Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Amendment 16 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan, 51381-51382 [2017-24097]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 213 / Monday, November 6, 2017 / Proposed Rules Pollutants From the Portland Cement Manufacturing Industry Residual Risk and Technology Review.’’ The EPA is extending the comment period on the proposed rule that was scheduled to close on November 6, 2017, by 15 days until November 21, 2017. The EPA is making this change based on one request for additional time to prepare comments on this proposed rule. The public comment period for the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on September 21, 2017 (82 FR 44254), is being extended. Written comments must be received on or before November 21, 2017. DATES: The EPA has established a docket for the proposed rulemaking (available at https:// www.regulations.gov). The Docket ID No. is EPA–HQ–OAR–2016–0442. Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2016– 0442, at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. If you need to include CBI as part of your comment, please visit https:// www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html for instructions. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy, and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit https:// www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html. ADDRESSES: For additional information on this action, contact Brian Storey, Sector Policies and Programs Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (D243–04), Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number: (919) 541–1103; email address: storey.brian@epa.gov. Pmangrum on DSK3GDR082PROD with PROPOSALS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To allow additional time for stakeholders to provide comments, the EPA has decided to extend the public comment period until November 21, 2017. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:47 Nov 03, 2017 Jkt 244001 Dated: October 31, 2017. Stephen Page, Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. [FR Doc. 2017–24092 Filed 11–3–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 660 RIN 0648–BG74 Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Amendment 16 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Availability of fishery management plan amendment; request for comments. AGENCY: NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 16 to the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for review by the Secretary of Commerce. Amendment 16 would add a description to the CPS FMP of a very small sector of the CPS fishery that is not part of the primary commercial directed fishery and harvests minor amounts of CPS finfish. Total landings from this sector typically make up less than one percent of the total landings of any particular CPS stock. Currently, when directed fishing closures are enacted, these very small-scale fisheries have been precluded from fishing and/or harvesting these minor amounts because they do not fall under the existing exemptions during closures for incidental harvest or for harvesting CPS to be sold as live bait. The intent of Amendment 16 is to allow this sector to continue targeting CPS finfish after a directed fishery closure, while keeping the aggregate catch level within the applicable annual catch limit (ACL). DATES: Comments on Amendment 16 must be received by January 5, 2018. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAANMFS-2017-0135, by any of the following methods: • Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2017SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 51381 0135, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. • Mail: Submit written comments to Barry A. Thom, Regional Administrator, West Coast Region, NMFS, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Ste. 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802–4250; Attn: Joshua Lindsay. 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 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. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Copies of the draft CPS FMP as amended through Amendment 16, with notations showing how Amendment 16 would change the FMP, if approved, are available via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov, docket NOAA–NMFS–2017–0135, or by contacting the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220–1384. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua B. Lindsay, Sustainable Fisheries Division, NMFS, at 562–980–4034; or Kerry Griffin, Pacific Fishery Management Council, at 503–820–2280. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CPS fishery in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the West Coast is managed under the CPS FMP, which was developed by the Council pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Species managed under the CPS FMP include Pacific sardine, Pacific mackerel, jack mackerel, northern anchovy, market squid and krill. The CPS FMP was approved by the Secretary of Commerce and was implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 660, subpart I. The MSA requires each regional fishery management council to submit any amendment to a FMP to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial approval. The MSA also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an amendment to a FMP, publish E:\FR\FM\06NOP1.SGM 06NOP1 Pmangrum on DSK3GDR082PROD with PROPOSALS 51382 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 213 / Monday, November 6, 2017 / Proposed Rules notification in the Federal Register that the amendment is available for public review and comment. NMFS will consider the public comments received during the comment period described above in determining whether to approve, disapprove, or partially approve Amendment 16. In recent years the primary directed fishery for Pacific sardine has experienced extremely shortened fishing seasons or complete fishing year closures. However, the CPS FMP allows incidental catch of CPS and live bait fishing to continue when directed fisheries are closed, provided the Pacific sardine stock is not overfished or experiencing overfishing. These small allowances continue to be subject to ACLs and comport with the conservation goals of the CPS