Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Observer Health and Safety

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[Docket No. 970829214-7214-01; I.D. 082097B]

RIN 0648-AJ76

Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Observer Health and Safety

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

[[Page 55775]]

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: NMFS extends for 30 days the comment period for the proposed

rule about guidelines to ensure observer health and safety.

DATES: Comments must be received by November 21, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Gary Matlock, Director, Office of

Sustainable Fisheries, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD

20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William J. Bellows, 301-713-2341.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Magnuson-Stevens Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), the

Marine Mammal Protection Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and

the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.)

authorize the Secretary of Commerce to station observers aboard

commercial fishing vessels to collect required scientific data for the

purposes of fishery and protected species conservation and management,

monitoring incidental mortality and serious injury to marine mammals

and to other species listed under the Endangered Species Act, and

monitoring compliance with existing Federal regulations. In addition,

pursuant to the South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988 (16 U.S.C. 973 et seq.),

observers may be required in the South Pacific Tuna Fishery.

A proposed rule was published on September 22, 1997 (62 FR 49464),

in which guidelines were proposed for the purpose of ensuring observer

health and safety while aboard a vessel and at the time of boarding and

disembarking. The 30-day comment period ended October 22, 1997. One

comment was received; it requested an extension of the comment period.

NMFS is interested in receiving comments and is extending the

comment period through November 21, 1997.

This notice's comment-period extension has been determined to be

not significant for purposes of E.O. 12866.

Dated: October 21, 1997.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries

Service.

[FR Doc. 97-28440 Filed 10-27-97; 8:45 am]

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