[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 15 (Monday, January 24, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4092-4093]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1368]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA131


National Saltwater Angler Registry Program

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has designated the States of Maine, Florida and Louisiana 
as exempted States for anglers, spear fishers and for-hire fishing 
vessels. NMFS has designated the States of Massachusetts, Maryland and 
Virginia as exempted States for anglers and spear fishers.

DATES: The designation of the States as exempted States is effective on 
January 24, 2011.

[[Page 4093]]


ADDRESSES: Gordon C. Colvin, Fishery Biologist, NMFS ST-12453, 1315 
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gordon C. Colvin, Fishery Biologist; 
(301) 713-2367 x175; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The final rule implementing the National 
Saltwater Angler Registry Program, 50 CFR part 600 subpart P, was 
published in the Federal Register on December 30, 2008. The final rule 
requires persons who are angling, spear fishing or operating a for-hire 
fishing vessel in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone or for anadromous 
species to register annually with NOAA. However, persons who are 
licensed or registered by, or State residents who are not required to 
register or hold a license issued by, a State that is designated as an 
exempted State are not required to register with NOAA. The final rule 
sets forth the requirements for States to be designated as exempted 
States. Generally, exempted States must agree to provide to NMFS names, 
addresses, dates of birth and telephone numbers of the persons licensed 
or registered under a qualifying State license and/or registry program, 
or to provide catch and effort data from a qualifying regional survey 
of recreational fishing, and enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with 
NMFS to formalize the data reporting agreement.
    NMFS has received proposals for providing license/registry data 
from the States listed below, has determined that the States' programs 
qualify for exempted State designation under the provisions of the 
final rule, and has entered into Memoranda of Agreement with each of 
the States. Therefore, pursuant to 50 CFR 600.1415(b)(3), notice is 
hereby given that the following States are designated as exempted 
States under 50 CFR 600.1415: Maine, Florida, and Louisiana. Persons 
who hold a valid fishing license or registration issued by these 
exempted States for angling, spear fishing or operating a for-hire 
fishing vessel in tidal waters are not required to register with NOAA 
under 50 CFR 600.1405(b). Persons who are residents of these exempted 
States who are not required to hold a fishing license, or to be 
registered to fish under the laws of these exempted States, also are 
not required to register with NOAA. Further, pursuant to 50 CFR 
600.1415(b)(3), notice is hereby given that the following States are 
designated as exempted States only for anglers and spear fishers: 
Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virginia. Massachusetts, Maryland, and 
Virginia were previously designated as exempted States for for-hire 
fishing vessels. Persons who hold a valid license or registration 
issued by these exempted States for angling or spear fishing in tidal 
waters are not required to register with NOAA under 50 CFR 600.1405(b). 
Persons who are residents of these exempted States who are not required 
to hold a fishing license, or to be registered to fish under the laws 
of these exempted STATEs, also are not required to register with NOAA.

    Dated: January 18, 2011.
Eric C. Schwaab,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-1368 Filed 1-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P