[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 30, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 71792-71793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34543]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 285
[I.D. 122198B]
Atlantic Tuna Fisheries; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Catch limit adjustment.
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SUMMARY: NMFS adjusts the daily catch limit for Atlantic bluefin tuna
(BFT) in all areas to one fish per vessel, which may be from the
school, large school, or small medium size class.. The Angling category
trophy fishery for large medium and giant BFT remains at one fish per
vessel, per year. This action is being taken to lengthen the fishing
season and to ensure reasonable fishing opportunities in all geographic
areas without risking overharvest of the quota established for the
Angling category fishery.
DATES: Effective 1 a.m. local time on January 1, 1999, until the end of
the 1999 winter fishery. NMFS will announce any subsequent catch limit
adjustments by publication in the Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah McLaughlin, 978-281-9146.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implemented under the authority
of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) governing
the harvest of BFT by persons and vessels subject to U.S. jurisdiction
are found at 50 CFR part 285.
Implementing regulations for the Atlantic tuna fisheries at
Sec. 285.24 allow for adjustments to the daily catch limit in order to
provide for maximum utilization of the quota spread over the longest
possible period of time. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA, may increase or reduce the per angler catch limit for any size
class BFT or may change the per angler limit to a per vessel limit or a
per vessel limit to a per angler limit. NMFS is responsible for
implementing the recommendation by the International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas to restrict domestic landings of BFT
within the assigned country allocation and further to limit the take of
school size BFT (measuring 27 to <47 inches/69="" to=""><119 cm).="" in="" addition,="" it="" is="" nmfs'="" goal="" to="" increase="" the="" geographical="" and="" temporal="" distribution="" of="" data="" collection="" and="" fishing="" opportunities="" in="" the="" angling="" category.="" effective="" january="" 1,="" 1999,="" nmfs="" adjusts="" the="" daily="" catch="" limit="" as="" follows:="" each="" angling="" category="" vessel="" may="" retain="" no="" more="" than="" one="" bft="" from="" the="" school="" (measuring="" 27="" to=""><47 inches/69="" to=""><119 cm),="" large="" school="" (measuring="" 47="" to=""><59 inches/119="" to=""><150 cm),="" or="" small="" medium="" (measuring="" 59="" to=""><73 inches/150="" to=""><185 cm)="" size="" class="" in="" addition,="" each="" angling="" category="" vessel="" may="" retain="" no="" more="" than="" one="" large="" medium="" or="" giant="" bft="" (measuring="" 73="" inches/185="" cm="" or="" greater)="" per="" year.="" catch="" rates="" during="" the="" first="" few="" months="" of="" 1998="" were="" low,="" but="" catch="" rates="" and="" average="" sizes="" of="" bft="" landed="" during="" the="" winter="" fishery="" were="" high="" in="" 1996="" and="" 1997.="" this="" action="" is="" being="" taken="" to="" provide="" the="" greatest="" geographic="" and="" temporal="" range="" of="" data="" collection="" and="" fishing="" opportunities="" without="" risking="" overharvest.="" charter/headboat="" category="" vessels,="" when="" engaged="" in="" recreational="" fishing="" for="" bft,="" are="" subject="" to="" the="" same="" rules="" as="" angling="" category="" vessels.="" in="" addition,="" anglers="" aboard="" permitted="" vessels="" may="" continue="" to="" tag="" and="" release="" bft="" of="" all="" sizes="" under="" the="" nmfs="" tag-and-release="" program="" (50="" cfr="" 285.27).="" nmfs="" will="" continue="" to="" monitor="" the="" angling="" category="" fishery="" closely="" through="" [[page="" 71793]]="" the="" automated="" catch="" reporting="" system="" and="" the="" large="" pelagic="" survey.="" all="" bft="" landed="" under="" the="" angling="" category="" quota="" outside="" north="" carolina="" must="" be="" reported="" within="" 24="" hours="" of="" landing="" to="" the="" nmfs="" automated="" catch="" reporting="" system="" by="" phoning="" 888-usa-tuna="" (888-872-8862).="" in="" north="" carolina,="" all="" bft="" must="" be="" taken="" to="" a="" reporting="" station="" to="" receive="" a="" landing="" tag="" before="" removing="" the="" fish="" from="" the="" vessel.="" for="" information="" about="" the="" north="" carolina="" harvest="" tagging="" program,="" including="" reporting="" station="" locations,="" call="" 800-338-7804.="" subsequent="" adjustments="" to="" the="" daily="" catch="" limit,="" as="" necessary,="" shall="" be="" announced="" through="" publication="" in="" the="" federal="" register.="" in="" addition,="" anglers="" may="" call="" the="" atlantic="" tunas="" information="" line="" at="" 1-="" 888-usa-tuna="" (888-872-8862)="" or="" at="" 978-281-9305="" for="" updates="" on="" quota="" monitoring="" and="" catch="" limit="" adjustments.="" classification="" this="" action="" is="" taken="" under="" 50="" cfr="" 285.24(d)(3)="" and="" is="" exempt="" from="" review="" under="" e.o.="" 12866.="" authority:="" 16="" u.s.c.="" 971="" et="" seq.="" dated:="" december="" 23,="" 1998.="" gary="" c.="" matlock,="" director,="" office="" of="" sustainable="" fisheries.="" national="" marine="" fisheries="" service.="" [fr="" doc.="" 98-34543="" filed="" 12-29-98;="" 8:45="" am]="" billing="" code="" 3510-22-f="">