Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area; Amendment 111, 66486-66487 [2015-27608]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 209 / Thursday, October 29, 2015 / Proposed Rules
under sections 954 and 956 of the
Internal Revenue Code.
Notice of availability of
amendment to fishery management
plan; request for comments.
ACTION:
Need for Correction
As published, the notice of proposed
rulemaking (REG–155164–09) contains
errors that are misleading and are in
need of clarification.
Correction to Publication
Accordingly, the notice of proposed
rulemaking, that is the subject of FR
Doc. 2015–21572, is corrected as
follows:
■ 1. On page 53059, in the preamble,
third column, sixth line of the second
full paragraph, the language ‘‘in Part I.B
of this preamble for’’ is corrected to read
‘‘in Part 1.B of this preamble for’’.
■ 2. On page 53061, in the preamble,
third column, fourth line from the top
of the column, the language
‘‘determined under § 1.956–4(b).’’ is
corrected to read ‘‘determined under
proposed § 1.956–4(b).’’.
§ 1.956–4
[Corrected]
3. On page 53067, third column,
second line of paragraph (c)(4) Example
2. (i), the language ‘‘same as in
paragraph (i) of Example 1, except’’ is
corrected to read ‘‘same as in Example
1, except’’.
■ 4. On page 53068, paragraph (f),
remove the language ‘‘[DATE OF
PUBLICATION OF FINAL RULE]’’ and
add the language ‘‘the date of
publication in the Federal Register of
the Treasury Decision adopting this rule
as a final regulation’’ wherever it
appears.
■
Martin V. Franks,
Chief, Publications and Regulations Branch,
Legal Processing Division, Associate Chief
Counsel (Procedure and Administration).
[FR Doc. 2015–27601 Filed 10–28–15; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
rmajette on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
RIN 0648–BF29
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area;
Amendment 111
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
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13:15 Oct 28, 2015
Jkt 238001
The North Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council) has
submitted Amendment 111 to the
Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area
(FMP) to the Secretary of Commerce
(Secretary) for review. Amendment 111
to the FMP would reduce bycatch
limits, also known as Prohibited Species
Catch (PSC) limits, by specific amounts
in four groundfish sectors: the
Amendment 80 sector (non-pollock
trawl catcher/processors); the BSAI
trawl limited access sector (all nonAmendment 80 trawl fishery
participants); the BSAI non-trawl sector
(primarily hook-and-line catcher/
processors); and the Western Alaska
Community Development Quota
Program (CDQ Program, also referred to
as the CDQ sector). This action is
intended to promote the goals and
objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the FMP,
and other applicable laws.
DATES: Submit comments on or before
December 28, 2015.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this document, identified by NOAA–
NMFS–2015–0092, by any one of the
following methods:
• Electronic Submission: Submit all
electronic public comments via the
Federal e-Rulemaking portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-20150092, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon,
complete the required fields, and enter
or attach your comments.
• Mail: Address written comments to
Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn:
Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O.
Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.
Instructions: 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 https://www.regulations.gov without
change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address)
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive information
voluntarily submitted by the commenter
will be publicly accessible. NMFS will
accept anonymous comments (enter N/
A in the required fields, if you wish to
remain anonymous).
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
Electronic copies of Amendment 111
to the FMP, the Environmental
Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
prepared for this action, and the Finding
of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
prepared for this action may be obtained
from https://www.regulations.gov or from
the Alaska Region Web site at https://
www.alaskafisheries/noaa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Alice McKeen, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Council has submitted Amendment 111
to the FMP to the Secretary for review.
If approved, Amendment 111 would
reduce bycatch limits, also known as
prohibited species catch (PSC) limits, of
Pacific halibut in the Bering Sea
Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish
fisheries by specific amounts in four
groundfish sectors: the Amendment 80
sector; the BSAI trawl limited access;
the BSAI non-trawl sector; and the CDQ
sector. Amendment 111 is necessary to
minimize halibut bycatch in the BSAI
groundfish fisheries to the extent
practicable and to achieve, on a
continuing basis, optimum yield from
the BSAI groundfish fisheries.
