[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 42 (Thursday, March 3, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4911]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 3, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 021594H]

 

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna; Peer Review of the Scientific Basis of 
Management of the Fishery

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

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NOAA has requested that the National Research Council (NRC) 
undertake a technical review of the scientific basis of management of 
the fisheries for Atlantic bluefin tuna. This notice solicits comments 
pertaining to the review to be forwarded to the NRC.

DATES: Comments must be received by NMFS on or before March 18, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be directed to: Dr. Kevin Chu, Executive 
Secretary, ICCAT Advisory Committee, room 14247, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Chu (301)713-2276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: At the 1993 Annual Meeting of the 
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas 
(ICCAT), the United States announced that it would undertake a peer 
review of the scientific basis of management of the fisheries for 
Atlantic bluefin tuna. To ensure that the review is independent and 
unbiased, NOAA has asked the NRC to undertake a technical review of 
this subject. In order to prepare for the 1994 Annual Meeting of ICCAT, 
the NRC has been asked to complete an approved report of its review by 
June 30, 1994.
    NOAA has given the NRC the following general questions for the 
review to address:
     Are the current Standing Committee on Research and 
Statistics (SCRS) assessments of the status of eastern and western 
Atlantic bluefin the most valid interpretation of the available data?
     Is uncertainty in the assessments adequately expressed?
     What is the status of the Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks, 
relative to the Convention's goal of managing tuna to achieve maximum 
sustainable yield?
     Does the available information support treating bluefin 
tuna as separate eastern and western management units (i.e., how much 
mixing is likely and is it enough to invalidate two separate management 
units)?
    NOAA has stated that the list of questions should be considered 
preliminary. It has requested that the NRC provide an opportunity to 
receive the views of the public and that the list of issues addressed 
be refined and, if necessary, expanded based on that input.
    By this notice, NMFS is soliciting comments on any matters that 
pertain to the peer review. All comments received by the closing date 
will be forwarded to the NRC for its consideration.

    Dated: February 24, 1994.
Rolland A. Schmitten,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 94-4911 Filed 3-2-94; 8:45 am]
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