[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 69391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27570]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC968


New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils; Public 
Comment

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

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils 
seek public comment on a draft amendment to all the fishery management 
plans under their purview. The omnibus amendment would establish a 
standardized bycatch reporting methodology for each fishery management 
plan, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act.

DATES: Comments must be received by December 19, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments by any of the following 
methods.
     Email: [email protected]. Include in the subject 
line ``Comments on draft SBRM.''
     Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, NMFS, 
Northeast Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 
01930. Mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on draft SBRM.''
     Fax: (978) 281-9135.
    Copies of the draft SBRM amendment may be obtained by contacting 
the NMFS Northeast Regional Office at the above address. The documents 
are also available via the internet at: http://nero.noaa.gov/mediacenter/2013/09/draftsbrmamendment.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
(978) 281-9341.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 303(a)(11) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires 
each fishery management plan (FMP) to include provisions establishing 
``a standardized reporting methodology to assess the amount and type of 
bycatch occurring in the fishery.'' The Councils and NMFS are 
considering an omnibus amendment to establish a standardized bycatch 
reporting methodology (SBRM) or modify existing SBRMs under every 
Northeast Region FMP. NMFS had previously implemented an omnibus SBRM 
amendment recommended by the Councils. That amendment was vacated by a 
Federal Court and remanded to NMFS and the Councils in order to develop 
and implement another SBRM amendment consistent with the Court's 
findings, see Oceana v. Locke et al. (No. 10-5299). The purpose of the 
amendment is to respond to the remand; particularly the appellate 
court's finding that the level of observer coverage was too dependent 
on the discretion of NMFS. This amendment also would explain the 
methods and processes by which bycatch is currently monitored and 
assessed for Northeast Region fisheries, determine whether these 
methods and processes need to be modified and/or supplemented, 
establish standards of precision for bycatch estimation for all 
Northeast Region fisheries and, thereby, to document the SBRM 
established for all fisheries managed through the FMPs of the Northeast 
Region. The scope of the omnibus amendment is limited to those 
fisheries prosecuted in the Federal waters of the Northeast Region and 
managed through an FMP developed by either the Mid-Atlantic or New 
England Council.
    Alternatives under consideration in the omnibus SBRM amendment 
address bycatch reporting and monitoring mechanisms, analytical 
techniques, and allocation of at-sea fishery observers when funding 
limits the recommended level of observer coverage; establishment of a 
target level for precision of bycatch estimates; and requirements for 
reviewing and reporting on the efficacy of the SBRM. NMFS and the 
Councils will consider all comments received on the draft SBRM 
amendment and the alternatives for incorporation into the final 
document until the end of the comment period on December 19, 2013. The 
public will have several additional opportunities to comment on the 
SBRM. The final amendment will be considered for approval by the 
Councils at public meetings in early 2014. Once submitted to NMFS, the 
final SBRM Amendment will be made available for public review and 
comment, and regulations will be proposed for review and comment.

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

    Dated: November 13, 2013.
Kelly Denit,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-27570 Filed 11-18-13; 8:45 am]
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