Amendment 111 is intended to promote
the goals and objectives of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, the FMP, and
other applicable laws.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires
that each regional fishery management
council submit any fishery management
plan amendment it prepares to NMFS
for review and approval, disapproval, or
partial approval by the Secretary. The
Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires
that NMFS, upon receiving a fishery
management plan amendment,
immediately publish a document in the
Federal Register announcing that the
amendment is available for public
review and comment. This document
announces that proposed Amendment
111 to the FMP is available for public
review and comment.
If approved, Amendment 111 would
reduce the halibut PSC limits for the
Amendment 80 sector by 25 percent,
from 2,325 mt to 1,745 mt; for the BSAI
trawl limited access fisheries by 15
percent, from 875 mt to 745 mt.; for the
BSAI non-trawl sector, by 15 percent,
from 833 mt to 710 mt.; and for the CDQ
sector by 20 percent, from 393 mt to 315
mt.
In submitting Amendment 111 to the
Secretary, the Council and NMFS
considered all the National Standards in
section 301 of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, but four national standards figured
prominently in their consideration of
Amendment 111: National Standard 1,
National Standard 4, National Standard
E:\FR\FM\29OCP1.SGM
29OCP1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 209 / Thursday, October 29, 2015 / Proposed Rules
rmajette on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
8, and National Standard 9. Amendment
111 would minimize halibut bycatch to
the extent practicable, consistent with
National Standard 9, while achieving,
on a continuing basis, optimum yield
from the BSAI groundfish fisheries,
consistent with National Standard 1.
Amendment 111 does not discriminate
between residents of different states and
assigns allocations of halibut PSC limits
in manner that is fair and equitable
consistent with National Standard 4.
Amendment 111 takes into account the
impact of its provisions on fishing
communities in order to provide for the
sustained participation of those
communities and, to the extent
practicable, to minimize adverse
economic impacts on such
communities, consistent with National
Standard 8. Amendment 111 may
provide additional opportunities for
directed commercial halibut fishing, if
the International Pacific Halibut
Commission increases the commercial
catch limit for the directed halibut
fishery in response to this action.
In addition to reducing the BSAI
halibut PSC limits, Amendment 111
would change two features of current
halibut PSC management. First,
Amendment 111 would establish the
PSC limit for the CDQ sector as a
separate limit. Under current FMP
provisions, the PSC limit for the CDQ
sector is taken partly from the overall
trawl PSC limit and the overall nontrawl PSC limit. Second, Amendment
111 would change a feature of the
VerDate Sep<11>2014
13:15 Oct 28, 2015
Jkt 238001
halibut PSC limit for the Amendment 80
sector. Within the Amendment 80
sector, the halibut PSC limit is divided
annually between Amendment 80
cooperatives and the Amendment 80
limited access fishery, which consists of
vessels that choose that year to fish
outside of an Amendment 80
cooperative. In the current regulation,
any halibut PSC that is not assigned to
an Amendment 80 cooperative is
assigned to the Amendment 80 limited
access fishery. Under Amendment 111,
if any Amendment 80 vessels fish in the
Amendment 80 limited access fishery,
NMFS would reduce the halibut PSC in
the Amendment 80 limited access
fishery for that year by 20 percent
compared to the PSC amount that NMFS
would have allocated to cooperatives for
that year if those vessels had fished
through cooperatives.
