Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Annual Catch Limits; National Standard Guidelines, 47125 [E8-18756]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 13, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 47125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18756]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[Docket No. 070717348-7766-02]
RIN 0648-AV60


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Annual Catch Limits; National 
Standard Guidelines

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

ACTION: Proposed rule, extension of comment period.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS extends the public comment period on the proposed rule to 
revise National Standard 1 (NS1) guidelines, including guidance on how 
to comply with new annual catch limit (ACL) and accountability measures 
(AM) requirements for ending overfishing of fisheries managed by 
federal fishery management plans. NMFS has received various requests to 
extend the comment period for the proposed rule beyond its current 90-
day comment period. The extension of the comment period for another two 
weeks is intended to ensure that NMFS provides adequate time for 
various stakeholders and members of the public to comment on the 
proposed guidance on ACLs and AMs and other proposed revisions to the 
NS1 guidelines. The comment period ending date is extended from 
September 8, 2008, to September 22, 2008.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 22, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 0648-AV60, by any of 
the following methods:
     Electronic submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking portal: https://
www.regulations.gov;
     Fax: 301-713-1193, Attn: Mark Millikin;
     Mail: Mark R. Millikin, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
NOAA, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 
13357, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (mark outside of envelope ``Comments on 
Annual Catch Limits proposed rule'');
    Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record 
and will be generally posted to https://www.regulations.gov without 
change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, 
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly 
accessible. Do not submit confidential business information or 
otherwise sensitive or protected information.
    NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required 
fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic 
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, Wordperfect, or 
Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Copies of the Regulatory Impact review (RIR)/Regulatory Flexibility 
Act analysis (RFAA) for this proposed rule are available from Mark R. 
Millikin at the address listed above. The RIR/RFAA document is also 
available via the internet at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/msa2007/
catchlimits.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark R. Millikin, Senior Fishery 
Management Specialist, 301-713-2341.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposed rule that covers NMFS' proposed 
revisions to the NS1 guidelines, including guidance on ACLs and AMs was 
published in the Federal Register on June 9, 2008 (73 FR 32526), with a 
comment period ending date of September 8, 2008. After receiving 
several requests to extend the comment period, NMFS has decided to 
extend it for another two weeks through September 22, 2008.
    This action extends the comment period for a proposed rule that the 
Office of Management and Budget determined to be significant under 
Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: August 8, 2008.
John Oliver,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-18756 Filed 8-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S