[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 52 (Thursday, March 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13081-13082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5922]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XRO1
Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish
Fishery; Trawl Rationalization Program
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public workshop.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces a workshop to solicit feedback from owners and
managers of shoreside processors that intend to take delivery of trawl-
caught groundfish under the proposed Trawl Rationalization Program. We
are interested in feedback concerning proposed regulations to improve
catch monitoring and accounting in the trawl fisheries. Specifically,
we seek feedback into proposed requirements for catch weighing, and the
development of Catch Monitoring and Control Plans (CMCPs) that
shoreside processors would be required to submit and conduct operations
under. The workshop is open to the public, but NMFS is particularly
seeking participation by people who are knowledgeable about the
operations of shoreside processors that intend to participate in the
rationalized trawl fishery.
DATES: The public workshops will be held on March 26, 2010, at 10 a.m.
in Astoria Oregon; at 10 a.m. in Newport Oregon; and on April 1, 2010,
at 10 a.m. in Eureka.
ADDRESSES: The Astoria Oregon workshop will be held at the Holiday Inn
Express, 204 W Marine Drive. The Newport Oregon workshop will be held
at the Guinn Library, Hartfield Marine
[[Page 13082]]
Science Center, 2020 Southeast Marine Science Drive. The Eureka
California workshop will be held at the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center,
921 Waterfront Drive.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Jesse, 503-230-5429.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Pacific Fishery Management Council
(Council) has been developing a trawl rationalization program that
would affect the limited entry trawl fishery of the Pacific Coast
groundfish fishery. The Council has developed a trawl rationalization
program through two amendments to the Pacific Coast Groundfish
Management Plan (FMP). Amendment 20 which would create the structure
and management details of the program; and Amendment 21 which would
allocate the groundfish stocks between trawl and non-trawl fisheries.
As part of the rationalization process, NMFS is proposing new
regulations concerning the monitoring of catch at shoreside processors
taking deliveries of trawl groundfish. These proposed regulations are
similar to regulations currently required for processors that take
deliveries from rationalized fisheries off Alaska (Bering Sea and
Alleutian Islands pollock, Gulf of Alaska rockfish). These regulations
can be found at 50 CFR 679.28(g). Similar regulations also apply to
processors taking deliveries under the crab rationalization program at
50 CFR 680.23(g).
In brief these regulations require shoreside processors to write
and submit a CMCP that details how the processor will ensure that all
catch is sorted and weighed to species; how that process can be
monitored by NMFS-authorized personnel; and how the processor will test
scales used to weigh catch. The CMCP also requires that processors give
a list of the specific scales that will be used for weighing catch,
their type, location and serial numbers. All scales used to weigh catch
must be approved by the State and produce a printed record of the
amount of catch weighed.
The CMCP regulations used in Alaska are based on a series of
performance standards and they provide a great deal of flexibility for
processors of a wide variety of sizes. However, these regulations will
require some degree of modification for west coast processors. At this
time, NMFS staff has not finalized draft regulations. However, draft
proposed regulations will be made available at the time of each
workshop.
NMFS seeks input into these proposed regulations from those with
knowledge of trawl-groundfish processor operations, including plant
owners, managers, and staff; and vendors or manufacturers of scales
currently used in processing facilities. In order to better understand
operations and issues associated with individual processors, NMFS staff
will be available to tour individual processors following each
workshop.
Special Accommodations
The workshops will be physically accessible to people with
disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to Murray Bauer, 541-867-0580, at
least 5 working days prior to the meeting date.
Dated: March 15, 2010.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-5922 Filed 3-17-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S