[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 14 (Friday, January 22, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3480-3481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1419]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 011399A]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies and Monkfish Fisheries; Amendment 1 to the Monkfish 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to Designate Essential Fish Habitat (EFH)

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of Amendment 1 to the Monkfish FMP; 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery 
Management Councils have submitted for review and approval by the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) Amendment 1 to the Monkfish FMP 
prepared jointly by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) 
and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. The amendment includes 
the EFH provisions which implement the requirements of section 
303(a)(7) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The amendment describes and identifies EFH 
for the monkfish fishery, discusses measures to address the effects of 
fishing on EFH, and identifies other actions for the conservation and 
enhancement of EFH. The amendment includes no new fishery management 
measures, so no regulations are proposed. Amendment 1 to the Monkfish 
FMP is included in the NEFMC's omnibus EFH amendment, which also 
includes Amendment 11 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP, Amendment 9 to 
the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP, Amendment

[[Page 3481]]

1 to the Atlantic Salmon FMP, and the EFH components of the pending 
Atlantic Herring FMP.

DATES: Public comments must be received on or before March 23, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments on this amendment should be sent to Jon C. 
Rittgers, Acting Regional Administrator, One Blackburn Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930-2298. Please mark the outside of the envelope: 
``Comments on Monkfish Amendment 1.''
    Copies of the omnibus amendment, which includes Amendment 1 to the 
Monkfish FMP and the environmental assessment, are available from Paul 
Howard, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 5 
Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906-1036.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan M. Kurland, Assistant Habitat 
Program Coordinator, 978-281-9204.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that each 
Regional Fishery Management Council submit any FMP or FMP amendment it 
prepares to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial 
approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon 
receiving an FMP or FMP amendment, immediately publish a notification 
in the Federal Register that the FMP or amendment is available for 
public review and comment. Therefore, NMFS solicits comments on the 
approval, disapproval, or partial approval of Amendment 1 to the 
Monkfish FMP.
    Amendment 1 to the Monkfish FMP is included as a part of an omnibus 
EFH amendment prepared by the NEFMC, which addresses the Magnuson-
Stevens Act EFH provisions. The omnibus amendment discusses fishing- 
and nonfishing-related impacts to NEFMC designated EFH, including 
monkfish EFH; measures to minimize adverse impacts to EFH; and 
conservation and enhancement measures for EFH. The monkfish EFH portion 
of the amendment also addresses research and information needs.
    This omnibus amendment also includes Amendment 11 to the Northeast 
Multispecies FMP, Amendment 9 to the Sea Scallop FMP, Amendment 1 to 
the Atlantic Salmon FMP, and EFH designations and information for 
Atlantic herring. A Notice of Availability for Amendment 11 to the 
Northeast Multispecies FMP, Amendment 9 to the Sea Scallop FMP, and 
Amendment 1 to the Atlantic Salmon FMP was published in the Federal 
Register on December 1, 1998 (63 FR 66110) and the comment period ends 
on February 1, 1999. EFH designations and information for Atlantic 
herring will be considered for Secretarial approval, disapproval, or 
partial approval in a future notice of availability, in conjunction 
with the NEFMC's pending FMP for Atlantic herring.
    NMFS solicits comments on the approval, disapproval, or partial 
approval of Amendment 1 to the Monkfish FMP. To be considered, comments 
must be received by close of business on March 23, 1999; that does not 
mean postmarked or otherwise transmitted by that date.
    In addition to Amendment 1, the Monkfish FMP is currently under 
Secretarial review. A Notice of Availability inviting public comment on 
the FMP was published in the Federal Register on December 2, 1998 (63 
FR 66524). Comments on the Monkfish FMP must be received by February 1, 
1999.

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

    Dated: January 15, 1999.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-1419 Filed 1-21-99; 8:45 am]
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