[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 228 (Monday, November 25, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 59857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30043]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 110796F]
RIN 0648-AF01


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, 
Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Revised Measures for Amendment 5

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 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council (Council) has revised and resubmitted for Secretarial approval 
three measures that were originally disapproved in the Secretarial 
review of Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic 
Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries (FMP). NMFS is requesting 
comments from the public; copies of the revised measures for Amendment 
5, and Amendment 5 itself, may be obtained from the Council (see 
ADDRESSES).

DATES: Comments on the revised measures of Amendment 5 that have been 
resubmitted must be received on or before January 24, 1997.

ADDRESSES: All comments should be sent to Dr. Andrew A. Rosenberg, 
Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast 
Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-3799. Mark 
the outside of the envelope ``Comments on Resubmitted SMB 5''.
    Copies of the revised measures that were disapproved earlier in 
Amendment 5, the environmental assessment, and the regulatory impact 
review are available from David R. Keifer, Executive Director, Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Room 2115 Federal Building, 300 S. 
New Street, Dover, DE 19904-6790.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires that each Regional 
Fishery Management Council submit any FMP or FMP amendment it prepares 
to the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) for review and approval, 
disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also 
requires that the Secretary, upon receiving the FMP or FMP amendment, 
immediately make them available for public review and comment. The 
Secretary will consider the public comments in determining whether to 
approve the FMP or FMP amendment.
    The revised measures would establish: (1) A revised overfishing 
definition for Atlantic mackerel that would restrict allowable 
biological catch (ABC) to a fishing mortality rate of F0.1 and 
would cap ABC at 405,000 mt for 1 year, (2) a moratorium vessel permit 
for Illex squid with a 5-year sunset provision, and (3) a 5,000-lb 
(2.26-mt) incidental catch permit for Illex squid. The transmit date 
for this Amendment is November 6, 1996.

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

    Dated: November 20, 1996.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 96-30043 Filed 11-20-96; 2:33 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F