[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 25, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20248-20249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-10105]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 672, 675, and 676

[Docket No. 950418107-5107-01; I.D. 022295A]


Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, Groundfish of the Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands Area, Limited Access Management of Federal 
Fisheries In and Off of Alaska; Nomenclature Change

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

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces a technical amendment to revise references to 
the term ``the Secretary'' and similar language in fisheries 
regulations dealing with North Pacific fisheries. The purpose of this 
revision is to reflect the delegation of the Secretary of Commerce's 
authority to implement Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson Act) fishery regulations to NMFS. This revision clearly 
identifies for the public the agency responsible for these regulations.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 25, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William D. Chappell, 301-713-2341.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The domestic and foreign groundfish fisheries in the exclusive 
economic zone off Alaska are managed by NMFS according to Fishery 
Management Plans (FMPs) for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska and 
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area prepared by the 
North Pacific Fishery Management Council under the authority of the 
Magnuson Act. These FMPs are implemented by regulations governing the 
U.S. groundfish fishery at 50 CFR parts 672 and 675, respectively. 
Limited Access Management of Federal Fisheries In and Off Alaska is 
implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 676. General regulations that 
also pertain to U.S. fisheries are implemented at 50 CFR part 620.
    Department of Commerce Organization Order 10-15 of January 15, 
1988, delegated certain authority of the Secretary of Commerce to the 
Under Secretary/Administrator of NOAA. The Under Secretary has 
redelegated part of this authority, including management of living 
marine resources under the Magnuson Act, to NMFS. This action revises 
the North Pacific fisheries regulations to identify the agency that has 
the redelegated authority and responsibility for issuing the 
regulations and otherwise performing the management functions required 
by the Magnuson Act.
    The term ``the Secretary, the Secretary of Commerce,'' or 
``Secretarial'' are used throughout the regulations in referring to 
functions and authorities assigned to the Secretary of Commerce in the 
Magnuson Act. These functions have been delegated and are performed by 
NMFS. These amendments revise the [[Page 20249]] nomenclature to 
reflect that NMFS is the responsible agency.

Classification

    Because these technical amendments make only minor, non-substantive 
corrections to existing rules, notice and public procedure thereon and 
a delay in effective date would serve no purpose. Accordingly, under 5 
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and (d), notice and public procedure thereon and a 
delay in effective date are unnecessary.
    Because this rule is being issued without prior comment, it is not 
subject to the Regulatory Flexibility Act requirement for a regulatory 
flexibility analysis and none has been prepared.
    This rule makes minor technical changes to rules that have been 
determined to be not significant under E.O. 12866, does not contain 
policies with federalism implications sufficient to warrant preparation 
of a federalism assessment under E.O. 12612, and does not contain a 
collection-of-information requirement for the purposes of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act. No changes in the regulatory impacts previously reviewed 
and analyzed will result from implementation of this technical 
amendment.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Parts 672, 675, and 676

    Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: April 18, 1995.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR parts, 672, 675, 
and 676 are amended as follows:

PART 672--GROUNDFISH OF GULF OF ALASKA

    1. The authority citation for part 672 continues to read as 
follows:

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

    2. In part 672, all references to ``The Secretary'' or ``the 
Secretary'' are revised to read ``NMFS''.
    3. In Sec. 672.20, paragraphs (d)(1)(i), (d)(1)(ii), (d)(2), 
(d)(5)(i), and (d)(5)(iv)(A)(3), all references to ``he'' are revised 
to read ``NMFS''.

PART 675--GROUNDFISH OF THE BERING SEA AND ALEUTIAN ISLANDS AREA

    4. The authority citation for part 675 continues to read as 
follows:

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

    5. In part 675, all references to ``The Secretary'', ``the 
Secretary'', or ``The Secretary of Commerce'' are revised to read 
``NMFS'', except for Sec. 675.27(d)(2)(ii) where the title ``the 
Secretary of the Interior'' is retained.
    6. In Sec. 675.20, paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through (b)(1)(iii) and 
(b)(2)(i), all references to ``he'' are revised to read ``NMFS''.

PART 676--LIMITED ACCESS MANAGEMENT OF FEDERAL FISHERIES IN AND OFF 
OF ALASKA

    7. The authority citation for part 676 continues to read as 
follows:

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

    8. In part 676, all references to ``The Secretary'' or ``the 
Secretary'' are revised to read ``NMFS'', except for 
Sec. 676.24(f)(2)(ii) where the title ``the Secretary of the Interior'' 
is retained.
    9. In Sec. 676.24(c), remove the word ``Secretarial'' in the last 
sentence.
    10. In the heading of Sec. 676.24(e) and in Sec. 676.24(h)(3)(i), 
remove the word ``Secretarial'' and add in its place the acronym 
``NMFS''.
[FR Doc. 95-10105 Filed 4-24-95; 8:45 am]
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