[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 29728-29729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14927]
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[[Page 29729]]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
50 CFR Part 676
[I.D. 060496A]
RIN 0648-AI57
Limited Access Management of Federal Fisheries In and Off of
Alaska; Quota Shares and Individual Fishing Quota
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 42 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the
Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Groundfish and Amendment 42 to the Fishery
Management Plan for the Gulf of Alaska Groundfish Fishery. The Council
recommended these amendments to alleviate certain restrictions in the
Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program. If approved, these FMP
amendments would allow quota shares (QS) and IFQ assigned to vessels in
larger size categories to be used on smaller vessels. The Council
intends these amendments to increase the flexibility of QS use and
transfer while maintaining the management goals of the IFQ Program and,
thus, provide small boat fishermen with more opportunities to improve
the profitability of their operations. Comments are requested from the
public.
DATES: Comments on the proposed FMP amendments must be received by
August 6, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Ronald J. Berg, Chief, Fisheries Management
Division, Attn: Lori Gravel, Alaska Region, National Marine Fisheries
Service, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802. Copies of the proposed
Amendments, and the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for this action may be obtained
from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, Suite 306, 605 West
4th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501-2252.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Hale, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
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, upon reviewing the plan or amendment, must
immediately publish a notice that the plan or amendment is available
for public review and comment.
Amendment 42 to each of the FMPs governing Federal fisheries in and
off of Alaska would redefine IFQ vessel categories to allow QS and IFQ
assigned to larger vessel categories to be used on smaller vessels. An
exception to this change would prohibit QS or IFQ assigned to vessel
category B in regulatory areas 2C (for halibut) and east of 140 deg. W.
long. (for sablefish) to be used on vessels less than 60 ft (18.3 m)
length overall except in QS blocks equivalent to less than 5,000 lb
(2.3 mt).
NMFS will consider the public comments received during the comment
period in determining whether to approve the proposed amendments. The
proposed regulations are scheduled to be published within 15 days of
this document.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 6, 1996.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 96-14927 Filed 6-7-96; 3:52 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
