[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 3, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9531-9534]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4397]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[Docket No. 071220872-0093-04]
RINs 0648-AS71 and 0648-AU71


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Correction

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

ACTION: Final rule; correcting amendment.

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SUMMARY: This rule amends general provisions for domestic fisheries in 
the western Pacific to correct errors that resulted from two recent 
rules. This action is necessary to remedy missing information, out of 
date administrative references, and a misspelling.

DATES: Effective March 3, 2010.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 21, 2008, NMFS published in the 
Federal Register a final rule (73 FR 70600) designating three species 
of pelagic squid as management unit species under the Fishery 
Management Plan for Pelagic Species of the Western Pacific Region 
(FMP). That rule also established permitting and reporting 
requirements, and authorization for NMFS to place observers on squid 
fishing vessels. This final rule was effective December 22, 2008, 
except for the collection-of-information requirements, which were 
effective October 5, 2009 (74 FR 45756, September 4, 2009).
    The final rule that included squid jig fishing in the FMP 
inadvertently omitted an instruction to revise the table of authorized 
fishing gear at 50 CFR 600.725(v). The rule established squid as 
management unit species in the definition of western Pacific pelagic 
management unit species (50 CFR 665.800). The rule authorized squid jig 
fishing (50 CFR 665.801(g)), and defined squid jig gear (50 CFR 
665.800). The rule also set restrictions on the use of squid jig gear 
(50 CFR 665.14(b), 665.808, and 665.802(zz)). By these actions, squid 
jig gear and fishing are authorized and managed. However, the rule did 
not include this authorized fishing gear in the table at 50 CFR 
600.725(v), which provides a complete list of all authorized fishing 
gear in the FEPs. The rule should have added an entry to include squid 
jig as an authorized gear in the squid jig fishery in item 7 (western 
Pacific pelagic fisheries in the FMP) of section VIII (fisheries under 
the jurisdiction of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council) in 
that table. This final rule corrects that error, and no substantive 
changes are made to the regulations.
    Additionally, on January 14, 2010, NMFS published in the Federal 
Register a final rule (75 FR 2198) restructuring western Pacific 
fishery regulations at 50 CFR part 665 to be consistent with five new 
area-specific fishery ecosystem plans (FEP). The FEPs were established 
as FMPs, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act. In that rule, no substantive changes were made to the 
regulations. NMFS also restructured western Pacific regulations to be 
consistent with the area-specific organization of the FEPs, and changed 
administrative references in western Pacific regulations from ``FMP'' 
to ``FEP.'' That final rule was effective February 16, 2010.
    That final rule inadvertently omitted an instruction to revise the 
table of authorized fishing gear at 600.725(v) to change references 
from ``FMP'' to ``FEP'' in section VIII (fisheries under the 
jurisdiction of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council). This 
final rule corrects those administrative references; no substantive 
changes are made to the regulations.

[[Page 9532]]

    This rule also corrects the spelling of the word ``fishery,'' which 
was misspelled as ``fisher'' in item 7.A of section VIII of the table.

Classification

    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Assistant Administrator for 
Fisheries, NOAA, (AA) finds good cause to waive prior notice and 
opportunity for public comment, as such notice and comment would be 
unnecessary. These procedures are unnecessary because the regulations 
were subject to notice and comment when originally implemented, and no 
substantive changes are being made pursuant to this final rule. The 
only actions currently being taken are to remedy missing or incorrect 
administrative information. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d), the 30-day 
delay in effectiveness does not apply to this rule because it is not a 
substantive rule.
    Because notice and opportunity for comment are not required 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, or any other law, the analytical requirements 
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act are inapplicable. Therefore, a final 
regulatory flexibility analysis is not required and one has not been 
prepared. This rule is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 600

    Authorized fishing gear, Fisheries, Fishing, Western Pacific.

    Dated: February 25, 2010.
Eric C. Schwaab,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.

0
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 600 is correctly 
amended as follows:

PART 600--MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT PROVISIONS

0
1. The authority citation for part 600 continues to read as follows:

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

0
2. In the table at Sec.  600.725(v), revise the entries in section VIII 
for western Pacific Fisheries to read as follows:


Sec.  600.725.  General prohibitions.

