[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 140 (Thursday, July 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47357-47358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17163]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE692


Determination of Overfishing or an Overfished Condition

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

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 47358]]

SUMMARY: This action serves as a notice that NMFS, on behalf of the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), has found that the Atlantic bigeye 
tuna stock is subject to overfishing. In addition, Gulf of Mexico gray 
triggerfish and Gulf of Mexico red snapper continue to be overfished. 
NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, notifies the appropriate fishery 
management council (Council) whenever it determines that overfishing is 
occurring, a stock is in an overfished condition, a stock is 
approaching an overfished condition, or when a rebuilding plan has not 
resulted in adequate progress toward ending overfishing and rebuilding 
affected fish stocks.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Regina Spallone, (301) 427-8568.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to sections 304(e)(2) and (e)(7) of 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1854(e)(2) and (e)(7), and implementing 
regulations at 50 CFR 600.310(e)(2), NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, 
must notify Councils whenever it determines that a stock or stock 
complex is overfished or approaching an overfished condition; or if an 
existing rebuilding plan has not ended overfishing or resulted in 
adequate rebuilding progress. NMFS also notifies Councils when it 
determines a stock or stock complex is subject to overfishing. Section 
304(e)(2) further requires NMFS to publish these notices in the Federal 
Register.
    NMFS has determined that the Atlantic bigeye tuna stock is subject 
to overfishing, based on a 2015 stock assessment conducted by the 
Standing Committee on Research and Statistics (SCRS), which is the 
scientific body of the International Commission for the Conservation of 
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The 2015 assessment also resulted in a 
determination of ``not overfished--rebuilding'' under the applicable 
domestic status determination criteria. NMFS manages Atlantic bigeye 
tuna under its 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species 
(HMS) Fishery Management Plan and amendments, consistent with the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA), 16 
U.S.C. 971 et seq., and ICCAT's ``Multi-Annual Conservation and 
Management Program,'' adopted in 2010.
    NMFS has also determined that Gulf of Mexico gray triggerfish and 
Gulf of Mexico red snapper continue to be overfished. The Gulf of 
Mexico Fishery Management Council has been informed that they must 
rebuild these stocks.

    Dated: July 14, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-17163 Filed 7-20-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P