[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 2, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31347-31348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-13408]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 150506428-5468-01]
RIN 0648-BF07


Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; 
Jonah Crab Fishery; Control Date for Jonah Crab Fishery

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

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR); request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a control date that may limit or 
restrict access into the Jonah crab fishery in Federal waters. This 
action is necessary to inform fishery participants that we are 
considering future action. We intend for this notice to promote 
awareness of possible future rulemaking, and discourage speculative 
entry into and/or investment in the Jonah crab fishery.

DATES: June 2, 2015 is established as the ``control date'' for the 
Jonah crab fishery, and may be used as a reference date for future 
management measures related to the Jonah crab fishery, consistent with 
applicable Federal laws and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commission's recommendations. Written comments must be received on or 
before July 2, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2015-0065 by any of the following methods:
    [ssquf] Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2015-0065, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
    [ssquf] Mail: Submit written comments to John K. Bullard, Regional 
Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, 55 Great Republic 
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope, 
``Comments on Jonah crab Control Date.''
    Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above 
methods to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and 
considered. We may not consider comments sent by any other method, to 
any other address or individual, or received after the end of the 
comment period. All comments received are a 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. We will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Murphy, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, 978-281-9122.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Jonah crab (Cancer borealis), also known 
locally as rock crab, is not currently managed under Federal 
regulations or a coastwide Interstate Fishery Management Plan. Some 
individual Atlantic states do have management measures or permit 
requirements for Jonah crab. In May 2014, the Atlantic States Marine 
Fisheries Commission's American Lobster Management Board initiated the 
development of an Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Jonah Crab, 
throughout the species range within United States waters. The Board's 
development of a formal management plan was based on its

[[Page 31348]]

concern about potential impacts to the Jonah crab resource with recent 
increases in landings. At its May 2015 meeting, the Board voted to 
approve a draft Jonah crab Interstate Fishery Management Plan for 
public comment. The draft Plan includes options for a limited access 
program for the fishery, such as an option that would limit Jonah crab 
fishing only to those fishermen who could document Jonah crab landings 
occurring before a certain date, known as a control date.
    Also during the May 2015 meeting, the Commission requested that we 
establish a control date for the Jonah crab fishery that may be used to 
affect future participation in the Jonah crab fishery in Federal 
waters. The control date communicates to fishermen that participation 
and landing history after the date of publication may not be treated 
the same as participation and landings history that occurred prior to 
the control date. New entrants into the Jonah crab fishery after the 
control date could potentially be restricted from harvesting Jonah crab 
depending on the management options ultimately chosen by the 
Commission.
    This notification establishes June 2, 2015 as a control date for 
potential use in determining historical or traditional participation 
for the Jonah crab fishery. Consideration of a control date does not 
commit us to develop any particular management program or criteria for 
participation in the fishery. We may choose a different control date; 
or may choose a management program that does not make use of such a 
date. We may also choose to take no further action to control entry or 
access to the Jonah crab fishery. Any action we take will be taken 
pursuant to the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act, 
will be discussed at Commission and Board meetings, and will make have 
additional Federal rulemaking, including opportunity to comment.
    This notification gives the public notice that interested Jonah 
crab fishery participants should locate and preserve records that 
substantiate and verify their participation in the fishery. This 
notification and control date do not impose any legal obligations, 
requirements, or expectation.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. and 16 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.

    Dated: May 28, 2015.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-13408 Filed 6-1-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P