[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 73 (Monday, April 15, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 16456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9199]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Parts 672 and 675
[I.D. 040996A]
RIN 0648-AH03
Federal Fisheries off Alaska; Salmon Donation Program
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of amendments to fishery management
plans; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has
submitted Amendment 26 to the Fishery Management Plan for the
Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Island Area and
Amendment 29 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf
of Alaska (FMPs). These amendments would authorize a voluntary Salmon
Donation Program (SDP) for distribution of Pacific salmon taken as
bycatch in the groundfish trawl fisheries off Alaska to economically
disadvantaged individuals by tax-exempt organizations through a NMFS
authorized distributor. Comments are requested from the public.
DATES: Comments on the proposed amendments to the FMPs must be
submitted by June 10, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the proposed amendments to the FMPs must be
submitted to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries Management Division,
Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK, 99802, Attn: Lori
Gravel, or delivered to the Federal Building, 709 West 9th Street,
Juneau, AK. Copies of the proposed amendments and the environmental
assessment/regulatory impact review prepared for the proposed action
may be obtained from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605
West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510-2252, telephone 907-
271-2809.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan J. Salveson, 907-586-7229.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson Act) requires that each Regional Fishery
Management Council submit any fishery management plan or plan amendment
it prepares to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial
disapproval. The Magnuson Act also requires that NMFS, after receiving
a fishery management plan or amendment, immediately publish a notice in
the Federal Register that the fishery management plan or amendment is
available for public review and comment. NMFS will consider the public
comments received during the comment period in determining whether to
approve these amendments.
Amendments 26 and 29 would authorize a voluntary SDP. The SDP's
objective is to distribute salmon taken as bycatch in the groundfish
trawl fisheries off Alaska to economically disadvantaged individuals by
tax-exempt organizations, thereby reducing waste from discards in the
groundfish trawl fisheries. Participants in the SDP would voluntarily
retain and process salmon bycatch for delivery to an authorized
distributor selected by NMFS. Vessels and processors would incur the
costs of handling, processing, storing, and delivering donated salmon
to tax-exempt organizations. Vessel operators and processors seeking to
participate in the SDP must receive a Salmon Retention Permit from a
NMFS-authorized distributor prior to retaining or processing salmon for
donation purposes.
Federal regulations to implement Amendments 26 and 29 are scheduled
to be published within 15 days of the date of publication of this
document.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 9, 1996.
Richard H. Schaefer,
Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-9199 Filed 4-9-96; 4:51 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
