2024-15931. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Amendment 126 to the Fishery Management Plans for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area and Amendment 114 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of ...

CFR part or section where the information collection requirement is located	Current OMB control No. (all numbers begin with 0648-)

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50 CFR

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679.5(a)	-0213, -0269, -0515, and -0272.

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679.28(g)(2)(iv)	-0330.

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679.56	-0711.
679.57	-0318.

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PART 679—FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA

3. The authority citation for part 679 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.;Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 111-281.

4. Amend § 679.2 by:

a. Removing the definition of “EM selection pool”;

b. Revising the definition of “EM service provider” and paragraph (3)(iv) of the definition “Fishing trip”; and

c. Adding in alphabetical order the definition of “Nontrawl EM selection pool”, “Trawl EM category”, and “Trawl EM Incentive Plan Agreement (TEM IPA)”

The revisions and additions read as follows:

§ 679.2

Definitions.

EM service provider means any person, including their employees or agents, that NMFS contracts with, or grants an EM hardware service provider permit to under § 679.52(d), to provide EM services, or to collect, review, interpret, or analyze EM data, as required under § 679.51. The two types of EM service providers are as follows:

(1) EM hardware service provider is a provider that NMFS grants a permit under § 679.52(d) and is authorized to deploy and service EM hardware aboard vessels in an EM category as specified in § 679.51.

(2) EM data review service provider is a provider that NMFS contracts with, or otherwise has an established business relationship with, to review, interpret, or analyze EM data as required under § 679.51.

Fishing trip means:

(3) * * *

(iv) For a vessel in any EM category, the period of time that begins when the vessel with an empty hold departs a port or tender vessel until the vessel returns to a port or tender vessel and offloads or delivers all fish.

Nontrawl EM selection pool means the defined group of vessels from which NMFS will randomly select the vessels required to use an EM system under § 679.51(f).

Trawl EM category means catcher vessels and tender vessels with a NMFS-approved VMP that are required to use an EM system as specified under § 679.51(g)(1) when those vessels are directed fishing for, or receiving deliveries of, pollock.

Trawl EM Incentive Plan Agreement (TEM IPA) means a voluntary private contract in writing, approved by NMFS under § 679.57, that establishes incentives for partial coverage catcher vessels in the trawl EM category to keep catch within the limits to which vessels not in the trawl EM category are subject. These limits include the catcher vessel harvest limit for pollock in the Gulf of Alaska (§ 679.7(b)(2)) and MRAs (§ 679.20(e)).

5. Amend § 679.5 by adding paragraph (a)(1)(iii)(H) and revising paragraph (a)(4)(i) to read as follows:

§ 679.5

Recordkeeping and reporting (R&R).

(a) * * *

(1) * * *

(iii) * * *

If harvest made under . . . program	Record the . . .	For more information, see . . .

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(H) Trawl EM Category (TEM)	Management program modifier as TEM	§ 679.51.

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Document Information

Effective Date:: 8/28/2024
Published:: 07/29/2024
Department:: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Entry Type:: Rule
Action:: Final rule.
Document Number:: 2024-15931
Dates:: Effective August 28, 2024.
Pages:: 60796-60817 (22 pages)
Docket Numbers:: Docket No. 240715-0195
RINs:: 0648-BM40: Amendment 126 to the Fishery Management Plans for Groundfish of the Bering Sea / Aleutian Islands Management Area and Amendment 114 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska
RIN Links:: https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0648-BM40/amendment-126-to-the-fishery-management-plans-for-groundfish-of-the-bering-sea-aleutian-islands-mana
Topics:: Alaska, Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
PDF File:: 2024-15931.pdf
Supporting Documents:: » GOA 114 FMP Trawl EM_508; » BSAI 126 FMP Trawl EM_508; » 0648-BM40_Trawl EM_Analysis_FINAL; » 0648-BM40_FMP_Decision_FONSI_signed; » NOAA-NMFS-2023-0125 0648-BM40_Trawl EM_Analysis; » NOAA-NMFS-2023-0125 0648-BM40_PR_FONSI; » NOAA-NMFS-2023-0125 GOA 114 FMP Trawl EM Draft; » NOAA-NMFS-2023-0125 BSAI 126 FMP Trawl EM Draft
CFR: (2): 15 CFR 902; 50 CFR 679