[Federal Register: November 13, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 218)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 63871-63872]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13no07-27]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
RIN 0648-AV62
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Groundfish,
Crab, Salmon, and Scallop Fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands Management Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Availability of amendments to fishery management plans; request
for comments.
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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has
submitted Amendment 88 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area,
Amendment 23 to the FMP for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner
Crabs, Amendment 12 to the FMP for the Scallop Fishery Off Alaska, and
Amendment 9 to the FMP for Salmon Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off the Coast of Alaska. These amendments, if approved, would
revise the boundaries of the Aleutian Islands Habitat Conservation Area
(AIHCA) described in each FMP. This action is necessary to ensure the
boundaries of the AIHCA accurately reflect the Council's intent to
prohibit nonpelagic trawling in those areas with minimal or no fishing
and sensitive habitat, and to allow nonpelagic trawling in areas
historically fished by this gear type. This action is intended to
promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the FMPs, and
other applicable laws. Comments from the public are welcome.
DATES: Comments on the amendments must be received by close of business
on January 14, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 0648-AV62, by any one
of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal
eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov;
Mail: Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional Administrator,
Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668,
Juneau, AK 99802; Attn: Ellen Sebastian, Records Officer;
Hand delivery: 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK;
or
Fax: 907-586-7557, Attention: Sue Salveson.
Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record
and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without
change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name,
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly
accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or
otherwise sensitive or protected information. NMFS will accept
anonymous comments. Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted
in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
Copies of FMP amendments, maps of the AIHCA and proposed revisions,
and the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/Initial
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (EA/RIR/IRFA) for this action may be
obtained from the same address or from the Alaska Region NMFS website
at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov.
[[Page 63872]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Brown, 907-586-7228 or
melanie.brown@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that the
Council submit any FMP amendment it prepares to NMFS for review and
approval, disapproval, or partial approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act
also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP amendment, immediately
publish a notice in the Federal Register that the amendment is
available for public review and comment.
If approved by NMFS, these amendments would revise the FMPs by
revising the boundaries of the AIHCA. The AIHCA consists of the entire
Aleutian Islands subarea except for specified areas that have supported
the highest groundfish catches in the past. The AIHCA is closed to all
nonpelagic trawling to protect relatively undisturbed habitats. The
Council determined that the AIHCA would provide a balance between
continued fishing in the Aleutian Islands subarea and protection of
sensitive habitats such as cold-water corals.
After implementation of the AIHCA (71 FR 36694, June 28, 2006), the
Council received information from the fishing industry that two
locations in the AIHCA should be adjusted. The Council recommended
adjustments to the boundaries near Agattu Island and Buldir Island.
Waters near Agattu Island were historically fished by nonpelagic trawl
gear, and no evidence of sensitive habitat exists for this area. This
area currently is closed to nonpelagic trawling under the AIHCA and is
proposed to be opened under this action. Waters open to nonpelagic
trawling near Buldir Island were identified as not extensively fished.
These waters also contain sensitive coral and sponge habitat. This
proposed action would close waters near Buldir Island to protect coral
and sponge habitat from the potential effects of nonpelagic trawling.
This proposed action would ensure the boundaries of the AIHCA are
consistent with the Council's intent to protect sensitive habitat from
the potential effects of nonpelagic trawling and allow fishing in areas
historically fished.
NMFS is soliciting public comments on the proposed amendments
through January 14, 2008. A proposed rule that would implement the
amendments will be published in the Federal Register for public comment
at a later date, following NMFS' evaluation under the Magnuson-Stevens
Act procedures. Public comments on the proposed rule must be received
by the end of the comment period on the amendments in order to be
considered in the approval/disapproval decision on the amendments. All
comments received on the amendments by the end of the comment period,
whether specifically directed to the amendments or to the proposed
rule, will be considered in the approval/disapproval decision. Comments
received after that date will not be considered in the approval/
disapproval decision on the amendments. To be considered, comments must
be received--not just postmarked or otherwise transmitted--by close of
business on the last day of the comment period.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 6, 2007.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-22107 Filed 11-9-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S