[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 245 (Thursday, December 21, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66249-66251]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-31119]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 655

[Docket No. 951211295-5295-01; I.D. 111595C]

RIN 0648-XX37


Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; 1996 
Specifications

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

ACTION: Proposed 1996 initial specifications; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS proposes initial specifications for the 1996 fishing year 
for Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish (SMB). Regulations 
governing these fisheries require NMFS to publish specifications for 
the upcoming fishing year and provide an opportunity for the public to 
comment. This action is intended to promote the development of the U.S. 
SMB fisheries.

DATES: Public comments must be received on or before January 17, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's 
quota paper and recommendations are available from David R. Keifer, 
Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Room 2115, 
Federal Building, 300 South New Street, Dover, DE 19901.
    Comments should be sent to Dr. Andrew A. Rosenberg, Director, 
Northeast Region, NMFS, 1 Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Please 
mark the envelope ``Comments--1996 SMB specifications.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myles Raizin, 508-281-9104.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implementing the Fishery 
Management Plan for Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries 
(FMP)

[[Page 66250]]

prepared by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) 
appear at 50 CFR part 655. These regulations stipulate that NMFS 
publish a document specifying the initial annual amounts of the optimum 
yield (IOY), allowable biological catch (ABC), domestic annual harvest 
(DAH), domestic annual processing (DAP), joint venture processing 
(JVP), and total allowable levels of foreign fishing (TALFF) for the 
species managed under the FMP. No reserves are permitted under the FMP 
for any of these species. Regulations implementing Amendment 4 to the 
FMP allow the Council to recommend specifications for these fisheries 
for up to 3 consecutive years. Procedures for determining the initial 
annual amounts are found in Sec. 655.22.
    The following table contains the proposed initial specifications 
for Atlantic mackerel, Loligo and Illex squids, and butterfish for 
1996. These specifications are based on the recommendations of the 
Council.

                     Preliminary Initial Annual Specifications for SMB for the Fishing Year                     
                                   [January 1 through December 31, 1996 (mt)]                                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Squids                                   
                       Specifications                        --------------------------   Atlantic    Butterfish
                                                                 Loligo       Illex       Mackerel              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Max OY \1\..................................................       44,000       30,000      \2\ N/A       16,000
ABC \3\.....................................................       30,000       30,000    1,175,500        7,200
IOY.........................................................       25,000       21,000  \4\ 105,500        5,900
DAH.........................................................       25,000       21,000      105,500        5,900
DAP.........................................................       25,000       21,000       50,000        5,900
JVP.........................................................            0            0       35,000            0
TALFF.......................................................            0            0            0           0 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Max optimum yield (OY) as stated in the FMP.                                                                
\2\ Not applicable, see the FMP.                                                                                
\3\ IOY can increase to this amount.                                                                            
\4\ Contains 20,500 mt projected recreational catch based on the formula contained in the regulations (50 CFR   
  part 655).                                                                                                    

