98-14746. Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish Fisheries; Draft Amendment 5

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 3, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 30180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14746]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[I.D. 052098C]
RIN 0648-AK21


Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; 
Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish Fisheries; Draft Amendment 5

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a draft amendment to a fishery 
management plan; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is 
seeking comments on Draft Amendment 5 to the Fishery Management Plan 
for Bottomfish and Seamount Groundfish of the Western Pacific Region 
(FMP).

DATES: Comments on Draft Amendment 5 must be received by the Council 
office no later than July 20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to, and copies of Draft 
Amendment 5 are available from, the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty M. Simonds, Executive Director; 
808-522-8220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council is seeking comments on Draft 
Amendment 5 to the FMP, which would establish a limited access program 
for the Mau Zone bottomfish fishery in the Northwestern Hawaiian 
Islands (NWHI). The Mau Zone limited access program is intended to 
address the low economic returns in the fishery, the potential for 
excessive harvest capacity, and other conservation and economic 
concerns.
    Draft Amendment 5 would specify a target number of vessels for the 
fishery; establish qualifying criteria for allocation of initial 
limited access permits based on historical and current landings; impose 
permit holder restrictions; establish a use-it-or-lose-it requirement 
for permit renewal; prohibit the transfer, lease, charter, and sale of 
permits to reduce the number of vessels in the fishery to the target 
number; direct the Council to assess periodically how effectively the 
limited access program meets the objectives of the FMP; and establish 
criteria to allow new entrants into the Mau Zone when the number of 
vessels falls below the target number specified for the fishery.
    Since March 1997, there has been a 2-year moratorium on the 
issuance of new permits for harvesting bottomfish in the Mau Zone so 
that effort in the fishery can be stabilized while the Council develops 
a long-term limited access program (see the final rule published in the 
February 26, 1997, issue of the Federal Register at 62 FR 8637). The 
moratorium expires on March 27, 1999, at which time proposed Amendment 
5 is expected to be implemented. The Council will be taking action on 
draft Amendment 5 at its 97th meeting to be held in July in Kailua-
Kona, Hawaii.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: May 28, 1998.
Bruce C. Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-14746 Filed 6-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F