Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Fishing Year 2006 Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector Operations Plan, 42087 [06-6450]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 142 (Tuesday, July 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 42087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6450]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 040112010-4114-02; I.D. 071306B]


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern 
United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Fishing Year 2006 
Georges Bank Cod Hook Sector Operations Plan

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

ACTION: Notice; approval of operations plan.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces approval of additional provisions of the 2006 
Georges Bank (GB) Hook Sector (Sector) Operations Plan, consistent with 
regulations implementing Amendment 13, as modified by Framework 
Adjustment 40-B to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management 
Plan (FMP) for fishing year (FY) 2006. The intent is to allow regulated 
harvest of groundfish by the GB Cod Hook Sector (Sector), consistent 
with the objectives of the FMP.

DATES: Effective July 25, 2006 through April 30, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Sector Operations Plan and the Supplemental 
Environmental Assessment (EA) are available upon request from the NE 
Regional Office at the following mailing address: George H. Darcy, 
Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, NMFS, 
Northeast Regional Office, 1 Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. 
These documents may also be requested by calling (978) 281-9135.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Grant, Fishery Management 
Specialist, phone (978) 281-9145, fax (978) 281-9135, e-mail 
Mark.Grant@NOAA.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The final rule implementing Amendment 13 to 
the FMP (69 FR 22906, April 27, 2004) specified a process for the 
formation of sectors within the NE multispecies fishery and the 
allocation of total allowable catch (TAC) for a specific groundfish 
species, implemented restrictions that apply to all sectors, authorized 
the Sector, established the GB Cod Hook Sector Area (Sector Area), and 
specified a formula for the allocation of GB cod TAC to the Sector. 
Framework Adjustment 40-B (70 FR 31323, June 1, 2005) modified that 
process by allowing any vessel, regardless of gear used in previous 
fishing years, to join the Sector. All landings of GB cod by Sector 
participants, regardless of gear previously used, are used to determine 
the Sector's GB cod allocation for a particular fishing year.
    In accordance with the regulations that specify the process of 
Sector approval, on March 8, 2006, the Sector submitted to NMFS a final 
version of its 2006 Operations Plan, Sector Agreement, and a 
Supplemental EA that analyzes the impacts of the proposed Operations 
Plan. With three substantive exceptions, the proposed FY 2006 Sector 
Operations Plan contained the same elements as the approved FY 2005 
Sector Operations Plan. These exceptions are proposed exemptions from 
the differential DAS counting requirements, from the DAS Leasing 
Program vessel size restrictions, and from the 72-hr observer 
notification requirement. Rationale by the Sector for these proposed 
exemptions can be found in the Federal Register notice soliciting 
public comment on the FY 2006 GB Cod Hook Sector Operations Plan and 
Agreement (71 FR 16122, March 30, 2006).
    NMFS previously approved the continuation of all provisions from 
the FY 2005 Sector Operations Plan for FY 2006 and approved the 
exemption from the 72-hr observer notification requirement (71 FR 
25569, May 1, 2006). Based on public comment, and given the importance 
of effort control in the NE multispecies fishery, NMFS withheld 
approval of exemptions from differential DAS counting and DAS Leasing 
Program vessel size restrictions until the New England Fishery 
Management Council (Council) had the opportunity to discuss the merit 
of such exemptions.
    At its June 13-15, 2006, meeting, the Council discussed the 
exemptions from differential DAS counting and the DAS Leasing Program 
size restrictions and considered the Sector's rationale for these 
exemptions. Both exemptions were endorsed by the Council, for FY 2006 
only, without opposition. After consideration of the proposed Sector 
Agreement, which contains the Sector Contract and Operations Plan, NMFS 
has concluded that the Sector Agreement, including the proposed 
exemptions from differential DAS counting and DAS Leasing Program 
vessel size restrictions, is consistent with the goals of the FMP and 
other applicable law and is in compliance with the regulations 
governing the development and operation of a sector as specified under 
50 CFR 648.87. Accordingly, NMFS is granting the Sector exemptions from 
differential DAS counting and the vessel size restrictions of the DAS 
Leasing Program.
    Revised Letters of Authorization will be issued to members of the 
Sector that will include the following additional exemptions, 
conditional upon their compliance with the 2006 Sector Agreement: 
Differential DAS counting as specified at Sec.  648.82(n)(2)(i), and 
the vessel size restrictions of the DAS Leasing Program as specified at 
Sec.  648.82(t)(2)(ix).

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

    Dated: July 19, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-6450 Filed 7-20-06; 2:18 pm]
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