[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]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F