[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 148 (Thursday, August 1, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 37592-37593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16421]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 665

RIN 0648-XG925


Pacific Island Pelagic Fisheries; 2019 U.S. Territorial Longline 
Bigeye Tuna Catch Limits for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands

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

ACTION: Announcement of a valid specified fishing agreement.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces a valid specified fishing agreement that 
allocates up to 1,000 metric tons (t) of the 2019 bigeye tuna limit for 
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to U.S. 
longline fishing vessels. The agreement supports the long-term 
sustainability of fishery resources of the U.S. Pacific Islands, and 
fisheries development in the CNMI.

DATES: The specified fishing agreement is valid on July 19, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the 
Western Pacific (Pelagic FEP) describes specified fishing agreements 
and is available from the Western Pacific Fishery

[[Page 37593]]

Management Council (Council), 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 
96813, tel 808-522-8220, fax 808-522-8226, or http://www.wpcouncil.org.
    NMFS prepared environmental analyses that describe the potential 
impacts on the human environment that would result from the action. The 
analyses, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2019-0028, are available from https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NMFS-2019-0028, or from Michael D. 
Tosatto, Regional Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 
1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Walker, NMFS PIRO Sustainable 
Fisheries, 808-725-5184.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a final rule published on July 18, 2019, 
NMFS specified a 2019 limit of 2,000 t of longline-caught bigeye tuna 
for the U.S. Pacific Island territories of American Samoa, Guam, and 
the CNMI (84 FR 34321). NMFS allows each territory to allocate up to 
1,000 t of the 2,000 t limit to U.S. longline fishing vessels 
identified in a valid specified fishing agreement.
    On July 18, 2019, NMFS received from the Council a specified 
fishing agreement between the CNMI and the Hawaii Longline Association 
(HLA). The Council's Executive Director advised that the specified 
fishing agreement was consistent with the criteria set forth in 50 CFR 
665.819(c)(1). On July 19, 2019, NMFS reviewed the agreement and 
determined that it is consistent with the Pelagic FEP, the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, implementing 
regulations, and other applicable laws.
    In accordance with 50 CFR 300.224(d) and 50 CFR 665.819(c)(9), 
vessels in the agreement may retain and land bigeye tuna in the western 
and central Pacific Ocean under the CNMI attribution limit. On July 20, 
2019, NMFS began attributing bigeye tuna caught by vessels in the 
agreement to the CNMI. If NMFS determines that the fishery will reach 
the 1,000 t allocation limit, we will restrict the retention of bigeye 
tuna caught by vessels in the agreement, unless the vessels are 
included in a subsequent specified fishing agreement with another U.S. 
territory.

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

    Dated: July 29, 2019.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-16421 Filed 7-31-19; 8:45 am]
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