[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 145 (Wednesday, July 29, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40375-40377]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20258]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 980717183-8183-01; I.D. 070298D]
RIN 0648-AK35
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast
Multispecies Fishery; Little Tunny Exempted Gillnet Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this final rule to modify the regulations
implementing the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
This rule establishes a seasonal exempted gillnet fishery for little
tunny (Euthynnus alleteratus) in a portion of the Southern New England
(SNE) Regulated Mesh Area. In addition, in accordance with NMFS
regulations related to issuance of exempted fishing permits (EFPs),
NMFS requests comments on the issuance of EFPs to retain Atlantic
bonito as an allowable incidental species in the little tunny fishery.
The intent of this action is to provide an additional fishing
opportunity consistent with the conservation objectives of the FMP.
DATES: Effective July 24, 1998. Comments must be received on or before
August 10, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Environmental Assessment supporting the little
tunny exemption may be obtained from Jon Rittgers, Acting Regional
Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester,
MA 01930.
Comments regarding the burden-hour estimates for collection-of-
information requirements contained in this final rule should be sent to
the Acting Regional Administrator and to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Washington,
DC 20503 (Attention: NOAA Desk Officer).
Requests for exempted fishing permits for retention of bonito as an
allowable incidental species should be sent to the Highly Migratory
Species (HMS) Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, One Blackburn
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, telephone (978) 281-9260.
Requests for letters of authorization to fish for little tunny
should be sent to the Sustainable Fisheries Division, One Blackburn
Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, telephone (978) 281-9370.
Requests for reporting forms for marine mammal interactions and
registration forms for Authorization Certificates should be sent to the
Acting Regional Administrator, ATTN: Sandra Arvilla, telephone (978)
281-9264.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bonnie L. VanPelt, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-281-9244.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The procedure for adding, modifying, or
deleting exempted fisheries is found in Sec. 648.80. Additions,
deletions or modifications to the list of exempted fisheries may be
made by the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional
Administrator) after consultation with the New England Fishery
Management Council (Council), if the Regional Administrator determines,
based on available data or information, that the percentage of
regulated species caught as bycatch is, or can be reduced to, less than
5 percent by weight of the total catch and that such exemption will not
jeopardize the stock rebuilding objectives of the FMP. The Regional
Administrator may impose specific gear, area, seasonal, or other
[[Page 40376]]
limitations appropriate to reduce bycatch of regulated species.
In response to a request from an individual fisher, the Regional
Administrator, after reviewing the analysis and all available data, has
determined that an exempted gillnet fishery for little tunny meets the
exemption requirements for the period September 1 through October 31,
in the area defined by a line running from the Rhode Island shoreline
at 41 deg.18.2' N. lat. and 71 deg.51.5' W. long. (Watch Hill, RI)
southwesterly through Fishers Island, NY; to Race Point, Fishers
Island, NY; and from Race Point, Fishers Island, NY, southeasterly to
41 deg.06.5' N. lat. and 71 deg.50.2' W. long.; east northeast through
Block Island, RI, to 41 deg.15' N. lat. and 71 deg.07' W. long.; then
due north to the intersection of the RI-MA shoreline.
Based on this analysis, this rule allows an exempted gillnet
fishery for little tunny from the period September 1 through October
31, in the requested portion of the SNE Regulated Mesh Area described
above. Vessels fishing under this exemption program are required to
obtain and have on board a little tunny letter of authorization issued
by the Regional Administrator and are subject to a minimum mesh
requirement size of 5.5 inches (13.97 cm) throughout the net. Such
vessels may retain little tunny and the allowable incidental species
authorized for the SNE Regulated Mesh Area specified at
Sec. 648.80(b)(3). Vessels fishing in this exemption may not possess
regulated species and are subject to appropriate net stowage
requirements, if nets of mesh size less than 5.5 inches (13.97 cm) are
on board.
In addition, a limited number of vessels may retain Atlantic bonito
(Sarda sarda) as an allowable incidental species, provided they obtain
an exempted fishing permit (EFP) from the HMS Division (see ADDRESSES),
telephone (978) 281-9260. The EFP exempts the vessel from the
regulations governing authorized fishing gear and retention of bonito
as an allowable incidental species under 50 CFR 285.51. An EFP is
required because the gillnet gear proposed for the fishery is not an
authorized fishing gear when fishing for, catching, retaining, or
possessing HMS species subject to regulations which include, but are
not limited to, Atlantic bonito. This permit is issued pursuant to the
provisions of Secs. 285.7 and 600.745 in order to collect data on the
nature and extent of the fishery. Although participation in the bonito
allowable incidental fishery is expected to be small, the Director,
Office of Sustainable Fisheries, may set a cap at his/her discretion if
fishery conservation and/or protected resource goals are determined to
be in jeopardy. In accordance with the requirements of 50 CFR
600.745(b)(3), NMFS requests comments on the issuance of EFPs to retain
Atlantic bonito as an allowable incidental species.
