[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 126 (Monday, July 1, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44093-44094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-16382]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 020620154-2154-01; I.D. 052902A]
RIN 0648-AQ10


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Change of 
the Name of the Salmon Fisheries Management Plan

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

ACTION: Technical correction.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is correcting the title of the Fishery Management Plan 
for the Salmon Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off 
Alaska (FMP). This action is necessary to make the name of the FMP in 
Federal regulations consistent with the actual name of the FMP as 
approved by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary). The intended effect 
of this action is regulatory consistency, and it will have no effect on 
any person fishing in the EEZ for any species.

DATES: Effective on July 31, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patsy A. Bearden, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Salmon fisheries in the EEZ off Alaska are 
managed pursuant to the FMP prepared by the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council (Council) and approved and implemented by the 
Secretary under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act. The original title of the salmon FMP was the 
``Fishery Management Plan for the High Seas Salmon Fishery off the 
Coast of Alaska East of 175 Degrees East Longitude.''
    Over time, the international regime affecting salmon fisheries 
changed and the Council revisited its salmon management policies. In 
1989, the Council adopted an amendment to the FMP (Amendment 3) which, 
among other things, changed the title of the FMP to, ``Fishery 
Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off the Coast of 
Alaska.'' The Secretary approved Amendment 3 to the FMP in 1990, and 
published implementing rules on November 15, 1990 (55 FR 47773).
    NMFS has discovered that regulations implementing Amendment 3 did 
not include the new title of the FMP. This change should have been 
included in

[[Page 44094]]

the 1990 regulatory changes implementing Amendment 3 but was not due to 
oversight. No public comment was received on these or any of the other 
changes made by Amendment 3. Subsequent consolidation of all Federal 
fishery regulations off Alaska pursuant to President Clinton's 
Regulatory Reform Initiative did not correct the error (62 FR 19686, 
April 23, 1997).
    This action corrects this error by changing the title of the FMP as 
it appears in regulations codified at 50 CFR part 679 to be consistent 
with the FMP as amended and approved by the Secretary. This action will 
not have any substantive regulatory effect.

Classification

    This action changes the title of the salmon FMP, a non-
discretionary technical change with no substantive effects. Therefore, 
the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause to 
waive the requirement to provide prior notice and opportunity for 
public comment under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), as such procedure would be 
unnecessary. Because prior notice and opportunity for comment is not 
required for this action by 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the 
analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 
et seq.are not applicable.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 679

    Alaska, Fisheries, Recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

    Dated: June 25, 2002.
William T. Hogarth
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 679 is amended 
as follows:

PART 679--FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA

    1. The authority citation for part 679 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.; 
Title II Division C, Pub. L. 105-277; Sec. 3027, Pub. L. 106-31; 113 
Stat. 57; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); and Sec. 209, Pub. L. 106-554. et seq.

    2. In Sec. 679.1, the heading of paragraph (i) is revised to read 
as follows:


Sec.  679.1  Purpose and scope.

* * * * *
    (i) Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off 
the Coast of Alaska (Salmon FMP).* * *
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 02-16382 Filed 6-28-02; 8:45 am]
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