Mariana Archipelago Fisheries; Remove the CNMI Medium and Large Vessel Bottomfish Prohibited Areas, 33196-33197 [2016-12347]
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33196
52.223–11
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 25, 2016 / Proposed Rules
[Amended]
14. Amend section 52.223–11 by
removing from the introductory
paragraph ‘‘in 23.804(a)’’ and adding ‘‘in
23.804(a)(1)’’ in its place.
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of fishery
ecosystem plan amendment; request for
comments.
52.212–12
SUMMARY:
■
[Amended]
15. Amend section 52.223–12 by
removing from the introductory
paragraph ‘‘in 23.804(b)’’ and adding
‘‘in 23.804(a)(2)’’ in its place.
■ 16. Add section 52.223–ZZ to read as
follows:
■
52.223–ZZ Public Disclosure of
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Reduction
Goals—Representation.
As prescribed in 23.804(b), insert the
following provision:
Public Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas
Emissions and Reduction GoalsRepresentation (Date)
(a) Response to this provision is optional
if the Offeror received less than $7.5 million
in contract awards in the Federal fiscal year
preceding any representation.
(b) Representation. [Offeror to check
applicable blocks in (1) or (2).]
(1) The Offeror (itself or through its
immediate owner or highest-level owner)
publicly [ ] does, [ ] does not disclose
greenhouse gas emissions, i.e., makes
available on a publicly accessible Web site
the results of a greenhouse gas inventory,
performed in accordance with the
Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard
or equivalent standard. A publicly accessible
Web site includes the supplier’s own Web
site or via a recognized, third-party
greenhouse gas emissions reporting program.
(2) The Offeror (itself or through its
immediate owner or highest-level owner [ ]
does, [ ] does not disclose a quantitative
greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal, i.e.,
a target to reduce absolute emissions or
emissions intensity by a specific quantity or
percentage.
(c) If the Offeror checked ‘‘does’’ in
paragraphs (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this provision
respectively, the Offeror shall provide the
publicly accessible Web site(s) where
greenhouse gas emissions and/or reduction
goals are reported:lll.
(End of provision)
[FR Doc. 2016–12226 Filed 5–24–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820–EP–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with PROPOSALS
50 CFR Part 665
RIN 0648–BF37
Mariana Archipelago Fisheries;
Remove the CNMI Medium and Large
Vessel Bottomfish Prohibited Areas
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
AGENCY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
14:52 May 24, 2016
Jkt 238001
NMFS announces that the
Western Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council) proposes to amend
the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the
Mariana Archipelago. If approved,
Amendment 4 would remove the
medium and large vessel bottomfish
(BF) prohibited fishing areas in the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands (CNMI). Amendment 4
considers the best available scientific,
commercial, and other information
about the fisheries, and supports the
long-term sustainability of fishery
resources.
NMFS must receive comments
on the proposed amendment by July 25,
2016.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this document, identified by NOAA–
NMFS–2015–0115, by either 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-20150115, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon,
complete the required fields, and enter
or attach your comments.
• Mail: Send written comments to
Michael D. Tosatto, Regional
Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands
Region (PIR), 1845 Wasp Blvd. Bldg.
176, Honolulu, HI 96818.
Instructions: NMFS may not consider
comments sent by any other method, to
any other address or individual, or
received after the end of the comment
period. All comments received are a
part of the public record, and NMFS
will generally post them for public
viewing on www.regulations.gov
without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.),
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive information
submitted voluntarily by the sender will
be publicly accessible. NMFS will
accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/
A’’ in the required fields if you wish to
remain anonymous).
The Council prepared Amendment 4,
including an environmental assessment
and regulatory impact review, that
provides background information on the
proposed action. The amendment is
available from www.regulations.gov or
the Council, 1164 Bishop St., Suite
1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, tel 808–522–
8220, fax 808–522–8226,
www.wpcouncil.org.
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sarah Ellgen, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, NMFS PIR, 808–725–5173.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Council and NMFS manage the
bottomfish fishery in federal waters in
the CNMI under the Fishery Ecosystem
Plan for the Mariana Archipelago
(Mariana FEP). The Mariana FEP and
implementing Federal regulations
currently prohibit medium and large
vessels (vessels over 40 ft) from fishing
for bottomfish in certain Federal waters
around the CNMI. The prohibited areas
include waters within approximately 50
nautical miles (nm) of the Southern
Islands (i.e., Rota, Aquijan, Tinian,
Saipan and Farallon de Medenilla) and
within 10 nm of Alamagan Island.
The Council established the
prohibited areas in 2008 in response to
concerns expressed by CNMI fishermen
that Guam bottomfish fishermen would
travel to fish in CNMI waters after
establishment of the large vessel
prohibited fishing area in Guam. CNMI
fishermen were concerned that such
additional fishing by the vessels from
Guam would create localized depletion
of bottomfish, gear conflicts, and catch
competition.
The CNMI bottomfish fishery has
changed since 2008, and the conditions
that led the Council and NMFS to
establish the prohibited areas are no
longer present. Large vessels from Guam
have not shown interest in fishing for
CNMI bottomfish. The prohibited areas
may also be negatively impacting the
CNMI bottomfish fishery. Only a few
small vessels have been operating on a
regular basis, and the few medium and
large vessels have faced declining
participation, possibly as a result of
higher fuel costs that prevent them from
traveling beyond the prohibited areas.
