[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 54 (Monday, March 21, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 15276-15277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-6563]



[[Page 15276]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

[Docket No. 110210132-1133-01]
RIN 0648-BA65


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas 
and Atlantic Tuna Fisheries Management Measures; Correction

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

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On March 14, 2011, NMFS published a proposed rule to modify 
Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) base quotas for all domestic fishing 
categories; establish BFT quota specifications for the 2011 fishing 
year; reinstate pelagic longline target catch requirements for 
retaining BFT in the Northeast Distant Gear Restricted Area (NED); 
amend the Atlantic tunas possession at sea and landing regulations to 
allow removal of Atlantic tunas tail lobes; and clarify the transfer at 
sea regulations for Atlantic tunas. This action is necessary to 
implement recommendations of the International Commission for the 
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), as required by the Atlantic 
Tunas Convention Act (ATCA), and to achieve domestic management 
objectives under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). In the proposed rule, NMFS 
announced the end of the comment period as April 14, 2011, which would 
allow an approximately 30-day comment period. In order to provide 
additional opportunities for the public and other interested parties to 
comment on the proposed rule, NMFS is extending the comment period for 
this action until April 28, 2011, allowing a 45-day comment period. 
Comments received by NMFS on the proposed rule will help NMFS determine 
whether and how to implement final management measures for the BFT and 
Atlantic tuna fisheries as described in the proposed action. In 
addition, NMFS has rescheduled the public hearing that was originally 
scheduled for March 21, 2011, 3 to 5 p.m., in Gloucester, MA. NMFS has 
rescheduled the public hearing to be held on April 1, 2011, 1 to 3 p.m. 
at the same location.

DATES: The deadline for comments on the proposed rule regarding BFT 
quotas and Atlantic tuna fishery management measures has been extended 
from April 14, 2011, as published on March 14, 2011 (76 FR 13583), to 
April 28, 2011. The public hearing that was originally scheduled for 
March 21, 2011, in Gloucester, MA, has been rescheduled for April 1, 
2011. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details.

ADDRESSES: As published on March 14, 2011 (76 FR 13583), you may submit 
comments, identified by ``0648-BA65'', by any one of the following 
methods:
    <bullet> Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov
    <bullet> Fax: 978-281-9340, Attn: Sarah McLaughlin
    <bullet> Mail: Sarah McLaughlin, Highly Migratory Species 
Management Division, Office of Sustainable Fisheries (F/SF1), NMFS, 55 
Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930
    <bullet> Instructions: 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 (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by 
the commenter 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). You may submit attachments to 
electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF 
file formats only. To be considered, electronic comments must be 
submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov. Do not submit electronic comments to individual 
NMFS staff.
    Supporting documents, including the draft Environmental Assessment, 
Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, 
are available by sending your request to Sarah McLaughlin at the 
mailing address specified above. These documents and others, such as 
the Fishery Management Plans described below, also may be downloaded 
from the HMS Web site at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/.
    The location of the rescheduled public hearing in Gloucester, MA, 
remains as follows: NMFS, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA. See 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah McLaughlin or Brad McHale, 978-
281-9260.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Atlantic bluefin tuna, bigeye tuna, albacore 
tuna, yellowfin tuna, and skipjack tuna (hereafter referred to as 
``Atlantic tunas'') are managed under the dual authority of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act and ATCA. ATCA authorizes the Secretary of 
Commerce (Secretary) to promulgate regulations, as may be necessary and 
appropriate, to implement ICCAT recommendations. The authority to issue 
regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and ATCA has been delegated 
from the Secretary to the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA 
(AA).
    In the proposed rule, NMFS announced the end of the comment period 
as April, 14, 2011. NMFS has received several comments requesting a 15-
day extension of the comment period. NMFS has determined that it is 
reasonable to extend the comment period to allow additional 
opportunities for public comment, and is extending the comment period 
until April 28, 2011. These comments will assist NMFS in determining 
final management measures to conserve and manage the Atlantic tunas 
fisheries, consistent with the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP, the Magnuson-
Stevens Act, ATCA, and other applicable law.

Need for Correction

    This Gloucester, MA, public hearing, originally scheduled for March 
21, 2011, has been rescheduled to April 1, 2011, to provide additional 
advance notice of the hearing and allow attendees additional time to 
prepare their comments prior to the hearing. In the proposed rule that 
published March 14, 2011 (76 FR 13583):
    1. On page 13583, in the second column, the date and time of the 
first public hearing listed under the heading DATES should be corrected 
to read as follows:
    ``1. April 1, 2011, 1 to 3 p.m., Gloucester, MA.''
    2. On page 13588, in the first column, the first paragraph under 
the heading ``Request for Comments'' should be corrected to read as 
follows:

[[Page 15277]]

    ``NMFS solicits comments on this proposed rule through April 28, 
2011. See instructions in ADDRESSES section above. NMFS intends to add 
additional hearings to allow for additional opportunities for public 
comment. NMFS will announce the dates and locations of those hearings 
in a future notice.''

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

    Dated: March 16, 2011.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-6563 Filed 3-16-11; 4:15 pm]
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