[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 29, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 72962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33854]



[[Page 72962]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 300

[Docket No. 991207319-9319-01; I.D. 113099A]


Pacific Tuna Fisheries; Closure of Purse Seine Fishery for Bigeye 
Tuna

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

ACTION: Fishing restrictions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces closure of the 1999 purse seine fishery for 
bigeye tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean through a prohibition of purse 
seine sets on floating objects in the eastern Pacific Ocean after 
midnight on November 8, 1999.

DATES: Effective at 12:01 A.M. on November 9, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments to Rodney R. McInnis, Acting Regional 
Administrator, Southwest Region (Regional Administrator), NMFS, 501 W. 
Ocean Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Svein Fougner at 562-980-4040.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is taken under the authority of 
the regulations at 50 CFR part 300, subpart C, which implement the Tuna 
Conventions Act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 955). The U.S. is a member of the 
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), which was established 
under the Convention for the Establishment of an Inter-American 
Tropical Tuna Commission signed in 1949. The IATTC was established to 
provide an international arrangement to ensure the effective 
international conservation and management of tunas and tuna-like fishes 
in the Convention Area. The IATTC has maintained a scientific research 
and fishery monitoring program for many years, and annually assesses 
the status of stocks of tuna and the fisheries to determine appropriate 
harvest limits or other measures to prevent overexploitation of the 
stocks and promote viable fisheries. The Convention Area is all waters 
of the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) between 40 deg. N. lat. and 40 deg. 
S. lat. out to 150 deg. W. long.
    At its annual meeting in June 1999, the IATTC adopted a resolution, 
which was subsequently agreed to by the Department of State, 
recommending that action be taken by member nations and other fishing 
nations to limit the 1999 bigeye tuna catch by the purse seine fishery 
in the Convention Area to 40,000 mt. The harvest limit was to be 
implemented by prohibiting purse seine sets on all types of floating 
objects in the Convention Area when this harvest level is reached. The 
limit is intended to protect the spawning stock and maintain bigeye 
stock productivity. Sets on floating objects result in relatively high 
catch rates of juvenile bigeye, and available information suggests that 
the stock cannot sustain purse seine catches in excess of 40,000 mt per 
year. The closure of the purse seine fishery will limit the mortality 
of small bigeye.
    The IATTC Director reviewed available data on effort and catch of 
bigeye in the purse seine fisheries throughout the year, and in October 
projected that the limit of 40,000 mt would be reached on November 8, 
1999. Accordingly, member nations of the IATTC were to prohibit further 
sets on floating objects after that date.
    Under regulations promulgated earlier this year (64 FR 44428, 
August 16, 1999), the Regional Administrator is authorized to notify 
the U.S. tuna industry directly of any quotas and associated regulatory 
measures that have been recommended by the IATTC and approved by the 
Department of State. In a separate action, the industry has been 
advised accordingly. However, a Federal Register notification also must 
be published as soon as practicable.
    For the reasons stated here and in accordance with the regulations 
at 64 FR 44428, August 16, 1999, NMFS herein announces: After midnight 
on November 8, 1999, no U.S. vessel may make a purse seine set around 
floating objects in the Convention Area.

Classification

    This action is authorized by the regulations implementing the Tuna 
Conventions Act. The determination to take this action is based on the 
most recent data available. The aggregate data upon which the 
determination is based are available for public inspection at the 
Office of the Regional Administrator (see ADDRESSES) during business 
hours. This action is taken under the authority of 50 CFR part 300, 
subpart C and is exempt from review under E.O. 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 951-961 and 971 et seq.

    Dated: December 22, 1999.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 99-33854 Filed 12-28-99; 8:45 am]
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