[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 169 (Thursday, August 29, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 45395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-22055]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 082296B]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Amendment 5 to the 
Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan

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

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the New England Fishery Management Council 
(Council) has submitted Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management Plan for 
the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery (FMP) for Secretarial review and is 
requesting comments from the public. Amendment 5 would temporarily 
close a 9 mi2 (23.31 km2) site to support a scallop 
aquaculture research project. The intended effect of the closure would 
be to prevent conflicts between fishing gear and project equipment for 
the limited duration of the research project.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 21, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Dr. Andrew A. Rosenberg, Regional Director, 
NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 
01930-3799. Mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on Scallop 
FMP.'' Copies of proposed Amendment 5, its Regulatory Impact Review, 
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, and the Environmental 
Assessment are available from Christopher Kellogg, Acting Executive 
Director, New England Fishery Management Council, Suntaug Office Park, 
5 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906-1097.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson Act) (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) requires that 
each regional fishery management council submit any fishery management 
plan or amendment it prepares to NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of 
Commerce for review. The Magnuson Act also requires that NMFS, upon 
receiving the plan or amendment for review, immediately make a 
preliminary evaluation of whether the amendment is sufficient to 
warrant continued review and publish a notice that the plan or 
amendment is available for public review and comment. NMFS will 
consider the public comments received during the comment period in 
determining whether to approve the plan or amendment.
    Amendment 5, if approved, would: (1) Close a 9 mi2 mi (23.31 
km2) site to mobile fishing gear and partially close the site to 
non-mobile gear for an 18-month period, and (2) temporarily exempt 
certain vessels from fishing regulations.
    Day 1 of Amendment 5 is August 22, 1996. Proposed regulations to 
implement this amendment are scheduled to be published in the Federal 
Register within 15 days of this date.

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

    Dated: August 23, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-22055 Filed 8-26-96; 4:12 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F