[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 1597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-388]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XT33


Western Pacific Crustacean Fisheries; 2010 Northwestern Hawaiian 
Islands Lobster Harvest Guideline

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

ACTION: Notification of lobster harvest guideline.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the annual harvest guideline for the 
commercial lobster fishery in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) 
for calendar year 2010 is established at zero lobsters.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Harman, NMFS Pacific Islands 
Region, 808-944-2271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NWHI commercial lobster fishery is 
managed under the Fishery Management Plan for Crustacean Fisheries of 
the Western Pacific Region. The regulations at 50 CFR 665.50(b)(2) 
require NMFS to publish an annual harvest guideline for lobster Permit 
Area 1, comprised of Federal waters around the NWHI.
    Regulations governing the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National 
Monument in the NWHI prohibit the unpermitted removal of monument 
resources (50 CFR 404.7), and establish a zero annual harvest guideline 
for lobsters (50 CFR 404.10(a)). Accordingly, NMFS establishes the 
harvest guideline at zero lobsters for the NWHI commercial lobster 
fishery for calendar year 2010. Thus, no harvest of NWHI lobster 
resources is allowed.
    Furthermore, the NMFS Regional Administrator determined that all 15 
NWHI lobster limited entry permits held by vessel owners (i.e., permit 
holders) are no longer valid. This action complies with the final rule 
governing compensation to Federal commercial bottomfish and lobster 
fishermen due to fishery closures in the Monument (74 FR 47119, 
September 15, 2009). During December 2009 and January 2010, eligible 
NWHI lobster permit holders voluntarily accepted and received monetary 
payments, as authorized by Congress under the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-161). Thus, no fishing for NWHI 
lobster resources is allowed.

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

    Dated: January 6, 2010.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-388 Filed 1-11-10; 8:45 am]
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