[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 47 (Thursday, March 9, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 12500-12501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5780]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 010300F]
RIN 0648-AM42


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; License 
Limitation Program for the Scallop Fishery

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 Amendment 4 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Scallop 
Fishery Off Alaska (FMP) for Secretarial review. Amendment 4 to the FMP 
would create a license limitation program (scallop LLP) in the Federal 
scallop fishery off Alaska that would limit the number of participants 
and reduce fishing capacity in this fishery through a limited access 
system in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). This action is proposed to 
achieve conservation and management goals for the scallop fishery and 
is intended to further the objectives of the FMP.

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

ADDRESSES: Comments on this amendment should 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. Copies of Amendment 4 to 
the FMP, and the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (EA/RIR/IRFA) 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: The Council prepared the FMP under the 
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The FMP delegates to the State 
of Alaska (State) the authority to manage all aspects of the scallop 
fishery, except limited access. Federal regulations governing the 
scallop fishery appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 679. State regulations 
governing the scallop fishery appear in the Alaska Administrative Code 
(AAC) at 5 AAC Chapter 38--Miscellaneous Shellfish. The Magnuson-
Stevens Act provides authority for the FMP to delegate to the State 
management responsibility for the scallop fishery in Federal waters off 
Alaska.
    The Council adopted the scallop LLP as Amendment 4 to the FMP in 
February 1999. If approved, the proposed LLP would replace the existing 
Federal moratorium on the entry of new vessels into the scallop 
fishery. This moratorium is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2000. The 
scallop fishery off Alaska has been characterized as overcapitalized. 
In February 1998, the Council reviewed participation and other data 
from the scallop fishery and developed a problem statement and 
alternatives for analysis of a scallop LLP to replace the existing 
vessel moratorium.
    The Council developed six alternatives and two options for the 
scallop LLP. The Council prepared an EA/RIR/IRFA for Amendment 4, which 
describes the management background, the purpose and need for action, 
the alternatives and options, and the socio-economic impacts of the 
alternatives and options. A copy of the EA/RIR/IRFA can be obtained 
from the Council (see ADDRESSES).
    The Council's preferred alternative was the most restrictive 
considered by the Council and would result in the issuance of a total 
of nine licenses. The Council's intent in adopting the most restrictive 
alternative and options was to create an LLP that would reduce the size 
of the fishery and eliminate growth in harvest capacity.
    Under the preferred alternative, licenses would be issued to 
holders of either Federal or State moratorium permits who used their 
moratorium permits to make legal landings of scallops in each of any 2 
calendar years during the period beginning January 1, 1996, through 
October 9, 1998 (qualifying period). A scallop LLP license would 
authorize the person named on the license to catch and retain scallops 
consistent with applicable State regulations in all waters off Alaska 
that are open for scallop fishing. The license holder would not be 
required to be on

[[Page 12501]]

board a vessel when it is catching and retaining scallops; however, an 
original copy of the scallop LLP license would be required to be 
onboard the vessel at that time. No license holder would be allowed to 
hold more than two licenses.
    Licenses premised on the legal landings of scallops harvested only 
from Cook Inlet (State Registration Area H) during the qualifying 
period would have a gear endorsement that would limit allowable gear to 
a single 6-ft (1.8 m) dredge when fishing for scallops in any area.
    No increase in vessel length would be allowed. Each scallop LLP 
license would specify the maximum length overall (MLOA) of a vessel 
that the license holder could use to catch and retain scallops. The 
specified MLOA would be equal to the length overall of the longest 
vessel used by the applicant to make legal scallop landings during the 
qualifying period. A scallop LLP license could be used on any vessel 
equal to or less than the MLOA.
    The Council also recommended that no person, corporation, or entity 
could own more than two scallop licenses. This two-license cap would 
limit excessive shares in the scallop fishery in accordance with the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act national standard 4. The two-license cap would 
prevent any person already holding two licenses from receiving 
additional scallop LLP licenses by transfer.
    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 4. 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 
postmark or transmission date.

    Dated: March 3, 2000.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-5780 Filed 3-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F