Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS); Atlantic Tuna Fisheries, 31812 [E7-11051]

Download as PDF 31812 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 110 / Friday, June 8, 2007 / Notices Project 2: The applicant requests authority to annually receive, import and export tissues from a maximum of 10,000 animals, up to 30 samples per animal per year (i.e., 5000 pinniped and 5000 cetaceans) under NMFS jurisdiction in the U.S. and abroad (i.e. worldwide). Sources of samples are from (1) captive animals (from routine husbandry sampling); (2) stranded animals abroad; (3) subsistence-hunted animals; (4) already permitted research projects; (5) animals that died incidental to commercial fishing in foreign countries where such taking is legal and specimens from animals that died incidental to U.S. commercial fishing operations; and (6) Navy dolphins. Mystic Aquarium also requests permission to export samples from stranded animals in the U.S. for research purposes. Samples will be analyzed for purposes of research on marine mammal health (e.g., nutrition, disease, immune function, environmental stressors). Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors. Dated: June 4, 2007. P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7–11056 Filed 6–7–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XA61 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS); Atlantic Tuna Fisheries National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public information meetings. pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: NMFS announces public information meetings regarding the use of green-stick fishing gear in Atlantic tuna fisheries including bluefin tuna. The purpose of these meetings is to communicate details and issues related to gear authorization including gear configuration and definitions, quota management, catch reporting, and other related topics. DATES: The meeting dates are: VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:14 Jun 07, 2007 Jkt 211001 1. June 19, 2007, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., Manteo, NC. 2. June 20, 2007, 2 p.m. – 5 p.m., Silver Spring, MD. 3. June 21, 2007, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., Foxboro, MA. 4. June 25, 2007, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., Saint Petersburg, FL. ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are: 1. Manteo – Roanoke Island Festival Park, 1 Festival Park, Manteo, NC 27954. 2. Silver Spring – NOAA/NMFS Headquarters (Building 3 Room 1311– B), 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 3. Foxboro – Boyden Library, 10 Bird Street, Foxboro, MA 02035. 4. Saint Petersburg – NOAA/NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701. For copies of current regulations regarding green-stick gear use outlined in the Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Guide for Complying with the Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, Sharks, and Billfish Regulations, contact Margo SchulzeHaugen, Chief, HMS Management Division, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or at (301) 713–1917 (fax). These documents are also available on the internet at https:// www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Blankinship at 727–824–5399 or 727–824–5398 (fax). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS will hold public information meetings to discuss details related to the use of green-stick fishing gear for Atlantic tunas including bluefin tuna. The purpose of these meetings is to communicate details and issues related to gear authorization including gear configuration and definitions, quota management, catch reporting and other related topics. In the Draft Consolidated HMS FMP, NMFS preferred an alternative to authorize green-stick fishing gear for the commercial harvest of Atlantic bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack (BAYS) tunas; however, NMFS did not select this alternative as preferred in the Final Consolidated HMS FMP (October 2, 2006; 71 FR 58058). The intent of the draft preferred alternative was to allow commercial tuna handgear fishermen targeting BAYS tunas with green-stick fishing gear to increase the number of hooks on their gear from two hooks to no more than 10 hooks. The draft preferred alternative would have also prohibited commercial vessels using or possessing green-sticks from retaining or possessing BFT on board. PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 During public comment on the Draft Consolidated HMS FMP (71 FR 58058, October 2, 2006), NMFS received comments ranging from opposition to the draft alternative to support for it. The comments that NMFS received included those that expressed confusion over the current regulatory regime; concern over the need for better reporting, monitoring, and overall data collection for this gear-type; a desire to land bluefin tuna with the gear; and the need for further understanding of the technical nature of the gear itself. Based on these comments, NMFS decided to clarify the currently allowed use of the gear in the Final Consolidated HMS FMP rather than authorize and define the gear in a manner that may cause further confusion and have unintended negative consequences to the fishery and the resource. Currently, green-stick fishing gear meets the definitions for longline or handgear depending on the configuration and may only be used aboard vessels possessing the permits necessary to use longline or handgear. Authorization of green-stick fishing gear for Atlantic tunas could provide for less restrictive use of green-sticks when and where appropriate. Special Accommodations These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretations or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Randy Blankinship at 727–824–5399 at least 7 days prior to the meeting. Dated: May 30, 2007. Alan D. Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7–11051 Filed 6–7–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS Determination under the Textile and Apparel Commercial Availability Provision of the Dominican RepublicCentral America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR Agreement) June 5, 2007. The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA). ACTION: Determination to add a product in unrestricted quantities to Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement AGENCY: EFFECTIVE DATE: E:\FR\FM\08JNN1.SGM 08JNN1 June 8, 2007.

