[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 4, 2009)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6010-6011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2369]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 216

RIN 0648-AX36


Notification of Receipt of a Petition for Rulemaking to Implement 
the Provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act for Swordfish 
Imports

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

ACTION: Reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: In order to provide additional opportunities for the public, 
foreign nations that export swordfish to the United States, and other 
interested parties to comment on the petition for rulemaking to 
implement the provisions of section 101(a)(2)(A) of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act for swordfish imports, NMFS is reopening the comment 
period. On December 15, 2008, NMFS published a notification of receipt 
of the petition. Based on the December 15, 2008 document, the comment 
period was scheduled to conclude on January 29, 2009. NMFS is now 
reopening the comment period until March 23, 2009. Comments received 
will be considered by NMFS as it determines whether to proceed with

[[Page 6011]]

the request by Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island 
Restoration Network. In addition to general comments on the petition, 
NMFS specifically requests comments on how to define ``United States 
standards'' as referenced in MMPA section 101(a)(2).

DATES: The request for comments on the petition for rulemaking to 
implement the provisions of section 101(a)(2)(A) of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act for swordfish imports will be reopened on February 4, 
2009. Comments must be received by 5 p.m. on March 23, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
    <bullet> Mail: Director, Office of International Affairs, Attn: 
Swordfish Petition, NMFS, F/IA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, 
MD 20910
    <bullet> Fax: (301) 713-2313
    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) 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). Attachments to electronic 
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or 
Adobe portable document file (pdf) formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lekelia Jenkins at 301-713-9090 x131.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS received a petition for rulemaking 
under the Administrative Procedure Act. The Center for Biological 
Diversity and the Turtle Island Restoration Network, nongovernmental 
organizations, have petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce and 
other relevant Departments to initiate rulemaking to ban importation of 
commercial fish or products from fish that have been caught with 
commercial fishing technology that results in incidental mortality or 
serious injury of marine mammals in excess of United States standards.
    On December 15, 2008, NMFS published a notification of the receipt 
of the petition, with a January 29, 2009, deadline for comments (73 FR 
75988). NMFS is reopening the comment period to provide additional 
opportunity for interested parties to comment on the petition.
    The complete text of the Center for Biological Diversity and the 
Turtle Island Restoration Network's petition is available via the 
internet at the following web address: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/. 
Copies of this petition also may be obtained by contacting NMFS at the 
above address.

    Dated: January 29, 2008.
James W. Balsiger,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-2369 Filed 2-3-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S