National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 29, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents
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Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish Fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted proposed Amendment 79 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) for Secretarial review. If approved, Amendment 79 would amend the FMP and require the Council to annually recommend an aggregate overfishing level (OFL) and acceptable biological catch (ABC) for the ``other species'' category in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). The ``other species'' category consists of sharks, sculpins, squid, and octopus. Currently, the Council only sets total allowable catch (TAC) for the ``other species'' category, which is intended to accommodate the directed catch of ``other species'' and incidental catch in other groundfish fisheries. The revised process would allow the Council to incorporate the best and most recent scientific and socio-economic information and public testimony in its recommendation for an annual ``other species'' TAC. The purpose of this amendment is to provide a sound biological basis for the setting of the ``other species'' TAC, ABC, and OFL, and is necessary to comply with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Recordkeeping and Reporting
NMFS proposes regulations to exempt groundfish catcher/ processors and motherships equipped with an operational vessel monitoring system (VMS) transmitter from check-in/check-out requirements. This action does not repeal the requirement for submission of a check-in/check-out report by catcher/processors and motherships. This action would reduce the paperwork submissions required from catcher/processors and motherships and change the definitions for ``active'' period for motherships and trawl, hook-and- line, and pot gear catcher/processors. This action would reduce administrative costs for both the fishing industry and NMFS.
Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Annual Specifications
NMFS issues this final rule to implement the annual harvest guideline (HG) for Pacific sardine in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Pacific coast for the fishing season of January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008. This HG has been determined according to the regulations implementing the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and establishes allowable harvest levels for Pacific sardine off the Pacific coast. NMFS also announces that based on the best available information recently obtained from the fishery, the directed fishing harvest total for the first allocation period (January 1 - June 30) has been reached and therefore directed fishing for Pacific sardine is now closed until July 1, 2008.
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Framework Adjustment 19
NMFS is implementing measures included in Framework Adjustment 19 (Framework 19) to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council). Framework 19 was developed to achieve the following management measures for the scallop fishery: Limited access scallop fishery specifications for 2008 and 2009 (open area days-at-sea (DAS) and Sea Scallop Access Area (access area) trip allocations); Elephant Trunk Access Area (ETAA) and Delmarva Access Area (Delmarva) in-season trip adjustment procedures; new Hudson Canyon Access Area (HCAA) measures; DAS allocation adjustment measures if an access area yellowtail flounder (yellowtail) total allowable catch (TAC) is caught; adjustments to the scallop overfishing definition; a prohibition on deckloading of scallops on access area trips; adjustments to the industry-funded observer program; a 30-day vessel monitoring system (VMS) power down provision; general category access area specifications for 2008 and 2009; and general category measures dependent on the implementation of Amendment 11 to the FMP, including a quarterly TAC, 2008 and 2009 general category quota allocations, and individual fishing quota (IFQ) permit cost recovery program requirements. NMFS has disapproved the Council's recommendation to eliminate the September 1 through October 31 ETAA seasonal closure, which was implemented under Framework 18 to the FMP to reduce sea turtle interactions with the scallop fishery. NMFS determined that the Council's recommendation would not be consistent with National Standards 2 and 9 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act).
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