[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 117 (Wednesday, June 18, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 33039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15954]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 300
[Docket No. 970515116-7116-01; I.D. 013097A]
RIN 0648-AJ94
Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act of 1984;
Conservation and Management Measures
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final regulatory notice of fishery management measures.
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SUMMARY: At its Fifteenth Meeting in Hobart, Tasmania, October 21 to
November 1, 1996, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic
Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), of which the United States is a
member, adopted conservation measures, pending members' approval,
pertaining to fishing in the CCAMLR Convention Area in Antarctic
waters. These were agreed upon in accordance with Article IX of the
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.
The measures restrict overall catches of certain species of fish, list
the fishing seasons, define the reporting requirements, and specify
measures that must be taken to minimize the incidental taking of non-
target species. The measures were announced by the Department of State
by a preliminary notice in the Federal Register on December 18, 1996.
Public comments were invited, but none were received. NMFS implements
these measures by final regulatory notice, consistent with the
framework process specified in the International Fisheries Regulations
(50 CFR 300.111).
DATES: Effective June 18, 1997 through June 18, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the CCAMLR measures and the framework
environmental assessment may be obtained from the Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service,
1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robin Tuttle, 301-713-2282.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: See 50 CFR Part 300, Subpart G - Antarctic
Marine Living Resources, and the Department of State's preliminary
notice at 61 FR 66723, December 18, 1996. The measures for the first
time set a precautionary catch limit (of 775,000 tons in any fishing
season) on krill fishing (E. superba) in Statistical Division 58.4.1.
New fisheries, limited to fishers from the member states who proposed
them as exploratory fisheries, were approved for the 1996/97 season:
for deep-water species other than D. eleginoides and C. gunnari in
Statistical division 58.5.2 by Australia; for D. eleginoides and D.
mawsoni in Statistical Subarea 58.4.3 by Australia and South Africa;
for D. eleginoides and D. mawsoni in Statistical Subarea 48.6 by South
Africa; for D. eleginoides and D. mawsoni in Statistical Subareas 88.1
and 88.2 by New Zealand; for D. eleginoides and D. mawsoni in
Statistical Subareas 58.6, 58.7 and Statistical Division 58.4.4 by
South Africa; and for M. hyadesi in Statistical Subarea 48.3 by Korea
and the United Kingdom. The definition of nautical twilight used in the
measure for the minimization of the incidental mortality of seabirds in
the course on longline fishing or longline fishing research in the
Convention Area was footnoted to refer to the ``exact times of nautical
twilight are set forth in the Nautical Almanac tables for the relevant
latitude, local time and date. All time whether for ship operation or
observer reporting shall be references to GMT.'' Participation in the
Convention Area crab fishery is limited to one vessel per Commission
member. Applications for a crab permit must be received no later than
ninety days prior to intended harvesting and will be considered in
order of application. The one U.S. crab permit will be issued on the
basis of: (1) order of receipt of applications; (2) criteria for
harvesting permits appearing in 50 CFR 300.112; (3) willingness to
participate in CCAMLR pilot programs; and (4) record of previous
participation, if any, in the crab fishery.
Classification
NMFS has determined that this regulatory notice is necessary to
implement the Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act of 1984
(the Act) and to give effect to the management measures adopted by
CCAMLR and agreed to by the United States.
This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes
for E.O. 12866. It is exempt from 5 U.S.C. 553, because it involves a
foreign affairs function of the United States. Because prior notice and
opportunity for public comment are not required for this rule by 5
U.S.C. 553, or any other law, the analytical requirements of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 60 et seq., are inapplicable.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.
This rule contains a collection-of-information requirement subject
to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The collection of information has been
approved by OMB under OMB Control Number 648-0194, which expires August
31, 1997. The annual reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 35 hours. Send comments regarding
this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Robin
Tuttle, NMFS, and to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
(See ADDRESSES).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 2431 et seq.
Dated: June 12, 1997.
David Evans,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-15954 Filed 6-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
