[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 226 (Monday, November 23, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 74614-74615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25806]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 665

[RTID 0648-XA646]


Pacific Island Fisheries; 2020 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 2020 bigeye tuna limit for 
the

[[Page 74615]]

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 was valid as of November 12, 
2020. The start date for attributing 2020 bigeye tuna catch to American 
Samoa was November 15, 2020.

ADDRESSES: The Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the 
Western Pacific (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-2020-0120, are available from https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NMFS-2020-0153, or from Michael D. 
Tosatto, Regional Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 
1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Rassel, NMFS PIRO Sustainable 
Fisheries, 808-725-5184.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a final rule published on August 19, 
2020, NMFS specified a 2020 limit of 2,000 t of longline-caught bigeye 
tuna for each of the U.S. Pacific Island territories of American Samoa, 
Guam, and the CNMI (85 FR 50961). NMFS allows each territory to 
allocate up to 1,500 t of the 2,000 t limit to U.S. longline fishing 
vessels identified in a valid specified fishing agreement, but the 
overall allocation limit among all territories may not exceed 3,000 t.
    On November 9, 2020, NMFS received from the Council a specified 
fishing agreement between the CNMI and the Hawaii Longline Association. 
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 November 12, 2020, NMFS reviewed the agreement and 
determined that it is consistent with the Pelagic FEP, implementing 
regulations, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act, 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 specified in the 
fishing agreement. On November 15, 2020, NMFS began attributing bigeye 
tuna caught by vessels in the agreement to the CNMI, seven days before 
November 22, 2020, the date that NMFS forecasted that the fishery would 
reach the American Samoa bigeye tuna allocation limit of 1,000 t (85 FR 
63216, October 7, 2020).
    If NMFS determines that the fishery will reach the 1,000 t 
allocation specified in the CNMI agreement, 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: November 17, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-25806 Filed 11-20-20; 8:45 am]
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