Proposed Rules. Availability of amendment to a fishery management plan; request for comments

Agency: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce
Action: Availability of amendment to a fishery management plan; request for comments
Citation: FR Doc. 2012-27473 · RIN 0648-BC28 · 50 CFR 660

Summary

NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has transmitted Amendment 17 to the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Secretarial review. Amendment 17 revises the maximum fishing mortality threshold (MFMT) for Quillayute fall coho, revises the FMP to correct typographical errors, updates reporting measures to reflect new technology, and updates or removes other obsolete or unnecessary language.

Dates

Comments on Amendment 17 must be received on or before January 8, 2013.

Supplementary Information

The ocean salmon fisheries in the exclusive economic zone off Washington, Oregon, and California are managed under a “framework” fishery management plan entitled the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (MSRA) requires that each regional fishery management council submit any FMP or plan amendment it prepares to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial approval. The MSRA also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP or amendment, immediately publish a notice that the FMP or amendment is available for public review and comment. NMFS will consider the public comments received during the comment period described above in determining whether to approve Amendment 17 to the FMP. In 2011, the Council transmitted Salmon FMP Amendment 16 to NMFS (76 FR 57945, September 19, 2011). NMFS partially approved Amendment 16 in December 2011. NMFS disapproved the proposed maximum fishing mortality threshold (MFMT) for Quillayute coho. During the review of Amendment 16, a variety of other issues in the FMP were identified as needing revision, largely to correct typographical errors, update notification and reporting measures to reflect new technology, and remove an unnecessary post-final rule comment period from the schedule for annual management measures. Amendment 17 addresses the issue of MFMT for Quillayute coho and well as the other, largely editorial, revisions. NMFS welcomes comments on the proposed FMP amendment through the end of the comment period. The Council also transmitted a proposed rule to implement Amendment 17 for Secretarial review and approval. NMFS expects to publish and request public review and comment on this rule in the near future. Public comments on the proposed rule must be received by the end of the comment period on the amendment to be considered in the approval/disapproval decision on the amendment. All comments received by the end of the comment period for the amendment, whether specifically directed to the amendment or the proposed rule, will be considered in the approval/disapproval decision. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: November 5, 2012. Emily H. Menashes, Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2012-27473 Filed 11-8-12; 8:45 am]