[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 247 (Thursday, December 27, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 73308-73309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-25078]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 665

RIN 0648-AU22


Fisheries in the Western Pacific; Bottomfish and Seamount 
Groundfish Fisheries; Management Measures for the Main Hawaiian Islands

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

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

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) proposes to amend the Fishery Management Plan for the 
Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish of the Western Pacific Region 
(Bottomfish FMP). Bottomfish FMP Amendment 14 was developed in response 
to a determination by NMFS that Hawaiian bottomfish stocks are 
experiencing overfishing, with the primary problem being excessive 
fishing mortality on seven deep water bottomfish species in the main 
Hawaiian Islands. Amendment 14 would end the overfishing by reducing 
bottomfish fishing mortality by 24 percent in 2008, and by establishing 
a management mechanism that would control fishing effort by responding 
to changes in the status of bottomfish stocks in the future.

DATES: Comments on Amendment 14, which includes a final environmental 
impact statement, must be received by February 25, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Comments on Amendment 14, identified by 0648-AU22, may be 
sent to either of the following addresses:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov; or
     Mail: William L. Robinson, Regional Administrator, NMFS, 
Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1601 Kapiolani Blvd, Suite 1110, 
Honolulu, HI 96814-4700.
    Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record 
and will generally be posted to www.regulations.gov without change. All 
Personal Identifying Information (e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted 
voluntarily by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit 
Confidential Business Information, or otherwise sensitive or protected 
information. NMFS will accept anonymous comments. Attachments to 
electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word or Excel, 
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Copies of Amendment 14, including a final environmental impact 
statement, are available from the Council, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, 
Honolulu, HI 96813, tel 808-522-8220, fax 808-522-8226.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karla Gore, NMFS PIR, 808-944-2273.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    This Federal Register notice is also accessible at the Office of 
the Federal Register's web site www.gpoaccess.gov/fr.

Background

    NMFS determined that overfishing is occurring on the bottomfish 
species complex in the Hawaiian Archipelago, with the primary problem 
being excessive fishing mortality on seven deep water species (the 
``Deep 7'' species) in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). The Deep 7 
species are onaga (Etelis coruscans), ehu (E. carbunculus), gindai 
(Pristipomoides zonatus), kalekale (P. sieboldii), opakapaka (P. 
filamentosus), lehi (Aphareus rutilans), and hapu'upu'u (Epinephelus 
quernus). NMFS notified the Council of this overfishing determination 
on May 27, 2005 (70 FR 34452, June 14, 2005). In response, the Council 
prepared Bottomfish FMP Amendment 14 that would establish measures to 
end the overfishing.
    Amendment 14 would establish the following management measures for 
vessel-based bottomfish fishing in the Main Hawaiian Islands:

[[Page 73309]]

    1. New Federal permitting and reporting requirements for non-
commercial bottomfish fishermen. Permits would be required for all 
individuals engaged in vessel-based non-commercial bottomfish fishing 
in Hawaii, and operators of these non-commercial vessels would be 
required to submit logbooks of fishing effort and catch;
    2. Seasonal closure. The bottomfish fishery in the main Hawaiian 
Islands would be closed in the summer of 2008. This closure is intended 
to reduce fishing mortality on Deep 7 bottomfish by commercial and non-
commercial fishermen;
    3. Total allowable catch (TAC). A mechanism would be established to 
set an annual TAC. In 2008, a TAC of 178,000 lb would apply only to the 
commercial fishery. In subsequent years an annual TAC, determined by 
NMFS and the Council, would apply to both commercial and non-commercial 
fisheries; and
    4. Bag limits for non-commercial fishermen of five fish, all 
species combined, of the Deep 7 species, per person per trip. The 
Federal bag limit would be repealed in the future when data on the non-
commercial fishery are sufficient to allow the non-commercial fishery 
to be included in the TAC program.
    The measures in Amendment 14 would reduce fishing mortality 
bottomfish by 24 percent in 2008, and respond to changes in the status 
of bottomfish stocks by adjusting the allowable fishing mortality in 
the future. Amendment 14 has the following objectives:
    1. End overfishing of the bottomfish stocks in the Hawaiian 
Archipelago;
    2. Reduce the fishing mortality for the deepwater bottomfish 
species complex in the MHI;
    3. Establish a mechanism to respond to changes in stock status 
beyond 2008; and
    4. Improve data collection from non-commercial bottomfish fisheries 
in Federal waters around the MHI.
    Amendment 14 includes a final environmental impact statement that 
analyzes the management alternatives considered by the Council. A 
notice of availability for the FEIS will be published in the near 
future. A proposed rule to implement Amendment 14 has been prepared, 
and NMFS expects to publish and request public comment on the rule in 
the near future.
    Public comments on Amendment 14 must be received by February 25, 
2008 to be considered by NMFS in the decision to approve, partially 
approve, or disapprove the amendment. 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: December 20, 2007.
Galen R. Tromble,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-25078 Filed 12-26-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S