[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 48 (Monday, March 13, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 12665-12669]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-2387]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 060301058-6058-01; I.D. 022306A]
RIN 0648-AU13


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery; Total Allowable Catches for the Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery for Fishing Year 2006

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS proposes three types of 2006 fishing year (FY) Total 
Allowable Catches (TACs) for the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP). Hard TACs for Eastern Georges Bank (GB) cod, 
Eastern GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder in the U.S./Canada 
Management Area; target TACs for all NE regulated multispecies; and 
hard Incidental Catch TACs for groundfish stocks of concern. This 
action also provides notice that the hard TACs for Eastern GB cod, 
Eastern GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder may be adjusted during 
FY 2006, if NMFS determines that the harvest of these stocks in FY 2005 
exceeded the TACs specified for FY 2005. The intent of this action is 
to provide for the conservation and management of groundfish management 
under the FMP.

DATES: Comments must be received by April 12, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject line the 
following: Comments on the proposed TACs for the U.S./Canada Management 
Area.
     Federal e-rulemaking Portal: http:/www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Paper, disk, or CD ROM comments should be sent to 
Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of 
the envelope, ``Comments on the proposed TACs for the U.S./Canada 
Management Area.''
     Fax: (978) 281-9135.
    Copies of the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee's 2005 
Guidance Document and copies of the Environmental Assessment of the 
2006 TACs (including the Regulatory Impact Review and Initial 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA)) may be obtained from NMFS at 
the mailing address specified above; telephone (978) 281-9315. NMFS 
prepared a summary of the IRFA, which is contained in the 
Classification section of this proposed rule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Warren, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
(978) 281-9347, fax (978) 281-9135, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NE Multispecies FMP specifies a 
procedure for setting three types of TACs: (1) Annual hard (i.e., the 
fishery or area closes when a TAC is reached) TACs for Eastern GB cod, 
Eastern GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder; (2) target TACs for all 
regulated groundfish stocks; and (3) hard Incidental Catch TACs for 
groundfish stocks of concern.

Hard TACs

    The regulations governing the annual development of hard TACs for 
the U.S./Canada Management Area species (Sec.  648.85(a)(2)) were 
implemented by Amendment 13 to the FMP (69 FR 22906; April 27, 2004) in 
order to be consistent with the U.S./Canada Resource Sharing 
Understanding (Understanding), which is an informal understanding 
between the U.S. and Canada that outlines a process for the management 
of the shared GB groundfish resources. The Understanding specifies an 
allocation of TAC for these three stocks for each country, based on a 
formula that considers historical catch percentages and current 
resource distribution.
    Annual TACs are determined through a process involving the New 
England Fishery Management Council (Council), the Transboundary 
Management Guidance Committee (TMGC), and the U.S./Canada Transboundary 
Resources Steering Committee (Sec.  648.85(a)(2)(i)). On September 7 
and 8, 2005, the TMGC developed the guidance document for 2006 
(Guidance Document 2005/01), and on September 9, 2005, the Steering 
Committee concurred with the TMGC recommendations. On September 15, 
2005, the Council accepted the recommendations of the TMGC for the 2006 
TACs for GB cod, GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder. The 
recommended 2006 TACs were based upon the most recent stock assessments 
(Transboundary Resource Assessment Committee (TRAC) Status Reports for 
2005), and the fishing mortality strategy shared by both the U.S. and 
Canada. The strategy is to maintain a low to neutral risk of exceeding 
the fishing mortality limit reference (Fref = 0.18, 0.26, 
and 0.25 for cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder, respectively). That 
is, when stock conditions are poor, fishing mortality rates (F) should 
be further reduced to promote rebuilding.
    For GB cod, the TMGC concluded that the most appropriate combined 
U.S./Canada TAC for FY 2006 is 1,700 mt. This corresponds to an F less 
than the Fref of 0.18 in 2006 and represents a very low 
risk, less than 25-percent probability, of exceeding the 
Fref. At this level of harvest there is also a greater than 
75-percent probability that stock biomass will increase by at least 10 
percent from 2006 to 2007. The annual allocation shares for FY 2006 
between the U.S. and Canada are based on a combination of historical 
catches (30 percent weighting) and resource distribution based on trawl 
surveys (70 percent weighting). Combining these factors entitles the 
U.S. to 22 percent and Canada to 78 percent, resulting in a national 
quota of 374 mt for the U.S. and 1,326 mt for Canada.

