National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration November 28, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces a meeting, via teleconference, of the General Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) in January 2007. Meeting topics are provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the availability for public review of the draft revised Recovery Plan (Plan) for the Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi). NMFS is soliciting review and comment on the Plan from the public and all interested parties, and will consider and address all substantive comments received during the comment period.

This notice announces the Department of Commerce (Department's) proposal for a new system of records under the Privacy Act. NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Region is creating a new system of records for permits and non-permit registrations is for use with a variety of fisheries management programs. NOAA Fisheries requires the use of permits or registrations by participants in certain fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off Washington, Oregon, and California and on the high seas outside of the EEZ. Applications for various permits and registrations are collected from individuals under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act. This new record system is necessary to identify participants in the fishery and to evaluate whether the applicants/ participants meet the established requirements for such fishing privileges.

NMFS proposes to amend regulations governing the U.S. Atlantic swordfish fishery to enable a more thorough utilization of the U.S. North Atlantic swordfish quota. The U.S. North Atlantic swordfish quota is derived from the recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and is implemented under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA). For the past several years, the U.S. Atlantic swordfish fishery has not fully harvested its available quota. The objective of this proposed action is to provide a reasonable opportunity for U.S. vessels to fully harvest the ICCAT-recommended U.S. North Atlantic swordfish quota, as specified in the Magnuson-Stevens Act, in recognition of the improved stock status of North Atlantic swordfish. This proposed rule would increase swordfish retention limits for Incidental swordfish permit holders, and modify recreational swordfish retention limits for HMS Charter/headboat and Angling category permit holders. The proposed rule would also modify HMS limited access vessel upgrading restrictions for pelagic longline (PLL) vessels. These actions are necessary to address persistent underharvests of the domestic swordfish quota, while continuing to minimize bycatch to the extent practicable, so that swordfish are harvested in a sustainable, yet economically viable manner.