[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 471]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34833]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[I.D. 122498C]
RIN 0648-AL31
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Amendment 9 to the
Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) Amendments to
Address the Sustainable Fisheries Act Requirements and Other Measures
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.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the New England Fishery Management Council
has submitted Amendment 9 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) for Secretarial review and is requesting comments
from the public. Amendment 9 addresses new Sustainable Fisheries Act
requirements for NE multispecies, among other measures.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 8, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments on this proposed rule should be sent to Jon C.
Rittgers, Acting Regional Administrator, 1 Blackburn Drive, Gloucester,
MA 01930. Mark the outside of the envelope, ``Comments on Proposed Rule
for Amendment 9 to the NE Multispecies FMP.''
Copies of Amendment 9, the regulatory impact review, and the
environmental assessment are available from Paul J. Howard, Executive
Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway, Saugus,
MA 01906-1036.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan A. Murphy, Fishery Policy
Analyst, 978-281-9252.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If approved, Amendment 9 would: (1) Include
Atlantic halibut in the NE Multispecies FMP; (2) Establish new or
revised overfishing definitions for cod, haddock, pollock, redfish,
white hake, yellowtail flounder, windowpane flounder, winter flounder,
American plaice, witch flounder, Atlantic halibut, and ocean pout; (3)
revise specifications of optimum yield; (4) add a framework process to
allow for aquaculture projects and modifications to the overfishing
definitions; (5) postpone the Vessel Monitoring System beyond May 1999;
(6) prohibit brush-sweep trawl gear when fishing for multispecies; (7)
increase the winter flounder minimum fish size to 13 inches; and (8)
implement a one-fish halibut possession limit of 36 inches or greater.
A proposed rule that would implement Amendment 9 may be published
in the Federal Register for public comment, following NMFS' evaluation
of the proposed rule under the procedures of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fisheries Conservation and Management Act. Public comments on the
proposed rule must be received by the end of the comment period on
Amendment 9 in order to be considered in the approval/disapproval
decision on the FMP amendment. All comments received by March 8, 1999,
whether specifically directed to the FMP amendment or 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 FMP amendment.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 29, 1998.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-34833 Filed 12-30-98; 3:06 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
