Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Amendment 17 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan, 10768-10769 [2019-05455]
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10768
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2019 / Proposed Rules
crab as specified in paragraph (d) of this
section.
(3) Removal of eggs. (A) No person
may remove, including, but not limited
to, the forcible removal and removal by
chemicals or other substances or
liquids, extruded eggs attached to the
abdominal appendages from any female
Jonah crab.
(B) No owner, operator or person
aboard a vessel issued a Federal limited
access American lobster permit may
remove, including but not limited to,
the forcible removal, and removal by
chemicals or other substances or
liquids, extruded eggs attached to the
abdominal appendages from any female
Jonah crab.
(C) No person may possess, ship,
transport, offer for sale, sell, or
purchase, in interstate or foreign
commerce, any whole live Jonah crab
that bears evidence of the removal of
extruded eggs from its abdominal
appendages as specified in paragraph (e)
of this section.
*
*
*
*
*
[FR Doc. 2019–05423 Filed 3–21–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 660
RIN 0648–XG660
Fisheries Off West Coast States;
Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries;
Amendment 17 to the Coastal Pelagic
Species Fishery Management Plan
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Announcement of availability of
fishery management plan amendment;
request for comments.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces that the
Pacific Fishery Management Council
has submitted Amendment 17 to the
Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery
Management Plan for review by the
Secretary of Commerce. Amendment 17
would remove the pre-specified
incidental landing limit that would
become effective for live bait were a
stock managed under the Fishery
Management Plan to become overfished.
Currently, if a coastal pelagic species
stock were to become overfished, and
even prior to adoption of a rebuilding
plan, the Fishery Management Plan
would automatically limit retention of
live bait of that stock to incidentally
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:46 Mar 21, 2019
Jkt 247001
caught fish with no more than 15
percent of any load being live bait from
the overfished stock. The intent of
Amendment 17 is to allow the Council
flexibility in recommending restrictions
on the live bait portion of the fishery
when a stock is overfished. NMFS will
consider public comments in deciding
whether to approve, disapprove, or
partially approve Amendment 17.
DATES: Comments on Amendment 17
must be received by May 21, 2019.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this document, identified by NOAA–
NMFS–2018–0137, 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-2018-0137, 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: Lynn Massey.
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 Coastal Pelagic
Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan
(FMP) as amended through Amendment
17, with notations showing how
Amendment 17 would change the FMP,
if approved, are available via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov, docket NOAA–
NMFS–2018–0137, or by contacting the
Pacific Fisheries Management Council,
7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite 101,
Portland, OR 97220–1384.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lynn Massey, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, NMFS, at 562–436–2462; or
Kerry Griffin, Pacific Fishery
Management Council, at 503–820–2280.
PO 00000
Frm 00048
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
The CPS
fishery in the U.S. exclusive economic
zone off the West Coast is managed
under the CPS FMP. The Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council)
developed the CPS FMP pursuant to the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801
et seq. The Secretary of Commerce
approved the CPS FMP and
implemented the provisions of the plan
through regulations at 50 CFR part 660,
subpart I. Species managed under the
CPS FMP include Pacific sardine,
Pacific mackerel, jack mackerel,
northern anchovy, market squid and
krill.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires
each regional fishery management
council to submit any amendment to an
FMP to NMFS for review and approval,
disapproval, or partial approval. The
Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires
that NMFS, upon receiving an
amendment to an FMP, publish
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 17.
The live bait fishery provides live bait
to anglers and commercial vessels in
California, Oregon, and Washington,
making it an extremely important
component of the West Coast’s
recreational fishing community, as well
as some commercial fishery sectors such
as the albacore tuna fishery. At the June
2018 Council meeting, in anticipation
that the Northern subpopulation of
Pacific sardine might be declared
overfished if there were even a minor
decline in the 2019 biomass estimate,
the Council initiated an FMP
amendment to address the prosecution
of the live bait sector of the CPS fishery
(primarily consisting of Pacific sardine
and northern anchovy) after a stock is
declared overfished. Additionally,
several industry members offered
testimony at the June and September
2018 Council meetings about probable
adverse impacts to the live bait fishery
if Pacific sardine were to become
overfished in the 2019–2020 fishing
year. At the November 2018 meeting,
the Council took final action and
approved Amendment 17 to the CPS
FMP for submission to the Secretary for
review under section 304(a) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C.
1854(a).
Amendment 17 would remove the
pre-specified incidental catch limit in
the live bait fishery that would become
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\22MRP1.SGM
22MRP1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2019 / Proposed Rules
effective were a CPS stock declared
overfished. Currently, if a CPS stock
were to become overfished, and even
before adoption of a rebuilding plan, the
CPS FMP would automatically limit
retention of live bait of that stock to
incidentally caught fish with no more
than 15 percent of any load being live
bait from the overfished stock. Live bait
is sold in units of single species;
therefore the live bait fishery targets
pure loads of the desired species since
it is not operationally feasible to
separate mixed loads. Stopping all live
bait fishing would likely cause a de
facto closure for catching the overfished
species as live bait, which would
seriously disrupt various recreational
fisheries, most notably in Southern
California, and the commercial albacore
fishery that purchase and rely on live
bait managed under the CPS FMP.
If a CPS stock becomes overfished,
Amendment 17 would provide NMFS
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:46 Mar 21, 2019
Jkt 247001
and the Council the ability to either set
incidental catch limits or allow directed
fishing in the live bait fishery with
consideration of biological,
environmental, or socio-economic
factors during each management cycle
or under a developed rebuilding plan
without being restricted to
predetermined limits. The intent of
Amendment 17 is to allow more
flexibility in setting restrictions on the
live bait portion of the fishery when a
stock is overfished and would not
weaken any statutory requirements to
rebuild an overfished stock.
