[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 7, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 55343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22862]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Parts 300 and 679

[Docket No. 101027534-0559-01]
RIN 0648-BA37


Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Extension of Public Comment Period on 
Proposed Rule for a Catch Sharing Plan for Guided Sport and Commercial 
Fisheries in Alaska

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

ACTION: Proposed rule, extension of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is extending the date by which public comments are due 
concerning proposed regulations to implement a catch sharing plan for 
the guided sport and commercial fisheries for Pacific halibut in waters 
of International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) Regulatory Areas 2C 
(Southeast Alaska) and 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska). NMFS published the 
proposed rule on July 22, 2011 and announced that the public comment 
period would end on September 6, 2011. With this notice, NMFS is 
extending the comment period to September 21, 2011.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of comments on the proposed rule 
published on July 22, 2011 (76 FR 44156), is extended from September 6, 
2011, to September 21, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments identified by 0648-BA37 
by any one of the following methods:
     Electronic submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal Web site at http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.
     Fax: 907-586-7557.
     Hand delivery: 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
    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 (e.g., name, address) 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 portable document file (pdf) formats only.
    Written comments regarding the burden-hour estimates or other 
aspects of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this 
proposed rule may be submitted to NMFS at the above address and by e-
mail to [email protected] or fax to 202-395-7285.
    Electronic copies of the proposed rule and the Environmental 
Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis prepared for this action are available from http://www.regulations.gov or from the NMFS Alaska Region Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The Environmental Assessment/Regulatory 
Impact Review/Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for the charter 
halibut limited access program is available from the NMFS Alaska Region 
Web site at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Baker, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On July 22, 2011, NMFS published regulations at 76 FR 44156, that 
would implement a catch sharing plan for the guided sport and 
commercial fisheries for Pacific halibut in waters of IPHC Regulatory 
Areas 2C (Southeast Alaska) and 3A (Central Gulf of Alaska). The 
proposed catch sharing plan will change the annual process of 
allocating halibut between the guided sport and commercial fisheries in 
Area 2C and Area 3A, establish allocations for each sector, and specify 
harvest restrictions for guided sport anglers that are intended to 
limit harvest to the annual guided sport fishery catch limit. The 
proposed catch sharing plan also will authorize annual transfers of 
commercial halibut quota to charter halibut permit holders for harvest 
in the guided sport fishery.
    NMFS received several requests from members of the public and 
representatives of recreational fishing organizations to extend the 
comment period on the proposed rule due to overlap with the 
recreational halibut fishing season and the complexity of the proposed 
catch sharing plan. Several commenters requested a 30-day extension and 
one commenter asked for an additional 60 days. We have considered these 
comments and conclude that a 15-day extension should allow sufficient 
time for the public to review and comment on the proposed rule without 
significantly delaying the rulemaking process.

    Dated: September 1, 2011.
 John Oliver,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-22862 Filed 9-1-11; 4:15 pm]
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