[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 16, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1689-1690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-367]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 229

[Docket No. 060928250-6250-01; I.D. 092506A]
RIN 0648-AU90


Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing 
Operations; Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: On November 15, 2006, NMFS proposed to revise the regulations 
implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP) by 
expanding the southeast U.S. restricted area to include waters out to 
35 nautical miles from the South Carolina coast and modifying 
regulations pertaining to gillnetting within the southeast U.S. 
restricted area. The proposed action was determined to be necessary to 
protect northern right whales from serious injury or mortality from 
entanglement in gillnet gear in their calving area in Atlantic Ocean 
waters off the Southeastern U.S. With this notice, NMFS is reopening 
the public comment period for 15 days beginning January 16, 2007.

DATES: Written comments on this proposed rule must be received by 5 
p.m. EST on January 31, 2007. Comments received between the close of 
the first comment period on December 15, 2006, and the reopening of the 
comment period on January 16, 2007 will be considered timely received.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified by the Regulatory 
Information Number (RIN) ``0648-AU90'' and submitted by any of the 
following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include RIN 0648-
AU90 in the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
     Facsimile (fax) to: 727-824-5309, Attn: Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Protected Resources, NMFS.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

[[Page 1690]]

    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number or RIN for this proposed rulemaking.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Engleby, 727-824-5312, or Barb 
Zoodsma, 904-321-2806. Individuals who use telecommunications devices 
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-
800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time, Monday through 
Friday, excluding Federal holidays.
    Electronic Access: Regulations and background documents for the 
ALWTRP can be downloaded from the ALWTRP web site at http://www.nero.noaa.gov/whaletrp/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On November 15, 2006, NMFS published a proposed rule to revise the 
regulations implementing the ALWTRP by expanding the southeast U.S. 
restricted area and modifying regulations pertaining to gillnetting 
within the southeast U.S. restricted area (71 FR 66482). That proposed 
rule allowed for a NMFS' 30-day public comment period, which ended on 
December 15, 2006.
    NMFS subsequently received requests from the State of North 
Carolina and the Marine Mammal Commission (MMC) to extend the comment 
period. These requests stated that more time is necessary for the North 
Carolina public and members of the MMC to more fully review and provide 
comments on the proposed rule. Therefore, NMFS is reopening the public 
comment period for 15 additional days to allow additional time for 
these requesters and other interested parties to provide comments while 
ensuring permanent protections are in place for right whales before the 
end of the calving season. In this notice, NMFS is reopening the public 
comment period for 15 days from January 16, 2007 until January 31, 
2007.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.; Sec.  229.32(f) also issued 
under 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.

    Dated: Januaary 8, 2007.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-367 Filed 1-12-07; 8:45 am]
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