Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Notice of a Control Date for the Purpose of Limiting Excessive Accumulation of Control in the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery; NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP), 19305-19306 [2011-8353]
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<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 67 / Thursday, April 7, 2011 / Proposed Rules
will be available for public inspection
on https://www.regulations.gov at Docket
No. FWS–R2–ES–2010–0041, or by
appointment, during normal business
hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, New Mexico Ecological
Services Field Office (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT). You may obtain
copies of the proposed rule on the
Internet at https://www.regulations.gov at
Docket Number FWS–R2–ES–2010–
0041, or by mail from the New Mexico
Ecological Services Field Office (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section).
Background
It is our intent to discuss only those
topics directly relevant to the proposed
rule to list the dunes sagebrush lizard as
endangered in this document.
On December 14, 2010, we published
a proposed rule (75 FR 77801) to list the
dunes sagebrush lizard, a lizard known
from southeastern New Mexico and
adjacent west Texas, as endangered
under the Act. For a description of
previous Federal actions concerning the
dunes sagebrush lizard (formerly known
as the sand dunes lizard), please refer to
the proposed rule. In response to
comments received during the initial
public comment period, we have
decided to allow the public more time
to submit comments and to hold
informational sessions as described
previously.
If we finalize the rule as proposed, it
would extend the Act’s protections to
this species. We have determined that
critical habitat for the dunes sagebrush
lizard is prudent but not determinable at
this time. The final decision on whether
to list the dunes sagebrush lizard as
endangered will be based on the best
scientific data available, including
information obtained during the
comment period.
Authors
The primary authors of this notice are
the staff members of the New Mexico
Ecological Services Field Office, Region
2, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with PROPOSALS
Authority
The authority for this action is the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: March 11, 2011.
Will Shafroth,
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and
Parks.
[FR Doc. 2011–7339 Filed 4–6–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:27 Apr 06, 2011
Jkt 223001
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 110311194–1193–02]
RIN 0648–BA88
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Northeast Multispecies
Fishery; Notice of a Control Date for
the Purpose of Limiting Excessive
Accumulation of Control in the
Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery;
NE Multispecies Fishery Management
Plan (FMP)
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed
rulemaking (ANPR); request for
comments.
AGENCY:
At the request of the New
England Fishery Management Council
(Council), this notification announces
that the Council and NMFS is
considering and seeking public
comment on, potential changes to the
Northeast Multispecies Fishery
Management Plan that would be
implemented through proposed
rulemaking, under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), to limit the
accumulation of excessive control or
ownership of fishing privileges in the
NE multispecies groundfish fishery. The
date of publication of this notification,
April 7, 2011, shall be known as the
‘‘control date,’’ and may be used as a
reference date for future management
measures related to such rulemaking. In
particular this notification is intended
to promote awareness of this possible
rulemaking; provide notice to the public
that any current or future accumulation
of fishing privilege interests in the NE
multispecies fishery may be affected,
restricted, or even nullified; and to
discourage speculative behavior in the
market for fishing privileges while the
Council considers whether and how
such limitations on accumulation of
fishing privileges should be developed.
This notification also gives the public
notice that interested participants
should locate and preserve records that
substantiate and verify their ownership
or control of groundfish permits and
other fishing privileges in the NE
multispecies fishery in Federal waters.
DATES: April 7, 2011, shall be known as
the ‘‘control date’’ and may be used as
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00028
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
19305
a reference date for future management
measures related to the maintenance of
a fishery with characteristics consistent
with the Council’s objectives and
applicable Federal laws. Written
comments must be received on or before
5 p.m., local time, May 9, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by RIN 0648–BA88, by any
one of the following methods:
• Written comments (paper, disk, or
CD–ROM) should be sent to Paul J.
Howard, Executive Director, New
England Fishery Management Council,
50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport,
MA 01950. Mark the outside of the
envelope, ‘‘Comments on Multispecies
Accumulation Limits Control Date.’’
• Comments also may be sent via
facsimile (fax) to (978) 465–3116.
• Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking
Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Instructions: Comments will be
posted for public viewing as they are
received. All comments received are a
part of the public record and will
generally be 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). You may submit
attachments to electronic comments in
Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or
Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Travis Ford, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978–281–9233; fax 978–281–
9135; e-mail: travis.ford@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NE
Multispecies FMP manages 20
individual stocks comprised of the
following species: Cod, haddock, white
hake, pollock, Acadian redfish,
yellowtail flounder, winter flounder,
witch flounder, American plaice,
windowpane flounder, Atlantic halibut,
ocean pout, and Atlantic wolffish. The
Council has managed most of these
species as a unit under the FMP since
1985. Many of these stocks remain
overfished, and strict regulations have
been adopted to control catch and
promote stock rebuilding. Current
management measures include limited
and open-access permit categories,
limits on fishing time through days-atsea (DAS) allocations, gear
requirements, closed areas, retention
limits, and sector allocation. These
E:\FR\FM\07APP1.SGM
07APP1
19306
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 67 / Thursday, April 7, 2011 / Proposed Rules
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with PROPOSALS
measures have been adopted through a
series of amendments and adjustments
to the original FMP. The most recent
amendment, Amendment 16,
implemented on May 1, 2010 (75 FR
18262), expanded the use of sectors to
manage the fishery. Sectors are
voluntary, self-selected groups of
fishermen that are allocated a portion of
the available catch. Amendment 16 also
implemented Annual Catch Limits
(ACLs). Exceeding these limits triggers
responsive management actions referred
to as Accountability Measures (AMs).
