[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 104 (Tuesday, May 30, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 34434-34435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-13370]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 051500D ]
RIN 0648-AM72


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Western 
Alaska Community Development Quota Program

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has 
submitted Amendment 66 to the Fishery Management Plan for the 
Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP) to 
remove the allocation of squid to the Western Alaska Community 
Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The Council has recommended this 
amendment to prevent the incidental catch of squid in the pollock CDQ 
fisheries from preventing the CDQ groups from fully harvesting the 
pollock CDQ allocation required under the American Fisheries Act (AFA).

DATES: Comments on Amendment 66 must be submitted by July 31, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: Lori Gravel. Hand delivery or 
courier delivery of comments may be sent to the Federal Building, 709 
West 9th Street, Juneau, AK. Comments will not be accepted if submitted 
via e-mail or the Internet.
    Copies of Amendment 66 to the FMP and of the Environmental 
Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis prepared for this action are available from the Council, 605 
West 4th Ave., Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252, telephone 907-271-
2809; from NMFS at the above address; or by calling the Alaska Region, 
NMFS, at 907-586-7228.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sally Bibb, 907-586-7389, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (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 
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 this amendment.
    The Council adopted Amendment 66 at its June 1999 meeting. If 
approved by NMFS, this amendment would remove the allocation of 7.5 
percent of the squid total allowable catch (TAC) to the CDQ Program. 
Currently, each CDQ group must manage its CDQ fisheries to ensure that 
its squid CDQ allocation is not exceeded. The pollock fishery takes 
squid as incidental catch. The potential exists that if a CDQ group 
were to catch its full squid allocation, it would be precluded from 
continuing to fish for pollock. This potential constraint on the 
pollock CDQ fisheries existed when the pollock CDQ allocation was 7.5 
percent of the pollock TAC. The potential is more likely now that the 
pollock CDQ allocation has been increased to 10 percent of the TAC 
under the AFA. In passing the AFA, Congress manifested its intent that 
CDQ groups be able to harvest their full pollock allocations. 
Therefore, the Council is recommending removal of squid as a CDQ 
species.
    NMFS solicits public comments on the amendment through July 31, 
2000. A proposed rule that would implement the amendment may be 
published in the Federal Register for public comment following NMFS's 
evaluation under the Magnuson-Stevens Act procedures. Public comments 
on the proposed rule must be received by the end of the comment period 
on the amendment to be considered in the approval/disapproval decision 
on the amendment. All comments received by the end of the comment 
period on the amendment, whether specifically directed to the amendment 
or to the proposed rule, will be considered in the approval/disapproval 
decision; comments received after that date will not be considered in 
the approval/disapproval decision on the amendment. To be considered,

[[Page 34435]]

comments must be received by close of business on the last day of the 
comment period specified in this notice of availability; that does not 
mean postmarked or otherwise transmitted by that date.

    Dated: May 22, 2000.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-13370 Filed 5-26-00; 8:45 am]
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