[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 18, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 7776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3846]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 102102A]


National Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of draft plan.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the availability of a draft National Plan of 
Action (NPOA) developed pursuant to the International Plan of Action 
(IPOA) for the Management of Fishing Capacity by the United Nations' 
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Committee on Fisheries (COFI) 
Ministerial Meeting in February 1999. Members of the public are 
encouraged to provide comments on the draft NPOA.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than March 17, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests for copies of the draft NPOA 
should be submitted to Matteo Milazzo, Regulatory Services Division, 
Office of Sustainable Fisheries, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910, or may be sent via facsimile (fax) to 301-713-0596. 
Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or Internet.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matteo Milazzo at 301-713-2337, fax 
301-713-0596.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    The draft U.S. NPOA for the Management of Fishing Capacity is 
available electronically at the following address: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/sfweb/index.htm.

Background

    The United States played a significant role during the 1990s in 
global programs to accurately identify and assess the problem of 
overcapacity in marine fisheries, and was a key player in the FAO 
technical and policy-level consultations of 1997-1999 that led to the 
International Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity. 
The IPOA calls on member nations to voluntarily develop, adopt and make 
public national plans of action for the management of fishing capacity, 
and if required, reduce fishing capacity in order to balance fishing 
capacity with available resources on a sustainable basis. The plans are 
to be based on an assessment of fish stocks and should give due 
consideration to the socio-economic aspects of reducing fishing 
capacity.
    The United States has been committed to developing this national 
plan, and reporting on its implementation to FAO/COFI. NMFS seeks 
public comments on the Capacity NPOA and the public's input will be 
used to develop the final NPOA.

    Dated: February 11, 2003.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-3846 Filed 2-14-03; 8:45 am]
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