[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 113 (Monday, June 15, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 28219]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14032]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XP70


Fisheries in the Western Pacific; Amended Marine Conservation 
Plan for Pacific Insular Areas; Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries 
Fund

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

ACTION: Notice of agency decision.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces approval of an amended marine conservation plan 
(MCP) for Pacific Insular Areas other than American Samoa, Guam, and 
the Northern Mariana Islands.

DATES: This agency decision is effective April 11, 2008, through April 
10, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the MCP are available from the Western Pacific 
Fishery Management Council (Council), 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, 
Honolulu, HI 96813, tel 808-522-8220, fax 808-522-8226.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jarad Makaiau, Sustainable Fisheries, 
NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office, 808-944-2108.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under Section 204(e) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the 
Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce 
(Secretary) and in consultation with the Council, may negotiate and 
enter into a Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement (PIAFA) to allow 
foreign fishing within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) adjacent 
to any Pacific Insular Area other than American Samoa, Guam or the 
Northern Mariana Islands, which, by definition, does not include the 
State of Hawaii. Before entering into a PIAFA, the Council must develop 
a three-year Marine Conservation Plan (MCP) providing details on uses 
for any funds collected by the Secretary under the PIAFA.
    The Magnuson-Stevens Act authorizes that any payments received 
under a PIAFA, in support of conservation and management objectives in 
an MCP, shall be deposited into the Western Pacific Sustainable 
Fisheries Fund (Fund) for use by the Council. Amounts received by the 
Secretary attributable to fines and penalties imposed under the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act for violations by foreign vessels occurring within 
the EEZ off any Pacific Insular Area (other than American Samoa, Guam 
or the Northern Mariana Islands) shall also be deposited into the Fund 
for use by the Council.
    An MCP must be consistent with the Council's fishery management 
plans, must identify conservation and management objectives (including 
criteria for determining when such objectives have been met), and must 
prioritize planned marine conservation projects. Although no foreign 
fishing is contemplated at this time, the Council developed an MCP for 
the Pacific Insular Areas, here defined as the U.S. EEZ around Johnston 
and Palmyra Atoll, Kingman Reef and Jarvis, Howland, Baker, and Wake 
Islands. These areas are sometimes known as the Pacific remote island 
areas.
    In August 2007, the Council approved an MCP for the Pacific Insular 
Area and recommended its submission to the Secretary for approval. 
NMFS, as designee of the Secretary, received the MCP on November 6, 
2007. That MCP, dated August 27, 2007, satisfied the requirements of 
Magnuson-Stevens Act Section 204(e), and was approved for the three-
year period April 11, 2008, through April 10, 2011 (73 FR 21111; April 
18, 2008).
    At its 144th meeting in March 2009, the Council approved amendments 
to the MCP. On April 3, 2009, the Council submitted to NMFS the amended 
MCP, dated March 2009, for approval. The amended MCP revises the 
previously-approved August 2007 MCP by streamlining the descriptions of 
the projects associated with the MCP's conservation and management 
objectives, and also includes evaluative criteria for each program or 
project.
    The amended MCP contains seven conservation and management 
objectives, listed below. These objectives are based upon the Council's 
guiding principles and five year Program Plan, and are consistent with 
the Council's fishery management plans:
    1. Support quality research and obtain the most complete scientific 
information available to assess and manage fisheries;
    2. Promote an ecosystem approach in fisheries management, including 
reducing waste in fisheries and minimizing impacts on marine habitat 
and impacts on protected species;
    3. Conduct education and outreach to foster good stewardship 
principles and broad and direct public participation in the Council's 
decision making process;
    4. Recognize the importance of island cultures and traditional 
fishing practices in managing fishery resources and foster 
opportunities for participation;
    5. Promote responsible domestic fisheries development to provided 
long term economic growth and stability and local food production;
    6. Promote regional cooperation to manage domestic and 
international fisheries; and
    7. Encourage development of technologies and methods to achieve the 
most effective level of monitoring, control and surveillance and to 
ensure safety at sea.

    The amended MCP identifies major task areas that include data 
collection and monitoring, fishery management, social economic research 
and assessment, policy development, protected species conservation, 
public outreach, media activities and products, meeting and event 
participation, workshops, plans and training, infrastructure 
development, etc. Projects are ranked in order of priority and would 
aid in fulfilling the Council's conservation and management objectives. 
The MCP also outlines a process by which the Council's Executive 
Committee could revisit the project ranking to adapt to changing 
management needs.
    This notice announces that NMFS has determined that the amended MCP 
for the Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund satisfies the 
requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and approves the amended MCP 
for the three-year period April 11, 2008, through April 10, 2011.

    Dated: June 9, 2009.
Kristen C. Koch,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-14032 Filed 6-12-09; 8:45 am]
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