The CNMI bottomfish fishery may not
be achieving optimum yield, and the
prohibited areas may be contributing to
the potential under-utilization of the
bottomfish resource in CNMI.
To address fishery conditions
resulting from the BF prohibited areas,
the Council recommended that NMFS
remove them. The Council and NMFS
would continue to manage the fishery
under a suite of management
requirements that include the
specification of annual catch limits and
accountability measures, post-season
review of catches and effort including
against ACLs, requirements for vessel
markings, federal catch and sales
reporting, and the vessel monitoring
system. The fishing requirements for the
Marianas Trench Marine National
Monument would also remain
unchanged.
E:\FR\FM\25MYP1.SGM
25MYP1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 25, 2016 / Proposed Rules
Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with PROPOSALS
Amendment 4 is intended to improve
the efficiency and economic viability of
the CNMI bottomfish fishery. The
Council and NMFS will annually review
the effects of the proposed amendment.
Any future changes would be subject to
additional environmental review and
opportunity for public review and
comment.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
14:52 May 24, 2016
Jkt 238001
NMFS must receive comments on
Amendment 4 by the date provided in
the DATES section to be considered by
NMFS in the decision to approve,
partially approve, or disapprove the
amendment. NMFS soon expects to
publish and request public comment on
a proposed rule that would implement
the measures recommended in
Amendment 4.
PO 00000
Frm 00045
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
33197
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 20, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–12347 Filed 5–24–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\25MYP1.SGM
25MYP1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 33196-33197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12347]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 665
RIN 0648-BF37
Mariana Archipelago Fisheries; Remove the CNMI Medium and Large
Vessel Bottomfish Prohibited Areas
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of fishery ecosystem plan amendment;
request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Western Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council) proposes to amend the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the
Mariana Archipelago. If approved, Amendment 4 would remove the medium
and large vessel bottomfish (BF) prohibited fishing areas in the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Amendment 4
considers the best available scientific, commercial, and other
information about the fisheries, and supports the long-term
sustainability of fishery resources.
DATES: NMFS must receive comments on the proposed amendment by July 25,
2016.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
NOAA-NMFS-2015-0115, by either 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-2015-0115, click the
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or
attach your comments.
Mail: Send written comments to Michael D. Tosatto,
Regional Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1845 Wasp
Blvd. Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.
Instructions: NMFS may not consider comments sent by any other
method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end
of the comment period. All comments received are a part of the public
record, and NMFS will generally post them for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous).
The Council prepared Amendment 4, including an environmental
assessment and regulatory impact review, that provides background
information on the proposed action. The amendment is available from
www.regulations.gov or the Council, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400,
Honolulu, HI 96813, tel 808-522-8220, fax 808-522-8226,
www.wpcouncil.org.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Ellgen, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, NMFS PIR, 808-725-5173.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council and NMFS manage the bottomfish
fishery in federal waters in the CNMI under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan
for the Mariana Archipelago (Mariana FEP). The Mariana FEP and
implementing Federal regulations currently prohibit medium and large
vessels (vessels over 40 ft) from fishing for bottomfish in certain
Federal waters around the CNMI. The prohibited areas include waters
within approximately 50 nautical miles (nm) of the Southern Islands
(i.e., Rota, Aquijan, Tinian, Saipan and Farallon de Medenilla) and
within 10 nm of Alamagan Island.
The Council established the prohibited areas in 2008 in response to
concerns expressed by CNMI fishermen that Guam bottomfish fishermen
would travel to fish in CNMI waters after establishment of the large
vessel prohibited fishing area in Guam. CNMI fishermen were concerned
that such additional fishing by the vessels from Guam would create
localized depletion of bottomfish, gear conflicts, and catch
competition.
The CNMI bottomfish fishery has changed since 2008, and the
conditions that led the Council and NMFS to establish the prohibited
areas are no longer present. Large vessels from Guam have not shown
interest in fishing for CNMI bottomfish. The prohibited areas may also
be negatively impacting the CNMI bottomfish fishery. Only a few small
vessels have been operating on a regular basis, and the few medium and
large vessels have faced declining participation, possibly as a result
of higher fuel costs that prevent them from traveling beyond the
prohibited areas. The CNMI bottomfish fishery may not be achieving
optimum yield, and the prohibited areas may be contributing to the
potential under-utilization of the bottomfish resource in CNMI.
To address fishery conditions resulting from the BF prohibited
areas, the Council recommended that NMFS remove them. The Council and
NMFS would continue to manage the fishery under a suite of management
requirements that include the specification of annual catch limits and
accountability measures, post-season review of catches and effort
including against ACLs, requirements for vessel markings, federal catch
and sales reporting, and the vessel monitoring system. The fishing
requirements for the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument would
also remain unchanged.
[[Page 33197]]
Amendment 4 is intended to improve the efficiency and economic
viability of the CNMI bottomfish fishery. The Council and NMFS will
annually review the effects of the proposed amendment. Any future
changes would be subject to additional environmental review and
opportunity for public review and comment.
NMFS must receive comments on Amendment 4 by the date provided in
the DATES section to be considered by NMFS in the decision to approve,
partially approve, or disapprove the amendment. NMFS soon expects to
publish and request public comment on a proposed rule that would
implement the measures recommended in Amendment 4.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 20, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-12347 Filed 5-24-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
