[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 12810-12811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03396]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[RTID 0648-XD481]


Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species 
Fisheries; Amendment 21 to the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery 
Management Plan

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of an amendment to a fishery management 
plan; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 
21 to the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) 
for review by the Secretary of Commerce. If approved, Amendment 21 
would make a number of non-substantive, administrative changes to the 
CPS FMP including defining acronyms upon first use, adding hyperlinks, 
removing repetitive language, and rearranging sections for clarity and 
logical sequence. These changes, colloquially referred to as 
``housekeeping'' changes, would not change the management of the 
fishery. This proposed amendment is intended to promote the goals and 
objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act, the CPS FMP, and other applicable laws. NMFS will consider public 
comments in deciding whether to approve, disapprove, or partially 
approve Amendment 21.

DATES: Comments on the notice of availability must be received by April 
22, 2024 to be considered in the decision whether to approve, 
disapprove, or partially approve Amendment 21.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2023-0134, by the following method:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and type NOAA-NMFS-2023-0134 in the Search box 
(note: copying and pasting the FDMS Docket Number directly from this 
document may not yield search results). Click the ``Comment'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
    Instructions: Comments must be submitted by the above method to 
ensure that the comments are received, documented, and considered by 
NMFS. Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or 
individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be 
considered. All comments received are a part of the public record and 
will generally be posted for public viewing on https://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).

Electronic Access

    This rule is accessible via the internet on the Office of the 
Federal Register website at https://www.federalregister.gov/. 
Additionally, background information and documents are available on the 
Pacific Fishery Management Council's website at

[[Page 12811]]

https://www.pcouncil.org/actions/housekeeping-fmp-amendment/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katie Davis, Sustainable Fisheries 
Division, NMFS, (323) 372-2126, [email protected]; or Jessi 
Doerpinghaus, Staff Officer, Pacific Fishery Management Council, (503) 
820-2415, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The coastal pelagic species (CPS) fishery in 
the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the West Coast is managed under 
the CPS Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) developed the CPS FMP pursuant to the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act, 
16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). The Secretary of Commerce approved the CPS FMP 
and implemented the provisions of the plan through regulations at 50 
CFR part 660, subpart I. Species managed under the CPS FMP include 
Pacific sardine, Pacific mackerel, jack mackerel, northern anchovy, 
market squid, and krill.
    The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires each regional fishery management 
council to submit any amendment to an FMP to NMFS for review and 
approval, disapproval, or partial approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act 
also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an amendment to an FMP, 
immediately publish notification in the Federal Register that the 
amendment is available for public review and comment. This notice of 
availability announces that the proposed Amendment 21 to the CPS FMP is 
available for public review and comment. NMFS will consider the public 
comments received during the comment period described above in 
determining whether to approve, disapprove, or partially approve 
Amendment 21.

Background

    At its April 2022 meeting, the Council initiated the preparation of 
an administrative amendment for the CPS FMP, the intention of which was 
to conduct an editorial revision of the document for clarity and 
consistency. The amendment was colloquially referred to as a 
``housekeeping'' amendment. During the development of Amendment 20 on 
management categories (see 88 FR 42652, July 3, 2023), the Council's 
CPS Management Team had identified places within the CPS FMP where text 
could be edited to address inconsistencies in terminology and 
organization resulting from past revisions through various amendments 
to the FMP. The CPS Management Team developed, with input from the CPS 
Advisory Subpanel, a draft of proposed changes to the CPS FMP that was 
adopted by the Council for public review in November 2022. None of the 
proposed changes were intended to alter the management of the CPS 
fisheries. Between November 2022 and April 2023, the CPS Management 
Team and Council staff reviewed and continued to work on the draft to 
ensure that the proposed changes were within the administrative scope 
of this action. In April 2023, the Council adopted the proposed changes 
to the CPS FMP for recommendation to NMFS.

Summary of Proposed Administrative Changes to the Coastal Pelagic 
Species Fishery Management Plan

    A complete list of the proposed changes in Amendment 21 to the CPS 
FMP is available on the Council website at https://www.pcouncil.org/actions/housekeeping-fmp-amendment/. In addition to minor editorial 
clarifications in the FMP, most of the proposed changes fall into the 
following categories:
    Abbreviations and acronyms: All abbreviations and acronyms would be 
spelled out upon first use and then applied throughout the remainder of 
the FMP. A list of acronyms and their definitions would be added to the 
beginning of the document.
    Hyperlinks: Hyperlinks to Council documents or the Federal Register 
would be inserted upon reference to an FMP amendment, final rule that 
implemented an FMP amendment, and associated regulations.
    Chub mackerel: Chapter 1 of the CPS FMP establishes that Pacific 
mackerel is also known as ``chub'' mackerel. To employ consistent 
terminology throughout the document, the term ``chub'' would not be 
repeated with regard to Pacific mackerel.
    Headings and Structure: Sections of the CPS FMP would be rearranged 
to achieve clarity and logical order, resulting in changes to the 
section headings and numbering to accurately and sequentially label 
their contents.
    Organizational Terminology: Terminology would be updated consistent 
with changes in nomenclature that have occurred since the CPS FMP was 
written, such as those resulting from the 2007 reauthorization of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, the 2016 updates to the National Standard 
guidelines, and the consolidation of the NMFS Southwest and Northwest 
Regional Offices into the West Coast Region.
    This Amendment would edit the CPS FMP for clarity and content, and 
make no changes to the management of CPS fisheries.

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

    Dated: February 14, 2024.
Everett Wayne Baxter,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-03396 Filed 2-16-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P