[[Page 12666]]

    For GB haddock, the TMGC concluded that the most appropriate 
combined U.S./Canada TAC for FY 2006 is 22,000 mt. This corresponds to 
an F of 0.26 in 2006 and represents a neutral risk, about 50-percent, 
of exceeding the Fref. Adult biomass will increase 
substantially from 2006 to 2007 due to recruitment of the exceptional 
2003 year class. The annual allocation shares for 2006 between 
countries are based on a combination of historical catches (30 percent 
weighting) and resource distribution based on trawl surveys (70 percent 
weighting). Combining these factors entitles the U.S. to 34 percent and 
Canada to 66 percent, resulting in a national quota of 7,480 mt for the 
U.S. and 14,520 mt for Canada.
    For GB yellowtail flounder, the TMGC concluded that the most 
appropriate combined U.S./Canada TAC for FY 2005 is 3,000 mt. A catch 
of about 3,000 mt in 2006 corresponds to an F equal to the Fref 
of 0.25 and represents a neutral risk, about 50 percent of exceeding 
the Fref of 0.25. Two assessment approaches were used to 
evaluate stock status. Both indicated that biomass increased since the 
mid 1990s and recent recruitment has improved, but fishing mortality 
remained substantially above Fref. The annual allocation 
shares for 2006 between countries are based on a combination of 
historical catches (30 percent weighting) and resource distribution 
based on trawl surveys (70 percent weighting). Combining these factors 
entitles the U.S. to 69 percent and Canada to 31 percent, resulting in 
a national quota of 2,070 mt for the U.S. and 930 mt for Canada.
    The Council approved the following U.S. TACs recommended by the 
TMGC: 374 mt of GB cod, 7,480 mt of GB haddock, and 2,070 mt of GB 
yellowtail flounder. The 2006 haddock and yellowtail flounder TACs 
represent decreases from 2005 TAC levels (by 1 percent and 51 percent, 
respectively), and the 2006 cod TAC represents a 44 percent increase 
from the 2005 TAC (Tables 1 and 2).

               Table 1: Proposed 2006 U.S./Canada TACs (mt) and percentage shares (in parentheses)
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                                                           GB Cod         GB Haddock      GB Yellowtail flounder
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                  Total Shared TAC                              1,700            22,000                    3,000
                  U.S. TAC                                   374 (22)        7,480 (34)               2,070 (69)
                  Canada TAC                               1,326 (78)       14,520 (66)                 930 (31)
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                   Table 2: 2005 U.S./Canada TACs (mt) and percentage shares (in parentheses)
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                                                           GB Cod         GB Haddock      GB Yellowtail flounder
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                  Total Shared TAC                              1,000            23,000                    6,000
                  U.S. TAC                                   260 (26)        7,590 (33)               4,260 (71)
                  Canada TAC                                 740 (74)       15,410 (67)               1,740 (29)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The proposed TACs are consistent with the results of the TRAC and 
the TMGC's harvest strategy.
    The regulations implemented by Amendment 13, at Sec.  
648.85(a)(2)(ii), state the following: ``Any overages of the [U.S./
Canada] GB cod, haddock, or yellowtail flounder TACs that occur in a 
given fishing year will be subtracted from the respective TAC in the 
following fishing year.'' Therefore, should an analysis of the catch of 
the shared stocks by U.S. vessels indicate that an overage occurred 
during FY 2005, the pertinent TACs will be adjusted downward in order 
to be consistent with the FMP and the Understanding. Although it is 
very unlikely, it is possible that a very large overage could result in 
an adjusted TAC of zero. If an adjustment to one of the 2006 TACs for 
Eastern GB cod, Eastern GB haddock, or GB yellowtail flounder is 
necessary, the public will be notified through proposed rulemaking and 
through a letter to permit holders.

