[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 163 (Thursday, August 22, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 43785-43786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-18096]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 697
[Docket No. 190816-0015]
RIN 0648-BJ10
Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions;
American Lobster Fishery; Control Date for Lobster Conservation
Management Areas
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: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces a
control date that may be used for potential changes to the lobster
management program. This action is necessary to inform American lobster
permit holders and any potential new entrants that future participation
and eligibility may be affected by past participation, documentation of
landings, effort, and/or gear configuration prior to the control date.
The control date is intended to promote awareness of possible
rulemaking and notify the public that actions taken after the control
date may not be recognized in the future.
DATES: We must receive written comments on or before September 23,
2019.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
[NOAA-NMFS-2019-0095] by any of the following methods:
[ssquf] Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to [NOAA-NMFS-2019-
0095], click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields,
and enter or attach your comments.
[ssquf] Mail: Submit written comments to Michael Pentony, Regional
Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service, 55 Great Republic
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope,
``Comments on Lobster Control Date.''
Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above
methods to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and
considered by NMFS. We may not consider comments sent by any other
method, to any other address or individual, or
[[Page 43786]]
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. NMFS will
accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you
wish to remain anonymous). We accept attachments to electronic comments
only in Microsoft Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file
formats.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Hansen, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9225.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NMFS works cooperatively with the states to conserve the American
lobster resource within the framework of the Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission's Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American
Lobster (ISFMP). Through the ISFMP, the Commission adopts fishery
conservation and management strategies for the American lobster
resource and coordinates the efforts of the states and NMFS to
implement these strategies.
To carry out Congressionally-mandated responsibilities under the
Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS
convened the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team (TRT) during the
last week of April 2019. The TRT is composed of representatives from
state and Federal fishery agencies, conservation groups, researchers,
and the fishing industry, including the lobster industry. As required
under the MMPA, the TRT is tasked with recommending management measures
to reduce the risk of serious injury and entanglement of endangered
whales in fishing gear. At the meeting, the New England states and the
offshore lobster industry committed to reducing the risk of serious
injury and mortality from lobster gear to North Atlantic right whales
by 60 percent in all lobster management areas. The specific measures to
achieve this goal are not yet finalized, but will focus on reducing the
number, and lowering the breaking strength of, vertical lines used in
the lobster trap fishery.
Following the outcome of the TRT meeting, the Commission met and
voted to establish a control date of April 29, 2019, to notify American
lobster permit holders and any potential new entrants that future
participation and eligibility may be affected by past participation,
documentation of landings, effort, and/or gear configuration prior to
the control date. Participation in the fishery after the control date
may not be treated the same as participation before the control date.
NMFS will use April 29, 2019, as a control date for the same reasons
outlined by the Commission. In the coming months, NMFS will be working
with the states and the industry to develop more specific management
measures to achieve the goals recommended by the TRT. Should the
Commission take additional action, NMFS will consider complementary
action pursuant to the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative
Management Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act.
This notification and control date do not impose any legal
obligations, requirements, or expectation.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.
Dated: August 19, 2019.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-18096 Filed 8-21-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P