In the most recent specification
process (Framework Adjustment 44 (75
FR 18356)), ACLs for many NE
multispecies stocks were set at very low
levels. For certain stocks, catch limits
are expected to remain low for the near
future. Some members of the fishing
industry and the Council have
expressed concern that the low catch
limits, in conjunction with expanded
sector management, will lead to
excessive consolidation of fishing
privileges and lack of diversity in the
groundfish fleet. For example, for
several stocks, the potential sector
contribution (PSC) associated with a
small number of vessel owners enrolled
in a sector represents a large percentage
of the total allocation to the fishery. In
addition, NMFS, in its letter to the
Council partially approving
Amendment 16, requested the Council
to consider developing measures that
would mitigate potential negative
impacts stemming from the
consolidation of permits, both within
sectors and among individual permit
holders, as they relate to some of the
social and economic objectives
established in the NE multispecies FMP.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:27 Apr 06, 2011
Jkt 223001
In light of these concerns, the
Council, at its January, 2011 meeting,
requested that ‘‘NMFS publish in the
Federal Register as soon as possible a
control date to establish accumulation
limits in the groundfish fishery.’’ The
Council also indicated at the time that
Council staff should coordinate with
NMFS in drafting the ‘‘control date’’ so
that it reflected Council concerns about
accumulation limits. Based on this
coordination, this notification
announces that the Council is
considering management measures that
would address, but would not be
limited to, concerns related to
preventing excessive control or
ownership of fishing privileges,
maintaining the diversity of the fleet,
addressing impacts of market forces on
a highly regulated industry, and
maintaining fishery infrastructure and
fishing ports throughout New England.
Fishing privileges include, but are not
limited to, vessels, fishing permits,
DAS, fishing quotas, PSCs, annual catch
entitlements, sector allocations and any
other type of catch share.
The date of publication of this
notification, April 7, 2011, shall be
known as the ‘‘control date,’’ and may be
used as a reference date for future
management measures in determining
how to treat fishing privileges acquired
before this date and those acquired after
this date, depending on the Council’s
determinations on limiting control and
ownership of such privileges. The
establishment of a control date,
however, does not obligate the Council
to use this control date or take any
action, nor does it prevent the Council
from picking another control date or
imposing limits on permits acquired
prior to the control date.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
Accordingly, this notification is
intended to promote awareness that the
Council may be developing management
measures to address these concerns, to
provide notice to the public that any
current or future accumulation of
fishing privilege interests in the NE
multispecies fishery may be affected,
restricted, or even nullified, and
discourage speculative behavior in the
market for fishing privileges while the
Council considers whether and how
such limitations on accumulation of
fishing privileges should be developed.
Any measures the Council is
considering may require changes to the
NE multispecies FMP. Such measures
may be adopted in a future amendment
to the FMP, which would include
opportunity for further public
participation and comment.
This notification also gives the public
notice that interested participants
should locate and preserve records that
substantiate and verify their ownership
or control of groundfish permits and
other fishing privileges in the NE
multispecies fishery in Federal waters.
This notification and control date do not
impose any legal obligations,
requirements, or expectation. This
ANPR has been determined to be not
significant for purposes of Executive
Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 4, 2011.
John Oliver,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Operations, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–8353 Filed 4–6–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\07APP1.SGM
07APP1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 67 (Thursday, April 7, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19305-19306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-8353]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 110311194-1193-02]
RIN 0648-BA88
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast
Multispecies Fishery; Notice of a Control Date for the Purpose of
Limiting Excessive Accumulation of Control in the Northeast (NE)
Multispecies Fishery; NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP)
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR); request for
comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: At the request of the New England Fishery Management Council
(Council), this notification announces that the Council and NMFS is
considering and seeking public comment on, potential changes to the
Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan that would be
implemented through proposed rulemaking, under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act), to limit the accumulation of excessive control or
ownership of fishing privileges in the NE multispecies groundfish
fishery. The date of publication of this notification, April 7, 2011,
shall be known as the ``control date,'' and may be used as a reference
date for future management measures related to such rulemaking. In
particular this notification is intended to promote awareness of this
possible rulemaking; provide notice to the public that any current or
future accumulation of fishing privilege interests in the NE
multispecies fishery may be affected, restricted, or even nullified;
and to discourage speculative behavior in the market for fishing
privileges while the Council considers whether and how such limitations
on accumulation of fishing privileges should be developed. This
notification also gives the public notice that interested participants
should locate and preserve records that substantiate and verify their
ownership or control of groundfish permits and other fishing privileges
in the NE multispecies fishery in Federal waters.
