Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Scallop Fishery off Alaska; Amendment 3

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[I.D. 032398B]

RIN 0648-AJ51

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Scallop

Fishery off Alaska; Amendment 3

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

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an amendment to a fishery management

plan; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has

submitted Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Scallop

Fishery off Alaska for Secretarial review. Amendment 3 would delegate

to the State of Alaska (State) the authority to manage all aspects of

the scallop fishery, except limited access, and would repeal all

Federal regulations governing the scallop fishery off Alaska, except

for the scallop vessel moratorium program. This action is necessary to

eliminate duplicate regulations and management programs for the scallop

fishery at the State and Federal levels. Comments from the public are

requested.

DATES: Comments on Amendment 3 must be submitted on or before June 1,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments on Amendment 3 should be submitted to Sue Salveson,

Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Alaska

Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Attn: Lori Gravel,

or delivered to the Federal Building, 709 West 9th. Street, Juneau, AK.

Copies of Amendment 3 and the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory

Impact Review prepared for the amendment are available from NMFS at the

above address, or by calling the Alaska Region, NMFS, at 907-586-7228.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Lind, 907-586-7228 or

[email protected].

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 (FMP) or

plan amendment it prepares to NMFS for review and approval,

disapproval, or partial approval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also

requires that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP or amendment, immediately

publish a document announcing that the FMP 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 FMP or amendment. Public comments on the proposed rule must be

received by the end of the comment period on the FMP/amendment to be

considered in the approval/disapproval decision on the FMP/amendment.

NMFS will consider the public comments received during the comment

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period in determining whether to approve Amendment 3. A proposed rule

to implement Amendment 3 is scheduled to be published within 15 days of

this document.

Dated: March 25, 1998.

Bruce C. Morehead,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine

Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98-8431 Filed 3-30-98; 8:45 am]

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