Amendment 111 would amend
Section 3.6.2.1.4 of the FMP to specify
the BSAI halibut PSC limits for the four
groundfish sectors; amend Section
3.7.4.6 of the FMP and specify a
separate PSC limit for the CDQ sector;
amend Section 3.7.5.2 so that it would
establish the halibut PSC limit for the
Amendment 80 sector as 1,745 mt and
the halibut PSC limit for the BSAI trawl
limited access sector as 745 mt; and
amend Section 3.7.5.2 so that it
establishes an additional 20 percent
reduction in the halibut PSC limit for
the Amendment 80 vessels that
participate in the Amendment 80
limited access fishery. Amendment 111
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66487
would make two minor revisions to
Table ES–2 to include the revised
halibut PSC limits and would amend
Appendix A to note the revisions that
Amendment 111 would make to the
halibut PSC limits adopted under
Amendment 80 to the FMP (72 FR
52668, September 14, 2007).
NMFS is soliciting public comments
on proposed Amendment 111 through
the end of the comment period (see
DATES). NMFS intends to publish in the
Federal Register and seek public
comment on a proposed rule that would
implement Amendment 111, following
NMFS’ evaluation of the proposed rule
under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. All
comments received by the end of the
comment period on Amendment 111,
whether specifically directed to the
FMP amendment or the proposed rule,
will be considered in the approval/
disapproval decision on Amendment
111. Comments received after that date
may not be considered in the approval/
disapproval decision on Amendment
111. To be certain of consideration,
comments must be received, not just
postmarked or otherwise transmitted, by
the last day of the comment period.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 26, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–27608 Filed 10–28–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\29OCP1.SGM
29OCP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 209 (Thursday, October 29, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66486-66487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27608]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
RIN 0648-BF29
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands Management Area; Amendment 111
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of amendment to fishery management plan;
request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has
submitted Amendment 111 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish
of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) to the
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) for review. Amendment 111 to the FMP
would reduce bycatch limits, also known as Prohibited Species Catch
(PSC) limits, by specific amounts in four groundfish sectors: the
Amendment 80 sector (non-pollock trawl catcher/processors); the BSAI
trawl limited access sector (all non-Amendment 80 trawl fishery
participants); the BSAI non-trawl sector (primarily hook-and-line
catcher/processors); and the Western Alaska Community Development Quota
Program (CDQ Program, also referred to as the CDQ sector). This action
is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the
FMP, and other applicable laws.
DATES: Submit comments on or before December 28, 2015.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
NOAA-NMFS-2015-0092, by any one of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2015-0092, click the
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or
attach your comments.
Mail: Address written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant
Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region
NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau,
AK 99802.
Instructions: 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 https://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address) confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive information voluntarily submitted by the commenter
will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter
N/A in the required fields, if you wish to remain anonymous).
Electronic copies of Amendment 111 to the FMP, the Environmental
Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis prepared for this action, and the Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) prepared for this action may be obtained from https://www.regulations.gov or from the Alaska Region Web site at https://www.alaskafisheries/noaa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Alice McKeen, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council has submitted Amendment 111 to
the FMP to the Secretary for review. If approved, Amendment 111 would
reduce bycatch limits, also known as prohibited species catch (PSC)
limits, of Pacific halibut in the Bering Sea Aleutian Islands (BSAI)
groundfish fisheries by specific amounts in four groundfish sectors:
the Amendment 80 sector; the BSAI trawl limited access; the BSAI non-
trawl sector; and the CDQ sector. Amendment 111 is necessary to
minimize halibut bycatch in the BSAI groundfish fisheries to the extent
practicable and to achieve, on a continuing basis, optimum yield from
the BSAI groundfish fisheries. Amendment 111 is intended to promote the
goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the FMP, and other
applicable laws.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that each regional fishery
management council submit any fishery management plan amendment it
prepares to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial
approval by the Secretary. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that
NMFS, upon receiving a fishery management plan amendment, immediately
publish a document in the Federal Register announcing that the
amendment is available for public review and comment. This document
announces that proposed Amendment 111 to the FMP is available for
public review and comment.
