[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 11, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18193-18194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-6881]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 032907A]
RIN 0648-AS22


Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer 
Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Amendment 14 to the 
Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability of proposed fishery management plan 
amendment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 14 to the Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) (Amendment 14), 
incorporating the draft Environmental Assessment (EA), preliminary 
Regulatory Impact Review (RIR), and the Initial Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis (IRFA), for review by the Secretary of Commerce and is 
requesting comments from the public.
    The proposed measures include a plan to rebuild the scup stock from 
an overfished condition to the level associated with maximum 
sustainable yield, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The proposed 
action also includes an administrative change that would allow changes 
to the scup Gear Restricted Areas (GRAs) through a framework adjustment 
to the FMP. The intended effect of this change is to improve the timing 
of developing and implementing modifications to the GRAs.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 11, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include in the subject 
line the following identifier: ``Comments on Amendment 14 to the Summer 
Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP.''
     Federal e-rulemaking portal: http:/www.regulations.gov

[[Page 18194]]

     Mail: Patricia A. Kurkul, Regional Administrator, NMFS, 
Northeast Regional Office, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. 
Mark the outside of the envelope: ``Comments on Amendment 14 to the 
Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP.''
     Fax: (978) 281-9135
    Copies of Amendment 14 and of the draft Environmental Assessment, 
preliminary Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory 
Flexibility Analysis (EA/RIR/IRFA) are available from Daniel T. 
Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 
Room 2115, Federal Building, 300 South New Street, Dover, DE 19901-
6790. The EA/RIR/IRFA is also accessible via the Internet at http://www.nero.noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael P. Ruccio, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, 978-281-9104.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that each 
Regional Fishery Management Council submit any FMP amendment it 
prepares to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial 
approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon 
receiving an FMP amendment, immediately publish a notice in the Federal 
Register that the amendment is available for public review and comment. 
If approved by NMFS, this amendment would implement a rebuilding 
program to increase the scup stock to the level associated with maximum 
sustainable yield (Bmsy). The amendment would also effect an 
administrative change to the regulations on framework adjustments.

Background

    In August 2005, NMFS notified the Council that the scup stock had 
officially been designated as overfished as defined by the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. Specifically, the 3-year Northeast Fishery Science Center 
(NEFSC) spawning stock biomass (SSB) value for scup had declined below 
the minimum biomass threshold. In response, the Council began 
development of Amendment 14 to the FMP in February 2006 to rebuild the 
scup stock to the biomass target.
    This action proposes scup rebuilding program alternatives which 
would, within at least 10 years, increase the scup stock to the target 
biomass level (i.e., achieve stock rebuilding) as required by the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act. In addition, this action proposes a single 
administrative change to the procedures for modifying the GRAs. 
Currently, GRAs are modified though the annual specification process. 
This action proposes to change the procedures so that GRAs may be 
modified through framework adjustments to the FMP.
    Public comments are being solicited on Amendment 14 and its 
incorporated documents through the end of the comment period stated in 
this notice of availability. A proposed rule that would implement 
Amendment 14 will be published in the Federal Register for public 
comment, following NMFS's evaluation of the proposed rule under the 
procedures of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Public comments on the proposed 
rule must be received by the end of the comment period provided in this 
notice of availability of Amendment 14 to be considered in the 
approval/disapproval decision on the amendment. All comments received 
by June 11, 2007, whether specifically directed to Amendment 14 or the 
proposed rule will be considered in the approval/disapproval decision 
on Amendment 14. Comments received after that date will not be 
considered in the decision to approve or disapprove Amendment 14. To be 
considered, comments must be received by close of business on the last 
day of the comment period; that does not mean postmarked or otherwise 
transmitted by that date.

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

    Dated: April 5, 2007.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries.
[FR Doc. E7-6881 Filed 4-10-07; 8:45 am]
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