[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3811]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 22, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 649

[I.D. 021494E]

 

American Lobster Fishery

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of an amendment to a fishery management 
plan and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice that the New England Fishery 
Management Council has submitted Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management 
Plan for American Lobster (FMP) for Secretarial review and is 
requesting comments from the public.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted through April 15, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Richard B. Roe, Regional Director, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, 1 Blackburn Dr., Gloucester, Massachusetts 
01930. Clearly mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on Lobster 
FMP.'' Copies of the Amendment and Draft Supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement are available upon request from Douglas G. Marshall, 
Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, Suntaug 
Office Park, 5 Broadway, Saugus, Massachusetts 01906.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paul H. Jones, Fishery Policy Analyst, 508-281-9273.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) (Magnuson Act) requires that 
each regional fishery management council submit any fishery management 
plan or plan amendment it prepares to the Secretary for review and 
approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson Act also 
requires that the Secretary, upon receiving the plan or amendment, must 
immediately publish a notice that it is available for public review and 
comment. The Secretary will consider the public comments in determining 
whether to approve, disapprove, or partially disapprove the FMP 
amendment.
    Amendment 5 would implement: (1) A freeze of the minimum size limit 
for lobsters at the current carapace size of 3\1/4\ inches; (2) a five 
year moratorium on new Federal vessel permits; (3) new permit 
requirements for vessel operators and dealers; (4) several categories 
of Federal vessel permits and limits on lobster landings according to a 
vessel's permit category; (5) the development a stock rebuilding 
program for all segments of the lobster fishery; (6) mandatory 
reporting for permitted vessels and dealers; (7) changes to the width 
of the escape vent size from 6 inches to 5\3/4\ inches; and (8) 
framework measures to adjust the effort control and other measures in 
the proposed amendment and provisions in the plan. This amendment also 
includes a revised definition of overfishing for lobster and a 
determination, based on this definition, that the resource is 
overfished. The intent of this amendment is to reduce the fishing 
mortality rate and rebuild the American lobster resource.
    This proposed amendment also included a provision that would allow 
moratorium qualification for vessels with state endorsed permits in 
states that did not notify vessel owners of the control date for 
lobster. This provision has been disapproved based on National Standard 
4 and the determination that it would discriminate against individuals 
from different states.
    A notice of proposed rulemaking will be published within 15 days 
after the submission of the amendment.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: February 15, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-3811 Filed 2-15-94; 4:46 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-M