[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 167 (Monday, August 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47171-47172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22467]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D.080999G]
Notice of Availability of Bycatch Estimates Under the Harbor
Porpoise Take Reduction Plan
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: NMFS has provided harbor porpoise bycatch estimates for
January through December 1998 and January through April of 1999.
ADDRESSES: Send information requests to: Donna Wieting, Marine Mammal
Division, Office of Protected Resources (F/PR2), National Marine
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-
3226, Attn: Harbor
[[Page 47172]]
Porpoise Bycatch Estimates. Copies of the information may also be
requested from Richard Merrick, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166
Water St., Woods Hole, MA 02543; or Doug Beach, Northeast Regional
Office (F/NER3), One Blackburn Dr., Gloucester, MA 01930.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Wieting, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, at (301) 713-2322, ext. 157; Richard Merrick,
Northeast Fisheries Science Center, (508) 495-2291; or Doug Beach,
Northeast Region, (978) 281-9254.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS implemented a plan in December of 1998
to reduce harbor porpoise bycatch in the Northeast sink gillnet fishery
to below the Potential Biological Removal (PBR) level for that stock.
The Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan includes a combination of
management measures including fishery closures and gear modifications.
The Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan aims to reduce New England
harbor porpoise takes through two types of gillnet fishery closures:
(1) Closures to all vessels except those using acoustic deterrent
devices (or ``pingers'') and (2) In a limited number of cases, complete
closures to all sink gillnet gear.
NMFS is hereby making available harbor porpoise incidental take
levels for 1998 and the months of January through April of 1999, as
estimated by NMFS' Northeast Fisheries Science Center.
For 1998, the total estimated bycatch of harbor porpoise was 778
animals. For January through April of 1999, total estimated bycatch of
harbor porpoise was 157 animals (104 in the Gulf of Maine and 53 in the
Mid-Atlantic). NMFS considers the numbers to be the best estimates of
harbor porpoise mortality in gillnet fisheries in the Gulf of Maine and
the Mid-Atlantic during the time frames specified.
NMFS will make information publicly available on harbor porpoise
incidental take on a calendar-year quarterly basis through the end of
the year 2001. Notification of the information availability will be
published in the Federal Register on an annual basis.
This information along with other material provided by NMFS staff
will be reviewed by the Gulf of Maine Harbor Porpoise Team to evaluate
what further action may be necessary for the coming year.
Dated: August 23, 1999.
Andrew A. Rosenberg,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-22467 Filed 8-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
