Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan; Amendment 7; Extension of Comment Period, 57340-57341 [2013-22736]
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57340
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 181 / Wednesday, September 18, 2013 / Proposed Rules
by the SEFSC. Electronic reports would
be required to be submitted for trips
completed, and no fishing reports
would be required when no trips are
taken. The For-Hire Reporting
Amendment allows for paper reporting
to be used in catastrophic conditions
(when electronic means to report data
are not feasible) as deemed by the
Regional Administrator.
Increase Reporting Frequency for the
Headboat Sector
Currently, headboat reporting forms
are due on a monthly basis, and must
either be made available to a fisheries
statistics reporting agent or be
postmarked no later than 7 days after
the end of each month and sent to the
SRD. The For-Hire Reporting
Amendment would modify the
frequency to weekly reporting or
intervals shorter than a week if notified
by the SRD. If no fishing activity
occurred during a week, an electronic
report so stating must be submitted for
that week.
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Non-Compliance With Reporting
Requirement
Headboats are expected to remain
current with reporting to remain in
compliance with the conditions of a
valid permit (i.e., to be authorized to
conduct trips). Headboat owners and
operators who are delinquent in
submitting their reports would be
prohibited from continuing to harvest
and possess South Atlantic snappergrouper, Atlantic dolphin and wahoo,
and South Atlantic coastal migratory
pelagic fish until they have submitted
all required reports. This provision
would aid in enforcement efforts to
ensure electronic reports are submitted
in a timely manner.
A proposed rule that would
implement measures outlined in the
For-Hire Reporting Amendment has
been drafted. In accordance with the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is
evaluating the For-Hire Reporting
Amendment to determine whether it is
consistent with the FMP, the MagnusonStevens Act, and other applicable law.
If the determination is affirmative,
NMFS will publish the proposed rule in
the Federal Register for public review
and comment.
Consideration of Public Comments
The Councils submitted the For-Hire
Reporting Amendment for Secretarial
review, approval, and implementation.
NMFS’ decision to approve, partially
approve, or disapprove the For-Hire
Reporting Amendment will be based, in
part, on consideration of comments,
recommendations, and information
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:23 Sep 17, 2013
Jkt 229001
received during the comment period on
this notice of availability.
Comments received by November 18,
2013, whether specifically directed to
the amendment or the proposed rule,
will be considered by NMFS in its
decision to approve, disapprove, or
partially approve the amendment.
Comments received after that date will
not be considered by NMFS in this
decision. All comments received by
NMFS on the amendment or the
proposed rule during their respective
comment periods will be addressed in
the final rule.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 13, 2013.
Kelly Denit,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–22717 Filed 9–17–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 635
[Docket No. 120328229–3656–01]
RIN 0648–BC09
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species;
2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory
Species Fishery Management Plan;
Amendment 7; Extension of Comment
Period
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of
comment period.
AGENCY:
The National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) is amending
the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP to
address bluefin tuna management due to
recent trends and characteristics of the
bluefin fishery. This action is necessary
to meet domestic management
objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act including preventing overfishing,
achieving optimal yield, and
minimizing bycatch to the extent
practicable, as well as the objectives of
the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act
(ATCA) and obligations pursuant to
binding recommendations of the
International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
NMFS takes these actions to reduce
bluefin dead discards and account for
dead discards in all categories; optimize
fishing opportunities in all categories;
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00022
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
enhance reporting and monitoring; and
adjust other aspects of the 2006
Consolidated HMS FMP as necessary.
The proposed measures include
Allocation measures, Area-Based
measures, Bluefin Quota Controls,
Enhanced Reporting measures, and
other measures with respect to how the
various quota categories utilize quota. In
the proposed rule that published on
August 21, 2013, NMFS announced the
end of the comment period as October
23, 2013, which allowed an
approximately 60-day comment period.
Given the length and complexity of the
rule, and to provide additional time for
constituents to consider the proposed
rule in light of any new
recommendations adopted by ICCAT at
its November 2013 meeting, NMFS is
extending the comment period for this
action until December 10, 2013, to
provide additional opportunities for
public comment.
DATES: The public comment period for
the proposed rule published at 78 FR
52032, August 21, 2013, is extended
from October 23, 2013, until December
10, 2013. Comments must be received
no later than December 10, 2013.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on the proposed rule, as published on
August 21, 2013 (78 FR 52032),
identified by ‘‘NOAA–NMFS–2013–
0101,’’ by any of the following methods:
• Electronic Submissions: Submit all
electronic public comments via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-20130101, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon,
complete the required fields, and enter
or attach your comments. Do not submit
electronic comments to individual
NMFS staff.
• Mail: Submit written comments to:
Thomas Warren, Highly Migratory
Species Management Division, NMFS,
55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester,
MA 01930. Please mark the outside of
the envelope ‘‘Comments on
Amendment 7 to the HMS FMP.’’
• Fax: 978–281–9347, Attn: Thomas
Warren.
Instructions: Comments must be
submitted by one of the above methods
to ensure that the comments are
received, documented, and considered
by NMFS. 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
part of the public record and generally
will be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change.
