Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management Measures, 31562-31563 [2012-12976]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 29, 2012 / Proposed Rules
scientific methods and would not result
in unusual stresses on the cylinder or
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data or information related to
environmental impacts, both positive
and negative, that may result from a
future rulemaking addressing the issues
discussed in this ANPRM.
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published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR
19477–78), or at https://
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K. International Trade Analysis
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Issued in Washington, DC, under authority
delegated in 49 CFR part 1.
Magdy El-Sibaie,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous
Materials Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012–12832 Filed 5–25–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–60–P
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13:35 May 25, 2012
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 635
RIN 0648–BB29
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species;
Atlantic Shark Management Measures
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement;
request for comments.
AGENCY:
The National Marine
Fisheries Service is considering the
inclusion of Gulf of Mexico blacktip
sharks in an amendment to the 2006
Consolidated Highly Migratory Species
Fishery Management Plan that is
currently under development. This
amendment process began in October
2011 to address the results of recent
stock assessments for scalloped
hammerhead, dusky, sandbar, and
blacknose sharks. A new stock
assessment is ongoing for Gulf of
Mexico blacktip sharks, and is expected
to be complete and available before the
amendment process is completed.
Therefore, we are considering including
Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks in the
amendment to ensure any changes in
the shark fisheries as a result of recent
stock assessments are considered at the
same time for public clarity and for
administrative efficiency.
DATES: Comments must be received no
later than 5 p.m., local time, on June 21,
2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this document, identified by NOAA–
NMFS–2011–0229, by any of the
following methods:
• Electronic Submission: Submit all
electronic public comments via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal
www.regulations.gov. To submit
comments via the eRulemaking Portal,
first click the ‘‘submit a comment’’ icon,
then enter NOAA–NMFS–2011–0229 in
the keyword search. Locate the
document you wish to comment on
from the resulting list and click on the
‘‘Submit a Comment’’ icon on the right
of that line.
• Mail: Submit written comments to
Peter Cooper, 1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910. Please mark
the outside of the envelope ‘‘Comments
on including Gulf of Mexico blacktip
sharks in Amendment 5 to the
Consolidated HMS FMP.’’
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
• Fax: (301) 713–1917. Attn: Peter
Cooper.
Comments must be submitted by one
of the above methods to ensure that the
comments are received, documented,
and considered by the National Marine
Fisheries Service. Comments sent by
any other method, to any other address
or individual, or received after the end
of the comment period, may not be
considered. All comments received are
a part of the public record and will
generally be posted for public viewing
on www.regulations.gov without change.
All personal identifying information
(e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted
voluntarily by the sender will be
publicly accessible. Do not submit
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive or protected
information. We 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 or Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe
PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karyl Brewster-Geisz or Peter Cooper at
(301) 427–8503, or online at https://
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ or https://
www.sefsc.noaa.gov/sedar/Index.jsp.
The
Atlantic shark fisheries are managed
under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act. The 2006
Consolidated Highly Migratory Species
Fishery Management Plan is
implemented by regulations at 50 CFR
part 635.
The National Marine Fisheries Service
published a notice of intent to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement as
required by the National Environmental
Policy Act to amend the fishery
management plan on October 7, 2011(76
FR 62331). This amendment is designed
to rebuild and/or end overfishing on
several shark stocks that were
determined to be overfished and/or have
overfishing occurring. We anticipate
completing this amendment and any
related documents in April 2013.
In December 2011, the Southeast Data,
Assessment and Review 29 stock
assessment process for Gulf of Mexico
blacktip sharks began. This process has
included, among other things, a data
and assessment workshop along with
two assessment webinars that have been
open to the public to attend. A third
assessment webinar is expected in late
May. According to the schedule of
events for the assessment, the
assessment should be completed in
August 2012.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\29MYP1.SGM
29MYP1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 29, 2012 / Proposed Rules
erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
Therefore, we are expecting the final
assessment results in early Fall 2012.
Because final results of the assessment
would be available in the Fall before the
amendment is finalized in April 2013,
we are considering adding Gulf of
Mexico blacktip sharks to the
amendment. We believe that this
addition would facilitate administrative
efficiency by optimizing our resources,
and would allow us to address new
scientific information in the most timely
manner. This addition would also
provide better clarity to and
understanding by the public regarding
any possible impacts of the rulemaking
on shark fisheries by combining
potential management measures
resulting from recent shark stock
assessments into one rulemaking.
Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks are
currently managed within the nonsandbar large coastal shark (LCS)
VerDate Mar<15>2010
13:35 May 25, 2012
Jkt 226001
complex and are caught in recreational
and commercial fisheries targeting
sharks. Commercial regulations for
blacktip sharks include, but are not
limited to, a trip limit of 33 non-sandbar
LCS for directed shark permit holders
and a trip limit of 3 non-sandbar LCS for
incidental shark permit holders. Gulf of
Mexico blacktip sharks are part of the
non-sandbar LCS annual Gulf of Mexico
quota of 390.5 mt dw, which is adjusted
each year for any overharvest from past
fishing years. Recreational regulations
for blacktip sharks include, but are not
limited to, retention limit of 1 shark per
vessel per trip with a 4.5-ft (54-in) fork
length minimum size.