Target TACs

    Target TACs for regulated groundfish species are proposed pursuant 
to the regulations at Sec.  648.90(a)(2), which require the Council to 
develop target TACs as part of the process that periodically adjusts 
management measures as necessary, and develops new target TACs based 
upon the most recent scientific information. Although target TACs for 
2006 were specified by Amendment 13, it is necessary to revise the 
values of the 2006 TACs, based upon more recent scientific information 
(Assessment of 19 Northeast Groundfish Stocks through 2004; Northeast 
Fisheries Science Center Reference Document 05-13 (GARM II, completed 
in August 2005)). The Council recently adopted a management action that 
would make necessary management measure adjustments (Framework 
Adjustment (FW) 42) to the FMP, including proposed target TACs for 
regulated species for 2006, 2007, and 2008 (with the exception of U.S./
CA TACs). However, because the Council could not develop FW 42 in time 
to implement the management measures by May 1, 2006, the proposed 
target TACs for the 2006 fishing year, if approved, would not be 
implemented in time for the start of the fishing year. Although many of 
the target TACs are used only as an informal means of evaluating the 
effectiveness of the management measures of the FMP, a delay in the 
specification of target TACs would impact two aspects of the FMP in a 
substantive manner. The annual allocation of GB cod to the GB Cod Hook 
Sector (provided the Sector is approved for the 2006 fishing year) is 
calculated as a percentage of the GB cod target TAC. If specification 
of the GB cod target TAC were delayed past May 1, it would not be 
possible to specify a GB cod allocation for the Sector in a timely 
manner. Reliance upon the current 2005 fishing year GB cod target TAC 
to calculate the Sector's allocation would not be utilizing the best 
available information. The GB cod Hook Sector is dependent upon the 
timely and accurate specification of the GB cod target TAC in order for 
the Sector to operate and generate revenue. In addition, a delay in the 
specification of target TACs would impact the specification of hard 
Incidental Catch TACs because Incidental Catch TACs are calculated as a 
percentage of the target TAC for 10 groundfish stocks of concern (A 
``hard'' TAC means that when the TAC is reached, the fishery is closed 
or severely restricted).
    Although the FMP does not address the circumstance where no TACs 
are specified, there would be no basis for the Sector and the special 
management programs that include Incidental Catch

[[Page 12667]]

TACs to function consistent with the intent of the FMP and best 
scientific information available. As a result, the Sector program, if 
it could be authorized at all, would be allowed to fish at levels 
inconsistent with best scientific information available. More 
significantly, if incidental TACs cannot be established according to 
best scientific information available, special management programs that 
are dependent on these incidental TACs would operate, if they could be 
authorized at all, without adequate restrictions on the catch of stocks 
of concern. Several of the TACs would be smaller than appropriate, 
resulting in excessive harvest of stocks of concern under special 
management programs. The only way to avoid this management void is to 
implement a secretarial emergency measure as permitted under Section 
305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. 
As discussed above, this need for this emergency measure meets the 
requirements of the Federal Register notice specifying emergency 
criteria (62 FR 44421; August 21, 1997). This Emergency action arises 
from ``unforeseen events or recently discovered circumstances'' that 
would present ``serious conservation or management problems'' if the 
emergency action is not implemented. Specifically, as more fully 
discussed above, this emergency action is justified on ecological 
grounds in that fishing under TACs inconsistent with the best 
scientific information available would result in harvests that would 
likely jeopardize meeting conservation objectives of the FMP.
    The proposed target TACs were developed by the Council's Groundfish 
Plan Development Team (PDT) and are consistent with those proposed in 
the FW 42 document. The target TACs (see Table 3) are calculated from 
projections of future catches, using recent assessment data, and the 
Amendment 13 target fishing mortality rates.

                                   Table 3: Proposed Target TACs (mt) for 2006
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                                                                               2006 Proposed
                        Species                                Stock            Target TACs      TAC Composition
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                  Cod                                                  GB                7,458              E *
                                                                      GOM                4,987              C *
                  Haddock                                              GB               49,829                E
                                                                      GOM                1,279                A
                  Yellowtail flounder                                  GB                2,070              D *
                                                                   SNE/MA                  146              B *
                                                                   CC/GOM                  650              B *
                  American plaice                        .................               3,666               B*
                  Witch flounder                         .................               5,511              A *
                  Winter flounder                                      GB                1,424               A*
                                                                      GOM                   **                C
                                                                   SNE/MA                2,481               C*
                  Redfish                                .................               1,946                A
                  White hake                             .................               2,056               A*
                  Pollock                                .................              12,005                A
                  Windowpane flounder                               North                  389                A
                                                                    South                  173                A
                  Ocean pout                             .................                  38                A
                  Atlantic halibut                       .................                  NA               NA
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A Commercial Landings
B Commercial Landings and Discards
C Commercial Landings, Discards, and Recreational Harvest
D Commercial Landings and Discards (U.S. portion of U.S./Canada TAC)
E Commercial Landings (U.S. and Canada)
\*\Stock of Concern for Which an Incidental Catch TAC as a Subset of the Target TAC is also proposed (Table 4).
\**\ GARM II did not develop a TAC for GOM winter flounder because of uncertainties in the assessment.
Note: Proposed TACs for GB cod and GB haddock include Canadian landings.

