[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 12, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 26702-26703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11346]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

RIN 0648- AY68


Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
Management Plan; Amendments 20 and 21; Trawl Rationalization Program

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

ACTION: Availability of amendments to a fishery management plan; 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council) has submitted Amendments 20 and 21 to the Pacific Coast 
Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for review by the Secretary of 
Commerce (Secretary). Amendment 20 would modify the FMP to create the 
structure and management details of the trawl rationalization program 
for the limited entry trawl fishery. Amendment 21 would modify the FMP 
to allocate the groundfish stocks between trawl and non-trawl fisheries 
and within trawl fisheries. The trawl rationalization program 
(Amendments 20 and 21) is intended to increase net economic benefits, 
create individual economic stability, provide full utilization of the 
trawl sector allocation, consider environmental impacts, and achieve 
individual accountability of catch and bycatch.

DATES: Comments on Amendments 20 and 21 must be received no later than 
5 p.m., local time on July 12, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN 0648- AY68 by any 
one of the following methods:

[[Page 26703]]

    Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov.
     Fax: 206-526-6736, Attn: Jamie Goen.
     Mail: Barry Thom, Acting Administrator, Northwest Region, 
NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115-0070, Attn: Jamie Goen.
    Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record 
and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without 
change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, 
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly 
accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or 
otherwise sensitive or protected information.NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter N/A in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in 
Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Goen, phone: 206-526-4656, fax: 
206-526-6736, and e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    This notice of availability is accessible via the Internet at the 
Office of the Federal Register's Website at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html. Background information and documents are available at 
the Pacific Fishery Management Council's website at http://www.pcouncil.org/.
    The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires that each regional fishery management 
council submit any FMP or plan amendment it prepares to NMFS for review 
and approval, disapproval, or partial approval. The Magnuson-Stevens 
Act also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP or amendment, 
immediately publish a notice that the FMP or amendment is available for 
public review and comment. NMFS will consider public comments received 
during the comment period described above in determining whether to 
approve Amendments 20 and 21 to the FMP.
    Amendment 20 would modify the FMP to create the structure and 
management details of the trawl rationalization program for the limited 
entry trawl fishery. Amendment 21 would modify the FMP to allocate the 
groundfish stocks between trawl and non-trawl fisheries and within 
trawl fisheries. The trawl rationalization program would consist of: 
(1) an individual fishing quota (IFQ) program for the shore-based trawl 
fleet; and (2) cooperative (coop) programs for the at-sea trawl fleet. 
The trawl rationalization program (Amendments 20 and 21) is intended to 
increase net economic benefits, create individual economic stability, 
provide full utilization of the trawl sector allocation, consider 
environmental impacts, and achieve individual accountability of catch 
and bycatch.
    NMFS will review Amendments 20 and 21 in their entirety. However, 
due to the complexity of the proposed fishery management measures, the 
proposed rule that will publish shortly after this notice of 
availability (NOA) for the FMP amendments, proposes only certain key 
components that would be necessary to have permits and endorsements 
issued in time for use in the 2011 fishery and in order to have the 
2011 harvest specifications reflect the new allocation scheme. 
Specifically, the proposed rule would establish the formal allocations 
set forth under Amendment 21 and establish procedures for initial 
issuance of permits, endorsements, and quota shares under the IFQ and 
Coop programs. In addition, the proposed rule would restructure the 
entire Pacific Coast groundfish regulations at 50 CFR part 660 to more 
closely track the organization of the proposed management measures and 
to make the total groundfish regulations clearer.
    If Amendments 20 and 21 are approved, NMFS plans to propose 
additional program details in a future proposed rule. Such additional 
details would include: Program components applicable to IFQ gear 
switching, observer programs, retention requirements, equipment 
requirements, catch monitors, catch weighing requirements, coop 
permits/agreements, first receiver site licenses, quota share accounts, 
vessel accounts, further tracking and monitoring components, and 
economic data collection requirements. NMFS is also planning a future 
rule for the cost recovery program based on a recommended methodology 
yet to be developed by the Council. NMFS welcomes comments on the 
proposed FMP amendments through the end of the comment period. In order 
to encourage more informed public comment on the amendments, the 
preamble to the proposed rule includes a general description of the 
full trawl rationalization program, including general descriptions of 
program details that will be implemented through additional rulemakings 
at a later date.
    A proposed rule to implement initial allocations and appeals for 
Amendment 20 and the provisions of Amendment 21 has been submitted by 
the Council for Secretarial review and approval. NMFS expects to 
publish and request public review and comment on the proposed 
regulations to implement Amendments 20 and 21 in the near future. 
Public comments on the proposed rule must be received by the end of the 
comment period on the amendment to be considered in the approval/
disapproval decision on the amendment, which must occur no later than 
within 30 days of the end of the comment period. All comments received 
by the end of the comment period for the amendment, whether 
specifically directed to the amendments or the proposed rule, will be 
considered in the approval/disapproval decision.

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

    Dated: May 7, 2010.
James P. Burgess
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-11346 Filed 5-11-10; 8:45 am]
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