[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 79 (Wednesday, April 24, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20054-20055]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10060]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 222 and 223

[Docket No. 020418089-2089-01; I.D. 041702B]
RIN 0648-AP96


Sea Turtle Conservation; Restrictions Applicable to Shrimp Trawl 
Activities; Leatherback Conservation Zone

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

ACTION: Temporary area gear restriction.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is closing, for a short 2-week period, all inshore waters 
and offshore waters 10 nautical miles (nm) (18.5 km) seaward of the 
COLREGS demarcation line, bounded by 31 deg. N. lat. (approximately St. 
Andrews Sound, Georgia) and 32 deg. N. lat. (approximately Tybee 
Island, Georgia) within the Leatherback Conservation Zone, to fishing 
by shrimp trawlers required to have a turtle excluder device (TED) 
installed in each net that is rigged for fishing, unless the TED has an 
escape opening large enough to exclude leatherback turtles, as 
specified in the regulations. This action is necessary to reduce 
mortality of endangered leatherback sea turtles incidentally captured 
in shrimp trawls.

DATES: This action is effective from April 19, 2002 through 11:59 p.m. 
(local time) on May 3, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this action should be addressed to the Chief, 
Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Comments may also be sent 
via fax to 301-713-0376. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via 
e-mail or the Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Bernhart (ph. 727-570-5312, fax 
727-570-5517, e-mail [email protected]); or Barbara Schroeder 
(ph. 301-713-1401, fax 301-713-0376, e-mail 
[email protected]).
    For assistance in modifying TED escape openings to exclude 
leatherback sea turtles, fishermen may contact gear specialists at the 
NMFS, Pascagoula, MS laboratory by phone 228-762-4591 or fax 228-769-
8699.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Prohibitions on 
taking sea turtles are governed by regulations implementing the 
Endangered Species Act at 50 CFR parts 222 and 223. The incidental take 
of turtles during shrimp fishing in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of 
the southeastern United States and in the Gulf of Mexico is excepted 
from the taking prohibition pursuant to sea turtle conservation 
regulations at 50 CFR 223.206, which include a requirement that shrimp 
trawlers have a NMFS-approved TED installed in each net rigged for 
fishing. The use of TEDs significantly reduces mortality of loggerhead, 
green, Kemp's ridley, and hawksbill sea turtles. Because leatherback 
turtles are larger than the escape openings of most NMFS-approved TEDs, 
use of these TEDs is not an effective means of protecting leatherback 
turtles.
    Through a final rule (60 FR 47713 September 14, 1995), NMFS 
established regulations to provide protection for leatherback turtles 
when they occur in locally high densities during their annual, spring 
northward migration along the Atlantic seaboard. Within the Leatherback 
Conservation Zone, NMFS may close an area for 2 weeks when leatherback 
sightings exceed 10 animals per 50 nm (92.6 km) during repeated aerial 
surveys pursuant to Sec. 223.206(d)(2)(iv)(A) through (C).
    An initial aerial survey conducted on March 29, 2002, along the 
Georgia coast documented 17 leatherback turtles over a total survey 
trackline of approximately 80 nm (148 km). Concentrations were noted in 
waters off Wassaw, Ossabaw, St. Catherines, and Sapelo Islands. No 
shrimp trawlers were seen working. Due to mechanical difficulties, the 
survey did not continue south of Sapelo Island. A replicate survey was 
flown along the entire Georgia coast on April 15, 2002. Thirty-three 
leatherback turtles and 77 shrimp trawlers were spotted, over a total 
survey trackline of approximately 190 nautical miles (352 km). 
Leatherbacks were concentrated again off Ossabaw, St. Catherines, and 
Sapelo Islands and also off Jekyll and St. Simons Islands. Leatherbacks 
were also spotted off Tybee Island in the north and Cumberland Island 
in the south. The sighting frequencies in the original and replicate 
surveys all met or exceeded the regulatory standard of at least 10 
animals within a 50 nautical mile (92.6 km) length of survey trackline.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), is closing 
all inshore waters and offshore waters within 10 nm (18.5 km) seaward 
of the COLREGS demarcation line, bounded by 31 deg. N. lat. and 32 deg. 
N. lat., within the Leatherback Conservation Zone to fishing by shrimp 
trawlers required to have a TED installed in each net that is rigged 
for fishing, unless the TED installed has an escape opening large 
enough to exclude leatherback turtles, meeting the specifications at 50 
CFR 223.207(a)(7)(ii)(B)(1) or (2) or 223.207(c)(1)(iv)(B). These 
regulations specify modifications that can be made to either single-
grid hard TEDs or Parker soft TEDs to allow leatherbacks to escape.
    The regulations at 50 CFR 223.206(d)(2)(iv) also state that 
fishermen operating in the closed area with TEDs modified to exclude 
leatherback turtles must notify the NMFS Southeast Regional 
Administrator of their intention to fish in the closed area. This 
aspect of the regulations does not have a current Office of Management 
and Budget control number, issued pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act. Consequently, fishermen are not required to notify the Regional 
Administrator prior to fishing in the closed area, but they must still 
meet the gear requirements.

Classification

    This action has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of Executive Order 12866.
    The AA is taking this action in accordance with the requirements of 
50 CFR 223.206(d)(2)(iv) to provide protection for endangered 
leatherback sea turtles from incidental capture and drowning in shrimp 
trawls. Leatherback sea turtles are occurring in high concentrations in 
coastal waters in shrimp fishery statistical zone 31. This

[[Page 20055]]

action allows shrimp fishing to continue in the affected area so long 
as fishermen make the required gear modifications.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the AA finds that there is good 
cause to waive prior notice and opportunity to comment on this action. 
As a sizeable concentration of leatherback turtles was recently 
observed in close proximity to a large number of shrimp trawlers, it is 
extremely likely that interactions will occur. It would be 
impracticable to provide prior notice and opportunity for comment 
because providing notice and comment would prevent the agency from 
implementing the necessary action in a timely manner to protect the 
endangered leatherback.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the AA finds that there is good 
cause not to delay the effective date of this rule for 30 days. Such 
delay would prevent the agency from implementing the necessary action 
in a timely manner to protect the endangered leatherback. Accordingly, 
the AA is making the rule effective April 19, 2002 through May 3, 2002. 
This closure has been announced on the NOAA weather channel, in 
newspapers, and other media. Shrimp trawlers may also call (727)570-
5312 for updated area closure information. As prior notice and an 
opportunity for public comment are not required to be provided for this 
notification by 5 U.S.C. 553, or by any other law, the analytical 
requirements of 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., are inapplicable.
    The AA prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the final rule 
requiring TED use in shrimp trawls and the regulatory framework for the 
Leatherback Conservation Zone (60 FR 47713, September 14, 1995). Copies 
of the EA are available (see ADDRESSES).

    Dated: April 19, 2002.
Rebecca Lent
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries.
[FR Doc. 02-10060 Filed 4-19-02; 3:30 pm]
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