Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan, 52521-52522 [E6-14662]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 6, 2006 / Proposed Rules
Economic Impacts of this Proposed
Action
The proposed 9–percent quota
increase could have a small benefit to
the fishing industry due to the increased
TAL and thus, the additional
opportunity to harvest tilefish. In
general, there is not a direct relationship
between the amount of fish landed and
the price, but if one did assume a direct
relationship, then the 2005 average
price per pound of $2.48 would be
worth an additional $448,332 per year
for the 180,779 lb (82 mt) increase in
tilefish quota proposed under this
action. Using the 2005 price per pound,
this could potentially amount to an
additional $2 million over the 5 years
remaining in the rebuilding period.
However, because of the accounting
error that resulted in the quota being
monitored as landed (gutted) weight
rather than live (whole) weight, as the
FMP specified between November 1,
2001, and May 2005, the expected
revenue increase would only be
applicable for the period after the
accounting error was corrected. The
correction of the accounting error
equates to a 9–percent reduction in
available tilefish quota.
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with PROPOSAL
Economic Impacts of Alternatives to the
Proposed Action
The Council analyzed two tilefish
quota alternatives in addition to the
preferred alternative. The alternatives
are as follows: The preferred alternative
of a 9–percent increase in TAL; a second
alternative representing a 5–percent
increase in TAL; and a third alternative
representing the no-action alternative
(status quo). The second alterative could
have a small benefit to the fishing
industry, as potentially as much as
99,208 lb (45 mt) more landings of
tilefish could occur due to the increase
in quota. As stated previously, there is
not a direct relationship between the
amount of fish landed and the price, but
if one did assume a direct relationship,
then the 2005 average price per pound
of $2.48 would be worth an additional
$248,000 per year for the additional
99,208 lb (45 mt) increase in the quota
under this alternative. Using the 2005
price per pound, this would represent a
potential $1.24–million increase in exvessel price over the 5 years remaining
in the rebuilding period. This increase
would be applicable for the period after
the accounting error was corrected in
May 2005.
The third alternative would maintain
the status quo (since May 2005) quota
for the remainder of the stock rebuilding
period. Implementation of the third
alternative would be expected to
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:37 Sep 05, 2006
Jkt 208001
maintain status quo conditions for
rebuilding the resource and result in no
changes to tilefish fishing revenues
since May 2005. However, if viewed
over the entire period since the
implementation of the FMP (November
1, 2001), the tilefish industry average
revenues could decline under the status
quo alternative, since they would no
longer be permitted to harvest at the
level experienced prior to the correction
of the accounting error.
Reporting and Recordkeeping
Requirements
This proposed rule would not impose
any new reporting, recordkeeping, or
other compliance requirements.
Therefore, the costs of compliance
would remain unchanged.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 31, 2006.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator For
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–14712 Filed 9–5–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[I.D. 082406C]
RIN 0648–AQ87
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
Provisions; Fisheries of the
Northeastern United States; Atlantic
Herring Fishery; Amendment 1 to the
Atlantic Herring Fishery Management
Plan
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a
fishery management plan amendment;
request for comments.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces that the
New England Fishery Management
Council (Council) has submitted
Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring
Fishery Management Plan (FMP)
(Amendment 1), incorporating the draft
Final Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement (FSEIS), Regulatory
Impact Review (RIR), and the Initial
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA),
for Secretarial review and is requesting
comments from the public. The
proposed measures include: A limited
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
52521
access program; an open access
incidental catch permit; a change in the
management area boundaries;
establishment of a purse seine/fixed
gear-only area; establishment of a
Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)
proxy; an approach to determining the
distribution of area-specific total
allowable catches (TACs); a multi-year
specifications process; a research quota
set-aside for herring-related research;
set-asides for fixed gear fisheries; a
change in the midwater trawl gear
definition; and additional measures that
could be implemented through the
framework adjustment process. The
intent of this action is to provide
efficient management of the Atlantic
herring fishery and to meet conservation
objectives.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before November 6, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the
proposed rule may be sent by any of the
following methods:
Mail to Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional
Administrator, NMFS, Northeast
Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside
of the envelope ‘‘Comments Herring
Amendment 1’’;
Fax to Patricia A. Kurkul (978) 281–
9135;
E-mail to the following address:
HerrAmend1@noaa.gov. Include in the
subject line of the e-mail comment the
following document identifier:
‘‘Comments Herring Amendment 1.
Electronically through the Federal eRulemaking portal: https://
www.regulations.gov.
