2005, may finish their
trip. Any trip that began before July 12,
VerDate jul<14>2003
14:34 Jul 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
2005, will not count toward the one trip
per month limit for the month of July.
A trip will be counted toward the month
in which the vessel started a trip into
the Eastern U.S./Canada Area by
declaring into the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area through VMS and crossing the
VMS demarcation line. This measure is
intended to slow the rate of harvest of
GB cod, while allowing continued
access to GB haddock and GB yellowtail
flounder within the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area. This would help achieve optimum
yield in the fishery during the 2005
fishing year. To allow the fishery to
continue at its current harvest rate for
GB cod could necessitate closure of the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area before the full
harvest of the GB haddock and GB
yellowtail flounder TACs in place for
this area, in order to ensure that the GB
cod TAC is not exceeded during the
2005 fishing year.
This action also requires that all NE
multispecies DAS vessels must use a
haddock separator trawl when fishing in
the Eastern U.S./Canada Area. This net
is intended to allow vessels to continue
to target the available GB haddock
without catching substantial amounts of
GB cod. Research highlighted in the
environmental assessment prepared for
Framework Adjustment 40–A to the
FMP has shown that this net, if used
properly, is capable of substantially
reducing the amount of cod caught
when compared to haddock. Vessels
may continue to fish for GB yellowtail
flounder in the Western U.S./Canada
using any other gear allowed in the
regulations under § 648.80(a) to fully
harvest the U.S. portion of the TAC for
GB yellowtail flounder. Therefore, this
action is intended to prolong
opportunities to fully harvest the GB
haddock TAC in the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area without compromising
opportunities to fully harvest the GB
yellowtail flounder TAC from the
Western U.S./Canada Area.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part
648 and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the
Assistant Administrator finds good
cause to waive prior notice and
opportunity for public comment for this
action as notice and comment would be
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. Given the relatively small GB
cod TAC for the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area during the 2005 fishing year and
the very rapid rate at which the GB cod
TAC has been harvested to date, it
would be impracticable for NMFS to
provide for prior notice and opportunity
for public comment because this would
PO 00000
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
39971
likely prevent the agency from slowing
the rate of GB cod catch within the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area before the
TAC is fully harvested. To allow vessels
to continue fishing on GB cod at the
recent catch rate during the period
necessary to publish and receive
comments on a proposed rule would
result in the continued harvest of GB
cod, potentially increasing the potential
for the groundfish fishery to exceed the
GB cod TAC for the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area during the 2005 fishing year.
Exceeding the GB cod TAC during the
2005 fishing year would require any
overages to be deducted from the 2006
GB cod TAC for the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area. This would result in decreased
revenue for the NE multispecies fishery,
increased economic impacts to vessels
operating in the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area, reduced opportunities to fully
harvest the GB haddock and GB
yellowtail flounder TACs in the Eastern
U.S./Canada Area (i.e., through the
increased possibility of premature
closure of the Eastern U.S./Canada Area
during the 2006 fishing year due to fully
harvesting a reduced GB cod TAC in
2006), a reduced chance of achieving
optimum yield in the groundfish
fishery, and unnecessary delays to the
rebuilding of this overfished stock.
For similar reasons, the Assistant
Administrator finds good cause,
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), to waive
the entire 30-day delayed effectiveness
period for the measure limiting NE
multispecies DAS vessels to one trip
into the Eastern U.S./Canada Area per
month and half of the 30-day delayed
effectiveness period for the measure to
require all NE multispecies DAS vessels
to use a haddock separator trawl in the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area. For the
reasons specified above, a delay in the
effectiveness of the access modification
in this rule would prevent the agency
from slowing the rate of GB cod catch
within the Eastern U.S./Canada Area
before the TAC is fully harvested and
potentially exceeded during the 2005
fishing year. Any such delay could lead
to the impacts to the fishing industry
described above. Regulations at
§ 648.85(a)(3)(iii) require any NE
multispecies DAS vessel fishing in the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area to use either
a haddock separator trawl or a modified
flatfish net to facilitate the escapement
of cod when targeting haddock or
flatfish species, respectively. Because of
the need to immediately slow the
harvest of GB cod from the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area, a full 30-day delayed
effectiveness period for the gear
restrictions implemented by this action
would compromise the effectiveness of
E:\FR\FM\12JYR1.SGM
12JYR1
39972
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 132 / Tuesday, July 12, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
this regulatory change. The use of a
haddock separator trawl would allow
the fishing industry to continue to target
GB haddock and help better achieve
optimum yield from the resource
without compromising efforts that
would enable the agency to slow GB cod
harvest before the TAC is fully achieved
and prevent the TAC from being
exceeded. Although most vessels
operating in the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area already possess and use a haddock
separator trawl, not every NE
multispecies DAS vessel eligible to fish
in this area is likely to possess a
haddock separator trawl at this time.
