2023-22288. Pacific Island Fisheries; 2023 Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Lobster Harvest Guideline

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notification of lobster harvest guideline.

SUMMARY:

NMFS establishes the annual harvest guideline for the commercial lobster fishery in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) for calendar year 2023 at zero lobsters.

DATES:

October 6, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Keith Kamikawa, NMFS PIRO Sustainable Fisheries, 808–725–5177.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

NMFS manages the NWHI commercial lobster fishery under the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Hawaiian Archipelago. The regulations at 50 CFR 665.252(b) require NMFS to publish an annual harvest guideline for lobster Permit Area 1, comprised of Federal waters around the NWHI.

Regulations governing the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the NWHI prohibit the unpermitted removal of monument resources (50 CFR 404.7), and establish a zero annual harvest guideline for lobsters (50 CFR 404.10(a)). Accordingly, NMFS establishes the harvest guideline for the NWHI commercial lobster fishery for calendar year 2023 at zero lobsters. Harvest of NWHI lobster resources is not allowed.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: October 3, 2023.

Jennifer M. Wallace,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.