[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 155 (Monday, August 12, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48861-48862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19499]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC792


Western Pacific Fisheries; Approval of a Marine Conservation Plan 
for Pacific Insular Areas; Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund

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

ACTION: Notice of agency decision.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces approval of a marine conservation plan for 
Pacific Insular Areas other than American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern 
Mariana Islands.

DATES: This agency decision is effective from August 1, 2013, through 
July 31, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the marine conservation plan, identified by NOAA-
NMFS-2013-0126, are available from www.regulations.gov, or the Western 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), 1164 Bishop St., Suite 
1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, tel 808-522-8220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jarad Makaiau, Sustainable Fisheries, 
NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office, 808-944-2108.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 204(e) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) 
authorizes the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) and in consultation with the Council, 
to negotiate and enter into a Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement 
(PIAFA). A PIAFA would allow foreign fishing within the U.S. Exclusive 
Economic Zone (EEZ) adjacent to any Pacific Insular Area other than 
American Samoa, Guam, or the Northern Mariana Islands, that is, in the 
EEZ around the Pacific remote island areas (PRIA). The PRIA are Baker 
Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, 
Midway Island, Wake Island, and Palmyra Atoll. Before entering into a 
PIAFA, the Council must develop a 3-year Marine Conservation Plan (MCP) 
providing details on uses for any funds collected by the Secretary 
under the PIAFA.
    The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that payments received under a 
PIAFA, and any funds or contributions received in support of 
conservation and management objectives for the PRIA, be deposited into 
the Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund (Fund) for use by the 
Council. Additionally, amounts received by the Secretary attributable 
to fines and penalties imposed under the Magnuson-Stevens Act for 
violations by foreign vessels occurring within the EEZ off any PRIA are 
also deposited into the Fund for use by the Council.
    An MCP must be consistent with the Council's fishery ecosystem 
plans, must identify conservation and management objectives (including 
criteria for determining when such objectives have been met), and must 
prioritize planned marine conservation projects. The Council, at its 
157th meeting held June 26-28, 2013, reviewed and approved this MCP and 
recommended its submission to the Secretary for approval.
    The MCP contains five conservation and management objectives, and 
identifies major task areas for planned activities, as follows:
    Objective 1. Support quality research and obtain the most complete 
scientific information available to assess and manage fisheries within 
an ecosystem approach.
    a. Support cooperative research on U.S. purse seine vessels fishing 
on fish aggregation devices in the PRIA.
    b. Support tagging studies in the PRIA to provide better 
understanding of pelagic species.
    c. Support collection and analysis of life history characteristics 
of federally managed species through bio-sampling.
    Objective 2. Conduct education and outreach to foster good 
stewardship principles and broad and direct public participation in the 
Council decision-making process by supporting education and outreach 
activities related to sustainable fisheries management of pelagic 
fisheries in the PRIA.
    Objective 3. Promote regional cooperation to manage domestic and 
international fisheries, by participating in international fishery 
policy development in Pacific Regional Fishery Management 
Organizations.
    Objective 4. Encourage development of technologies and methods to 
achieve the most effective level of monitoring, control, and 
surveillance, and to ensure safety at sea.
    a. Support pilot programs to test new technologies for information 
gathering, in coordination with federal, state, and industry 
representatives.
    b. Support observer programs or other monitoring efforts that are 
adequate to monitor the harvest, bycatch, and compliance of foreign 
fishing vessels that fish under a PIAFA in the PRIA.
    c. Participate in Pacific-wide vessel monitoring system 
consultations.
    Objective 5. Support activities that promote western Pacific 
community demonstration projects and the western Pacific community 
development program.
    Section 204(e)(7)(C) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act authorizes the 
Council to use monies deposited into the Fund to meet conservation and 
management objectives in the State of Hawaii, consistent with the 
Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Hawaii Archipelago. The MCP includes an 
appendix describing these objectives. At the 157th meeting, the Council 
recommended amendments to the appendix relating to fisheries research.
    The MCP also outlines a process by which the Council's Executive

[[Page 48862]]

Committee could revisit the project ranking to adapt to changing 
management needs.
    This notice announces that NMFS has determined that the PRIA MCP 
satisfies the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and approves the 
MCP for the 3-year period from August 1, 2013, through July 31, 2016.

    Dated: August 7, 2013.
Emily H. Menashes,
Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-19499 Filed 8-9-13; 8:45 am]
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