All Personal Identifying Information (for
example, name, address, etc.),
E:\FR\FM\18SEP1.SGM
18SEP1
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 181 / Wednesday, September 18, 2013 / Proposed Rules
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive information
submitted voluntarily by the sender will
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 or Excel, WordPerfect,
or Adobe PDF file formats only.
Supporting documents including the
draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS), Regulatory Impact Review (RIR),
and Initial Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis (IRFA) for this action are
available from the Highly Migratory
Species Management Division Web site
at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/
FMP/AM7.htm or by sending your
request to Thomas Warren at the
mailing address or phone numbers
specified above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas Warren or Brad McHale at 978–
281–9260; Craig Cockrell or Jennifer
Cudney at 301–427–8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The North
Atlantic tuna fisheries are managed
under the dual authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the
Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA).
Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act,
NMFS must manage fisheries to
maintain optimum yield on a
continuing basis while preventing
overfishing. ATCA authorizes the
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to
promulgate regulations, as may be
necessary and appropriate to carry out
recommendations of the International
Commission for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The authority
to issue regulations under the
Magnuson-Stevens Act and ATCA has
been delegated from the Secretary to the
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NMFS. Management of these species is
described in the 2006 Consolidated
HMS FMP, which is implemented by
regulations at 50 CFR part 635. Copies
of the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and
previous amendments are available from
the Highly Migratory Species
Management Division Web page at
https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/
hmsdocument_files/FMPs.htm or from
NMFS on request (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT).
NMFS is amending the 2006
Consolidated HMS FMP to address
bluefin tuna management due to recent
trends and characteristics of the bluefin
fishery (78 FR 52032). This action is
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:23 Sep 17, 2013
Jkt 229001
necessary to meet domestic management
objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act including preventing overfishing,
achieving optimal yield, and
minimizing bycatch to the extent
practicable, as well as the objectives of
the ATCA and obligations pursuant to
binding recommendations of ICCAT.
NMFS takes these actions to reduce
bluefin dead discards and account for
dead discards in all categories; optimize
fishing opportunities in all categories;
enhance reporting and monitoring; and
adjust other aspects of the 2006
Consolidated HMS FMP as necessary.
As described in the proposed rule, the
proposed management measures
include: (1) Allocation measures that
would modify how the U.S. bluefin
quota is allocated among the quota
categories; (2) area-based measures that
restrict the use of pelagic longline gear
in various time and area combinations,
modify gear restrictions, or provide
conditional access to current pelagic
longline closed areas; (3) bluefin quota
controls that would strictly limit the
total catch (landings and dead discards)
of bluefin in the Longline category using
different strategies; (4) enhanced
reporting measures that would
implement a variety of new bluefin
reporting requirements; and (5) other
measures that would modify to the rules
that control how the various quota
categories utilize quota, and codify a
northern albacore tuna quota.
Public Comment Extension
In the proposed rule, NMFS
announced the end of the comment
period as October 23, 2013, which
allowed an approximately 60-day
comment period. Given the length and
complexity of the rule, and to provide
additional time for constituents to
consider the proposed rule in light of
any new recommendations by ICCAT at
its November 2013 meeting, NMFS is
extending the comment period for this
action until December 10, 2013, to
provide additional opportunities for
public comment.
These comments will assist NMFS in
determining final management measures
to conserve and manage the BFT
resource and fisheries, consistent with
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, ATCA, and
the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.; 16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq.
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
57341
Dated: September 12, 2013.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
performing the functions and duties of the
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–22736 Filed 9–17–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 130702583–3583–01]
RIN 0648–BD40
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
Provisions; Fisheries of the
Northeastern United States; Annual
Catch Limits and Accountability
Measures
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; request for
comments.
AGENCY:
NMFS proposes regulations to
implement an omnibus amendment to
three of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery
Management Council’s fishery
management plans. The omnibus
amendment proposes to change the
accountability measures for the Atlantic
mackerel, Atlantic bluefish, summer
flounder, scup, and black sea bass
recreational fisheries. The proposed
measures are intended to more
appropriately address accountability in
the recreational fisheries.
DATES: Submit comments on or before
October 18, 2013.
ADDRESSES: A draft environmental
assessment (EA) was prepared for the
Recreational Accountability Measures
Omnibus Amendment that describes the
proposed action and other considered
alternatives, and provides a thorough
analysis of the impacts of the proposed
measures and alternatives. Copies of the
Recreational AM Omnibus Amendment,
including the draft EA, are available on
request from Dr. Christopher M. Moore,
Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic
Fishery Management Council, 800 North
State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901.
These documents are also available
online at https://www.mafmc.org.
