[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 66103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-27566]



[[Page 66103]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 102302B]
RIN 0648-AN12


Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer 
Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Summer Flounder, Scup, 
and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of a fishery managementplan amendment; 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 13 to the Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Secretarial 
review and is requesting comments from the public. Amendment 13 is 
intended to revise the quota management program for the black sea bass 
commercial fishery in order to manage the fishery more effectively and 
to consider management measures to minimize the effects of fishing on 
essential fish habitat (EFH).

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 30, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the FMP should be sent to Patricia A. Kurkul, 
Regional Administrator, NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, One Blackburn 
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope, 
``Comments on Amendment 13 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea 
Bass FMP.''
    Copies of the FMP, Amendment 13, the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS), Regulatory Impact Review (RIR), and the Initial 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) are available from Daniel 
Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 
Federal Building, Room 2115, 200 S. New Street, Dover, DE 19904-6790.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Christopher, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, 978-281-9288, fax 978-281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of Amendment 13 is to rectify 
problems associated with the black sea bass commercial fishery and to 
consider management measures to minimize the adverse effects of fishing 
on EFH. Amendment 13 to the FMP proposes to implement a coastwide 
annual quota program for the black sea bass commercial fishery to 
replace the current quarterly quota program. The coastwide annual quota 
program is proposed because it would best complement state-by-state 
quota allocations adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commission for black sea bass. Amendment 13 proposes to eliminate the 
requirement that vessels with both a Northeast Region Black Sea Bass 
permit and a Southeast Region Snapper/Grouper permit must relinquish 
their Northeast Region Black Sea Bass permit for 6 months after a 
fishery closure if they want to continue to fish for black sea bass 
south of Cape Hatteras under their Southeast Region Snapper/Grouper 
permit. The Council considered alternatives for minimizing adverse 
impacts of fishing on EFH, and has determined that current measures are 
adequate.
    A proposed rule that would implement the FMP may be published in 
the Federal Register for public comment, following NMFS' evaluation of 
the proposed rule under the procedures of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act. Public comments on the proposed rule 
must be received by the end of the comment period on the FMP to be 
considered in the approval/disapproval decision on the FMP. All 
comments received by December 30, 2002, whether specifically directed 
to the FMP or the proposed rule, will be considered in the approval/
disapproval decision on the FMP. Comments received after that date will 
not be considered in the decision to approve or disapprove the FMP.

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

    Dated: October 24, 2002.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-27566 Filed 10-29-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S