[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 31, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 15308-15309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7888]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[I.D. 032599B]
RIN 0648-AL89
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Overfished
Fisheries
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of overfished fishery.
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SUMMARY: NMFS has identified the eastern Bering sea stock of C. bairdi
as overfished. The identification of overfished stocks is required by
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act), as amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA). The
purpose of this notice is to notify the public that the North Pacific
Fishery Management Council (Council) has been informed that the stock
is overfished and has been directed to initiate action to end
overfishing and rebuild the stock.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George H. Darcy, NMFS, 301/713-2341.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
This action is required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1801
et seq.) as amended by the SFA, which was signed into law on October
11, 1996. Section 304(e) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that upon
determination that a fishery is overfished, the Secretary of Commerce
(Secretary) shall immediately notify the appropriate fishery management
council and request that action be taken to end overfishing in the
fishery and to implement conservation and management measures to
rebuild affected stocks. The fishery managment council has one year
from the date of notification to prepare a plan to end overfishing in
the fishery and to rebuild affected stocks.
On March 3, 1999, the Secretary approved Amendment 7 to the Fishery
Management Plan (FMP) for the Commercial King and Tanner Crab Fisheries
in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) (64 FR 11390, March 9, 1999).
Pursuant to section 303(a)(10) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and the
national standard guidelines (50 CFR part 600), the amendment revises
the definitions of overfishing, maximum sustainable yield, and optimum
yield for the king and Tanner crab fisheries in the BSAI. Under the new
definitions, the eastern Bering Sea C. bairdi Tanner crab spawning
biomass is below the minimum sustainable stock size threshold, and is
deemed overfished. Pursuant to section 304 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act,
NMFS notified the Council by letter on March 3, 1999, that the stock is
overfished, as follows:
Mr. Richard B. Lauber, Chairman
North Pacific Fishery Management Council
605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306
Anchorage, Alaska 99501-2252
Dear Mr. Lauber:
I have approved Amendment 7 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP)
for the Commercial King and Tanner Crab Fisheries in the Bering Sea/
Aleutian Islands and Amendment 6 to the FMP for the Scallop Fishery
Off Alaska. These amendments revise the definitions of overfishing
for the crab and scallop species or species groups in the FMPs. This
action is necessary for compliance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and will
advance the Council's ability to achieve, on a continuing basis, the
optimum yield from fisheries under its jurisdiction.
A notice of availability for the proposed Amendments 7 and 6,
which describes the proposed amendments and invited comments from
the public, was published in the Federal Register at 63 FR 66112 on
December 1, 1998. No regulatory changes are associated with these
amendments. A Notice of Approval for the amendments will be
published shortly in the Federal Register, informing the public of
the approval decisions.
Based on the overfishing definitions contained in Amendment 7 to
the crab FMP, we determine C. bairdi to be overfished. By March 3,
2000, the Council is required by section 304(e) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act to prepare and submit conservation and
[[Page 15309]]
management measures to end overfishing and rebuild the C. bairdi
stock. The rebuilding program must be as short as possible, but not
exceed 10 years, except if the biology of the stock or other
environmental conditions dictate otherwise.
Sincerely,
Steven Pennoyer, Regional Administrator
Dated: March 25, 1999.
Gary C. Matlock,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-7888 Filed 3-30-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
