[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 7, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11973-11974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5518]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 022500C]
RIN 0648-AM29


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Rebuilding 
Overfished Fisheries

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of an amendment to a fishery management 
plan; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has 
submitted for Secretarial review Amendment 11 to the Fishery Management 
Plan for the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs

[[Page 11974]]

(FMP). This amendment is necessary to implement a rebuilding plan to 
rebuild the overfished stock of Bering Sea Tanner crab. This action is 
intended to ensure that conservation and management measures continue 
to be based upon the best scientific information available and is 
intended to advance the Council's ability to achieve, on a continuing 
basis, the optimum yield from fisheries under its authority.

DATES: Comments on the amendment must be submitted on or before May 8, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted to Sue Salveson, Assistant 
Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, 
NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Attn: Lori Gravel. 
Comments also may be sent via facsimile (fax) to 907-586-7465. Comments 
will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or Internet. Courier or 
hand delivery of comments may be made to NMFS in the Federal Building, 
Room 453, Juneau, AK 99801.
    Copies of Amendment 11 to the FMP, and the Environmental Assessment 
prepared for the amendment are available from the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council, 605 West 4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, 
AK 99501-2252; telephone 907-271-2809.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gretchen Harrington, 907-586-7228 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS declared the Bering Sea stock of Tanner 
(Chionoecetes bairdi) crab overfished on March 3, 1999, because the 
spawning stock biomass was below the minimum stock size threshold 
defined in Amendment 7 to the FMP (64 FR 11390). Amendment 7 specified 
objective and measurable criteria for identifying when all of the crab 
fisheries covered by the FMP are overfished or when overfishing is 
occurring. NMFS notified the Council once NMFS determined that the 
stock was overfished (64 FR 15308, March 31, 1999). The Council then 
took action to develop a rebuilding plan within 1 year. Amendment 11, 
the rebuilding plan, is an FMP amendment designed to accomplish the 
purposes outlined in the national standard guidelines to rebuild the 
overfished stock. Furthermore, Amendment 11 specifies a time period for 
rebuilding the stock intended to satisfy the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
    The rebuilding plan approved by the Council in October 1999 
contains the following three components to improve the status of this 
stock: A harvest strategy, bycatch control measures, and habitat 
protection measures. The rebuilding plan is estimated to allow the 
Bering Sea Tanner crab stock to rebuild, with a 50 percent probability, 
in 10 years. The stock will be considered ``0rebuilt'' when the stock 
reaches the maximum sustainable yield stock size level in 2 consecutive 
years. The revised harvest strategy should result in more spawning 
biomass, because more larger male crab would be conserved and fewer 
juveniles and females would die due to discarding. This higher spawning 
biomass would be expected to produce good year-classes when 
environmental conditions are favorable. Protection of habitat and 
reduction of bycatch will reduce mortality on juvenile crabs, thus 
allowing a higher percentage of each year-class to contribute to 
spawning (and future landings).
    The Council prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for Amendment 
11 that describes the management background, the purpose and need for 
action, the management alternatives, and the environmental and the 
socio-economic impacts of the alternatives. A copy of the EA can be 
obtained from the Council (see ADDRESSES).
    The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that each regional fishery 
management council submit each 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 amendment is available for public review and comment. 
This action constitutes such notice for FMP Amendment 11. NMFS will 
consider the public comments received during the comment period in 
determining whether to approve this FMP amendment. To be considered, a 
comment must be received by close of business on the last day of the 
comment period (see DATES), regardless of the comment's postmark or 
transmission date.

    Dated: March 1, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-5518 Filed 3-6-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F