[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 28 (Thursday, February 10, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3007]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 10, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 651
[Docket No. 940232-4032; I.D. 020494A]
Northeast Multispecies Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification of Flexible Area Action System #7.
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SUMMARY: NOAA issues this notice to inform the public and the fishing
industry that the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is
considering Flexible Area Action System #7 under Amendment 3 to the
Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The purpose of
the action would be to protect substantial concentrations of spawning
haddock (with a large percentage of females full of roe) from being
disturbed or caught and wastefully discarded at sea. This situation
presents a hazard to haddock spawning success as well as significant
wasted haddock mortality.
DATES: Comments on this proposed action must be received by February
24, 1994. The Council's Multispecies Committee will hold a hearing on
February 24, 1994, at 10 AM.
ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposed action, the fact-finding
report and the Council's impact analysis to Richard B. Roe, Regional
Director, National Marine Fisheries Service, One Blackburn Drive,
Gloucester, MA 01930.
Copies of the NMFS Northeast Regional Director's (Regional
Director) fact-finding report and the Council's impact analysis will be
available on February 18, 1994, upon request from Douglas G. Marshall,
Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 5 Broadway
(Route 1), Saugus, MA 01960.
The public hearing will be held at the King's Grant Inn, Danvers,
Massachusetts in conjunction with a meeting of the Committee to solicit
comments on the proposed action.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
E. Martin Jaffe, NMFS, Fishery Policy Analyst, 508-281-9272.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is taken under 50 CFR 651.26 as
established by Amendment 3 to the FMP. Amendment 3 was approved by the
Secretary of Commerce on November 24, 1989, and published on December
22, 1989 (54 FR 52803), with the regulations effective on December 19,
1989. Section 651.26 specifies a Flexible Area Action System (FAAS)
whereby protection can be provided to concentrations of juvenile, sub-
legal or spawning fish. As part of this process, the Regional Director
will initiate a fact-finding investigation of the alleged problem. The
Council will also provide an impact analysis of alternative measures
that might be implemented under this action.
The Council's Multispecies Committee (Committee) received a sea
sampler's report that excessive by-catches of spawning haddock were
occurring in Area I off of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. To determine the
extent of the problem and whether it is appropriate to take action, the
Committee has initiated this action.
Potential Area Affected
(1) The potential area of the proposed action that could be
affected includes part or all of Area 1, defined at 50 CFR 651.21(a)(1)
and encompassed by lines connecting the following points: (a)
40 deg.53' N. Latitude, 68 deg.53' W. Longitude; (b) 41 deg.35' N.
Latitude, 68 deg.30' W. Longitude; (c) 41 deg.50' N. Latitude,
68 deg.45' W. Longitude; (d) 41 deg.50' N. Latitude, 69 deg.00' W.
Longitude; (e) 41 deg.30' N. Latitude, 69 deg.00' W. Longitude; (f)
41 deg.30' N. Latitude, 69 deg.23' W. Longitude, and (a) 40 deg.53' N.
Latitude, 68 deg.53' W. Longitude.
(2) The principal species that could be affected by any action
would be haddock and Atlantic cod, primarily, and any other groundfish
species where fisheries for them are forced to move to other areas for
the period of a closure.
(3) The types of gear that could be affected by this action are all
types of gear capable of catching groundfish, including, but not
limited to, otter trawls, sink gillnets, hook gear, traps and any other
gear types directed at haddock or that catch haddock in the area
defined as a result of the fact-finding.
(4) The fisheries that potentially would be impacted are the
commercial and recreational groundfish fisheries that operate in the
area of the proposed action and use the gear types listed above.
(5) The principal ports that would be affected are Portland, Maine,
Gloucester, Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, New Bedford/
Fairhaven, Massachusetts, and Galilee, Rhode Island. Some smaller ports
could also be impacted.
(6) The expected duration of the action is as long as 180 days. If
implemented as early as March 1, 1994, the action could last until
August 28, 1994.
(7) The Committee expects to recommend that those areas that are
determined to have significant concentrations of spawning haddock be
closed to fishing with the types of gear described in (3) above.
Other actions which might be considered are implementation of any
measures currently listed in the Northeast Multispecies Fishery
Management Plan and its implementing regulations, e.g., a minimum mesh
size.
(8) The Council will begin analyzing the potential impacts from
possible action upon publication of this notice.
(9) The Council's impact analysis will be available on February 18,
1994.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 651
Fisheries, Fishing, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements,
Vessel permits and fees.
Dated: February 4, 1994.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director of Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-3007 Filed 2-4-94; 4:50 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-M
