[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 241 (Thursday, December 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75307-75308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-27562]



[[Page 75307]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 120904B]


Pacific Fishery Management Council; Notice of Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of Vessel Monitoring System public meetings.

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SUMMARY: On November 4, 2003, a final rule implementing a pilot vessel 
monitoring system (VMS) Program for the Pacific Coast groundfish 
fishery was published in the Federal Register (68 FR 62374). The VMS 
requirements became effective January 1, 2004, for vessels registered 
to limited entry groundfish permits. The Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) is considering expansion of the VMS program into the 
open access groundfish fisheries. VMS requirements are being considered 
for both directed open access groundfish vessels and vessels in other 
target fisheries that incidentally take and retain groundfish in 
Federal waters (seaward of 3 nm). VMS coverage for vessels that fish 
only in state waters is not being considered at this time.

DATES: For specific dates and times of the public meetings, see 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Becky Renko 206-526-6110, 
[email protected], or Dayna Mathews 360-753-4409 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Dates, Times and Locations of Meetings

    January 10, 2005, 7 p.m., Salmon Troller's Hall, 19292 South Harbor 
Drive, Fort Bragg, CA.
    January 11, 2005, 7 p.m., Community Center Auditorium, 1001 Kennedy 
Way, Morro Bay. Morro Bay, CA.
    January 12, 2005, 7 p.m. California Department of Fish and Game, 
Los Alamitos Field Office and Laboratory, 4665 Lampson Ave., Suite C, 
Los Alamitos, CA.
    January 25, 2005 6 p.m., Ocasta High School, 2580 Montesano Street 
South, Westport, WA.
    January 31, 2005, 6 p.m., Hatfield Marine Science Center, Room 32, 
2040 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR.
    February 1, 2005, 6 p.m., Oregon State University, Seafood 
Laboratory, 2021 Marine Drive, Astoria, OR, and
    February 7, 2005, 6 p.m., Gable Chambers at City Hall, 555 W. 20th 
St. Port Orford, OR.
    In 2003, the Council began using depth-based management for 
commercial and recreational groundfish fishing in order to avoid 
harvest of overfished groundfish species. Depth-based management allows 
or disallows fishing in certain depth zones. Depth-based management can 
be difficult to enforce with limited state and Federal enforcement 
resources. To improve the enforceability of depth-based management 
areas, the NMFS implemented a vessel monitoring program on January 1, 
2004.
    Vessels registered to limited entry permits are currently required 
to carry and use a VMS transceiver unit and to provide declaration 
reports before fishing with allowed gear in areas with depth-based 
fishing regulations. At this time, open access exempted trawl and 
tribal trawl vessels are also required to provide declaration reports 
before fishing with allowed gear in areas with depth-based fishing 
regulations. While VMS creates additional costs and responsibilities 
for both managers and fishermen, it allows more fishing than would 
otherwise be possible using traditional enforcement tools. VMS uses 
electronic transmitters, placed on fishing vessels, to transmit 
information about a vessel's position to a communications provider via 
satellite, where it is relayed to NMFS enforcement. This allows someone 
on land, monitoring such transmissions, to determine if a vessel is in 
a closed area.
    Issues related to the implementation of VMS include the variety of 
VMS equipment and associated costs, the vessels's physical ability to 
carry VMS, VMS operating requirements, vessel coverage (the portion of 
the fleet that is required to carry and use VMS), and coordination with 
traditional enforcement techniques. Because most of these issues were 
addressed during the initial implementation of VMS, they are not being 
addressed at this time. The only issue currently being considered is 
the level of coverage necessary for the open access fisheries.

VMS Implementation Timeline

    Between September and December 2002, the Council's Enforcement 
Consultants group recommended VMS equipment requirements, identified 
approximate fleet sizes for fishing sectors likely to be considered for 
VMS units, and estimated the cost associated with purchase, 
installation, and operation of VMS. In November 2002, the Council made 
recommendations to NMFS regarding vessel coverage, costs, and gear 
regulations.
    In 2003, NMFS prepared a proposed rule for a pilot VMS program for 
the limited entry fleet. The proposed rule was published in the Federal 
Register on May 22, 2003 (68 FR 27972). On November 4, 2003, the final 
rule implementing the pilot VMS program in 2004 was published in the 
Federal Register (68 FR 62374). A list of approved VMS units was 
published in the Federal Register on November 17, 2003 (68 FR 64860). 
At its November 2003 meeting the Council considered expansion of the 
VMS program into other sectors of the groundfish fishery. However, the 
Council delayed a decision about program expansion until the pilot 
program was fully implemented in 2004.
    At the June 2004 Council meeting, NMFS reported on the successful 
implementation of the VMS program in the limited entry fisheries and 
the associated telephone declaration system. Nearly 300 VMS units have 
been activated, generating more than 1.6 million position reports in 
conjunction with over 800 declaration reports. At its September 2004 
meeting, the Council reviewed a range of alternatives for program 
expansion. Incorporating comments from the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel 
and the public, the Council adopted a range of alternatives for 
expanding the VMS program into the open access groundfish fisheries. 
The alternatives being considered focus on directed open access 
groundfish vessel, but also include vessels in other target fisheries 
that incidentally take and retain groundfish in Federal waters (seaward 
of 3 nm). Vessels that only fish in state waters are not being 
considered for this program.
    To allow time for public review of the alternatives, the Council 
has delayed action on expanding the VMS program until the April 2005 
Council meeting, and has recommended an October 1, 2005 implementation 
date. The purpose of these public meetings is for NMFS to provide the 
interested public with information regarding the expansion of VMS into 
the open access fisheries in Federal waters.

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are accessible to people with physical disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be directed to Becky Renko (206) 526-6110 (voice) or (206) 526-
6736 (fax), at least 5 working days prior to the scheduled meeting 
date.


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    Dated: December 10, 2004.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-27562 Filed 12-15-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S