[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13330-13331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5683]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 665

RIN 0648-AW67


Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries; Prohibiting Purse Seine 
Fishing in the U.S. EEZ Around Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, 
and Prohibiting Longline Fishing Within 30 nm of the Northern Mariana 
Islands

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of fishery management plan amendment; 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council) proposes Amendment 2 to the Fishery Ecosystem Plan 
for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (FEP). If approved 
by the Secretary of Commerce, this amendment would create a 30-nautical 
mile (nm) longline prohibited area around the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and prohibit purse seine fishing 
within the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the Mariana 
Archipelago, including Guam and the CNMI. The area closures are 
intended to prevent and minimize gear conflicts and resource 
competition among the various fishery sectors (troll, longline and 
purse seine) in the Mariana Archipelago. In addition, this action is 
intended to facilitate the conservation of important stocks such as 
bigeye, yellowfin, and skipjack tuna throughout their range in the 
Pacific Ocean.

DATES: Comments on the amendment must be received by May 10, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Copies of Amendment 2, including an environmental 
assessment, are available from http://www.regulations.gov, or the 
Council, 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, tel 808-522-
8220, fax 808-522-8226, http://www.wpcouncil.org.
    Comments on the amendment, including the environmental assessment, 
identified by 0648-AW67, may be sent to either of the following 
addresses:
    <bullet> Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov; or
    <bullet> Mail: Mail written comments to Michael D. Tosatto, 
Regional Administrator, NMFS, Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1601 
Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814-4700.
    Instructions: Comments must be submitted to one of the above two 
addresses to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and 
considered by NMFS. Comments sent to any other address or individual, 
or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered. 
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 (e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted 
voluntarily by the sender 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). Attachments to 
electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word or Excel, 
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Toby Wood, NMFS PIR Sustainable 
Fisheries, 808-944-2234.

[[Page 13331]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pelagic fisheries in the U.S. western 
Pacific are managed under the FEP. The Council prepared Amendment 2 to 
address pelagic fishing concerns in the Mariana Archipelago (Guam and 
the CNMI). Pelagic fisheries in the Marianas consist mostly of small 
trolling fleets, several pelagic longline vessels, and purse seine 
vessels based there, but not fishing near the islands. Guam's pelagic 
fishery consists of 300-400 mostly small trolling boats that catch 
skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna, mahimahi, wahoo, and Pacific blue 
marlin. Trolling is also the primary fishing method in the CNMI pelagic 
fishery. About 50-100 small vessels target skipjack tuna, and also 
catch yellowfin tuna and mahimahi.
    Pelagic longline vessels in the Marianas are typically larger than 
50 ft (15 m) and can fish for more than 30 days. Interest in the 
longline fishery has been variable; currently four Federally-permitted 
longline vessels are based in the CNMI and one is based in Guam. 
Longliners target yellowfin and bigeye tunas and retain incidental 
catches of albacore, blue marlin, mahimahi, skipjack tuna, and 
spearfish.
    About 36 U.S. purse seine vessels operate in the western and 
central Pacific Ocean, targeting skipjack and yellowfin tuna. Vessels 
range from 164 to 377 ft (50 to 115 m). Fish-carrying capacities range 
from approximately 800 to 1,500 mt (2.2 to 3.9 million lb). The U.S. 
purse seine catch in the western Pacific is made on the high seas, in 
foreign EEZs, and in the U.S. EEZ around American Samoa and the U.S. 
Pacific Remote Island Areas (i.e., Wake, Baker, Howland, and Jarvis 
Islands, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, and Palmyra Atoll). Two U.S. 
purse seine vessels are based in Guam, but have not fished in the EEZ 
around the Mariana Archipelago. To date, limited purse seine activity 
has occurred adjacent to the EEZ around Guam since 1980, but no U.S. 
purse seine catches have been recorded within the EEZ.
    The Council is concerned about the potential impacts if purse seine 
fishing effort shifts to areas fished by domestic troll and longline 
fishermen of Guam and the CNMI. Those smaller vessels could experience 
reduced catch rates due to localized depletion and catch competition, 
or would have to travel further to maintain catch rates, potentially 
resulting in lost revenue and possible safety-at-sea issues.
    The Council is also concerned about the impact of purse seine 
fishing on the recruitment of juvenile bigeye tuna. While targeting 
skipjack tuna, purse seines may also catch juvenile yellowfin and 
bigeye tuna. Juvenile bigeye tuna caught by purse seines may be 
contributing to the overfishing status of bigeye tuna in the western 
and central Pacific Ocean. The impacts from an increase in juvenile 
catch of bigeye tuna can reduce the number of mature fish, thereby 
decreasing reproduction. This also decreases the future availability of 
adult fish for fisheries that target adult bigeye tuna, such as the 
longline fishery.
    The Council is further concerned that any future expansion of 
longline fishing around the Mariana Archipelago could result in adverse 
impacts to the CNMI troll fishery. If the number of CNMI-based longline 
vessels increases and move into areas traditionally utilized by the 
troll fleet (typically within 30 nm (55.6 km) of shore), there is 
potential for gear conflicts and catch competition between the two 
fleets, resulting in potential gear loss, increased costs, and 
decreased revenues.
    To address their concerns about the potential impact of purse seine 
fishing on the troll and longline fisheries in the Marianas, the 
Council recommends in Amendment 2 prohibiting U.S. purse seine vessels 
from fishing within the EEZ around Guam and the CNMI. Furthermore, 
under Amendment 2, to address their concerns about the potential impact 
of uncontrolled expansion in the CNMI longline fishery, the Council 
recommends prohibiting longline fishing within 30 nm (55.6 km) of the 
CNMI. The Council's recommendations are intended to reduce temporary 
localized fish depletion, catch competition, and gear conflicts to 
sustain local troll and longline fisheries, and to limit the potential 
impacts of purse seine fishing on recruitment of juvenile bigeye tuna.
    Public comments on proposed Amendment 2 must be received by May 10, 
2011 to be considered by NMFS in the decision to approve, partially 
approve, or disapprove the amendment. NMFS expects to soon publish and 
request public comment on a proposed rule that would implement the 
measures recommended in Amendment 2.

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

    Dated: March 8, 2011.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-5683 Filed 3-10-11; 8:45 am]
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