[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 175 (Friday, September 8, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54475-54476]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23131]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[I.D. 082800F]
RIN 0648-AO31


Fisheries off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Amendment 12

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: NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) has submitted Amendment 12 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Secretarial review. Amendment 12 is 
intended to provide procedures for the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) to develop rebuilding plans for overfished species, 
to set guidelines for rebuilding plan contents, and to provide 
rebuilding plans for NMFS review and approval/disapproval. Amendment 12 
would also declare all Pacific coast groundfish to be fully utilized by 
domestic harvesters and processors.

DATES: Comments on Amendment 12 must be received on or before November 
7, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments on Amendment 12 or supporting documents should be 
sent to William Stelle, Jr., Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, 
Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Seattle, WA 98115-0070; or to Rebecca 
Lent, Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, 
Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213.
    Copies of Amendment 12 and the Environmental Assessment/ Regulatory 
Impact Review are available from Donald McIsaac, Executive Director, 
Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2130 SW Fifth Ave., Suite 224, 
Portland, OR 97201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yvonne deReynier at 206-526-6140, 
Svein Fougner at 562-980-4000, or the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council at 503-326-6352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires that each regional 
fishery management council submit any new FMP or plan 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. NMFS will consider the public comments received 
during the comment period described here in determining whether to 
approve the FMP or amendment.
    In 1998, the Council adopted Amendment 11 to the FMP to make the 
FMP consistent with revisions to the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Among other 
things, Amendment 11 set control rules to define rates of 
``overfishing,'' and set defined levels at which managed stocks are 
considered ``overfished.'' Amendment 11 was approved and incorporated 
into the FMP in March 1999.
    While implementing Amendment 11 provisions for rebuilding 
overfished stocks, the Council determined that it needed to set 
procedures within the groundfish FMP for developing overfished species 
rebuilding plans and for providing NMFS with the opportunity to review 
and approve/disapprove those plans. Amendment 12 provides for a process 
in which the Council will develop overfished species rebuilding plans 
during its annual specifications and management measures process.
    During the Council's two-meeting process for setting annual 
specifications and management measures (usually September and November) 
the Council will make overfished species rebuilding plans available for 
public review, and will incorporate measures to implement those plans 
within the annual specifications and management measures. Rebuilding 
plan contents are defined in the FMP and rely upon the Council's annual 
stock assessment and review process. Once the Council approves a new 
rebuilding plan, it will submit that plan for NMFS review and approval/
disapproval generally at the same time that it submits its annual 
specifications package for review and approval/disapproval. This 
process will ensure that rebuilding efforts are incorporated into 
fishery management measures as quickly and efficiently as

[[Page 54476]]

practicable, and that they are consistent with management measures for 
other groundfish species
    Public comments on Amendment 12 must be received by November 7, 
2000, to be considered by NMFS in the decision whether to approve 
Amendment 12. A proposed rule to implement Amendment 12 has been 
submitted for Secretarial review and approval. NMFS expects to publish 
and request public comment on the proposed regulations to implement 
Amendment 12 in the near future.

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

    Dated: September 1, 2000.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-23131 Filed 9-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE: 3510-22-S