Atlantic Mackerel

    The FMP provides that ABC in U.S. waters for the upcoming fishing 
year is that quantity of mackerel that could be caught in U.S. and 
Canadian waters minus the estimated catch in Canadian waters, while 
still maintaining a spawning stock biomass (SSB) in the year following 
the year for which catch estimates and quotas are being prepared, equal 
to or greater than 600,000 mt.
    The Council recommended an ABC of 125,500 mt, derived by 
subtracting the estimated Canadian catch of 24,500 mt from the long-
term potential yield of 150,000 mt, which was estimated at the 20th 
Northeast Regional Stock Assessment Workshop (20th SAW) concluded in 
August 1995. This recommendation for ABC was based on the provisions 
for deriving that value as contained in Amendment 5 to the FMP. 
However, NMFS has determined that ABC should be calculated in 
accordance with Sec. 655.21 (b)(2)(i), while still using the most 
recent stock assessment. It would be premature to use the provisions of 
Amendment 5 to determine ABC for 1996 since the amendment is still 
undergoing Secretarial review and has not been approved or implemented. 
The 20th SAW concluded that productivity appears to decline when SSB 
falls below 900,000 mt. Therefore, the ABC specification for Atlantic 
mackerel is proposed at 1,175,500 mt. This level of ABC would leave an 
SSB of 900,000 mt for the following year (1997) from a mean starting 
value of SSB of 2,100,000 mt while also taking into account a projected 
Canadian catch of 24,500 mt.
    The proposed IOY for the 1996 Atlantic mackerel fishery is set at 
105,500 mt, equal to the proposed DAH. The specification for DAH is 
computed by adding the estimated recreational catch, the proposed DAP, 
and the proposed JVP. The recreational component of DAH is estimated to 
be 20,500 mt, using a formula found at Sec. 655.21(b)(2)(ii). DAP and 
JVP components of DAH have historically been estimated using the 
Council's annual processor survey. However, for the years 1994 and 
1995, response was low and did not contain projections from the large, 
known processors. In addition, inquiries regarding the utilization of 
displaced Alaskan freezer trawlers and New England groundfish trawlers 
for possible entry into the Atlantic mackerel fishery have led the 
Council to recommend no change to the DAP and JVP for the 1996 fishery. 
It is generally agreed that joint ventures have had a positive impact 
on the development of the U.S. Atlantic mackerel fishery and should be 
encouraged.
    The Council has recommended and NMFS proposes a DAH of 105,500 mt, 
which includes the 20,500 mt recreational component. The Council also 
recommended and NMFS proposes a DAP of 50,000 mt. The difference 
between DAH (minus the recreational component) and DAP allows for a JVP 
of 35,000 mt.
    Zero TALFF is recommended for the 1996 Atlantic mackerel fishery by 
the Council and proposed by NMFS. In 1992, the Council used testimony 
from both the domestic fishing and processing industries and analysis 
of nine economic factors found at Sec. 655.21(b)(2)(ii) to determine 
that mackerel produced from directed foreign fishing would compete 
directly with U.S. processed products, thus limiting markets available 
to U.S. processors. The industry was nearly unanimous in its assessment 
that a specification of TALFF would impede the growth of the U.S. 
fishery. The Council sees no evidence that this evaluation has changed. 
Further, the Council believes that an expanding mackerel market and 
uncertainty regarding world supply, due to the economic and political 
restructuring in Eastern Europe, may substantially increase 
opportunities for U.S. producers to increase sales to new markets 
abroad. Although the U.S. industry has not been successful in capturing 
a substantial market share for mackerel in the Caribbean, North Africa, 
and Europe so far, several factors indicate that market expansion of 
Atlantic mackerel may occur soon. Atlantic mackerel stock abundance 
remains high. Also, the continued low abundance amounts of several 
important groundfish stocks in the Gulf of Maine, southern New England, 
and on Georges Bank are causing further restrictions in fishing effort 
for those species and the need for many 

[[Page 66251]]
fishermen to redirect their effort to underutilized species. Atlantic 
mackerel is now considered a prime candidate for innovation in 
harvesting, processing, and marketing.
    As a supplement to the quota paper for the 1993 and 1994 fisheries, 
benefit-cost and sensitivity analyses were prepared by the Council and 
NMFS. Results of the analyses indicated that in the long term a 
specification of zero TALFF will yield positive benefits to the fishery 
and to the Nation. In its 1996 quota paper, the Council provides an 
additional analysis of the costs and benefits of directed foreign 
fishing, which indicates that the conclusions reached in prior analyses 
of zero TALFF have not changed.
    The Council also recommended and NMFS proposes that four special 
conditions imposed in previous years continue to be imposed on the 1996 
Atlantic mackerel fishery as follows: (1) Joint ventures are allowed 
south of 37 deg.30' N. lat., but river herring bycatch may not exceed 
0.25 percent of the over-the-side transfers of Atlantic mackerel; (2) 
the Regional Director, Northeast region, NMFS, should ensure that 
adverse impacts on marine mammals are reduced in the prosecution of the 
Atlantic mackerel fishery; (3) the mackerel OY may be increased during 
the year as described under Sec. 655.21(b)(2)(iv) in consultation with 
the Council, but the total should not exceed 125,500 mt; and (4) 
applications from a particular nation for a joint venture for 1996 will 
not be approved until the Regional Director determines, based on an 
evaluation of performances, that the Nation's purchase obligations for 
previous years have been fulfilled.