NMFS is currently developing a harbor porpoise take reduction plan.
Vessels fishing under this exemption will be required to comply with
the porpoise protection measures under the harbor porpoise take
reduction plan, when implemented. These gillnet vessels must also
comply with the Atlantic large whale take reduction plan regulations,
which were effective November 15, 1997 (50 CFR 229.32). Particpants in
this fishery are considered to be participating in the Northeast sink
gillnet fishery, a Category I fishery as defined under the Marine
Mammal Protection Act. As such, under regulations at 50 CFR part 229,
they also will be required to: (1) Obtain a marine mammal authorization
certificate; (2) report all injuries and mortalities of marine mammals
to NMFS within 48 hours of returning from a fishing trip; and, (3)
carry an observer if so requested by NMFS. Observers will collect data
on interactions with marine mammals and other protected species, as
well as determine fishery effort and further describe fishery
characteristics.
Vessel owners that currently hold Federal Northeast multispecies
permits and are participating in the gillnet fishery may use their
existing Marine Mammal Protection Certificate to enroll in the exempted
fishery for little tunny. However, as participants in a Category I
fishery, they must still comply with the other requirements under 50
CFR part 229 as described above.
Vessel owners that do not hold Federal Northeast multispecies
permits who wish to participate in this fishery should contact the
Acting Regional Administrator (see ADDRESSES), telephone (978) 281-
9264, for guidance on obtaining the Marine Mammal Protection
Certificate.
Classification
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds there
is good cause to waive prior notice and opportunity for comment under 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) for the little tunny gillnet exempted fishery.
Provisions under the FMP give the Regional Administrator authority to
add, delete, or modify exempted fisheries based on the percentage of
regulated species caught. Public meetings held by the Council to
discuss this management measure, as well as consultation with the
Council on any request for an exemption during a public Council
meeting, provided full prior notice and opportunity for public comment
to be made and considered, making additional opportunity for public
comment unnecessary. Under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1), this rule is not subject
to a delay in effectiveness because it relieves a restriction.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required
to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure
to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid OMB control number.
This rule contains or refers to two collection-of-information
requirements subject to the PRA. These collections of information have
been approved by OMB, under OMB control numbers 0648-0202 and 0648-
0309. The estimated response time for a request for a little tunny
letter of authorization is 2 minutes per call (OMB 0648-0202). Also, it
is estimated that an average of 16 to 35 gillnet vessels will submit
requests for Atlantic bonito EFPs. The burden hours approved for this
request is 1 hour for the initial issuance of the EFP, and 1 hour for
any subsequent requests (OMB 0648-0309). These estimated response times
include the time needed for reviewing instructions, searching existing
data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing
and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding
any of these burden estimates or any other aspect of the collection of
information to NMFS and to OMB (see ADDRESSES).
This final rule has been determined to be not significant for
purposes of E.O. 12866.
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. 601
et seq., are inapplicable.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 648
Fisheries, Fishing, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Dated: July 23, 1998.
Rolland H. Schmitten,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 648 is amended
as follows:
PART 648-FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES
1. The authority citation for part 648 continues to read as
follows:
[[Page 40377]]
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
2. In Sec. 648.2, the definitions for ``Bonito'' and ``Little
tunny'' are added, in alphabetical order, to read as follows:
Sec. 648.2 Definitions.
* * * * *
Bonito means Sarda sarda.
* * * * *
Little tunny means Euthynnus alleteratus.
* * * * *
3. In Sec. 648.14, paragraphs (a)(36) and (a)(43) are revised to
read as follows:
Sec. 648.14 Prohibitions.
(a) * * *
(36) Fish with, use, or have available for immediate use within the
area described in Sec. 648.80(b)(1), nets of mesh size smaller than the
minimum size specified in Sec. 648.80(b)(2), except as provided in
Sec. 648.80(b)(3), (b)(9), (d), (e), and (i), or unless the vessel has
not been issued a multispecies permit and fishes for multispecies
exclusively in state waters, or unless otherwise specified in
Sec. 648.17.
