[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58522-58523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25205]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 180212157-8897-01]
RIN 0648-BH72


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Electronic Reporting for Federally Permitted Charter Vessels and 
Headboats in Gulf of Mexico Fisheries

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS extends the comment period on the proposed rule to 
implement management measures described in the Gulf For-hire Electronic 
Reporting Amendment, as prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico 
(Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) and the South Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council). The Gulf For-hire 
Reporting Amendment includes amendments to the Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP) for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Reef Fish FMP) and 
the FMP for Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources of the Gulf of 
Mexico and Atlantic Region (CMP FMP). On October 26, 2018, NMFS 
published a proposed rule to revise reporting requirements for charter 
vessels and headboats (for-hire vessels) with a Federal charter vessel/
headboat permit for Gulf Reef Fish or Gulf CMP species. The purpose of 
the proposed rule is to increase and improve fisheries information 
collected from federally permitted for-hire vessels in the Gulf. The 
information is expected to improve recreational fisheries management of 
the for-hire component in the Gulf. The comment period on the proposed 
rule is extended through January 9, 2019. NMFS is extending the comment 
period to provide additional opportunities for interested parties to 
comment on the proposed rule.

DATES: The deadline for written comments on the proposed rule published 
on October 26, 2018 (83 FR 54069), is extended from November 26, 2018, 
to January 9, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the proposed rule, identified by 
``NOAA-NMFS-2018-0111,'' by either of the following methods:
     Electronic submission: Submit all electronic comments via 
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NMFS-2018-0111, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, complete 
the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit all written comments to Rich Malinowski, NMFS 
Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 
33701.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. 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.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).
    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 Adam Bailey, NMFS Southeast Regional 
Office, [email protected], or by email to 
[email protected], or fax to 202-395-5806.
    Electronic copies of the Gulf For-hire Reporting Amendment may be 
obtained from www.regulations.gov or the Southeast Regional Office 
website at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/For-HireElectronicReporting/index.html.
    The Gulf For-hire Reporting Amendment includes an environmental 
assessment, regulatory impact review, Regulatory Flexibility Act 
analysis, and fishery impact statement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rich Malinowski, NMFS Southeast 
Regional Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CMP fishery in the Gulf is managed 
jointly under the CMP FMP by the Gulf Council and South Atlantic 
Council. The Gulf Council manages the reef fish fishery under the Reef 
Fish FMP. These FMPs are implemented by NMFS through regulations at 50 
CFR part 622 under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
    On October 26, 2018, NMFS published a proposed rule in the Federal 
Register that would implement management measures described in the Gulf 
For-hire Electronic Reporting Amendment (83 FR 54069). The proposed 
rule would revise reporting requirements for an owner or operator of a 
for-hire vessel with a Federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf 
Reef Fish or Gulf CMP species to submit an electronic fishing report 
for each fishing trip before offloading fish from the vessel, using 
NMFS-approved hardware and software. The proposed rule would also 
require that a for-hire vessel owner or operator use NMFS-approved 
hardware and software with global positioning system capabilities that, 
at a minimum, archive vessel position data during a trip. Lastly, prior 
to departing for any trip, this proposed rule would require the owner 
or operator of a federally permitted charter vessel or headboat to 
notify NMFS and declare whether they are departing on a for-hire trip, 
or on another trip type. The purpose of the proposed rule is to 
increase and improve fisheries

[[Page 58523]]

information collected from federally permitted for-hire vessels in the 
Gulf. The information is expected to improve recreational fisheries 
management of the for-hire component in the Gulf. The comment period on 
the proposed rule was previously announced to end on November 26, 2018.
    On October 10, 2018, Hurricane Michael made landfall in the Florida 
panhandle. As a result of the substantial impacts that this hurricane 
caused to Gulf residents that may be interested in providing public 
comment on the proposed rule, NMFS is extending the proposed rule 
comment period to provide additional opportunities to comment on the 
proposed rule. Therefore, the comment period for the proposed rule 
published on October 26, 2018, is extended through January 9, 2019.

    Dated: November 14, 2018.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-25205 Filed 11-19-18; 8:45 am]
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