[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 160 (Thursday, August 19, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 51237]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20625]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 665
RIN 0648-AY92
Fisheries in the Western Pacific; Hawaii Bottomfish and Seamount
Groundfish; Management Measures for Hancock Seamounts to Rebuild
Overfished Armorhead
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of fishery ecosystem plan amendment;
request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Western Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council) proposes to amend the fishery ecosystem plan (FEP)
for Hawaii. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary),
Amendment 2 would continue a moratorium on fishing at Hancock Seamounts
for armorhead (Pseudopentaceros wheeleri) and other bottomfish and
seamount groundfish until the armorhead stock is rebuilt, establish a
minimum rebuilding time of 35 years for the U.S. portion of the
armorhead stock, and classify the portion of the U.S. Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) around the Hancock Seamounts as an ecosystem
management area. The intent of this amendment is to rebuild the
overfished armorhead stock.
DATES: Comments on the amendment must be received by October 18, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the amendment, identified by 0648-AY92, may be
sent to either of the following addresses:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov; or
Mail: Mail written comments to Michael D. Tosatto, Acting
Regional Administrator, NMFS, Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1601
Kapiolani Blvd, Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4700.
Instructions: Comments must be submitted to one of these two
addresses to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and
considered by NMFS. Comments sent to any other address or individual,
or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered.
Comments will be posted for public viewing after thecomment period has
closed. All comments received are a part of the public record and will
generally be posted to www.regulations.gov without change. All personal
identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted
voluntarily by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit
confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive or protected
information. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ``NA'' in the
required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to
electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word or Excel,
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
Copies of Amendment 2, containing an environmental assessment and
background information, are available from www.regulations.gov and from
the Council, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, tel 808-
522-8220, fax 808-522-8226, or web site www.wpcouncil.org.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jarad Makaiau, NMFS PIR Sustainable
Fisheries, 808-944-2108.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document is also available at
www.gpoaccess.gov/fr.
Fishing for pelagic armorhead is managed under the Fishery
Ecosystem Plan for the Hawaiian Archipelago (FEP). Armorhead are
overfished as a result of over-exploitation by foreign vessels in
international waters, dating back to at least the 1970s. Although there
has never been a U.S. fishery targeting this fish, continued
exploitation outside the EEZ by foreign fleets has kept the stock in an
overfished condition.
The Hancock Seamounts are the only known armorhead habitat within
the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). These seamounts lie west of
180[deg] W. and north of 28[deg] N., to the northwest of Kure Atoll in
the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The Council and NMFS have responded
to the overfished condition of armorhead with a series of four, 6-year
domestic fishing moratoria at the Hancock Seamounts, beginning in 1986.
The current 6-year moratorium expires on August 31, 2010.
The Council developed Amendment 2 to establish armorhead rebuilding
requirements pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act. The Council recommended in Amendment 2 that NMFS extend
the moratorium at Hancock Seamounts until the armorhead stock is
rebuilt, and establish a minimum rebuilding time of 35 years for the
U.S. portion of the armorhead stock. The Council also recommended that
NMFS classify the portion of the EEZ surrounding the Hancock Seamounts
as an ecosystem management area to facilitate research on armorhead and
other seamount groundfish.
Public comments on Amendment 2 must be received by October 18, 2010
to be considered by NMFS in the decision to approve, partially approve,
or disapprove the amendment. A proposed rule to implement the measures
recommended in the amendment has been prepared for Secretarial review
and approval. NMFS expect to publish and request public comment on the
proposed rule in the near future.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 16, 2010.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-20625 Filed 8-18-10; 8:45 am]
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