VerDate jul<14>2003
14:34 Jul 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
Therefore, it is necessary to allow these
vessels the opportunity to purchase and
install a haddock separator trawl prior
to the effective date of this provision. A
15-day delayed effectiveness should
provide the industry with sufficient
opportunity to modify existing trawl
gear to comply with the separator trawl
requirement specified in this action, as
the materials and expertise needed to
modify existing gear are readily
available. Finally, the rate of harvest of
GB cod in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area
is updated weekly on NMFS’ Northeast
Regional Office website at https://
www.nero.noaa.gov. Accordingly, the
PO 00000
Frm 00068
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
public is able to obtain information that
would provide at least some advanced
notice of a potential action to slow the
harvest rate or to close the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area, thereby minimizing the
need for a delayed effectiveness.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 7, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05–13673 Filed 6–7–05; 2:23 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
E:\FR\FM\12JYR1.SGM
12JYR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39970-39972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13673]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 040112010-4114-02; I.D. 063005A]
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast
Multispecies Fishery; Modification of Access to the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; access and gear modification.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional
Administrator), has projected that the total allowable catch (TAC) for
Georges Bank (GB) cod allocated for harvest from the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area will be fully harvested prior to the end of the fishing
year if the rate of GB cod harvest remains at the current level. In
response, this action limits all Northeast (NE) multispecies days-at-
sea (DAS) vessels to one trip into the Eastern U.S./Canada Area per
month through the end of the 2005 fishing year. In addition, this
action requires all NE multispecies DAS vessels fishing in the Eastern
U.S./Canada Area to use a haddock separator trawl for the remainder of
the fishing year. This action is being taken to slow the rate of GB cod
harvest from the Eastern U.S./Canada Area and to prolong access to the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area throughout the 2005 fishing year and to help
prevent over-harvesting the GB cod TAC from the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area during the 2005 fishing year in accordance with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
DATES: The requirement that NE multispecies DAS vessels are limited to
one trip per month into the Eastern U.S./Canada Area is effective 0001
hr local time, July 12, 2005, through 2400 hr local time, April 30,
2006. Two exceptions to this one trip per month requirement are
discussed in the supplementary information section of this temporary
rule.
The requirement for NE multispecies DAS vessels to use a haddock
separator trawl in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area is effective 0001 hr
local time, July 27, 2005, through 2400 hr local time, April 30, 2006.
[[Page 39971]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas W. Christel, Fishery Policy
Analyst, phone (978) 281-9141, fax (978) 281-9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing fishing activity in
the U.S./Canada Management Area are found at 50 CFR 648.85(a)(3). The
U.S./Canada Resource Sharing Understanding implemented by Amendment 13
to the NE Multispecies FMP (April 27, 2004; 69 FR 22906) established
hard TACs for GB cod, GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder. The hard
TACs for GB cod and GB haddock are specific to the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area while the hard TAC for GB yellowtail flounder applies to vessel
operations in both the Eastern and Western U.S./Canada Areas. The final
GB cod TAC allocation for the 2005 fishing year is specified at 260 mt
(July 7, 2005; 70 FR 39190). These TACs are monitored using catch
information obtained from vessel monitoring system (VMS) catch reports,
observer data, and other available information.
Once the Regional Administrator projects that any one of these TACs
have been caught, the Regional Administrator is required to close the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area to all NE multispecies DAS vessels pursuant to
Sec. 648.85(a)(3)(iv)(E). To prevent the fishery from over-harvesting
these species, the Regional Administrator may implement regulations
intended to slow the rate of harvest of these species once the Regional
Administrator projects that 30 percent and/or 60 percent of the TAC
allocations for GB cod, GB haddock, or GB yellowtail flounder have been
harvested, as specified at Sec. 648.85(a)(3)(iv)(D). These regulations
provide the Regional Administrator with the authority to modify gear
requirements and modify or close access to the U.S./Canada Management
Areas, among other provisions.
Based upon available information, to date, NE multispecies DAS
vessels have harvested over 50 percent of the GB cod TAC. At this rate,
the GB cod TAC would be harvested well before the end of the 2005
fishing year on April 30, 2006. Based on this information, and the rate
at which GB cod is being harvested, this action limits NE multispecies
DAS vessels to one trip into the Eastern U.S./Canada Area per month for
the remainder of the 2005 fishing year. Vessels that have already
declared their intent to fish in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area (VMS Area
Codes 2, 5, or 6) through VMS, departed on a trip, and crossed the
demarcation line as of 0001 hours on July 12, 2005, may finish their
trip. Any trip that began before July 12, 2005, will not count toward
the one trip per month limit for the month of July. A trip will be
counted toward the month in which the vessel started a trip into the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area by declaring into the Eastern U.S./Canada Area
through VMS and crossing the VMS demarcation line. This measure is
intended to slow the rate of harvest of GB cod, while allowing
continued access to GB haddock and GB yellowtail flounder within the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area. This would help achieve optimum yield in the
fishery during the 2005 fishing year. To allow the fishery to continue
at its current harvest rate for GB cod could necessitate closure of the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area before the full harvest of the GB haddock and
GB yellowtail flounder TACs in place for this area, in order to ensure
that the GB cod TAC is not exceeded during the 2005 fishing year.