* * * * *
(43) Violate any of the provisions of Sec. 648.80(a)(4), the
Cultivator Shoals whiting fishery exemption area; (a)(5), the
Stellwagen Bank/Jeffreys Ledge (SB/JL) juvenile protection area;
(a)(8), Small Mesh Area 1/Small Mesh Area 2; (a)(9), the Nantucket
Shoals dogfish fishery exemption area; (a)(11), the Nantucket Shoals
mussel and sea urchin dredge exemption area; (a) (12), the GOM/GB
monkfish gillnet exemption area; (a)(13), the GOM/GB dogfish gillnet
exemption area; (b)(3), exemptions (small mesh); (b)(5), the SNE
monkfish and skate trawl exemption area; (b)(6), the SNE monkfish and
skate gillnet exemption area; (b)(7), the SNE dogfish gillnet exemption
area; (b)(8), the SNE mussel and sea urchin dredge exemption area; or
(b)(9), the SNE little tunny gillnet exemption area. A violation of any
of these paragraphs is a separate violation.
* * * * *
4. In Sec. 648.80, paragraph (b)(2)(iii) is revised, and paragraph
(b)(9) is added to read as follows:
Sec. 648.80 Regulated mesh areas and restrictions on gear and methods
of fishing.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
(2) * * *
(iii) Other restrictions and exemptions. Vessels are prohibited
from fishing in the SNE Regulated Mesh Area except if fishing with
exempted gear (as defined under this part) or under the exemptions
specified in paragraphs (b)(3), (b)(5) through (9), (c), (e), (h), and
(i) of this section, if fishing under a NE multispecies DAS, if fishing
under the small vessel exemption specified in Sec. 648.82(b)(3), if
fishing under a scallop state waters exemption specified in
Sec. 648.54, or if fishing pursuant to a NE multispecies open access
Charter/Party or Handgear permit. Any gear on a vessel, or used by a
vessel, in this area must be authorized under one of these exemptions
or must be stowed as specified in Sec. 648.81(e).
* * * * *
(9) SNE Little Tunny Gillnet Exemption Area. A vessel may fish with
gillnet gear in the SNE Little Tunny Gillnet Exemption Area when not
operating under a NE multispecies DAS with mesh size smaller than the
minimum required in the SNE Regulated Mesh Area, if the vessel complies
with the requirements specified in paragraph (b)(9)(i) of this section.
The SNE Little Tunny Gillnet Exemption Area is defined by a line
running from the Rhode Island shoreline at 41 deg.18.2' N. lat. and
71 deg.51.5' W. long. (Watch Hill, RI) southwesterly through Fishers
Island, NY; to Race Point, Fishers Island, NY; and from Race Point,
Fishers Island, NY, southeasterly to 41 deg.06.5' N. lat. and
71 deg.50.2' W. long.; east northeast through Block Island, RI, to
41 deg.15' N. lat. and 71 deg.07' W. long.; then due north to the
intersection of the RI-MA shoreline.
(i) Requirements. (A) A vessel fishing under this exemption may
fish only for, possess on board, or land little tunny and the allowable
incidental species and amounts specified in paragraph (b)(3) and, if
applicable, paragraph (b)(9)(i)(B) of this section. Vessels fishing
under this exemption may not possess regulated species.
(B) A vessel may possess bonito as an allowable incidental species
provided an exempted fishing permit is obtained from the Highly
Migratory Species Division (HMS), Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
NMFS, Gloucester, Massachusetts. The HMS reserves the authority to cap
the number of participants who retain bonito as allowable incidental
species should conservation and/or protected resource concerns develop.
(C) The vessel must have a letter of authorization issued by the
Regional Administrator on board.
(D) All gillnets must have a minimum mesh size of 5.5 inch (13.97
cm) diamond mesh throughout the net.
(E) All nets with a mesh size smaller than the minimum mesh size
specified in paragraph (b)(9)(i)(D) of this section must be stowed in
accordance with one of the methods described under Sec. 648.81(e) while
fishing under this exemption.
(F) Fishing is confined to September 1 through October 31.
(ii) The Regional Adminstrator shall conduct periodic sea sampling
to evaluate the likelihood of gear interactions with protected
resources.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 98-20258 Filed 7-24-98; 3:43 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