We may consider adjusting or
implementing management measures for
Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks in this
amendment based on the results of the
current stock assessment. These
measures for Gulf of Mexico blacktip
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
31563
sharks could include, but are not
limited to, implementing a specific
commercial quota outside of the nonsandbar LCS quota, modifying
commercial trip limits, and adjusting
recreational retention limits.
We request comments regarding the
addition of Gulf of Mexico blacktip
sharks to the amendment. These
comments will help determine if we
should move forward with adding Gulf
of Mexico blacktip sharks to the
amendment.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 22, 2012.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–12976 Filed 5–25–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 29, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31562-31563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12976]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 635
RIN 0648-BB29
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Shark Management
Measures
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement;
request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service is considering the
inclusion of Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks in an amendment to the 2006
Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan that is
currently under development. This amendment process began in October
2011 to address the results of recent stock assessments for scalloped
hammerhead, dusky, sandbar, and blacknose sharks. A new stock
assessment is ongoing for Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks, and is
expected to be complete and available before the amendment process is
completed. Therefore, we are considering including Gulf of Mexico
blacktip sharks in the amendment to ensure any changes in the shark
fisheries as a result of recent stock assessments are considered at the
same time for public clarity and for administrative efficiency.
DATES: Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., local time, on
June 21, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
NOAA-NMFS-2011-0229, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov. To
submit comments via the eRulemaking Portal, first click the ``submit a
comment'' icon, then enter NOAA-NMFS-2011-0229 in the keyword search.
Locate the document you wish to comment on from the resulting list and
click on the ``Submit a Comment'' icon on the right of that line.
Mail: Submit written comments to Peter Cooper, 1315 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Please mark the outside of the
envelope ``Comments on including Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks in
Amendment 5 to the Consolidated HMS FMP.''
Fax: (301) 713-1917. Attn: Peter Cooper.
Comments must be submitted by one of the above methods to ensure
that the comments are received, documented, and considered by the
National Marine Fisheries Service. Comments sent by any other method,
to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the
comment period, may not be considered. All comments received are a part
of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted voluntarily by the
sender will be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive or protected information. We 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 or Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file
formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karyl Brewster-Geisz or Peter Cooper
at (301) 427-8503, or online at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/ or
https://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/sedar/Index.jsp.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic shark fisheries are managed
under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act. The 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery
Management Plan is implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 635.
The National Marine Fisheries Service published a notice of intent
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement as required by the
National Environmental Policy Act to amend the fishery management plan
on October 7, 2011(76 FR 62331). This amendment is designed to rebuild
and/or end overfishing on several shark stocks that were determined to
be overfished and/or have overfishing occurring. We anticipate
completing this amendment and any related documents in April 2013.
In December 2011, the Southeast Data, Assessment and Review 29
stock assessment process for Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks began. This
process has included, among other things, a data and assessment
workshop along with two assessment webinars that have been open to the
public to attend. A third assessment webinar is expected in late May.
According to the schedule of events for the assessment, the assessment
should be completed in August 2012.
[[Page 31563]]
Therefore, we are expecting the final assessment results in early
Fall 2012. Because final results of the assessment would be available
in the Fall before the amendment is finalized in April 2013, we are
considering adding Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks to the amendment. We
believe that this addition would facilitate administrative efficiency
by optimizing our resources, and would allow us to address new
scientific information in the most timely manner. This addition would
also provide better clarity to and understanding by the public
regarding any possible impacts of the rulemaking on shark fisheries by
combining potential management measures resulting from recent shark
stock assessments into one rulemaking.
Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks are currently managed within the
non-sandbar large coastal shark (LCS) complex and are caught in
recreational and commercial fisheries targeting sharks. Commercial
regulations for blacktip sharks include, but are not limited to, a trip
limit of 33 non-sandbar LCS for directed shark permit holders and a
trip limit of 3 non-sandbar LCS for incidental shark permit holders.
Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks are part of the non-sandbar LCS annual
Gulf of Mexico quota of 390.5 mt dw, which is adjusted each year for
any overharvest from past fishing years. Recreational regulations for
blacktip sharks include, but are not limited to, retention limit of 1
shark per vessel per trip with a 4.5-ft (54-in) fork length minimum
size.
We may consider adjusting or implementing management measures for
Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks in this amendment based on the results
of the current stock assessment. These measures for Gulf of Mexico
blacktip sharks could include, but are not limited to, implementing a
specific commercial quota outside of the non-sandbar LCS quota,
modifying commercial trip limits, and adjusting recreational retention
limits.
We request comments regarding the addition of Gulf of Mexico
blacktip sharks to the amendment. These comments will help determine if
we should move forward with adding Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks to
the amendment.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 22, 2012.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-12976 Filed 5-25-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