Copies of Amendment 1, the draft
FSEIS, RIR, and the IRFA are available
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.
Eric
Jay Dolin, Fishery Policy Analyst, 978–
281–9259, fax 978–281–9135, e-mail
eric.dolin@noaa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The notice
of availability for the Draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (DSEIS), which analyzed the
impacts of all of the measures under
consideration in Amendment 1 and
Framework 43 to the Northeast
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan
(Northeast Multispecies FMP), was
published on September 9, 2005 (70 FR
53657), with public comment accepted
through October 24, 2005. Public
hearings were held in October 2005, in
six locations from Maine to New Jersey.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\06SEP1.SGM
06SEP1
52522
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 6, 2006 / Proposed Rules
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with PROPOSAL
At its January 31–February 2, 2006,
meeting, the Council voted to adopt
Amendment 1 for submission to NMFS,
and submitted the document and
associated analyses on May 3, 2006.
The primary purpose of Amendment
1 is to modify the management program
for the Atlantic herring fishery by
implementing a limited access program
to better match the capacity of the fleet
to the resource. The Amendment is also
intended to modify other management
measures so that the Atlantic herring
resource is managed more efficiently
and sustainably.
In July 1999, the Council voted to
develop a limited or controlled access
program for the herring fishery, and
NMFS, at the request of the Council,
established September 16, 1999 (FR 64
50266), as a control date for the Atlantic
herring fishery in Federal waters.
Scoping meetings for an amendment to
the FMP were conducted in February
2000, shortly after completion of the
FMP, with public hearings taking place
during that month in Maine,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New
Jersey. In April 2003, the Council reinitiated scoping, holding public
hearings in April and May of that year
in Maine, Massachusetts, and New
Jersey.
During the development of
Amendment 1, both as a result of issues
raised by the Council and by the public
during scoping, a variety of elements
were added to Amendment 1, all of
VerDate Aug<31>2005
18:37 Sep 05, 2006
Jkt 208001
which are intended to improve the
management of the fishery and
contribute to the sustainability of the
stock. These include an open access
incidental catch permit; a change in the
management area boundaries;
establishment of a purse seine/fixed
gear-only area; establishment of an MSY
proxy; an approach to determining the
distribution of area-specific TACs; a
multi-year specifications process; a
research quota set-aside for herringrelated research; a set-aside for fixed
gear fisheries; measures to address
bycatch of multispecies in the herring
fishery; a change in the midwater trawl
gear definition; and additional measures
that could be implemented through the
framework adjustment process.
At its final meeting for Amendment 1,
the Council separated the measures to
address bycatch in the herring fishery
from Amendment 1, and agreed to
submit these measures separately as
Framework 43 to the NE Multispecies
FMP. The measures contained in
Framework 43 were included in the
DSEIS and public hearing document for
Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring
FMP (Amendment 1). The Council
voted on February 2, 2006, to adopt the
measures in Amendment 1 and
Framework 43, but to submit
Framework 43 in advance of
Amendment 1 in order to establish
measures for the fishery as soon as
possible during the 2006 summer
fishing season. The final rule for
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
Framework 43 was published in the
Federal Register on August 15, 2006 (71
FR 46871).
Public comments are being solicited
on Amendment 1 and its incorporated
documents through the end of the
comment period stated in this notice of
availability. A proposed rule that would
implement Amendment 1 may be
published in the Federal Register for
public comment, following NMFS’s
evaluation of the proposed rule under
the procedures of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. Public comments on the proposed
rule must be received by the end of the
comment period provided in this notice
of availability of Amendment 1 to be
considered in the approval/disapproval
decision on the amendment. All
comments received by November 6,
2006, whether specifically directed to
Amendment 1 or the proposed rule, will
be considered in the approval/
disapproval decision on Amendment 1.