Atlantic Squids

    The maximum OY (Max OY) for Loligo is 44,000 mt. The recommended 
ABC for the 1996 fishery is 30,000 mt, representing a decrease of 6,000 
mt from the 1995 ABC of 36,000 mt. This level of ABC is based on the 
most recent stock assessments and is determined to be at a level that 
will not harm the continued growth of the resource. The 17th SAW 
concluded that Loligo is an annual species and does not have a 3-year 
life span, as previously assumed. The 17th SAW recommended that a real-
time assessment/management system be used to ensure an adequate level 
of spawning stock. This will be addressed in Amendment 5 to the FMP, 
which has been submitted to the Secretary of Commerce for review. 
Amendment 5 will also address the need to lower the Max OY, which is 
defined in the regulations governing the fishery to be 44,000 mt. This 
specification can be changed only with a plan amendment. In the 
interim, the Council believes that it would be prudent to reduce the 
ABC for conservation purposes, as suggested by the 17th SAW. The 
Council recommended and NMFS proposes an IOY of 25,000 mt, which is 
5,000 mt less than ABC and equal to DAH and DAP. DAH and DAP have 
historically been estimated using the Council annual processor survey. 
However, for 1995, response was low and did not contain projections 
from the large, known processors. Furthermore, the Council believes 
that these stocks may be susceptible to recruitment overfishing due to 
the 1-year life span of the animals, and in the absence of real-time 
assessment/management, the Council has chosen a conservative strategy. 
The proposed IOY/DAH/DAP of 25,000 mt for the 1996 fishery represents a 
decrease of 11,000 mt from the final 1995 IOY/DAH/DAP of 36,000 mt.
    The expansion of the U.S. freezer trawler and refrigerated sea 
water fleets that participate in this fishery and substantially 
increased U.S. landings indicate that there is no longer a 
justification for foreign participation. Therefore, zero JVP and TALFF 
are specified for the 1996 Loligo fishery.
    The Max OY for Illex squid is 30,000 mt. The Council recommended 
and NMFS proposes an ABC of 30,000 mt, which is equal to the Max OY. 
However, the Council has recommended and the Regional Director proposes 
that the IOY for Illex be set at 21,000 mt, 9,000 mt below the ABC, due 
to the conclusion that Illex has a life span of only 1 year and is, 
therefore, susceptible to recruitment overfishing. Though the 17th SAW 
determined that Illex has a life span of 1 year, no recommendations to 
adjust Max OY ensued. The 17th SAW recommended that, since Illex is a 
transboundary stock between the United States and Canada, a joint 
assessment be conducted before a revised Max OY is recommended. 
However, the 17th SAW advised that the current MSY for Illex may be 
inappropriate and cautioned that, while the stock is under-exploited 
based on current MSY, the potential for recruitment overfishing may be 
substantial. No directed foreign fishery has been specified for Illex 
since 1986, which reflects the large increases in the capacity of the 
East Coast freezer trawler fleet and projected increases in the number 
of vessels using refrigerated seawater systems capable of landing high 
quality Illex. Because U.S. vessels have the capacity to harvest the 
IOY, no joint venture processing is proposed 1996 fishery.

Butterfish

    The FMP sets the Max OY for butterfish at 16,000 mt. Based on the 
most current stock assessments, the Council recommends and the Regional 
Director proposes an ABC of 7,200 mt for the 1996 fishery, representing 
a decrease of 8,800 mt from the 1995 final initial specification. 
Commercial landings of butterfish have been low at 4,000 mt, 2,285 mt, 
4,430 mt, and 3,537 mt for the 1991 through 1994 fisheries, 
respectively. Lack of market demand and the difficulty in locating 
schools of market size fish have caused severe reductions in the supply 
of butterfish. Discard data from the offshore fishery is lacking and 
high discard rates could be reducing potential yield.
    The Council recommended and NMFS proposes an IOY for butterfish of 
5,900 mt. The U.S. industry has the potential to fully utilize this 
IOY. Thus, there is no TALFF available. The Council recommends and the 
Regional Director proposes a DAH of 5,900 mt. There has been no 
interest expressed in joint ventures, thus, the IOY is proposed at a 
level that does not allow for a JVP. The Council recommended and NMFS 
proposes that both JVP and TALFF be specified at zero for the 1996 
fisheries. However, a 1,300 mt difference between ABC and IOY is 
available to accommodate an increase in IOY if economic conditions 
dictate.

Classification

    This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 655, and these proposed 
specifications are exempt from review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: December 15, 1995.
Gary Matlock,
Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 95-31119 Filed 12-18-95; 2:30 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P