[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 231 (Tuesday, December 2, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 67390-67391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29940]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 111903A]
RIN 0648-AR73


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Skates 
Management in the Groundfish Fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has 
submitted Amendment 63 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of 
the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). If approved, Amendment 63 would move skates 
from the ``other species'' list to the ``target species'' list in the 
FMP. By listing skates as a target species, a directed fishery for 
skates in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) may be managed to reduce the 
potential for overfishing skates. This action is intended to promote 
the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the FMP, and other 
applicable laws. Comments from the public are welcome.

DATES: Comments on Amendment 63 must be submitted by February 2, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the FMP amendment should be sent to Sue 
Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries 
Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802, Attn: 
Lori Durall, or delivered to room 420 of the Federal Building, 709 West 
9th Street, Juneau, AK. Comments also may be sent via facsimile (fax) 
to 907-586-7557. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail 
or Internet. Copies of Amendment 63 and the Environmental Assessment/
Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (EA/
RIR/IRFA) for the amendment may be obtained from the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Brown, 907-586-7228 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that each 
Regional Fishery Management Council submit any FMP amendment it 
prepares to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial 
approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon 
receiving an FMP amendment, immediately publish a notice in the Federal 
Register that the amendment is available for public review and comment.
    The Council unanimously adopted Amendment 63 in October 2003. If 
approved by NMFS, this amendment would move skates from the ``other 
species'' list to the ``target species'' list, allowing the management 
of skates as a target species. NMFS trawl survey and catch information 
show that of the 14 skate species occurring in the Gulf of Alaska, the 
majority of the catch is made up of big and longnose skate species. The 
big skates and longnose skates would be listed under the skates 
category in the target species list to allow for management of these 
individual species.
    Skates currently are managed as part of the other species complex 
with sharks, sculpins, octopus, and squid. The total allowable catch 
limit (TAC) for this complex is five percent of the aggregate of all 
TACs for target groundfish species or species groups of the GOA. Target 
species TACs are established for an individual species or species 
group, and NMFS manages the directed fishery for these species to avoid 
exceeding the specified TACs.

[[Page 67391]]

 TACs usually are set at or below the acceptable biological catch (ABC) 
limits, which are below the overfishing levels (OFLs) for each target 
species or species group. The other species complex does not have an 
OFL or ABC limit due to the lack of stock assessment information for 
most of the species in the complex.
    In 2003, a directed fishery for skates rapidly developed in the 
GOA. The 2003 skates harvest was 3,042 metric tons (mt) compared to 782 
mt of skates harvested in 2002. Because skates are managed within the 
other species complex, the full TAC for the other species complex is 
available for a directed fishery for skates.
    To reduce the potential for overfishing, the Council recommended 
that skates be managed as a target species. As a target species, OFL, 
ABC, and TAC amounts for skates would be established by annual harvest 
specifications, allowing for more effective management of skates based 
on the best available scientific information. The development of OFL, 
ABC, and TAC amounts for the 2004 harvest specifications for skates 
would be based on scientific survey and harvest information from 2003 
and prior years. Managing a directed fishery for skates so that OFL, 
ABC, and TAC amounts are not exceeded would reduce the potential for 
overfishing and would meet the conservation objectives of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act.
    Public comments are being solicited on proposed Amendment 63 
through the end of the comment period stated (see DATES). A proposed 
rule that would implement the amendment may be published in the Federal 
Register for public comment at a later date. Public comments on the 
proposed rule must be received by the end of the comment period on the 
amendment in order to be considered in the approval/disapproval 
decision on the amendment. All comments received by the end of the 
comment period on the amendment, whether specifically directed to the 
amendment or to the proposed rule, will be considered in the approval/
disapproval decision. Comments received after that date will not be 
considered in the approval/disapproval decision on the amendment. To be 
considered, comments must be received not just postmarked or otherwise 
transmitted by close of business on the last day of the comment period.

    Dated: November 25, 2003.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 03-29940 Filed 12-1-03; 8:45 am]
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