DATES: April 7, 2011, shall be known as the ``control date'' and may be
used as a reference date for future management measures related to the
maintenance of a fishery with characteristics consistent with the
Council's objectives and applicable Federal laws. Written comments must
be received on or before 5 p.m., local time, May 9, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN 0648-BA88, by any
one of the following methods:
Written comments (paper, disk, or CD-ROM) should be sent
to Paul J. Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management
Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. Mark the
outside of the envelope, ``Comments on Multispecies Accumulation Limits
Control Date.''
Comments also may be sent via facsimile (fax) to (978)
465-3116.
Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-
Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Instructions: Comments will be posted for public viewing as they
are received. All comments received are a part of the public record and
will generally be 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). You may submit attachments to
electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF
file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Travis Ford, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9233; fax 978-281-9135; e-mail:
travis.ford@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NE Multispecies FMP manages 20
individual stocks comprised of the following species: Cod, haddock,
white hake, pollock, Acadian redfish, yellowtail flounder, winter
flounder, witch flounder, American plaice, windowpane flounder,
Atlantic halibut, ocean pout, and Atlantic wolffish. The Council has
managed most of these species as a unit under the FMP since 1985. Many
of these stocks remain overfished, and strict regulations have been
adopted to control catch and promote stock rebuilding. Current
management measures include limited and open-access permit categories,
limits on fishing time through days-at-sea (DAS) allocations, gear
requirements, closed areas, retention limits, and sector allocation.
These
[[Page 19306]]
measures have been adopted through a series of amendments and
adjustments to the original FMP. The most recent amendment, Amendment
16, implemented on May 1, 2010 (75 FR 18262), expanded the use of
sectors to manage the fishery. Sectors are voluntary, self-selected
groups of fishermen that are allocated a portion of the available
catch. Amendment 16 also implemented Annual Catch Limits (ACLs).
Exceeding these limits triggers responsive management actions referred
to as Accountability Measures (AMs).
In the most recent specification process (Framework Adjustment 44
(75 FR 18356)), ACLs for many NE multispecies stocks were set at very
low levels. For certain stocks, catch limits are expected to remain low
for the near future. Some members of the fishing industry and the
Council have expressed concern that the low catch limits, in
conjunction with expanded sector management, will lead to excessive
consolidation of fishing privileges and lack of diversity in the
groundfish fleet. For example, for several stocks, the potential sector
contribution (PSC) associated with a small number of vessel owners
enrolled in a sector represents a large percentage of the total
allocation to the fishery. In addition, NMFS, in its letter to the
Council partially approving Amendment 16, requested the Council to
consider developing measures that would mitigate potential negative
impacts stemming from the consolidation of permits, both within sectors
and among individual permit holders, as they relate to some of the
social and economic objectives established in the NE multispecies FMP.
In light of these concerns, the Council, at its January, 2011
meeting, requested that ``NMFS publish in the Federal Register as soon
as possible a control date to establish accumulation limits in the
groundfish fishery.'' The Council also indicated at the time that
Council staff should coordinate with NMFS in drafting the ``control
date'' so that it reflected Council concerns about accumulation limits.
Based on this coordination, this notification announces that the
Council is considering management measures that would address, but
would not be limited to, concerns related to preventing excessive
control or ownership of fishing privileges, maintaining the diversity
of the fleet, addressing impacts of market forces on a highly regulated
industry, and maintaining fishery infrastructure and fishing ports
throughout New England. Fishing privileges include, but are not limited
to, vessels, fishing permits, DAS, fishing quotas, PSCs, annual catch
entitlements, sector allocations and any other type of catch share.
The date of publication of this notification, April 7, 2011, shall
be known as the ``control date,'' and may be used as a reference date
for future management measures in determining how to treat fishing
privileges acquired before this date and those acquired after this
date, depending on the Council's determinations on limiting control and
ownership of such privileges. The establishment of a control date,
however, does not obligate the Council to use this control date or take
any action, nor does it prevent the Council from picking another
control date or imposing limits on permits acquired prior to the
control date.
Accordingly, this notification is intended to promote awareness
that the Council may be developing management measures to address these
concerns, to provide notice to the public that any current or future
accumulation of fishing privilege interests in the NE multispecies
fishery may be affected, restricted, or even nullified, and discourage
speculative behavior in the market for fishing privileges while the
Council considers whether and how such limitations on accumulation of
fishing privileges should be developed. Any measures the Council is
considering may require changes to the NE multispecies FMP. Such
measures may be adopted in a future amendment to the FMP, which would
include opportunity for further public participation and comment.
This notification also gives the public notice that interested
participants should locate and preserve records that substantiate and
verify their ownership or control of groundfish permits and other
fishing privileges in the NE multispecies fishery in Federal waters.
This notification and control date do not impose any legal obligations,
requirements, or expectation. This ANPR has been determined to be not
significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 4, 2011.
John Oliver,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-8353 Filed 4-6-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
