[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 208 (Tuesday, October 28, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55774-55775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28440]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 600
[Docket No. 970829214-7214-01; I.D. 082097B]
RIN 0648-AJ76
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Observer Health and Safety
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
[[Page 55775]]
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: NMFS extends for 30 days the comment period for the proposed
rule about guidelines to ensure observer health and safety.
DATES: Comments must be received by November 21, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Gary Matlock, Director, Office of
Sustainable Fisheries, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William J. Bellows, 301-713-2341.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Magnuson-Stevens Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), the
Marine Mammal Protection Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and
the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.)
authorize the Secretary of Commerce to station observers aboard
commercial fishing vessels to collect required scientific data for the
purposes of fishery and protected species conservation and management,
monitoring incidental mortality and serious injury to marine mammals
and to other species listed under the Endangered Species Act, and
monitoring compliance with existing Federal regulations. In addition,
pursuant to the South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988 (16 U.S.C. 973 et seq.),
observers may be required in the South Pacific Tuna Fishery.
A proposed rule was published on September 22, 1997 (62 FR 49464),
in which guidelines were proposed for the purpose of ensuring observer
health and safety while aboard a vessel and at the time of boarding and
disembarking. The 30-day comment period ended October 22, 1997. One
comment was received; it requested an extension of the comment period.
NMFS is interested in receiving comments and is extending the
comment period through November 21, 1997.
This notice's comment-period extension has been determined to be
not significant for purposes of E.O. 12866.
Dated: October 21, 1997.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-28440 Filed 10-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
