[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 251 (Friday, December 29, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 82944-82945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33223]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 980414095-8240-02; I.D. 121800D]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Dealer Reporting 
Requirements

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

ACTION: Notification of termination of the deferral of Interactive 
Voice Response (IVR) System reporting requirements for Atlantic cod and 
haddock purchases.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that it is terminating the current deferral of 
IVR reporting requirements of Atlantic cod and haddock beginning 
January 28, 2001. One of the management measures for Atlantic cod 
includes two conditional 1-month closures in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) 
when the trigger of 1.67 million lbs (759 mt) is reached. One 
management measure for haddock is an adjustment to the daily landing 
limit as specified in Framework 33 to the Northeast Multispecies 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to provide the industry with the 
opportunity to harvest

[[Page 82945]]

at least 75 percent of the total allowable catch (TAC) for the 2000-
2001 fishing year (TAC=6,252 mt, 75 percent TAC=4,689 mt). If the 
Regional Administrator, Northeast Regional Office, NMFS (RA) projects 
that less than 75 percent of the TAC for haddock will be harvested by 
the end of the fishing year NMFS may adjust, through publication of a 
notification in the Federal Register, the trip limit per DAS and/or the 
maximum trip limit to an amount that is determined to be sufficient to 
allow harvesting of at least 75 percent of the target TAC, but not to 
exceed the target TAC. This termination of deferral for Atlantic cod 
and haddock is necessary to collect accurate data on a real-time basis 
to ensure that these fisheries are maintained at sustainable levels. 
Any dealer issued a Northeast (NE) Multispecies permit must submit, 
through the IVR system, a weekly summary of Atlantic cod and haddock 
purchased beginning January 28, 2001.

DATES: Effective January 28, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra Arvilla, (978) 281-9255 or 
Gregory Power, (978) 281-9304.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To effectively monitor landings of quota-
managed species on a timely basis, NMFS issued a final rule (63 FR 
52639, October 1, 1998) requiring federally-permitted dealers to submit 
a weekly summary of purchases of quota-managed species through the IVR 
system within 3 days of the end of the reporting week. To minimize the 
burden of dealer reporting requirements, the regulations implementing 
the use of an IVR system also include authorization (50 CFR 
648.7(a)(ii)) for the RA to defer the IVR reporting requirements for 
any species if landings are not expected to reach levels that would 
cause the applicable target exploitation rate specified in the FMP for 
that species to be achieved, resulting in specific management changes. 
At that time the RA deferred IVR reporting requirements for Atlantic 
mackerel, butterfish and, regulated NE Multispecies, which included 
Atlantic cod and haddock.
    In order to effectively monitor Atlantic cod and haddock landings 
relative to the trigger and TAC, NMFS is requiring any dealer issued a 
NE Multispecies permit to submit, through the IVR system, a weekly 
summary of Atlantic cod and haddock purchases beginning January 28, 
2001. IVR reports must be submitted within 3 days of the end of the 
reporting week. If the RA determines that weekly IVR reports of 
Atlantic cod and haddock purchases are no longer necessary, 
notification of deferral will be published in the Federal Register.
    Dealers must continue to report through the IVR system, their 
purchases of the species specified in 50 CFR 648.7(a) for which IVR 
reporting requirements have not been deferred. Currently, these species 
are summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, Illex squid and Loligo 
squid, spiny dogfish, and Atlantic bluefish. If no purchases of any 
quota-managed species are made during the reporting week, a negative 
report, so stating, must be submitted.
    As specified in 50 CFR 648.7(a)(1), dealers must continue to report 
purchases of all species, including those species for which IVR 
reporting has been deferred, on the detailed written reports.

Classification

    This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: December 22, 2000.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 00-33223 Filed 12-28-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE: 3510-22-S