[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 52 (Thursday, March 18, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 13392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6629]



[[Page 13392]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 981223319-8319-01; I.D. 112598B]
RIN 0648-AJ44


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies and Monkfish Fisheries; Monkfish Fishery Management Plan; 
Correction

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: This document corrects errors contained in Table 2 of the 
preamble to the proposed rule to implement measures contained in the 
Monkfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) published Tuesday, February 16, 
1999.

DATES: Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before 
March 26, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: E. Martin Jaffe, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, 978-281-9272.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The proposed rule to implement measures contained in the Monkfish 
FMP was published on Tuesday, February 16, 1999 (64 FR 7601). Table 2 
of the preamble to the proposed rule contains information related to 
monkfish permit categories, qualification criteria for permit 
categories, and days at sea (DAS) allocations for vessels on a monkfish 
DAS. Subject to certain restrictions, a vessel would qualify for a 
limited access monkfish permit if the vessel landed equal to or greater 
than 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) tail-weight or 166,000 lb (75,298 kg) whole-
weight during the qualification period. However, Table 2 of the 
February 16 document indicated that only a vessel landing greater than 
the amount indicated would qualify. Also, a vessel not qualifying for 
Category A or C permit that is less than 51 gross registered tons and a 
vessel of any size that has a multispecies DAS permit would qualify for 
a limited access monkfish permit if the vessel landed equal to or 
greater than 7,500 lb (3,402 kg) tail-weight or 24,900 lb (11,295 kg) 
whole weight during the qualification period. Table 2 of the February 
16 document indicated that a vessel would qualify only if it landed 
more than the amount indicated. In addition, the formatting of the 
second column of Table 2 makes the second column difficult to read.

Correction

    Accordingly, the publication on February 16, 1999, of the proposed 
rule to implement the Monkfish FMP (I.D. 112598B), which was the 
subject of document FR Doc. 99-3506, is corrected as follows:
    On page 7604, Table 2, is republished to read as follows:

   Table 2.--Monkfish Permit Categories, Qualification Criteria for Permit Categories, and DAS Allocations for
                                            Vessels on a Monkfish DAS
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                             Qualification criteria \1\ for permit categories
     Permit category                (landed weight expressed in pounds)                 DAS allocation \2\
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A........................  Category A: Vessels which do not possess a            Category A: 40 DAS
                            multispecies or scallop limited access permit must
                            have landed equal to or greater than 50,000 lb tail-
                            weight or 166,000 lb whole weight of monkfish
                            during the qualifying period.
B........................  Category B: Vessels less than 51 GRT which do not     Category B: 40 DAS
                            possess a multispecies or scallop limited access
                            permit and do not qualify for a Category A Permit
                            must have landed monkfish equal to or greater than
                            7,500 lb tail-weight or 24,900 lb whole weight of
                            monkfish during the qualifying period.
C........................  Category C: Vessels which possess a multispecies or   Category C: Up to 40 DAS &
                            scallop limited access permit must meet landing       vessel must also be on a
                            criteria as required for Permit Category A.           multispecies or scallop DAS
D........................  Category D: Vessels which possess a multispecies      Category D: Up to 40 DAS &
                            limited access permit and vessels less than 51 GRT    vessel must also be on a
                            which possess a scallop limited access permit that    multispecies or scallop DAS
                            do not qualify for a Category C Permit must meet
                            landing criteria as required for Permit Category B.
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\1\ Vessel must have landed monkfish during qualifying period, i.e., February 28, 1991, through February 27,
  1995, in the amounts indicated.
\2\ DAS allocations indicated are for fishing years 1999, 2000, and 2001. For fishing years 2002 and thereafter,
  monkfish DAS would be set to zero (0), unless other action is taken by the NEFMC and MAFMC and implemented by
  NMFS.

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

    Dated: March 12, 1999.
Rolland A. Schmitten,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-6629 Filed 3-17-99; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P