Incidental Catch TACs

    Incidental Catch TACs are proposed pursuant to the regulations at 
Sec.  648.85(b)(5). The regulations require that Incidental Catch TACs 
be developed as part of the process that periodically adjusts 
management measures based upon the most recent scientific information. 
FW 40-A (69 FR 67780; November 19, 2004) implemented Incidental Catch 
TACs in order to strictly limit the potential for the use of Category B 
DAS to cause excessive fishing mortality on groundfish stocks of 
concern. For the NE multispecies fishery, a stock of concern is defined 
as ``a stock that is in an overfished condition, or that is subject to 
overfishing.'' FW 40-A implemented Incidental Catch TACs for the 
following 8 stocks, based upon the stock status data that was used in 
the development of Amendment 13: Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod, GB cod, Cape 
Cod (CC)/GOM yellowtail flounder, American plaice, white hake, Southern 
New England (SNE)/Mid-Atlantic (MA) yellowtail flounder, SNE/MA winter 
flounder, and witch flounder. FW 40-A also implemented percentage 
allocations of the Incidental Catch TACs among special programs (for 
the Regular B DAS Pilot Program; Closed Area I Hook Gear Haddock 
Special Access Program (SAP); and the Eastern U.S./Canada Haddock SAP 
Pilot Program) and specified values for those Incidental Catch TACs for 
portions of the 2004 fishing year. FW 40-B (70 FR 31323; June 1, 2005) 
and FW 41 (70 FR 54302; September 14, 2005), further modified the 
percentage allocation of the Incidental Catch TACs among Category B DAS 
programs.
    In addition to the proposed 2006 target TACs adopted in FW 42, the 
Council also adopted 2006 Incidental Catch TACs under this same action. 
However, as with the target TACs for all regulated species, because the 
Council could not develop FW 42 in time to implement the management 
measures by May 1, 2006, the proposed Incidental Catch TACs for the 
2006 fishing year, if approved, would not be implemented in time for 
the start of the fishing year.

[[Page 12668]]

 Implementation of Incidental Catch TACs in a timely manner is 
necessary to enable Category B DAS programs to operate based upon the 
best available science. NMFS proposes specifying the Incidental Catch 
TACs, as proposed in FW 42, under Secretarial emergency authority, 
consistent with the Emergency Criteria and Justification defined in 62 
FR 44421 (August 21, 1997) due to recent, unforseen events, and the 
need to allow the Category B DAS programs to operate in a timely 
fashion according to best scientific information available.
    In addition to specifying Incidental Catch TACs for the 8 stocks 
noted above (as implemented by FW 40-A), this action also proposes 
implementing additional Incidental Catch TACs for GB yellowtail 
flounder and GB winter flounder, based on new information from the GARM 
II report that overfishing is occurring on these stocks, and consistent 
with the Council's recommendations in FW 42. All 10 Incidental Catch 
TACs were developed by the PDT and are consistent with those proposed 
in the FW 42 document. These Incidental Catch TACs are derived from the 
target TACs, and are based upon percentages proposed by the Council in 
FW 42.

                              Table 4: Proposed Incidental Catch TACs (mt) for 2006
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                                                                        Percentage of     2006 Incidental Catch
                               Stock                                  Total Target TAC             TAC
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                  GB Cod                                                            Two                    122.6
                  GOM cod                                                           One                     49.9
                  GB yellowtail flounder                                            Two                     41.4
                  CC/GOM yellowtail flounder                                        One                      6.5
                  SNE/MA yellowtail flounder                                        One                      1.5
                  American plaice                                                  Five                    183.3
                  Witch flounder                                                   Five                    275.6
                  SNE/MA winter flounder                                            One                     24.8
                  GB winter flounder                                                Two                     28.5
                  White hake                                                        Two                     41.1
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Classification