FMP. Management measures for incidental landing allowances are typically expressed as allowable percentages of that species in a landing of the dominant species catch. However, during the directed fishing closures some other very small-scale fisheries have been precluded from fishing and/ or harvesting even de minimis amounts because they would exceed existing incidental allowances or they are not caught incidental to another CPS species (i.e., within allowances) and the fish are not sold as live bait. In the case of Pacific sardine, these small-scale CPS fisheries typically sell their catch as specialty dead bait to recreational and commercial fisheries, or as fresh fish to restaurants and the public. For example, landings by a beach seine operation may often be over 50 percent sardine, which would exceed typically incidental landing allowances, yet total only a few hundred pounds. Pursuant to a request from the Council at their April 2016 meeting, the Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team (CPSMT) explored management options to account for these small-scale fisheries that have been negatively impacted by the closure of the directed sardine fishery. At the April 2017 Council meeting, the Council adopted Amendment 16 to the CPS FMP to allow minor directed fishing to continue after a directed fishery is closed. Minor directed fishing would be allowed unless otherwise specified, or if an applicable ACL is anticipated to be exceeded. As a further restriction, to ensure the minor directed landing provision is not exploited to make large aggregate harvests, Amendment 16 limits this directed fishing exemption so that landings cannot exceed 1 metric ton (mt) per day per vessel or person, and which is limited to one fishing trip per day by any vessel. The intent of distinguishing VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:47 Nov 03, 2017 Jkt 244001 between a ‘‘vessel’’ and ‘‘person’’ is that some participants in this small sector of the CPS fishery fish from a platform other than a vessel (e.g. beach seine) and in a single fishing trip (e.g. a single haul of a beach seine) may only land a few hundred pounds. Therefore, the Council recommended allowing a person to make multiple fishing trips without using a vessel in a single day as long as their total landings do not exceed 1 mt in a day. The Council recommended that vessels be limited to a single trip as their typical landings are much greater per trip. Public comments on Amendment 16 must be received by January 5, 2018. The Council has also submitted proposed regulations to implement Amendment 16 for Secretarial review and approval. NMFS expects to publish and request public comment on the proposed regulation to implement Amendment 16 in the near future. Public comments on Amendment 16 must be received by the end of the comment period to be considered in the approval/disapproval decision on Amendment 16. All comments received by the end of the comment period on Amendment 16, whether specifically directed to Amendment 16 or the proposed rule, will be considered in the approval/disapproval decision. Comments received after that date will not be considered in the approval/ disapproval decision of Amendment 16. To be considered, comments must be received by close of business on the last day of the comment period; that does not mean postmarked or otherwise transmitted by that date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: November 1, 2017. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017–24097 Filed 11–3–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Chapter I [Docket Nos. FWS–HQ–ES–2015–0126 and FWS–HQ–ES–2015–0165; FXES11140900000–178–FF09E33000] Mitigation Policies of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Request for Comments AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 Policy review; request for comments. ACTION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are requesting public comment on portions of our existing Mitigation Policy and Endangered Species Act Compensatory Mitigation Policy (ESA–CMP). We specifically request comment on the policies’ mitigation planning goals. Based on comments received, the Service will decide whether and how to revise the policies. DATES: We will accept comments from all interested parties until January 5, 2018. Please note that if you are using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES below), the deadline for submitting an electronic comment is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on this date. ADDRESSES: Document availability: The Service’s Mitigation Policy was published November 21, 2016, at 81 FR 83440 and is available at https://www.regulations. gov at Docket No. FWS–HQ–ES–2015– 0126. The Service’s ESA–CMP was published December 27, 2106, at 81 FR 95316 and is available at https://www. regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS–HQ– ES–2015–0165. Comment submission: You may submit comments by one of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter the docket number for the policy, which is FWS–HQ–ES–2015–0126 for the mitigation policy and FWS–HQ–ES– 2015–0165 for the ESA–CMP. You may enter a comment by clicking on the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ button. Please ensure that you have found the correct document before submitting your comment. • U.S. mail or hand delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. [FWS–HQ–ES–2015–0126 or FWS–HQ– ES–2015–0165]; Division of Policy, Performance, and Management Programs; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–3803. We will post all comments on https:// www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any personal information you provide us (see Request for Information below for more information). SUMMARY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Aubrey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Environmental Review, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041–3803, telephone 703–358–2442. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\06NOP1.SGM 06NOP1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 213 (Monday, November 6, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51381-51382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24097]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

