Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Western Pacific Precious Corals Fisheries; Amendment 3

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[I.D. 061898B]

RIN 0648-AK60

Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific;

Western Pacific Precious Corals Fisheries; Amendment 3

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

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a fishery management plan amendment;

request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Western Pacific Fishery Management

Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management

Plan for the Precious Corals Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region

(FMP) for Secretarial review. Amendment 3 would establish framework

procedures for regulatory changes under the FMP.

DATES: Comments on Amendment 3 must be received on or before August 28,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments on Amendment 3 should be sent to, and copies of

Amendment 3 are available from, Kitty Simonds, Executive Director,

Western Pacific Fishery Management Council, 1164 Bishop St., Suite

1400, Honolulu, HI 96813.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kitty Simonds at (808) 522-8220 or

Alvin Katekaru, Fishery Management Specialist, Pacific Islands Area

Office, NMFS at (808) 973-2985.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation

and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires that each Regional

Fishery Management Council submit any fishery management plan or plan

amendment it prepares to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or

partial approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires

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that NMFS, upon receiving a fishery management plan or amendment,

immediately publish a notice that the fishery management plan or

amendment is available for public review and comment. NMFS will

consider the public comments received during the comment period in

determining whether to approve the fishery management plan or

amendment.

Amendment 3 to the FMP would establish framework procedures for

regulatory changes under the FMP. Under the proposed framework

procedures, new management measures may be added through rulemaking if

new information demonstrates that there are biological, social, or

economic concerns in the precious coral permit areas. The framework

procedures would authorize the implementation of measures that may

affect the fishing season, classification of coral beds, harvest quotas

for all management unit species, size restrictions, incidental catches

and permit conditions. Each action taken under the framework process

would entail documentation of the analysis of impacts of that action.

To the extent appropriate, the Council would prepare regulations,

regulatory analyses, environmental assessments, or other documents

depending on the scope of the action, which framework process is being

used, and the types and magnitude of impacts involved. Advance public

notice, public discussion, and consideration of public comment would be

required.

NMFS invites comments on proposed Amendment 3 through the end of

the comment period. NMFS will consider the public comments received

during the comment period in determining whether to approve the

proposed amendment. A proposed rule to implement Amendment 3 has been

submitted for Secretarial review and approval. NMFS expects to publish

the proposed rule and request public comment on the proposed

regulations in the near future. Public comments on the proposed rule

must be received by August 28, 1998 to be considered in the approval/

disapproval decision on Amendment 3.

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

Dated: June 23, 1998.

Gary C. Matlock,

Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries

Service.

[FR Doc. 98-17167 Filed 6-26-98; 8:45 am]

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