[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 208 (Monday, October 28, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57652-57653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23470]


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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 American Samoa

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

[[Page 57653]]


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 Territory of American Samoa 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 American Samoa.

DATES: The specified fishing agreement was valid as of September 15, 
2019. The start date for attributing 2019 bigeye tuna catch to American 
Samoa is October 28, 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 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: Jarad Makaiau, NMFS PIRO Sustainable 
Fisheries, 808-725-5176.

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 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (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 August 15, 2019, NMFS received from the Council a specified 
fishing agreement between the Territory of American Samoa 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 September 15, 2019, NMFS 
reviewed the agreement and determined that it is consistent with the 
Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific, 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 
implementing regulations, and other applicable laws. However, because 
at that time, vessels identified in a previous agreement between the 
CNMI and HLA only attained about a third of the 1,000 t CNMI allocation 
limit, NMFS decided to await a more accurate projection to determine 
the date for attributing catch to the 2019 American Samoa limit. Based 
on logbook data submitted by U.S. longline vessels operating under the 
CNMI/HLA agreement, NMFS now forecasts the CNMI allocation limit of 
1,000 t will be reached by November 4, 2019.
    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 American Samoa attribution limit. 
NMFS will begin attributing bigeye tuna caught by vessels in the 
agreement to American Samoa starting October 28, 2019. 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: October 23, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-23470 Filed 10-25-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P