If approved, Amendment 111 would reduce the halibut PSC limits for
the Amendment 80 sector by 25 percent, from 2,325 mt to 1,745 mt; for
the BSAI trawl limited access fisheries by 15 percent, from 875 mt to
745 mt.; for the BSAI non-trawl sector, by 15 percent, from 833 mt to
710 mt.; and for the CDQ sector by 20 percent, from 393 mt to 315 mt.
In submitting Amendment 111 to the Secretary, the Council and NMFS
considered all the National Standards in section 301 of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act, but four national standards figured prominently in their
consideration of Amendment 111: National Standard 1, National Standard
4, National Standard
[[Page 66487]]
8, and National Standard 9. Amendment 111 would minimize halibut
bycatch to the extent practicable, consistent with National Standard 9,
while achieving, on a continuing basis, optimum yield from the BSAI
groundfish fisheries, consistent with National Standard 1. Amendment
111 does not discriminate between residents of different states and
assigns allocations of halibut PSC limits in manner that is fair and
equitable consistent with National Standard 4. Amendment 111 takes into
account the impact of its provisions on fishing communities in order to
provide for the sustained participation of those communities and, to
the extent practicable, to minimize adverse economic impacts on such
communities, consistent with National Standard 8. Amendment 111 may
provide additional opportunities for directed commercial halibut
fishing, if the International Pacific Halibut Commission increases the
commercial catch limit for the directed halibut fishery in response to
this action.
In addition to reducing the BSAI halibut PSC limits, Amendment 111
would change two features of current halibut PSC management. First,
Amendment 111 would establish the PSC limit for the CDQ sector as a
separate limit. Under current FMP provisions, the PSC limit for the CDQ
sector is taken partly from the overall trawl PSC limit and the overall
non-trawl PSC limit. Second, Amendment 111 would change a feature of
the halibut PSC limit for the Amendment 80 sector. Within the Amendment
80 sector, the halibut PSC limit is divided annually between Amendment
80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access fishery, which
consists of vessels that choose that year to fish outside of an
Amendment 80 cooperative. In the current regulation, any halibut PSC
that is not assigned to an Amendment 80 cooperative is assigned to the
Amendment 80 limited access fishery. Under Amendment 111, if any
Amendment 80 vessels fish in the Amendment 80 limited access fishery,
NMFS would reduce the halibut PSC in the Amendment 80 limited access
fishery for that year by 20 percent compared to the PSC amount that
NMFS would have allocated to cooperatives for that year if those
vessels had fished through cooperatives.
Amendment 111 would amend Section 3.6.2.1.4 of the FMP to specify
the BSAI halibut PSC limits for the four groundfish sectors; amend
Section 3.7.4.6 of the FMP and specify a separate PSC limit for the CDQ
sector; amend Section 3.7.5.2 so that it would establish the halibut
PSC limit for the Amendment 80 sector as 1,745 mt and the halibut PSC
limit for the BSAI trawl limited access sector as 745 mt; and amend
Section 3.7.5.2 so that it establishes an additional 20 percent
reduction in the halibut PSC limit for the Amendment 80 vessels that
participate in the Amendment 80 limited access fishery. Amendment 111
would make two minor revisions to Table ES-2 to include the revised
halibut PSC limits and would amend Appendix A to note the revisions
that Amendment 111 would make to the halibut PSC limits adopted under
Amendment 80 to the FMP (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007).
NMFS is soliciting public comments on proposed Amendment 111
through the end of the comment period (see DATES). NMFS intends to
publish in the Federal Register and seek public comment on a proposed
rule that would implement Amendment 111, following NMFS' evaluation of
the proposed rule under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. All comments received
by the end of the comment period on Amendment 111, whether specifically
directed to the FMP amendment or the proposed rule, will be considered
in the approval/disapproval decision on Amendment 111. Comments
received after that date may not be considered in the approval/
disapproval decision on Amendment 111. To be certain of consideration,
comments must be received, not just postmarked or otherwise
transmitted, by the last day of the comment period.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 26, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-27608 Filed 10-28-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P