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 110 (Friday, June 8, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 31812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11051]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA61


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS); Atlantic Tuna Fisheries

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

ACTION: Notice of public information meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces public information meetings regarding the use 
of green-stick fishing gear in Atlantic tuna fisheries including 
bluefin tuna. The purpose of these meetings is to communicate details 
and issues related to gear authorization including gear configuration 
and definitions, quota management, catch reporting, and other related 
topics.

DATES: The meeting dates are:
    1. June 19, 2007, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m., Manteo, NC.
    2. June 20, 2007, 2 p.m. - 5 p.m., Silver Spring, MD.
    3. June 21, 2007, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m., Foxboro, MA.
    4. June 25, 2007, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m., Saint Petersburg, FL.

ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are:
    1. Manteo - Roanoke Island Festival Park, 1 Festival Park, Manteo, 
NC 27954.
    2. Silver Spring - NOAA/NMFS Headquarters (Building 3 Room 1311-B), 
1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    3. Foxboro - Boyden Library, 10 Bird Street, Foxboro, MA 02035.
    4. Saint Petersburg - NOAA/NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 263 
13\th\ Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701.
    For copies of current regulations regarding green-stick gear use 
outlined in the Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the 
Guide for Complying with the Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, Sharks, and 
Billfish Regulations, contact Margo Schulze-Haugen, Chief, HMS 
Management Division, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or 
at (301) 713-1917 (fax). These documents are also available on the 
internet at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Blankinship at 727-824-5399 or 
727-824-5398 (fax).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS will hold public information meetings 
to discuss details related to the use of green-stick fishing gear for 
Atlantic tunas including bluefin tuna. The purpose of these meetings is 
to communicate details and issues related to gear authorization 
including gear configuration and definitions, quota management, catch 
reporting and other related topics.
    In the Draft Consolidated HMS FMP, NMFS preferred an alternative to 
authorize green-stick fishing gear for the commercial harvest of 
Atlantic bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack (BAYS) tunas; 
however, NMFS did not select this alternative as preferred in the Final 
Consolidated HMS FMP (October 2, 2006; 71 FR 58058). The intent of the 
draft preferred alternative was to allow commercial tuna handgear 
fishermen targeting BAYS tunas with green-stick fishing gear to 
increase the number of hooks on their gear from two hooks to no more 
than 10 hooks. The draft preferred alternative would have also 
prohibited commercial vessels using or possessing green-sticks from 
retaining or possessing BFT on board.
    During public comment on the Draft Consolidated HMS FMP (71 FR 
58058, October 2, 2006), NMFS received comments ranging from opposition 
to the draft alternative to support for it. The comments that NMFS 
received included those that expressed confusion over the current 
regulatory regime; concern over the need for better reporting, 
monitoring, and overall data collection for this gear-type; a desire to 
land bluefin tuna with the gear; and the need for further understanding 
of the technical nature of the gear itself. Based on these comments, 
NMFS decided to clarify the currently allowed use of the gear in the 
Final Consolidated HMS FMP rather than authorize and define the gear in 
a manner that may cause further confusion and have unintended negative 
consequences to the fishery and the resource.
    Currently, green-stick fishing gear meets the definitions for 
longline or handgear depending on the configuration and may only be 
used aboard vessels possessing the permits necessary to use longline or 
handgear. Authorization of green-stick fishing gear for Atlantic tunas 
could provide for less restrictive use of green-sticks when and where 
appropriate.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretations or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Randy Blankinship at 727-824-5399 
at least 7 days prior to the meeting.

    Dated: May 30, 2007.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E7-11051 Filed 6-7-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
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