There are no implementing
regulations associated with Amendment
17, therefore NMFS will not promulgate
a proposed rule to implement this
amendment.
Public comments on Amendment 17
must be received by May 21, 2019. All
comments received by the end of the
comment period on Amendment 17 will
PO 00000
Frm 00049
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
10769
be considered in the Secretary’s
decision to approve, disapprove, or
partially approve this amendment. To
be considered in this decision,
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.
NMFS will respond to any substantive
comments received by the end of the
comment period on Amendment 17 in
a subsequent Federal Register notice,
either in conjunction with or following
the agency’s decision.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 18, 2019.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–05455 Filed 3–21–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\22MRP1.SGM
22MRP1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 10768-10769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-05455]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
RIN 0648-XG660
Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species
Fisheries; Amendment 17 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery
Management Plan
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Announcement of availability of fishery management plan
amendment; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council has
submitted Amendment 17 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery
Management Plan for review by the Secretary of Commerce. Amendment 17
would remove the pre-specified incidental landing limit that would
become effective for live bait were a stock managed under the Fishery
Management Plan to become overfished. Currently, if a coastal pelagic
species stock were to become overfished, and even prior to adoption of
a rebuilding plan, the Fishery Management Plan would automatically
limit retention of live bait of that stock to incidentally caught fish
with no more than 15 percent of any load being live bait from the
overfished stock. The intent of Amendment 17 is to allow the Council
flexibility in recommending restrictions on the live bait portion of
the fishery when a stock is overfished. NMFS will consider public
comments in deciding whether to approve, disapprove, or partially
approve Amendment 17.
DATES: Comments on Amendment 17 must be received by May 21, 2019.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
NOAA-NMFS-2018-0137, 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-2018-0137, 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: Lynn Massey.
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 Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) as amended through Amendment 17, with notations
showing how Amendment 17 would change the FMP, if approved, are
available via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov, docket NOAA-NMFS-2018-0137, or by contacting the
Pacific Fisheries Management Council, 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Suite
101, Portland, OR 97220-1384.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Massey, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, NMFS, at 562-436-2462; or Kerry Griffin, Pacific Fishery
Management Council, at 503-820-2280.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CPS fishery in the U.S. exclusive
economic zone off the West Coast is managed under the CPS FMP. The
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) developed the CPS FMP
pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. The Secretary of
Commerce approved the CPS FMP and implemented the provisions of the
plan through regulations at 50 CFR part 660, subpart I. Species managed
under the CPS FMP include Pacific sardine, Pacific mackerel, jack
mackerel, northern anchovy, market squid and krill.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires each regional fishery management
council to submit any amendment to an FMP to NMFS for review and
approval, disapproval, or partial approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act
also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an amendment to an FMP, publish
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 17.
The live bait fishery provides live bait to anglers and commercial
vessels in California, Oregon, and Washington, making it an extremely
important component of the West Coast's recreational fishing community,
as well as some commercial fishery sectors such as the albacore tuna
fishery. At the June 2018 Council meeting, in anticipation that the
Northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine might be declared overfished
if there were even a minor decline in the 2019 biomass estimate, the
Council initiated an FMP amendment to address the prosecution of the
live bait sector of the CPS fishery (primarily consisting of Pacific
sardine and northern anchovy) after a stock is declared overfished.
Additionally, several industry members offered testimony at the June
and September 2018 Council meetings about probable adverse impacts to
the live bait fishery if Pacific sardine were to become overfished in
the 2019-2020 fishing year. At the November 2018 meeting, the Council
took final action and approved Amendment 17 to the CPS FMP for
submission to the Secretary for review under section 304(a) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C. 1854(a).
Amendment 17 would remove the pre-specified incidental catch limit
in the live bait fishery that would become
[[Page 10769]]
effective were a CPS stock declared overfished. Currently, if a CPS
stock were to become overfished, and even before adoption of a
rebuilding plan, the CPS FMP would automatically limit retention of
live bait of that stock to incidentally caught fish with no more than
15 percent of any load being live bait from the overfished stock. Live
bait is sold in units of single species; therefore the live bait
fishery targets pure loads of the desired species since it is not
operationally feasible to separate mixed loads. Stopping all live bait
fishing would likely cause a de facto closure for catching the
overfished species as live bait, which would seriously disrupt various
recreational fisheries, most notably in Southern California, and the
commercial albacore fishery that purchase and rely on live bait managed
under the CPS FMP.
If a CPS stock becomes overfished, Amendment 17 would provide NMFS
and the Council the ability to either set incidental catch limits or
allow directed fishing in the live bait fishery with consideration of
biological, environmental, or socio-economic factors during each
management cycle or under a developed rebuilding plan without being
restricted to predetermined limits. The intent of Amendment 17 is to
allow more flexibility in setting restrictions on the live bait portion
of the fishery when a stock is overfished and would not weaken any
statutory requirements to rebuild an overfished stock.
There are no implementing regulations associated with Amendment 17,
therefore NMFS will not promulgate a proposed rule to implement this
amendment.
Public comments on Amendment 17 must be received by May 21, 2019.
All comments received by the end of the comment period on Amendment 17
will be considered in the Secretary's decision to approve, disapprove,
or partially approve this amendment. To be considered in this decision,
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. NMFS will respond to any substantive comments received by
the end of the comment period on Amendment 17 in a subsequent Federal
Register notice, either in conjunction with or following the agency's
decision.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 18, 2019.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-05455 Filed 3-21-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
