[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13330-13331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5683]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 665
RIN 0648-AW67
Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries; Prohibiting Purse Seine
Fishing in the U.S. EEZ Around Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands,
and Prohibiting Longline Fishing Within 30 nm of the Northern Mariana
Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of fishery management plan amendment;
request for comments.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Western Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council) proposes Amendment 2 to the Fishery Ecosystem Plan
for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (FEP). If approved
by the Secretary of Commerce, this amendment would create a 30-nautical
mile (nm) longline prohibited area around the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and prohibit purse seine fishing
within the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the Mariana
Archipelago, including Guam and the CNMI. The area closures are
intended to prevent and minimize gear conflicts and resource
competition among the various fishery sectors (troll, longline and
purse seine) in the Mariana Archipelago. In addition, this action is
intended to facilitate the conservation of important stocks such as
bigeye, yellowfin, and skipjack tuna throughout their range in the
Pacific Ocean.
DATES: Comments on the amendment must be received by May 10, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Copies of Amendment 2, including an environmental
assessment, are available from http://www.regulations.gov, or the
Council, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, tel 808-522-
8220, fax 808-522-8226, http://www.wpcouncil.org.
Comments on the amendment, including the environmental assessment,
identified by 0648-AW67, may be sent to either of the following
addresses:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov; or
Mail: Mail written comments to Michael D. Tosatto,
Regional Administrator, NMFS, Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1601
Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4700.
Instructions: Comments must be submitted to one of the above 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.
All comments received are a part of the public record and will
generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without change. All
personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted
voluntarily by the sender may be publicly accessible. Do not submit
confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive or protected
information. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Toby Wood, NMFS PIR Sustainable
Fisheries, 808-944-2234.
[[Page 13331]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pelagic fisheries in the U.S. western
Pacific are managed under the FEP. The Council prepared Amendment 2 to
address pelagic fishing concerns in the Mariana Archipelago (Guam and
the CNMI). Pelagic fisheries in the Marianas consist mostly of small
trolling fleets, several pelagic longline vessels, and purse seine
vessels based there, but not fishing near the islands. Guam's pelagic
fishery consists of 300-400 mostly small trolling boats that catch
skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna, mahimahi, wahoo, and Pacific blue
marlin. Trolling is also the primary fishing method in the CNMI pelagic
fishery. About 50-100 small vessels target skipjack tuna, and also
catch yellowfin tuna and mahimahi.
Pelagic longline vessels in the Marianas are typically larger than
50 ft (15 m) and can fish for more than 30 days. Interest in the
longline fishery has been variable; currently four Federally-permitted
longline vessels are based in the CNMI and one is based in Guam.
Longliners target yellowfin and bigeye tunas and retain incidental
catches of albacore, blue marlin, mahimahi, skipjack tuna, and
spearfish.
About 36 U.S. purse seine vessels operate in the western and
central Pacific Ocean, targeting skipjack and yellowfin tuna. Vessels
range from 164 to 377 ft (50 to 115 m). Fish-carrying capacities range
from approximately 800 to 1,500 mt (2.2 to 3.9 million lb). The U.S.
purse seine catch in the western Pacific is made on the high seas, in
foreign EEZs, and in the U.S. EEZ around American Samoa and the U.S.
Pacific Remote Island Areas (i.e., Wake, Baker, Howland, and Jarvis
Islands, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, and Palmyra Atoll). Two U.S.
purse seine vessels are based in Guam, but have not fished in the EEZ
around the Mariana Archipelago. To date, limited purse seine activity
has occurred adjacent to the EEZ around Guam since 1980, but no U.S.
purse seine catches have been recorded within the EEZ.
The Council is concerned about the potential impacts if purse seine
fishing effort shifts to areas fished by domestic troll and longline
fishermen of Guam and the CNMI. Those smaller vessels could experience
reduced catch rates due to localized depletion and catch competition,
or would have to travel further to maintain catch rates, potentially
resulting in lost revenue and possible safety-at-sea issues.
The Council is also concerned about the impact of purse seine
fishing on the recruitment of juvenile bigeye tuna. While targeting
skipjack tuna, purse seines may also catch juvenile yellowfin and
bigeye tuna. Juvenile bigeye tuna caught by purse seines may be
contributing to the overfishing status of bigeye tuna in the western
and central Pacific Ocean. The impacts from an increase in juvenile
catch of bigeye tuna can reduce the number of mature fish, thereby
decreasing reproduction. This also decreases the future availability of
adult fish for fisheries that target adult bigeye tuna, such as the
longline fishery.
The Council is further concerned that any future expansion of
longline fishing around the Mariana Archipelago could result in adverse
impacts to the CNMI troll fishery. If the number of CNMI-based longline
vessels increases and move into areas traditionally utilized by the
troll fleet (typically within 30 nm (55.6 km) of shore), there is
potential for gear conflicts and catch competition between the two
fleets, resulting in potential gear loss, increased costs, and
decreased revenues.
To address their concerns about the potential impact of purse seine
fishing on the troll and longline fisheries in the Marianas, the
Council recommends in Amendment 2 prohibiting U.S. purse seine vessels
from fishing within the EEZ around Guam and the CNMI. Furthermore,
under Amendment 2, to address their concerns about the potential impact
of uncontrolled expansion in the CNMI longline fishery, the Council
recommends prohibiting longline fishing within 30 nm (55.6 km) of the
CNMI. The Council's recommendations are intended to reduce temporary
localized fish depletion, catch competition, and gear conflicts to
sustain local troll and longline fisheries, and to limit the potential
impacts of purse seine fishing on recruitment of juvenile bigeye tuna.
Public comments on proposed Amendment 2 must be received by May 10,
2011 to be considered by NMFS in the decision to approve, partially
approve, or disapprove the amendment. NMFS expects to soon publish and
request public comment on a proposed rule that would implement the
measures recommended in Amendment 2.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 8, 2011.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-5683 Filed 3-10-11; 8:45 am]
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