[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 50291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17535]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XC224]


Determination of Overfishing or an Overfished Condition

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This action serves as a notice that NMFS, on behalf of the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), has found that Atlantic bigeye tuna 
is still overfished. NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, is required to 
provide this notice whenever it determines that a stock or stock 
complex is subject to overfishing, overfished, or approaching an 
overfished condition.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Regina Spallone, (301)-427-8568.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 304(e)(2) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1854(e)(2), NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, 
must publish a notice in the Federal Register, whenever it determines 
that a stock or stock complex is subject to overfishing, overfished, or 
approaching an overfished condition.
    Atlantic bigeye tuna are tropical tuna that are widely distributed 
throughout the Atlantic Ocean. The International Commission for the 
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Standing Committee on Research 
and Statistics (SCRS) conducts assessments for Atlantic bigeye tuna and 
makes stock status determinations consistent with ICCAT stock status 
criteria. NMFS uses the information from the SCRS assessments to make 
domestic determinations. NMFS has determined that Atlantic bigeye tuna 
is still overfished. This determination is based on a 2021 assessment, 
using data through 2019. Based on the domestic status determination 
criteria for overfishing and overfished, the stock remains overfished 
because the spawning stock biomass is less than the minimum stock size 
threshold. International cooperation is critical to effective 
management of the stock, given its geographic range and the small 
contribution of the United States to fishing mortality on the stock. 
NMFS continues to work with ICCAT to implement an international 
rebuilding program for this stock.

    Dated: August 10, 2022.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-17535 Filed 8-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P