[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 209 (Thursday, October 29, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 57931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28902]



[[Page 57931]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 980414095-8240-02; I.D. 102098C]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Dealer Reporting 
Requirements

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

ACTION: Notification of deferral of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) 
System reporting requirements for certain species.

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SUMMARY: NMFS defers IVR-reporting requirements for regulated Northeast 
(NE) multispecies (Atlantic cod, witch flounder, American plaice, 
yellowtail flounder, haddock, pollock, winter flounder, windowpane 
flounder, redfish and white hake), Atlantic mackerel, and butterfish. 
Based on data submitted by dealers and on other available information, 
the Regional Administrator (RA) has determined that landings of these 
species are not expected to reach levels that would cause the 
applicable target exploitation rate specified in the fishery management 
plan (FMP) for that species to be achieved, resulting in specific 
management changes. Therefore, federally permitted dealers are not 
required to report purchases of regulated NE multispecies, Atlantic 
mackerel, and butterfish through the IVR system until notification 
terminating the deferral for a given species is published in the 
Federal Register. Dealers must continue to report purchases of these 
species on the detailed written reports. Dealers must report, through 
the IVR system, purchases of species for which IVR reporting 
requirements have not been deferred: summer flounder, scup, black sea 
bass, Illex squid, and Loligo squid.
DATES: Effective November 1, 1998, until notification terminating the 
deferral for a given species is published in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelley McGrath, (978)281-9307 or 
Gregory Power, (978) 281-9304.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In an effort to prevent overfishing and 
rebuild stocks, summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, regulated NE 
multispecies, Atlantic mackerel, Illex squid, Loligo squid, and 
butterfish are now managed by a quota or by other harvest limit. 
Regulations implementing the FMPs for these species were prepared under 
the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act and are found at 50 CFR part 648. Successful management 
of quota-managed species is dependent upon NMFS having timely and 
accurate landing data available. These data will result in better 
monitoring of the quotas, fewer overages, and more accurate predictions 
of closure dates. In order to effectively monitor landings, NMFS issued 
a final rule (63 FR 52639, October 1, 1998) requiring federally 
permitted dealers to submit a weekly summary of purchases of quota-
managed species through the IVR system within 3 days of the end of the 
reporting week. Regulations implementing the reporting requirements for 
federally permitted dealers are found at Sec. 648.7.
    To minimize the burden of dealer reporting requirements, the 
regulations implementing the use of an IVR system also include 
authorization (50 CFR 648.7(a)(2)(ii)) for the RA to defer the IVR 
reporting requirements for any species if landings are not expected to 
reach levels that would cause the applicable target exploitation rate 
specified in the FMP for that species to be exceeded. The RA has 
determined, based on the comprehensive written reports submitted by 
dealers and other available information, that the landing levels for 
regulated NE multispecies (Atlantic cod, witch flounder, American 
plaice, yellowtail flounder, haddock, pollock, winter flounder, 
windowpane flounder, redfish, and white hake), and for Atlantic 
mackerel, and butterfish do not require IVR reporting. Therefore, the 
IVR reporting requirements are deferred for these species. If 
subsequent data indicate that landing levels for any of these species 
have increased to the extent that this determination ceases to be 
valid, the RA will terminate this deferral of that species by 
publishing notification in the Federal Register.
    Pursuant to Sec. 648.7(a)(2), dealers must report, through the IVR 
system, their purchases of the species for which IVR- reporting 
requirements have not been deferred. These species are summer flounder, 
scup, black sea bass, Illex squid, and Loligo squid.
    As specified in 50 CFR 648.7(a)(1), dealers must continue to report 
purchases of all species, including those species for which IVR 
reporting has been deferred, on the detailed written reports.

Classification

    This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.

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

    Dated: October 23, 1998.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-28902 Filed 10-23-98; 3:40 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F