[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 52 (Thursday, March 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13081-13082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5922]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XRO1


Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish 
Fishery; Trawl Rationalization Program

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

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces a workshop to solicit feedback from owners and 
managers of shoreside processors that intend to take delivery of trawl-
caught groundfish under the proposed Trawl Rationalization Program. We 
are interested in feedback concerning proposed regulations to improve 
catch monitoring and accounting in the trawl fisheries. Specifically, 
we seek feedback into proposed requirements for catch weighing, and the 
development of Catch Monitoring and Control Plans (CMCPs) that 
shoreside processors would be required to submit and conduct operations 
under. The workshop is open to the public, but NMFS is particularly 
seeking participation by people who are knowledgeable about the 
operations of shoreside processors that intend to participate in the 
rationalized trawl fishery.

DATES: The public workshops will be held on March 26, 2010, at 10 a.m. 
in Astoria Oregon; at 10 a.m. in Newport Oregon; and on April 1, 2010, 
at 10 a.m. in Eureka.

ADDRESSES: The Astoria Oregon workshop will be held at the Holiday Inn 
Express, 204 W Marine Drive. The Newport Oregon workshop will be held 
at the Guinn Library, Hartfield Marine

[[Page 13082]]

Science Center, 2020 Southeast Marine Science Drive. The Eureka 
California workshop will be held at the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center, 
921 Waterfront Drive.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Jesse, 503-230-5429.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) has been developing a trawl rationalization program that 
would affect the limited entry trawl fishery of the Pacific Coast 
groundfish fishery. The Council has developed a trawl rationalization 
program through two amendments to the Pacific Coast Groundfish 
Management Plan (FMP). Amendment 20 which would create the structure 
and management details of the program; and Amendment 21 which would 
allocate the groundfish stocks between trawl and non-trawl fisheries.
    As part of the rationalization process, NMFS is proposing new 
regulations concerning the monitoring of catch at shoreside processors 
taking deliveries of trawl groundfish. These proposed regulations are 
similar to regulations currently required for processors that take 
deliveries from rationalized fisheries off Alaska (Bering Sea and 
Alleutian Islands pollock, Gulf of Alaska rockfish). These regulations 
can be found at 50 CFR 679.28(g). Similar regulations also apply to 
processors taking deliveries under the crab rationalization program at 
50 CFR 680.23(g).
    In brief these regulations require shoreside processors to write 
and submit a CMCP that details how the processor will ensure that all 
catch is sorted and weighed to species; how that process can be 
monitored by NMFS-authorized personnel; and how the processor will test 
scales used to weigh catch. The CMCP also requires that processors give 
a list of the specific scales that will be used for weighing catch, 
their type, location and serial numbers. All scales used to weigh catch 
must be approved by the State and produce a printed record of the 
amount of catch weighed.
    The CMCP regulations used in Alaska are based on a series of 
performance standards and they provide a great deal of flexibility for 
processors of a wide variety of sizes. However, these regulations will 
require some degree of modification for west coast processors. At this 
time, NMFS staff has not finalized draft regulations. However, draft 
proposed regulations will be made available at the time of each 
workshop.
    NMFS seeks input into these proposed regulations from those with 
knowledge of trawl-groundfish processor operations, including plant 
owners, managers, and staff; and vendors or manufacturers of scales 
currently used in processing facilities. In order to better understand 
operations and issues associated with individual processors, NMFS staff 
will be available to tour individual processors following each 
workshop.

Special Accommodations

    The workshops will be physically accessible to people with 
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be directed to Murray Bauer, 541-867-0580, at 
least 5 working days prior to the meeting date.

    Dated: March 15, 2010.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-5922 Filed 3-17-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S