comments on the proposed rule regarding BFT

comments on the proposed rule regarding BFT
quotas and Atlantic tuna fishery management measures

[Federal Register: March 21, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 54)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 15276-15277]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21mr11-28]

[[Page 15276]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

[Docket No. 110210132-1133-01]
RIN 0648-BA65

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas
and Atlantic Tuna Fisheries Management Measures; Correction

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

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On March 14, 2011, NMFS published a proposed rule to modify
Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) base quotas for all domestic fishing
categories; establish BFT quota specifications for the 2011 fishing
year; reinstate pelagic longline target catch requirements for
retaining BFT in the Northeast Distant Gear Restricted Area (NED);
amend the Atlantic tunas possession at sea and landing regulations to
allow removal of Atlantic tunas tail lobes; and clarify the transfer at
sea regulations for Atlantic tunas. This action is necessary to
implement recommendations of the International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), as required by the Atlantic
Tunas Convention Act (ATCA), and to achieve domestic management
objectives under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). In the proposed rule, NMFS
announced the end of the comment period as April 14, 2011, which would
allow an approximately 30-day comment period. In order to provide
additional opportunities for the public and other interested parties to
comment on the proposed rule, NMFS is extending the comment period for
this action until April 28, 2011, allowing a 45-day comment period.
Comments received by NMFS on the proposed rule will help NMFS determine
whether and how to implement final management measures for the BFT and
Atlantic tuna fisheries as described in the proposed action. In
addition, NMFS has rescheduled the public hearing that was originally
scheduled for March 21, 2011, 3 to 5 p.m., in Gloucester, MA. NMFS has
rescheduled the public hearing to be held on April 1, 2011, 1 to 3 p.m.
at the same location.

DATES: The deadline for comments on the proposed rule regarding BFT
quotas and Atlantic tuna fishery management measures has been extended
from April 14, 2011, as published on March 14, 2011 (76 FR 13583), to
April 28, 2011. The public hearing that was originally scheduled for
March 21, 2011, in Gloucester, MA, has been rescheduled for April 1,
2011. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details.

ADDRESSES: As published on March 14, 2011 (76 FR 13583), you may submit
comments, identified by ``0648-BA65'', by any one of the following
methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov
Fax: 978-281-9340, Attn: Sarah McLaughlin
Mail: Sarah McLaughlin, Highly Migratory Species
Management Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), NMFS, 55
Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930
Instructions: 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 (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted 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 N/A in the required fields,
if you wish to remain anonymous). You may submit attachments to
electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF
file formats only. To be considered, electronic comments must be
submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://
www.regulations.gov. Do not submit electronic comments to individual
NMFS staff.
Supporting documents, including the draft Environmental Assessment,
Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis,
are available by sending your request to Sarah McLaughlin at the
mailing address specified above. These documents and others, such as
the Fishery Management Plans described below, also may be downloaded
from the HMS Web site at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/.
The location of the rescheduled public hearing in Gloucester, MA,
remains as follows: NMFS, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA. See
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah McLaughlin or Brad McHale, 978-
281-9260.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Atlantic bluefin tuna, bigeye tuna, albacore
tuna, yellowfin tuna, and skipjack tuna (hereafter referred to as
``Atlantic tunas'') are managed under the dual authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act and ATCA. ATCA authorizes the Secretary of
Commerce (Secretary) to promulgate regulations, as may be necessary and
appropriate, to implement ICCAT recommendations. The authority to issue
regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and ATCA has been delegated
from the Secretary to the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA).
In the proposed rule, NMFS announced the end of the comment period
as April, 14, 2011. NMFS has received several comments requesting a 15-
day extension of the comment period. NMFS has determined that it is
reasonable to extend the comment period to allow additional
opportunities for public comment, and is extending the comment period
until April 28, 2011. These comments will assist NMFS in determining
final management measures to conserve and manage the Atlantic tunas
fisheries, consistent with the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP, the Magnuson-
Stevens Act, ATCA, and other applicable law.

Need for Correction

This Gloucester, MA, public hearing, originally scheduled for March
21, 2011, has been rescheduled to April 1, 2011, to provide additional
advance notice of the hearing and allow attendees additional time to
prepare their comments prior to the hearing. In the proposed rule that
published March 14, 2011 (76 FR 13583):
1. On page 13583, in the second column, the date and time of the
first public hearing listed under the heading DATES should be corrected
to read as follows:
``1. April 1, 2011, 1 to 3 p.m., Gloucester, MA.''
2. On page 13588, in the first column, the first paragraph under
the heading ``Request for Comments'' should be corrected to read as
follows:

[[Page 15277]]

``NMFS solicits comments on this proposed rule through April 28,
2011. See instructions in ADDRESSES section above. NMFS intends to add
additional hearings to allow for additional opportunities for public
comment. NMFS will announce the dates and locations of those hearings
in a future notice.''

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: March 16, 2011.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-6563 Filed 3-16
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