[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 184 (Friday, September 20, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 49430-49431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24082]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 648 and 649
[I.D. 091196A]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Amendment 8 to the
Northeast Multispecies, Amendment 6 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop, and
Amendment 6 to the American Lobster Fishery Management Plans
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the New England Fishery Management Council
(Council) has submitted Amendment 8 to the Northeast Multispecies,
Amendment 6 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop, and Amendment 6 to the
American Lobster Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for Secretarial review
and is requesting comments from the public. These amendments would add
a framework process to address gear conflicts in the Northeast and Mid-
Atlantic regions through regulatory action. The proposed gear conflict
framework process is intended to provide mechanisms to reduce the
economic loss caused by gear conflicts.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 11, 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 Gear
Conflict Amendments.'' Copies of the proposed amendments, their
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
[[Page 49431]]
whether the amendment is sufficient to warrant continued review, and
publish a document 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.
These amendments, if approved, would: (1) Add an objective to the
Atlantic Sea Scallop and Northeast Multispecies FMPs to allow
management of gear conflicts in these fisheries (the American Lobster
FMP currently has an objective sufficiently broad in scope to allow
management of gear conflicts), (2) adapt the framework process
currently in place for the Northeast multispecies and Atlantic sea
scallop conservation management programs to allow implementation of a
gear conflict management program for all three FMPs, and (3) add a list
of management measures to each FMP from which the Council could select
future solutions to gear conflicts through the framework adjustment
process.
Day 1 of these amendments is September 11, 1996. Proposed
regulations to implement these amendments are scheduled to be published
within 15 days of this date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 16, 1996.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-24082 Filed 9-16-96; 5:02 pm]
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