* * * * *
    (v) * * *

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Fishery                       Authorized gear types
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                * * * * *
 
VIII. Western Pacific Fishery        ...................................
 Management Council
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Western Pacific Crustacean             Trap, hand harvest, hoop net.
 Fishery (FMP) (Fishery Ecosystem
 Plan, FEP)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Western Pacific Crustacean        ...................................
 Fishery (Non-FEP):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Commercial fishery                A. Gillnet, hand harvest, hoop net,
                                             spear, snare, trap, trawl.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Recreational fishery              B. Gillnet, hand harvest, hoop net,
                                                    spear, snare, trap.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Charter fishery                                                     C. Hand harvest, spear.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Western Pacific Precious Corals   ...................................
 Fishery (FEP):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Tangle net dredge fishery                      A. Tangle net dredge.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Submersible fishery                                  B. Submersible.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Dive fishery                                                        C. Hand harvest.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
D. Recreational fishery                                D. Hand harvest.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Western Pacific Precious Corals    Hand harvest, submersible, tangle
 Fishery (Non-FEP)                                          net dredge.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Western Pacific Bottomfish and    ...................................
 Seamount Groundfish Fishery (FEP):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Bottomfish hook-and-line fishery          A. Bandit gear, buoy gear,
                                       handline, hook and line, rod and
                                                    reel, hand harvest.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Seamount groundfish fishery                      B. Longline, trawl.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Bottom longline fishery                                             C. Longline, hook and line.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
D. Trap fishery                                                D. Trap.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
E. Spear fishery                                   E. Spear, powerhead.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Western Pacific Bottomfish and    ...................................
 Seamount Groundfish Fishery (Non-
 FEP):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Commercial fishery                A. Bandit gear, buoy gear, gillnet,
                                     handline, hook-and-line, longline,
                                             rod and reel, spear, trap.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 9533]]

 
B. Recreational fishery              B. Bandit gear, buoy gear, Gillnet,
                                     handline, hook and line, longline,
                                       rod and reel, spear, trap, slurp
                                                     gun, hand harvest.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Charter fishery                                                     C. Bandit gear, buoy gear,
                                       handline, hook-and-line, rod and
                                                           reel, spear.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Western Pacific Pelagics Fishery  ...................................
 (FEP):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Longline Fishery                                        A. Longline.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Hook and line fishery                     B. Bandit gear, buoy gear,
                                       handline, hook and line, rod and
                                                                  reel.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Purse seine fishery                                                 C. Lampara net, purse seine.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
D. Spear fishery                                   D. Spear, powerhead.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
E. Squid jig fishery                                      E. Squid jig.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Western Pacific Pelagics Fishery  ...................................
 (Non-FEP):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Recreational fishery              A. Bandit gear, buoy gear, dip net,
                                     handline, hook and line, hoop net,
                                        powerhead, rod and real, spear.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Commercial fishery                B. Bandit gear, buoy gear, dip net,
                                     handline, hook and line, hoop net,
                                        powerhead, rod and reel, spear.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Charter fishery                                                     C. Bandit gear, buoy gear, dip net,
                                     handline, hook and line, hoop net,
                                        powerhead, rod and reel, spear.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Western Pacific Coastal Pelagics    Bandit gear, buoy gear, dip net,
 Fishery (Non-FEP)                    gillnet, handline, hook and line,
                                     hoop net, lampara net, purse seine,
                                                   rod and reel, spear.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Western Pacific Squid and        Bandit gear, hand harvest, hook and
 Octopus Fishery (Non-FEP)             line, rod and reel, spear, trap.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. Western Pacific Coral Reef         Allowable chemical, barrier net,
 Fishery (Non-FEP)                      dip net, gillnet, hand harvest,
                                     seine, slurp gun, trap, spear, rod
                                               and reel, hook and line.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Recreational Fishery (Non-FEP)         Rod and reel, hook and line,
                                         handline, hand harvest, spear.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
13. Commercial Fishery (Non-FEP)         Trawl, gillnet, hook and line,
                                      longline, handline, rod and reel,
                                          bandit gear, cast net, spear.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                * * * * *
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 9534]]

[FR Doc. 2010-4397 Filed 2-26-10; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S