[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 94 (Wednesday, May 15, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 34622-34623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-12140]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 222 and 223

[Docket No. 020426096-2119-02; I.D. 042402D]
RIN 0648-AP99


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 extending (for a 2-week period) the previous closure 
of all inshore waters and offshore waters 10 nautical miles (nm) (18.5 
km) seaward of the COLREGS demarcation line, bounded by 32 deg. N. lat. 
(approximately Tybee Island, GA) and 34 deg. N. lat. (approximately 
Wilmington Beach, NC) 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

[[Page 34623]]

leatherback sea turtles incidentally captured in shrimp trawls.

DATES: This action is effective from May 10, 2002 through 11:59 p.m. 
(local time) on May 24, 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 228-76--4591 or fax 228-769-
8699.

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).
    A temporary rule requiring the closure of zones 32 and 33 to 
trawling became effective on April 26, 2002, in response to aerial 
surveys documenting large concentrations of leatherback turtles in 
those zones. The expiration for that temporary restriction is May 10, 
2002, at 11:59 PM. Recent flights, conducted on May 7, 2002, have shown 
the need to extend the rule by another 14 days in response to 
continuing large concentrations of leatherback turtles in zones 32 and 
33. A total of 190 leatherback turtle sightings were made in the zones, 
with 94 sighted when flying the transect in a southerly direction, and 
96 sighted when flying the replicate survey in a northerly direction. 
Some of the largest concentrations included 59 leatherback turtles 
sighted in approximately 70 miles between Cape Island and Edisto 
Island, and 18 sighted in approximately 17.75 (28.57 km) miles near the 
North Carolina border. The sighting frequencies in the follow-up survey 
exceeds the regulatory standard of greater than 10 animals within a 50-
nm (92.6 km) length of survey trackline.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), is closing 
all inshore waters and offshore waters 10 nm (18.5 km) seaward of the 
COLREGS demarcation line, bounded by 32 deg. N. lat. and 34 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) and at Sec. 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 zones 32 and 33. This 
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 has been observed in 
an area fished by 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 action 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 this temporary rule effective May 10, 2002 through May 
24, 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: May 10, 2002.
William T. Hogarth,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 02-12140 Filed 5-10-02; 3:10 pm]
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