    This proposed rule is exempt from review under Executive Order 
12866.
    NMFS prepared an IRFA that describes the economic impact that this 
proposed rule, if adopted, would have on small entities.
    The specification of hard TACs for the U.S./Canada shared stocks of 
Eastern GB cod, Eastern GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder is 
necessary in order to ensure that the agreed upon U.S./Canada fishing 
mortality levels for these shared stocks are achieved in the U.S./
Canada Management Area (the geographic area on GB defined to facilitate 
management of stocks of cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder that are 
shared with Canada). A description of the objectives and legal basis 
for these proposed hard TACs is contained in the SUMMARY of this 
proposed rule.
    Under the Small Business Administration (SBA) size standards for 
small fishing entities ($3.5 million), all permitted and participating 
vessels in the groundfish fishery are considered to be small entities. 
Gross sales by any one entity (vessel) do not exceed this threshold. 
Therefore, this proposed rule does not have a disproportionate impact 
between large and small entities. The maximum number of small entities 
that could be affected by the proposed TACs are approximately 1,000 
vessels, i.e., those with limited access NE multispecies DAS permits, 
that have an allocation of Category A or B DAS. Realistically, however, 
the number of vessels that choose to fish in the U.S./Canada Management 
Area, and that therefore would be subject to the associated 
restrictions, including hard TACs, would be substantially less.
    For the 2004 fishing year (May 2004 through April 2005), 155 
individual vessels fished in the U.S./Canada Management Area. From May 
2005 through February 9, 2006, 156 vessels fished in the U.S./Canada 
Area. Although it is difficult to predict the number that would fish in 
the U.S./Canada Area in 2006, the number of vessels is not likely to 
exceed the number of vessels that fished in the area during the 2004 or 
2005 fishing years. Furthermore, additional fishing effort controls are 
proposed for the 2006 fishing year that are likely to decrease fishing 
effort.
    The economic impacts of the proposed TACs are difficult to predict 
due to several factors that affect the amount of catch, as well as the 
price of the fish. Furthermore, the economic impacts are difficult to 
predict due to the newness of these regulations (May 2004; Amendment 13 
to the FMP). Therefore, there is relatively little historic data, and 
limited information about the specific fishing patterns or market 
impacts that may be caused by this hard TAC management system. In 
general, the rate at which yellowtail flounder is caught in the Eastern 
and Western U.S./Canada Area and the rate at which cod is caught in the 
Eastern U.S./Canada Area will determine the length of time the Eastern 
U.S./Canada Area will remain open. The length of time the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area is open will determine the amount of haddock that is 
caught.
    The amount of GB cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder landed and 
sold will not be equal to the sum of the TACs, but will be reduced as a 
result of discards (discards are counted against the hard TAC), and may 
be further reduced by limitations on access to stocks that may result 
from the associated rules. Fishing derby behavior may result in a 
reduction to the market value of fish. The overall economic impact of 
the proposed 2006 U.S./Canada TACs will likely be different from the 
economic impacts of the 2005 TACs due to the reduced yellowtail 
flounder TAC, and may result in reduced revenue. Although the 2006 cod 
TAC represents an increase from 2005, the 2006 haddock and yellowtail 
TACs represent decreases from 2005. For yellowtail flounder, the 
decrease is substantial. Based on the estimates in the Environmental 
Assessment, revenue from cod and haddock caught in the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area may increase from 2005 to 2006 (up to 43 percent and 74 
percent, respectively), and revenue from yellowtail flounder in the 
U.S./Canada Area may decline by 51 percent. According to the analysis, 
the overall change in revenue from 2005 to 2006 for the 3 species 
combined could amount to a 36 percent decline (or approximately $ 3.8 
million ), although it is difficult to predict future fishing patterns, 
and there are factors which may mitigate the decline in overall 
revenue. For example, there could be an increase in yellowtail flounder 
price, as well as the potential

