[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 26, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57623-57624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27963]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[I.D. 101499D]
RIN 0648-AK05
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Snapper-Grouper Fishery off the Southern Atlantic States; Resubmission
of a Disapproved Measure in Amendment 9
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of a resubmitted measure in an amendment
to a fishery management plan; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the South Atlantic Fishery Management
Council (Council) has resubmitted a previously disapproved measure
contained in Amendment 9 to the Fishery Management Plan for the
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 9). The
resubmitted measure would establish a 1,000-lb (454-kg) commercial trip
limit for greater amberjack. Written comments are requested from the
public.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before December 27,
1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed to the Southeast Regional Office,
NMFS, 9721 Executive Center Drive N., St. Petersburg, FL 33702.
Requests for copies of Amendment 9, which contains the proposed
greater amberjack trip limit, a final supplemental environmental impact
[[Page 57624]]
statement, an initial regulatory flexibility analysis, a regulatory
impact review, and a social impact/fishery impact statement, should be
sent to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, One Southpark
Circle, Suite 306, Charleston, SC 29407-4699; Phone: 843-571-4366; Fax:
843-769-4520. Requests for NMFS' economic analysis should be sent to
Peter J. Eldridge.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter J. Eldridge, 727-570-5305.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires each Regional
Fishery Management Council to submit a fishery management plan (FMP) or
FMP amendment to the Secretary of Commerce for review, approval, and
implementation. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon
receiving an FMP or FMP amendment, immediately publish a document in
the Federal Register stating that the FMP or FMP amendment is available
for public review and comment.
Under Amendment 9, the Council proposed management measures to
ensure that greater amberjack did not approach an overfished condition.
One proposed measure was the establishment of a 1,000-lb (454-kg) daily
commercial trip limit for greater amberjack. On December 9, 1998, after
conducting Secretarial review of Amendment 9, NMFS disapproved the
proposed 1,000-lb (454-kg) commercial trip limit for greater amberjack
because the scientific information and analysis of socioeconomic
impacts at that time indicated that the trip limit would not provide
benefits that would exceed costs.
NMFS' economic analysis based on more recent information indicates
that the trip limit may result in net benefits exceeding costs,
especially if a ``derby'' fishery is prevented. Accordingly, the
Council has resubmitted the proposed 1,000-lb (454-kg) commercial trip
limit for greater amberjack, as contained in Amendment 9, to NMFS for
review, approval, and implementation.
NMFS has also received a proposed rule to implement the trip limit
from the Council. In accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is
evaluating the proposed rule to determine whether it is consistent with
Amendment 9, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. If
that determination is affirmative, NMFS will publish it in the Federal
Register for public review and comment.
NMFS will consider comments received by December 27, 1999, whether
specifically directed to the resubmitted measure in Amendment 9 or the
proposed rule, in its decision to approve, disapprove, or partially
approve the resubmitted measure in Amendment 9. NMFS will not consider
comments received after that date in this decision. NMFS will address
all comments received during the comment periods on the resubmitted
measure in Amendment 9 or on the proposed rule in the preamble of the
final rule.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 20, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-27963 Filed 10-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F