[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 191 (Thursday, October 2, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 59472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23432]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 130822745-4627-01]
RIN 0648-BD64


Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic 
Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery; Information Collection

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS reopens the comment period on the proposed rule to 
implement an information collection program for the Atlantic surfclam 
and ocean quahog fishery that published on August 7, 2014. The original 
comment period closed on September 8, 2014. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council requested the comment period be reopened to allow 
for additional public comment through October 17, 2014, to be submitted 
after this proposed action is discussed at the upcoming Council 
meeting.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published August 7, 
2014 (79 FR 46233), is reopened. Public comment must be received by 
October 17, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2014-0088, 
by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2014-0088, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
     Mail: John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator, NMFS, 
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, 
Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope: ``Comments on 
Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Information Collection.''
    Instructions: All comments received are part of the public record 
and will generally be posted to 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. Attachments to electronic 
comments will be accepted via Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, 
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file 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 the Greater Atlantic Regional 
Fisheries Office and by email to [email protected] or fax to 
(202) 395-5806.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 402(a)(1) for the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to implement an 
information collection program if a fishery management council 
determines that additional information would be beneficial for 
developing, implementing, or revising a fishery management plan. The 
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council requested that NMFS implement 
an information collection program in the Atlantic surfclam and ocean 
quahog individual transferable quota (ITQ) fisheries. The specific 
components of the requested information collection are detailed in a 
white paper titled, ``Data Collection Recommendations for the Surfclam 
and Ocean Quahog Fisheries,'' that was prepared by the Surfclam and 
Ocean Quahog Data Collection Fishery Management Action Team at the 
direction of the Council. The purpose of this information collection is 
to better identify the specific individuals who hold or control ITQ 
allocation in these fisheries. The Council will use the information 
collected to inform the development of a future management action 
intended to establish an excessive share cap as part of the Council's 
Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan.
    On August 7, 2014, NMFS published in the Federal Register a 
proposed rule to implement the Council's requested information 
collection program with a 30-day comment period that closed on 
September 8, 2014 (79 FR 46233). NMFS received a request from the 
Council to extend the comment period until after the Council meeting on 
October 7-9, 2014, to allow the Council to hold a public discussion of 
the proposed measures. Therefore, to allow for additional public 
comment to be submitted after this proposed action is discussed at the 
Council meeting, NMFS is reopening the comment period on the proposed 
rule through October 17, 2014. Comments submitted during the prior 
comment period have been incorporated into the public record, and will 
be fully considered during preparation of our final determination.

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

    Dated: September 26, 2014.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-23432 Filed 10-1-14; 8:45 am]
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