To be considered, comments must be
received by close of business on the last
day of the comment period; that does
not mean postmarked or otherwise
transmitted by that date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 30, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–14662 Filed 9–5–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
E:\FR\FM\06SEP1.SGM
06SEP1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 6, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 52521-52522]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14662]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[I.D. 082406C]
RIN 0648-AQ87
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic
Herring Fishery; Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management
Plan
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a fishery management plan amendment;
request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the New England Fishery Management Council
(Council) has submitted Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Herring Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) (Amendment 1), incorporating the draft Final
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS), Regulatory Impact
Review (RIR), and the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA),
for Secretarial review and is requesting comments from the public. The
proposed measures include: A limited access program; an open access
incidental catch permit; a change in the management area boundaries;
establishment of a purse seine/fixed gear-only area; establishment of a
Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) proxy; an approach to determining the
distribution of area-specific total allowable catches (TACs); a multi-
year specifications process; a research quota set-aside for herring-
related research; set-asides for fixed gear fisheries; a change in the
midwater trawl gear definition; and additional measures that could be
implemented through the framework adjustment process. The intent of
this action is to provide efficient management of the Atlantic herring
fishery and to meet conservation objectives.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 6, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the proposed rule may be sent by any of
the following methods:
Mail to Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast
Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the
outside of the envelope ``Comments Herring Amendment 1'';
Fax to Patricia A. Kurkul (978) 281-9135;
E-mail to the following address: HerrAmend1@noaa.gov. Include in
the subject line of the e-mail comment the following document
identifier: ``Comments Herring Amendment 1.
Electronically through the Federal e-Rulemaking portal: https://
www.regulations.gov.
Copies of Amendment 1, the draft FSEIS, RIR, and the IRFA are
available 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: Eric Jay Dolin, Fishery Policy
Analyst, 978-281-9259, fax 978-281-9135, e-mail eric.dolin@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of availability for the Draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS), which analyzed the
impacts of all of the measures under consideration in Amendment 1 and
Framework 43 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan
(Northeast Multispecies FMP), was published on September 9, 2005 (70 FR
53657), with public comment accepted through October 24, 2005. Public
hearings were held in October 2005, in six locations from Maine to New
Jersey.
[[Page 52522]]
At its January 31-February 2, 2006, meeting, the Council voted to adopt
Amendment 1 for submission to NMFS, and submitted the document and
associated analyses on May 3, 2006.
The primary purpose of Amendment 1 is to modify the management
program for the Atlantic herring fishery by implementing a limited
access program to better match the capacity of the fleet to the
resource. The Amendment is also intended to modify other management
measures so that the Atlantic herring resource is managed more
efficiently and sustainably.
In July 1999, the Council voted to develop a limited or controlled
access program for the herring fishery, and NMFS, at the request of the
Council, established September 16, 1999 (FR 64 50266), as a control
date for the Atlantic herring fishery in Federal waters. Scoping
meetings for an amendment to the FMP were conducted in February 2000,
shortly after completion of the FMP, with public hearings taking place
during that month in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New
Jersey. In April 2003, the Council re-initiated scoping, holding public
hearings in April and May of that year in Maine, Massachusetts, and New
Jersey.
During the development of Amendment 1, both as a result of issues
raised by the Council and by the public during scoping, a variety of
elements were added to Amendment 1, all of which are intended to
improve the management of the fishery and contribute to the
sustainability of the stock. These include an open access incidental
catch permit; a change in the management area boundaries; establishment
of a purse seine/fixed gear-only area; establishment of an MSY proxy;
an approach to determining the distribution of area-specific TACs; a
multi-year specifications process; a research quota set-aside for
herring-related research; a set-aside for fixed gear fisheries;
measures to address bycatch of multispecies in the herring fishery; a
change in the midwater trawl gear definition; and additional measures
that could be implemented through the framework adjustment process.
At its final meeting for Amendment 1, the Council separated the
measures to address bycatch in the herring fishery from Amendment 1,
and agreed to submit these measures separately as Framework 43 to the
NE Multispecies FMP. The measures contained in Framework 43 were
included in the DSEIS and public hearing document for Amendment 1 to
the Atlantic Herring FMP (Amendment 1). The Council voted on February
2, 2006, to adopt the measures in Amendment 1 and Framework 43, but to
submit Framework 43 in advance of Amendment 1 in order to establish
measures for the fishery as soon as possible during the 2006 summer
fishing season. The final rule for Framework 43 was published in the
Federal Register on August 15, 2006 (71 FR 46871).
Public comments are being solicited on Amendment 1 and its
incorporated documents through the end of the comment period stated in
this notice of availability. A proposed rule that would implement
Amendment 1 may be published in the Federal Register for public
comment, following NMFS's evaluation of the proposed rule under the
procedures of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Public comments on the proposed
rule must be received by the end of the comment period provided in this
notice of availability of Amendment 1 to be considered in the approval/
disapproval decision on the amendment. All comments received by
November 6, 2006, whether specifically directed to Amendment 1 or the
proposed rule, will be considered in the approval/disapproval decision
on Amendment 1. To be considered, comments must be received by close of
business on the last day of the comment period; that does not mean
postmarked or otherwise transmitted by that date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 30, 2006.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-14662 Filed 9-5-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
