[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 115 (Thursday, June 16, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 35053-35054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-11917]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[I.D. 060805B]
RIN 0648-AP51


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Comprehensive Amendment to the Fishery Management Plans of the U.S. 
Caribbean

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

ACTION: Notification of availability of FMP amendment.

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SUMMARY: The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) has 
submitted a comprehensive amendment to its Spiny Lobster, Queen Conch, 
Reef Fish, and Coral Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for review, 
approval, and implementation by NMFS. The amendment proposes to: 
establish management strategies to end overfishing and rebuild 
overfished stocks; require standardized collection of bycatch data; 
minimize bycatch and bycatch mortality to the extent practicable; 
designate essential fish habitat (EFH) and EFH habitat areas of 
particular concern (EFH-HAPCs) for managed stocks; and minimize, to the 
extent practicable, adverse effects on such habitat caused by fishing. 
The Council is proposing these actions to support the objectives of the 
Council's Spiny Lobster, Queen Conch, Reef Fish, and Coral FMPs. The 
intended effect of these proposed actions is to achieve optimum yield 
in the fisheries and provide social and economic benefits associated 
with maintaining healthy fishery stocks.

DATES: Written comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., eastern 
time, on August 15, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject 
line the following document identifier: 0648-AP51-NOA.
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Steve Branstetter, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 
263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
     Fax: 727-824-5308, Attention: Steve Branstetter.
    Copies of the comprehensive amendment, which includes a Final 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, a Regulatory Impact 
Review, and an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis are available 
from the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 268 Munoz Rivera Avenue, 
Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918-2577; telephone: 787-766-5926; 
fax: 787-766-6239; e-mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Steve Branstetter, phone: 727-824-
5305; fax: 727-824-5308; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires each Regional 
Fishery Management Council to submit any FMP or amendment to NMFS for 
review and approval, disapproval, or partial approval. The Magnuson-
Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon receiving a plan or 
amendment, publish an announcement in the Federal Register notifying 
the public that the plan or amendment is available for review and 
comment.
    The amendment evaluates the benefits and impacts of a number of 
alternatives to address the following general categories of actions: 
(1) Defining fishery management units (FMUs) and sub-units; (2) 
specifying biological reference points and stock status determination 
criteria; (3) regulating fishing mortality; (4) rebuilding overfished 
fisheries; (5) achieving the Magnuson-Stevens Act bycatch mandates; and 
(6) achieving the Magnuson-Stevens Act EFH mandates.

Fishery Management Units

    The amendment proposes to re-define the FMUs and sub-units in the 
Queen Conch, Reef Fish, and Coral FMPs. The amendment proposes to 
redefine select FMUs to represent those species present in sufficient 
numbers in the U.S. EEZ to warrant inclusion in Council FMPs, retain 
select species in FMUs for data collection only, and define or modify 
FMU sub-units to include species that are best managed together or as a 
unit.

Biological Reference Points and Stock Status Criteria

    For all managed species (or FMU sub-units), with the exception of 
those species that would be included in a data collection only 
category, the amendment proposes to establish or revise values such as 
maximum sustainable yield (MSY), optimum yield, fishing mortality rate 
and biomass level ratios, minimum stock size threshold, maximum fishing 
mortality threshold, and define limit and target control rules.

Rebuilding Strategies

    The amendment describes management strategies to rebuild those 
stocks considered to be overfished, or to protect stocks from becoming 
overfished. The rebuilding schedules are designed to rebuild these 
stocks to their biomass at MSY (BMSY) within specified time 
frames. To achieve these goals, the Council is proposing actions to 
achieve immediate reductions in fishing mortality including closed 
seasons and areas, gear restrictions, and administrative actions to 
foster the development of consistent regulations in state and Federal 
waters.

Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology

    The amendment proposes several actions to improve U.S. Caribbean 
bycatch data collection for fisheries of the region including modifying 
trip tickets used by the local governments to incorporate bycatch data 
fields. In addition, management measures are proposed to further reduce 
bycatch.

Essential Fish Habitat

    The amendment describes, identifies, and designates EFH and EFH-
HAPCs for managed stocks, and proposes management actions to minimize 
to the extent practicable adverse effects on such habitat caused by 
fishing.
    A proposed rule that would implement measures outlined in the 
amendment has been received from the Council. In accordance with the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is evaluating the proposed rule to determine 
whether it is consistent with the FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and 
other applicable law. If that determination is affirmative, NMFS will 
publish the proposed rule in the Federal Register for public review and 
comment.
    Comments received by August 15, 2005, whether specifically directed 
to the comprehensive amendment or the

[[Page 35054]]

subsequent proposed rule, will be considered by NMFS in its decision to 
approve, disapprove, or partially approve the amendment. Comments 
received after that date will not be considered by NMFS in this 
decision. All comments received by NMFS on the amendment or the 
proposed rule during their respective comment periods will be addressed 
in the final rule.

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

    Dated: June 9, 2005.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-11917 Filed 6-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S