[[Page 12669]]

for increased opportunity to harvest haddock from the Eastern U.S./
Canada Area. If the larger GB cod TAC results in a longer period of 
time that the Eastern U.S./Canada Area is open, and if vessels attempt 
to, and are successful in avoidance of cod, the Eastern Area may be 
opened for a longer period of time in fishing year 2006 than it was in 
2005, resulting in additional revenue from haddock.
    Although unlikely, a downward adjustment to the hard TACs specified 
for FY 2006 could occur after the start of the fishing year, if it is 
determined that the U.S. catch of one or more of the shared stocks 
during the 2005 fishing year exceeded the relevant TACs specified for 
FY 2005.
    Three alternatives for hard TACs were considered for FY 2006: The 
proposed TACs, the status quo TACs, and the no action alternative. No 
other TAC alternatives were considered. The process for establishing 
TACs is based on the best scientific information available designed to 
yield only one proposed set of TACs. The proposed TACs would have a 
similar economic impact as the status quo TACs. Adoption of the status 
quo TACs, however, would not be consistent with the FMP because the 
status quo TACs do not represent the best available scientific 
information. Although the no action alternative (no TACs) would not 
constrain catch in the U.S./Canada Management Area, and therefore would 
likely provide some additional fishing opportunity, the no action 
alternative is not a reasonable alternative because it is inconsistent 
with the FMP in both the short and long term. The FMP requires 
specification of hard TACs in order to limit catch of shared stocks to 
the appropriate level (i.e., consistent with the Understanding and the 
FMP). As such, the no action alternative would likely provide less 
economic benefits to the industry in the long term than the proposed 
alternative.
    The proposed hard TACs do not modify any collection of information, 
reporting, or recordkeeping requirements. The proposed hard TACs do not 
duplicate, overlap, or conflict with any other Federal rules.
    Three alternatives were considered for the target TACs for FY 2006: 
The proposed TACs, the status quo TACs, and the no action alternative 
(previously specified TACs, based on previous scientific information). 
No other target TAC alternatives were considered for the same reason 
that no other TAC alternatives were considered for the 2006 U.S./Canada 
Management Area TACs described above. The economic impacts of the 
target TACs are minimal. The most substantive impact on potential 
fishing effort would be to allow the possibility of a larger TAC 
allocated to the GB Cod Hook Sector than under the Status Quo 
Alternative. The amount of cod allocated to the GB Cod Hook Sector is 
directly affected by the size of the GB cod target TAC, and therefore 
has the potential for an economic impact on the Sector. Based on the 
amount of GB cod TAC caught by the Sector in 2004 and 2005 (less than 
the TAC), an increase in the amount of cod allocated to the Sector is 
not likely to impact the amount of cod landed by the Sector. Factors 
other than the size of the Sector's cod allocation appear to be 
limiting the amount of catch and revenue. In 2004, the Sector caught 
approximately 20 percent of their allocation. During the 2005 fishing 
year, through December, the Sector caught 25 percent of their 
allocation.
    The economic impacts of the Incidental Catch TACs are more notable 
than the impact of the target TACs because the Incidental Catch TACs 
may cause the closure of a SAP or prohibition on the use of Regular B 
DAS in particular stock areas in the Regular B DAS Program. The harvest 
of Incidental Catch TACs curtail the opportunities to use Category B 
DAS. Six of the ten Incidental Catch TACs will decrease in 2006, 
compared to the 2005, Status Quo TACs. The small size of some of the 
Incidental Catch TACs may have a negative economic impact. Most of the 
Incidental Catch TACs under the Status Quo and No Action Alternatives 
would have less of a negative economic impact because they are larger 
and would be less constraining to the fishery. Based on the proposed 
2006 Incidental Catch TACs and the 2004 catch (Quarter 1) in the 
Regular B DAS Pilot Program, it is likely that five of the quarterly 
Incidental Catch TACs will be reached, causing a closure of the program 
prior to the end of the quarter. During 2005, the catch under the 
Regular B DAS Pilot Program represented substantial percentages of the 
amount of cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder caught in the U.S./
Canada Area. It is difficult to determine whether the changes in 
Incidental Catch TACs will result in reduced revenue or whether vessels 
will be able to compensate for such changes by modifying their fishing 
strategies. It is possible that the proposed 2006 Incidental Catch TACs 
may result in a decline in revenue by reducing fishing opportunity. 
However, it is possible that vessels that participate in the Regular B 
DAS Pilot Program would make up for any losses in fishing opportunity 
in the Regular B DAS Pilot Program by instead fishing under a Category 
A DAS. Vessels that historically do not use their full allocation of 
Category A DAS could increase the relative percentage of DAS used, or 
lease additional DAS.

    Dated: March 7, 2006.
James W. Balsiger,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 06-2387 Filed 3-10-06; 8:45 am]
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