[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 209 (Thursday, October 29, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 57931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28902]
[[Page 57931]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 980414095-8240-02; I.D. 102098C]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Dealer Reporting
Requirements
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service(NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification of deferral of Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
System reporting requirements for certain species.
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SUMMARY: NMFS defers IVR-reporting requirements for regulated Northeast
(NE) multispecies (Atlantic cod, witch flounder, American plaice,
yellowtail flounder, haddock, pollock, winter flounder, windowpane
flounder, redfish and white hake), Atlantic mackerel, and butterfish.
Based on data submitted by dealers and on other available information,
the Regional Administrator (RA) has determined that landings of these
species are not expected to reach levels that would cause the
applicable target exploitation rate specified in the fishery management
plan (FMP) for that species to be achieved, resulting in specific
management changes. Therefore, federally permitted dealers are not
required to report purchases of regulated NE multispecies, Atlantic
mackerel, and butterfish through the IVR system until notification
terminating the deferral for a given species is published in the
Federal Register. Dealers must continue to report purchases of these
species on the detailed written reports. Dealers must report, through
the IVR system, purchases of species for which IVR reporting
requirements have not been deferred: summer flounder, scup, black sea
bass, Illex squid, and Loligo squid.
DATES: Effective November 1, 1998, until notification terminating the
deferral for a given species is published in the Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelley McGrath, (978)281-9307 or
Gregory Power, (978) 281-9304.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In an effort to prevent overfishing and
rebuild stocks, summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, regulated NE
multispecies, Atlantic mackerel, Illex squid, Loligo squid, and
butterfish are now managed by a quota or by other harvest limit.
Regulations implementing the FMPs for these species were prepared under
the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act and are found at 50 CFR part 648. Successful management
of quota-managed species is dependent upon NMFS having timely and
accurate landing data available. These data will result in better
monitoring of the quotas, fewer overages, and more accurate predictions
of closure dates. In order to effectively monitor landings, NMFS issued
a final rule (63 FR 52639, October 1, 1998) requiring federally
permitted dealers to submit a weekly summary of purchases of quota-
managed species through the IVR system within 3 days of the end of the
reporting week. Regulations implementing the reporting requirements for
federally permitted dealers are found at Sec. 648.7.
To minimize the burden of dealer reporting requirements, the
regulations implementing the use of an IVR system also include
authorization (50 CFR 648.7(a)(2)(ii)) for the RA to defer the IVR
reporting requirements for any species if landings are not expected to
reach levels that would cause the applicable target exploitation rate
specified in the FMP for that species to be exceeded. The RA has
determined, based on the comprehensive written reports submitted by
dealers and other available information, that the landing levels for
regulated NE multispecies (Atlantic cod, witch flounder, American
plaice, yellowtail flounder, haddock, pollock, winter flounder,
windowpane flounder, redfish, and white hake), and for Atlantic
mackerel, and butterfish do not require IVR reporting. Therefore, the
IVR reporting requirements are deferred for these species. If
subsequent data indicate that landing levels for any of these species
have increased to the extent that this determination ceases to be
valid, the RA will terminate this deferral of that species by
publishing notification in the Federal Register.
Pursuant to Sec. 648.7(a)(2), dealers must report, through the IVR
system, their purchases of the species for which IVR- reporting
requirements have not been deferred. These species are summer flounder,
scup, black sea bass, Illex squid, and Loligo squid.
As specified in 50 CFR 648.7(a)(1), dealers must continue to report
purchases of all species, including those species for which IVR
reporting has been deferred, on the detailed written reports.
Classification
This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under E.O. 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 23, 1998.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-28902 Filed 10-23-98; 3:40 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