RIN 0648-BG74


Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species 
Fisheries; Amendment 16 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery 
Management Plan

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Availability of fishery management plan amendment; request for 
comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) has submitted Amendment 16 to the Coastal Pelagic Species 
(CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for review by the Secretary of 
Commerce. Amendment 16 would add a description to the CPS FMP of a very 
small sector of the CPS fishery that is not part of the primary 
commercial directed fishery and harvests minor amounts of CPS finfish. 
Total landings from this sector typically make up less than one percent 
of the total landings of any particular CPS stock. Currently, when 
directed fishing closures are enacted, these very small-scale fisheries 
have been precluded from fishing and/or harvesting these minor amounts 
because they do not fall under the existing exemptions during closures 
for incidental harvest or for harvesting CPS to be sold as live bait. 
The intent of Amendment 16 is to allow this sector to continue 
targeting CPS finfish after a directed fishery closure, while keeping 
the aggregate catch level within the applicable annual catch limit 
(ACL).

DATES: Comments on Amendment 16 must be received by January 5, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2017-0135, by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2017-0135, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Barry A. Thom, Regional 
Administrator, West Coast Region, NMFS, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Ste. 4200, 
Long Beach, CA 90802-4250; Attn: Joshua Lindsay.
    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 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. NMFS will 
accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you 
wish to remain anonymous).
    Copies of the draft CPS FMP as amended through Amendment 16, with 
notations showing how Amendment 16 would change the FMP, if approved, 
are available via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov, docket NOAA-NMFS-2017-0135, or by contacting the 
Pacific Fisheries Management Council, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 
101, Portland, OR 97220-1384.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua B. Lindsay, Sustainable 
Fisheries Division, NMFS, at 562-980-4034; or Kerry Griffin, Pacific 
Fishery Management Council, at 503-820-2280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CPS fishery in the U.S. exclusive 
economic zone (EEZ) off the West Coast is managed under the CPS FMP, 
which was developed by the Council pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 
Species managed under the CPS FMP include Pacific sardine, Pacific 
mackerel, jack mackerel, northern anchovy, market squid and krill. The 
CPS FMP was approved by the Secretary of Commerce and was implemented 
by regulations at 50 CFR part 660, subpart I.
    The MSA requires each regional fishery management council to submit 
any amendment to a FMP to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or 
partial approval. The MSA also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an 
amendment to a FMP, publish

[[Page 51382]]

notification in the Federal Register that the amendment is available 
for public review and comment. NMFS will consider the public comments 
received during the comment period described above in determining 
whether to approve, disapprove, or partially approve Amendment 16.
    In recent years the primary directed fishery for Pacific sardine 
has experienced extremely shortened fishing seasons or complete fishing 
year closures. However, the CPS FMP allows incidental catch of CPS and 
live bait fishing to continue when directed fisheries are closed, 
provided the Pacific sardine stock is not overfished or experiencing 
overfishing. These small allowances continue to be subject to ACLs and 
comport with the conservation goals of the CPS FMP. Management measures 
for incidental landing allowances are typically expressed as allowable 
percentages of that species in a landing of the dominant species catch. 
However, during the directed fishing closures some other very small-
scale fisheries have been precluded from fishing and/or harvesting even 
de minimis amounts because they would exceed existing incidental 
allowances or they are not caught incidental to another CPS species 
(i.e., within allowances) and the fish are not sold as live bait. In 
the case of Pacific sardine, these small-scale CPS fisheries typically 
sell their catch as specialty dead bait to recreational and commercial 
fisheries, or as fresh fish to restaurants and the public. For example, 
landings by a beach seine operation may often be over 50 percent 
sardine, which would exceed typically incidental landing allowances, 
yet total only a few hundred pounds. Pursuant to a request from the 
Council at their April 2016 meeting, the Coastal Pelagic Species 
Management Team (CPSMT) explored management options to account for 
these small-scale fisheries that have been negatively impacted by the 
closure of the directed sardine fishery.
    At the April 2017 Council meeting, the Council adopted Amendment 16 
to the CPS FMP to allow minor directed fishing to continue after a 
directed fishery is closed. Minor directed fishing would be allowed 
unless otherwise specified, or if an applicable ACL is anticipated to 
be exceeded. As a further restriction, to ensure the minor directed 
landing provision is not exploited to make large aggregate harvests, 
Amendment 16 limits this directed fishing exemption so that landings 
cannot exceed 1 metric ton (mt) per day per vessel or person, and which 
is limited to one fishing trip per day by any vessel. The intent of 
distinguishing between a ``vessel'' and ``person'' is that some 
participants in this small sector of the CPS fishery fish from a 
platform other than a vessel (e.g. beach seine) and in a single fishing 
trip (e.g. a single haul of a beach seine) may only land a few hundred 
pounds. Therefore, the Council recommended allowing a person to make 
multiple fishing trips without using a vessel in a single day as long 
as their total landings do not exceed 1 mt in a day. The Council 
recommended that vessels be limited to a single trip as their typical 
landings are much greater per trip.
    Public comments on Amendment 16 must be received by January 5, 
2018. The Council has also submitted proposed regulations to implement 
Amendment 16 for Secretarial review and approval. NMFS expects to 
publish and request public comment on the proposed regulation to 
implement Amendment 16 in the near future. Public comments on Amendment 
16 must be received by the end of the comment period to be considered 
in the approval/disapproval decision on Amendment 16. All comments 
received by the end of the comment period on Amendment 16, whether 
specifically directed to Amendment 16 or the proposed rule, will be 
considered in the approval/disapproval decision. Comments received 
after that date will not be considered in the approval/disapproval 
decision of Amendment 16. To be considered, comments must be received 
by close of business on the last day of the comment period; that does 
not mean postmarked or otherwise transmitted by that date.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: November 1, 2017.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-24097 Filed 11-3-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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