[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 14837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4322]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 032006D]


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Pelagic Fisheries; Overfishing Determination on Yellowfin Tuna; Western 
and Central Pacific Ocean

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

ACTION: Notice of overfishing determination.

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SUMMARY: This action serves as notice that NMFS, on behalf of the 
Secretary of Commerce, has determined that overfishing is occurring on 
the yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) stock in the western and central 
Pacific Ocean (WCPO), and requests that the Western Pacific Fishery 
Management Council (Council) address this overfishing condition 
pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act. The intent of this action is to notify interested persons that 
yellowfin tuna is undergoing overfishing in the WCPO.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following reprint of the March 16, 2006, 
letter from NMFS to the Council notifies the Council of a determination 
that overfishing is occurring on the yellowfin tuna stock in the WCPO, 
provides background on how NMFS made the determination, provides the 
legal basis for the Council to act in response to a determination that 
overfishing is occurring, and requests the Council to take appropriate 
action to address the overfishing condition.

Mr. Frank McCoy, Sr.,
Chairperson,
Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1164 Bishop Street, 
Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813.

Dear Chairman McCoy:

    By this letter, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 
on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, notifies the Western Pacific 
Fishery Management Council (Council) that overfishing is occurring 
on the yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) stock in the western and 
central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). NMFS requests the Council to take 
appropriate action pursuant to section 304(e) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA).
    According to Amendment 8 Supplement to the Fishery Management 
Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (Pelagics 
FMP), effective July 3, 2003 (68 FR 46112, August 5, 2003), the 
maximum fishing mortality threshold (MFMT) for stocks managed under 
the Pelagics FMP would be exceeded if the fishing mortality rate 
exceeded the rate associated with maximum sustainable yield (MSY). 
The most recent stock assessment (August 2005) on WCPO yellowfin 
tuna by the Scientific Committee of the Commission for the 
Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the 
Western and Central Pacific Ocean, indicates that the then-current 
rate of fishing mortality (Fcurrent) is likely to be in 
excess of the rate associated with MSY (FMSY). For the 
base case analysis, the assessment results indicate an 
Fcurrent/FMSY ratio of 1.22 with a range from 
1.0 to 2.33 for the four analyses using alternative sets of 
assumptions\1\.
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    \1\ Hampton, J., P. Kleiber, A. Langley, Y. Takeuchi, and M. 
Ichinokawa. 2005. Stock assessment of yellowfin tuna in the western 
and central Pacific Ocean. WCPFC-SA WP-1, 1st Meeting of the 
Scientific and Committee of the Western and Central Pacific 
Fisheries Commission, WCPFC-SC1, Noumea, New Caledonia, 8-19 August 
2005. July 2005. 79p.
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    The latest estimate of Fcurrent/FMSY 
(1.22) for WCPO yellowfin tuna in 2005 was substantially higher than 
in the 2004 assessment (0.63) \2\. Scientists at the NMFS Pacific 
Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) consider the 2005 
assessment model to be an improvement over the 2004 model, and the 
results to be more reliable. Based on these assessment results and 
relying on the expertise and advice of the PIFSC Director (October 
28, 2005), NMFS has determined that overfishing of the WCPO 
yellowfin tuna stock is occurring.
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    \2\ Hampton, J., P. Kleiber, A. Langley, and K. Hiramatsu. 2004. 
Stock assessment of yellowfin tuna in the western and central 
Pacific Ocean. WCPF SCTB17 Working Paper SA-1. 17th Meeting of the 
Standing Committee on Tuna and Billfish, Majuro, Marshall Islands, 
9-18 August 2004. July 2004. 74 p.
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    The Pacific-wide distribution of yellowfin tuna and the scope of 
fisheries (international and domestic) exploiting this important 
species dictate that the U.S. government pursue a strategy to end 
overfishing through the relevant Regional Fisheries Management 
Organization, in this instance, the Western and Central Pacific 
Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). The entire U.S. harvest of yellowfin 
tuna in the WCPO is only about 4% of the total WCPO catch and the 
majority of the U.S. harvest is by purse seine vessels fishing 
within the EEZs of Pacific Island nations (under the authority of 
the South Pacific Tuna Treaty) or on the high seas. NMFS welcomes 
the Council's participation as a member of the U.S. Delegation to 
the WCPFC and looks forward to working with the Council to develop 
and implement domestic management measures necessary to implement 
WCPFC decisions. According to Section 304(e) of the MSA, the Council 
has one year from the date of this notification to prepare and 
submit an FMP, FMP amendment, or proposed regulations to address the 
overfishing condition of the yellowfin tuna stock.
Sincerely,

William L. Robinson,
Regional Administrator.


    Dated: March 20, 2006.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-4322 Filed 3-23-06; 8:45 am]
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