This action also requires that all NE multispecies DAS vessels must
use a haddock separator trawl when fishing in the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area. This net is intended to allow vessels to continue to target the
available GB haddock without catching substantial amounts of GB cod.
Research highlighted in the environmental assessment prepared for
Framework Adjustment 40-A to the FMP has shown that this net, if used
properly, is capable of substantially reducing the amount of cod caught
when compared to haddock. Vessels may continue to fish for GB
yellowtail flounder in the Western U.S./Canada using any other gear
allowed in the regulations under Sec. 648.80(a) to fully harvest the
U.S. portion of the TAC for GB yellowtail flounder. Therefore, this
action is intended to prolong opportunities to fully harvest the GB
haddock TAC in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area without compromising
opportunities to fully harvest the GB yellowtail flounder TAC from the
Western U.S./Canada Area.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Assistant Administrator finds
good cause to waive prior notice and opportunity for public comment for
this action as notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary
to the public interest. Given the relatively small GB cod TAC for the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area during the 2005 fishing year and the very
rapid rate at which the GB cod TAC has been harvested to date, it would
be impracticable for NMFS to provide for prior notice and opportunity
for public comment because this would likely prevent the agency from
slowing the rate of GB cod catch within the Eastern U.S./Canada Area
before the TAC is fully harvested. To allow vessels to continue fishing
on GB cod at the recent catch rate during the period necessary to
publish and receive comments on a proposed rule would result in the
continued harvest of GB cod, potentially increasing the potential for
the groundfish fishery to exceed the GB cod TAC for the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area during the 2005 fishing year. Exceeding the GB cod TAC
during the 2005 fishing year would require any overages to be deducted
from the 2006 GB cod TAC for the Eastern U.S./Canada Area. This would
result in decreased revenue for the NE multispecies fishery, increased
economic impacts to vessels operating in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area,
reduced opportunities to fully harvest the GB haddock and GB yellowtail
flounder TACs in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area (i.e., through the
increased possibility of premature closure of the Eastern U.S./Canada
Area during the 2006 fishing year due to fully harvesting a reduced GB
cod TAC in 2006), a reduced chance of achieving optimum yield in the
groundfish fishery, and unnecessary delays to the rebuilding of this
overfished stock.
For similar reasons, the Assistant Administrator finds good cause,
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), to waive the entire 30-day delayed
effectiveness period for the measure limiting NE multispecies DAS
vessels to one trip into the Eastern U.S./Canada Area per month and
half of the 30-day delayed effectiveness period for the measure to
require all NE multispecies DAS vessels to use a haddock separator
trawl in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area. For the reasons specified above,
a delay in the effectiveness of the access modification in this rule
would prevent the agency from slowing the rate of GB cod catch within
the Eastern U.S./Canada Area before the TAC is fully harvested and
potentially exceeded during the 2005 fishing year. Any such delay could
lead to the impacts to the fishing industry described above.
Regulations at Sec. 648.85(a)(3)(iii) require any NE multispecies DAS
vessel fishing in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area to use either a haddock
separator trawl or a modified flatfish net to facilitate the escapement
of cod when targeting haddock or flatfish species, respectively.
Because of the need to immediately slow the harvest of GB cod from the
Eastern U.S./Canada Area, a full 30-day delayed effectiveness period
for the gear restrictions implemented by this action would compromise
the effectiveness of
[[Page 39972]]
this regulatory change. The use of a haddock separator trawl would
allow the fishing industry to continue to target GB haddock and help
better achieve optimum yield from the resource without compromising
efforts that would enable the agency to slow GB cod harvest before the
TAC is fully achieved and prevent the TAC from being exceeded. Although
most vessels operating in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area already possess
and use a haddock separator trawl, not every NE multispecies DAS vessel
eligible to fish in this area is likely to possess a haddock separator
trawl at this time. Therefore, it is necessary to allow these vessels
the opportunity to purchase and install a haddock separator trawl prior
to the effective date of this provision. A 15-day delayed effectiveness
should provide the industry with sufficient opportunity to modify
existing trawl gear to comply with the separator trawl requirement
specified in this action, as the materials and expertise needed to
modify existing gear are readily available. Finally, the rate of
harvest of GB cod in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area is updated weekly on
NMFS' Northeast Regional Office website at https://www.nero.noaa.gov.
Accordingly, the public is able to obtain information that would
provide at least some advanced notice of a potential action to slow the
harvest rate or to close the Eastern U.S./Canada Area, thereby
minimizing the need for a delayed effectiveness.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 7, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-13673 Filed 6-7-05; 2:23 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