You may submit comments on this
document, identified NOAA–NMFS–
2013–0108, by any of the following
methods:
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\18SEP1.SGM
18SEP1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 18, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57340-57341]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22736]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 635
[Docket No. 120328229-3656-01]
RIN 0648-BC09
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 2006 Consolidated Highly
Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan; Amendment 7; Extension of
Comment Period
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is amending the
2006 Consolidated HMS FMP to address bluefin tuna management due to
recent trends and characteristics of the bluefin fishery. This action
is necessary to meet domestic management objectives of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act including preventing
overfishing, achieving optimal yield, and minimizing bycatch to the
extent practicable, as well as the objectives of the Atlantic Tunas
Convention Act (ATCA) and obligations pursuant to binding
recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). NMFS takes these actions to reduce bluefin dead
discards and account for dead discards in all categories; optimize
fishing opportunities in all categories; enhance reporting and
monitoring; and adjust other aspects of the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP
as necessary. The proposed measures include Allocation measures, Area-
Based measures, Bluefin Quota Controls, Enhanced Reporting measures,
and other measures with respect to how the various quota categories
utilize quota. In the proposed rule that published on August 21, 2013,
NMFS announced the end of the comment period as October 23, 2013, which
allowed an approximately 60-day comment period. Given the length and
complexity of the rule, and to provide additional time for constituents
to consider the proposed rule in light of any new recommendations
adopted by ICCAT at its November 2013 meeting, NMFS is extending the
comment period for this action until December 10, 2013, to provide
additional opportunities for public comment.
DATES: The public comment period for the proposed rule published at 78
FR 52032, August 21, 2013, is extended from October 23, 2013, until
December 10, 2013. Comments must be received no later than December 10,
2013.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the proposed rule, as published
on August 21, 2013 (78 FR 52032), identified by ``NOAA-NMFS-2013-
0101,'' by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2013-0101, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon,
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. Do not
submit electronic comments to individual NMFS staff.
Mail: Submit written comments to: Thomas Warren, Highly
Migratory Species Management Division, NMFS, 55 Great Republic Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930. Please mark the outside of the envelope
``Comments on Amendment 7 to the HMS FMP.''
Fax: 978-281-9347, Attn: Thomas Warren.
Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above
methods to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and
considered by NMFS. 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 part of the public
record and generally will be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All Personal Identifying
Information (for example, name, address, etc.),
[[Page 57341]]
confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information
submitted voluntarily by the sender will 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 or Excel,
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
Supporting documents including the draft Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS), Regulatory Impact Review (RIR), and Initial Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) for this action are available from the
Highly Migratory Species Management Division Web site at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/FMP/AM7.htm or by sending your request to
Thomas Warren at the mailing address or phone numbers specified above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Warren or Brad McHale at 978-
281-9260; Craig Cockrell or Jennifer Cudney at 301-427-8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The North Atlantic tuna fisheries are
managed under the dual authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the Atlantic
Tunas Convention Act (ATCA). Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS must
manage fisheries to maintain optimum yield on a continuing basis while
preventing overfishing. ATCA authorizes the Secretary of Commerce
(Secretary) to promulgate regulations, as may be necessary and
appropriate to carry out recommendations of the International
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The
authority to issue regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and ATCA
has been delegated from the Secretary to the Assistant Administrator
for Fisheries, NMFS. Management of these species is described in the
2006 Consolidated HMS FMP, which is implemented by regulations at 50
CFR part 635. Copies of the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and previous
amendments are available from the Highly Migratory Species Management
Division Web page at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/hmsdocument_files/FMPs.htm or from NMFS on request (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT).
NMFS is amending the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP to address bluefin
tuna management due to recent trends and characteristics of the bluefin
fishery (78 FR 52032). This action is necessary to meet domestic
management objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act including preventing overfishing, achieving optimal
yield, and minimizing bycatch to the extent practicable, as well as the
objectives of the ATCA and obligations pursuant to binding
recommendations of ICCAT. NMFS takes these actions to reduce bluefin
dead discards and account for dead discards in all categories; optimize
fishing opportunities in all categories; enhance reporting and
monitoring; and adjust other aspects of the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP
as necessary. As described in the proposed rule, the proposed
management measures include: (1) Allocation measures that would modify
how the U.S. bluefin quota is allocated among the quota categories; (2)
area-based measures that restrict the use of pelagic longline gear in
various time and area combinations, modify gear restrictions, or
provide conditional access to current pelagic longline closed areas;
(3) bluefin quota controls that would strictly limit the total catch
(landings and dead discards) of bluefin in the Longline category using
different strategies; (4) enhanced reporting measures that would
implement a variety of new bluefin reporting requirements; and (5)
other measures that would modify to the rules that control how the
various quota categories utilize quota, and codify a northern albacore
tuna quota.
Public Comment Extension
In the proposed rule, NMFS announced the end of the comment period
as October 23, 2013, which allowed an approximately 60-day comment
period. Given the length and complexity of the rule, and to provide
additional time for constituents to consider the proposed rule in light
of any new recommendations by ICCAT at its November 2013 meeting, NMFS
is extending the comment period for this action until December 10,
2013, to provide additional opportunities for public comment.
These comments will assist NMFS in determining final management
measures to conserve and manage the BFT resource and fisheries,
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, ATCA, and the 2006
Consolidated HMS FMP.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 12, 2013.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, performing the functions and
duties of the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-22736 Filed 9-17-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
