[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 3, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39459-39460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16343]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[Docket No. 120425420-2420-01]
RIN 0648-BB92


Fisheries of the United States; National Standard 1 Guidelines; 
Extension of Public Comment Period

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

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of public 
comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is extending the date by which public comments are due in 
response to the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) published 
on May 3, 2012, on potential adjustments to the National Standard 1 
Guidelines, one of 10 national standards for fishery conservation and 
management contained in Section 301 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act. NMFS has received a request to extend 
the comment period for the ANPR beyond its current 90-day comment 
period, originally scheduled to end on August 1, 2012. With this 
notice, NMFS is extending the comment period to September 15, 2012, to 
ensure there is adequate time for stakeholders and members of the 
public to comment on the ANPR.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of comments on the ANPR published on 
May 3, 2012 (77 FR 26238), is extended to September 15, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the referenced ANPR, identified 
by ``NOAA-NMFS-2012-0059'', by any one of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. To 
submit comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal, first click the ``submit a 
comment'' icon, then enter ``NOAA-NMFS-2012-0059'' in the keyword 
search. Locate the document you wish to comment on from the resulting 
list and click on the ``Submit a Comment'' icon on the right of that 
line.
     Fax: 301-713-1193, Attn: Wesley Patrick.
     Mail: Wesley Patrick; National Marine Fisheries Service, 
NOAA; 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13436; Silver Spring, MD 20910.

[[Page 39460]]

    Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above 
methods to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and 
considered by NMFS. Comments sent by any other method, to another 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered. All comments received are part of the public 
record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted voluntarily by the 
sender will 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 or Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file 
formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wesley Patrick, Fisheries Policy 
Analyst, National Marine Fisheries Service, 301-427-8566.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On May 3, 2012, NMFS published an ANPR (77 FR 26238) to provide 
background information and to request public comment on potential 
adjustments to the National Standard 1 Guidelines. The ANPR provides 
the public with a formal opportunity to comment on the specific ideas 
mentioned in the ANPR, as well as any additional ideas and solutions 
that could improve provisions of the National Standard 1 Guidelines.
    NMFS received a request from the Western Pacific Regional Fishery 
Management Council on behalf of all eight regional councils, to extend 
the comment period on the ANPR to September 15, 2012, to give the 
Councils more time to discuss the issues in the ANPR with their 
advisors, fishing industries and among themselves, in order to provide 
NMFS with comprehensive and significant comments on the ANPR. NMFS has 
considered this request and concludes that a 45-day extension is 
appropriate.

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

    Dated: June 27, 2012.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, Performing the 
Functions and Duties of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-16343 Filed 7-2-12; 8:45 am]
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