[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 169 (Friday, August 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 70601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19487]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XE172]


Pacific Island Fisheries; Marine Conservation Plan for American 
Samoa; Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund

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

ACTION: Notice of agency decision.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces approval of a Marine Conservation Plan (MCP) 
for American Samoa.

DATES: This agency decision is effective from August 30, 2024 through 
July 24, 2027.

ADDRESSES: You may obtain a copy of the MCP, identified by NOAA-NMFS-
2024-0093, from the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal, https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAA-NMFS-2024-0093, or from the Western 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), 1164 Bishop St., Suite 
1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, 808-522-8220, http://www.wpcouncil.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Kamikawa, Sustainable Fisheries, 
NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office, 808-725-5177.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Government of American Samoa developed 
the MCP, with concurrence of the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council. Section 204(e)(4) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires that a MCP detail 
the uses for funds to be collected by the Secretary of Commerce. Funds 
deposited into the Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund, 
including payments under a Pacific Insular Area Fishery Agreement and 
other contributions, may be used to implement the conservation and 
management objectives in the MCP. The MCP must be consistent with the 
Council's fishery management (ecosystem) plans, identify conservation 
and management objectives (including criteria for determining when such 
objectives have been met), and prioritize planned marine conservation 
projects.
    At its June 2024 meeting, the Council reviewed and concurred with 
the MCP. On June 21, 2024, the Governor of American Samoa submitted the 
MCP to NMFS for review and approval. The MCP contains the following six 
conservation and management objectives:
    1. Maximize social and economic benefits through sustainable 
fisheries;
    2. Support quality scientific research to assess and manage 
fisheries;
    3. Promote an ecosystem approach in fisheries management;
    4. Recognize the importance of island culture and traditional 
fishing in managing fishery resources and foster opportunities for 
participation;
    5. Promote education and outreach activities and regional 
collaboration regarding fisheries conservation;
    6. Encourage development of technologies and methods to achieve the 
most effective level of enforcement and to ensure safety at sea.
    Please refer to the MCP for projects and activities designed to 
meet each objective, the evaluative criteria, and priority rankings.
    This notice announces that NMFS has reviewed the MCP and determined 
that it satisfies the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. 
Accordingly, NMFS has approved the MCP for the time period from the 
publication of this notice through July 24, 2027. This MCP supersedes 
the one approved for July 25, 2021 through July 24, 2024 (86 FR 42792).

    Dated: August 26, 2024.
Lindsay Fullenkamp,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-19487 Filed 8-29-24; 8:45 am]
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