[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 54433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27233]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 644
[I.D. 071698B(1)]
RIN 0648-AJ67
Atlantic Billfish Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of a draft fishery management plan (FMP)
amendment; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the submission of draft Amendment 1 to the
Fishery Management Plan for the Atlantic Billfish Fishery for
Secretarial review. Draft Billfish Amendment 1 defines overfishing
criteria, develops rebuilding management strategies, defines essential
fish habitat, and establishes framework procedures for regulatory
changes affecting the management of the Atlantic billfish fishery.
DATES: Written comments on draft Billfish Amendment 1 must be received
on or before January 7, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on draft Billfish Amendment 1 should be
sent to, and copies of the document are available from, Rebecca Lent,
Chief, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, NMFS, 1315 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah McLaughlin at (301) 713-2347 or
Buck Sutter at (727) 570-5324.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic billfish fishery is managed
under an FMP implemented in March 1988, with regulations published at
50 CFR part 644 under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801
et seq.) and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA, 16 U.S.C. 971 et
seq.).
Upon implementation of Billfish Amendment 1, the Secretary will
implement Atlantic billfish regulations under the authority of both the
Magnuson-Stevens Act and ATCA. Regulations issued under the authority
of ATCA carry out the recommendations of the International Commission
for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
If approved, Billfish Amendment 1 will define overfishing status
determination criteria, which designate Atlantic blue marlin and
Atlantic white marlin as overfished. NMFS has developed a two-part
strategy: a suggested international rebuilding scheme and domestic
management measures. Together, these two components identify biomass
and fishing mortality limits and propose a suite of preferred
management alternatives designed to reduce fishing mortality, bycatch,
and bycatch mortality. Preferred alternatives include measures to
rebuild overfished fisheries in timeframes consistent with guidelines
for implementation of National Standard 1, to control fishing effort
and increase the minimum size for for blue and white marlin, to
implement billfish reporting requirements, and to address issues of
safety at sea and enforcement. In addition, essential fish habitat
(EFH) is defined for Atlantic billfish.
In a separate notice to be published in the Federal Register, NMFS
will propose regulations to implement the preferred alternatives
specified in the draft Billfish Amendment 1. During the comment period
on the proposed rule, NMFS will hold public hearings on the draft
Billfish Amendment 1 and on the proposed implementing regulations. The
dates and locations of these public hearings will be published in the
Federal Register at a later date. NMFS specifically requests comment on
the designation of sargassum weed as EFH for Atlantic billfish. NMFS
also seeks determinations from coastal states on whether the preferred
management measures would be consistent with the existing or planned
state regulations and should be applicable in state waters.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. and 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.
Dated: October 5, 1998.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-27233 Filed 10-6-98; 2:36 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
