[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3811]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 22, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 649
[I.D. 021494E]
American Lobster Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of an amendment to a fishery management
plan and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this notice that the New England Fishery
Management Council has submitted Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management
Plan for American Lobster (FMP) for Secretarial review and is
requesting comments from the public.
DATES: Written comments will be accepted through April 15, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Richard B. Roe, Regional Director, National
Marine Fisheries Service, 1 Blackburn Dr., Gloucester, Massachusetts
01930. Clearly mark the outside of the envelope ``Comments on Lobster
FMP.'' Copies of the Amendment and Draft Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement are available upon request from Douglas G. Marshall,
Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, Suntaug
Office Park, 5 Broadway, Saugus, Massachusetts 01906.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paul H. Jones, Fishery Policy Analyst, 508-281-9273.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) (Magnuson Act) requires that
each regional fishery management council submit any fishery management
plan or plan amendment it prepares to the Secretary for review and
approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval. The Magnuson Act also
requires that the Secretary, upon receiving the plan or amendment, must
immediately publish a notice that it is available for public review and
comment. The Secretary will consider the public comments in determining
whether to approve, disapprove, or partially disapprove the FMP
amendment.
Amendment 5 would implement: (1) A freeze of the minimum size limit
for lobsters at the current carapace size of 3\1/4\ inches; (2) a five
year moratorium on new Federal vessel permits; (3) new permit
requirements for vessel operators and dealers; (4) several categories
of Federal vessel permits and limits on lobster landings according to a
vessel's permit category; (5) the development a stock rebuilding
program for all segments of the lobster fishery; (6) mandatory
reporting for permitted vessels and dealers; (7) changes to the width
of the escape vent size from 6 inches to 5\3/4\ inches; and (8)
framework measures to adjust the effort control and other measures in
the proposed amendment and provisions in the plan. This amendment also
includes a revised definition of overfishing for lobster and a
determination, based on this definition, that the resource is
overfished. The intent of this amendment is to reduce the fishing
mortality rate and rebuild the American lobster resource.
This proposed amendment also included a provision that would allow
moratorium qualification for vessels with state endorsed permits in
states that did not notify vessel owners of the control date for
lobster. This provision has been disapproved based on National Standard
4 and the determination that it would discriminate against individuals
from different states.
A notice of proposed rulemaking will be published within 15 days
after the submission of the amendment.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 15, 1994.
David S. Crestin,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 94-3811 Filed 2-15-94; 4:46 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-M
