Department of Commerce October 30, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

NMFS publishes Fraser River salmon inseason orders to regulate salmon fisheries in U.S. waters. The orders were issued by the Fraser River Panel (Panel) of the Pacific Salmon Commission (Commission) and subsequently approved and issued by NMFS during the 2007 salmon fisheries within the U.S. Fraser River Panel Area. These orders established fishing dates, times, and areas for the gear types of U.S. treaty Indian and all citizen fisheries during the period the Panel exercised jurisdiction over these fisheries.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Non- Target Species Committee will meet at the offices of At-Sea Processors Association.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Framework Adjustment 20 (Framework 20) to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council). Framework 20 would maintain in effect the interim measures that were enacted by NMFS on June 21, 2007, to reduce the potential for overfishing the Atlantic sea scallop (scallop) resource and excessive scallop mortality resulting from deck loading. The action reduces the number of scallop trips to the Elephant Trunk Access Area (ETAA), and prohibits the retention of more than 50 U.S. bushels (17.62 hL) of in-shell scallop outside of the boundaries of the ETAA. The proposed rule also clarifies that the current restriction on landing no more than one scallop trip per calendar day for vessels fishing under general category rules does not prohibit a vessel from leaving on a scallop trip on the same calendar day that the vessel landed scallops. Framework 20 would extend these interim measures, which are scheduled to expire on December 23, 2007, through the end of the scallop fishing year on February 29, 2008. Framework 20 would make the clarification of the restriction on landing more than one trip per calendar day permanent under the Scallop FMP.