63824 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 13, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 229 

[Docket No. 071018614–7665–02] 

RIN 0648–XD56 

Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental 

to Commercial Fishing Operations; 

Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction 

Plan 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; extension of 

temporary area and gear restrictions. 

SUMMARY: The Assistant Administrator 

for Fisheries (AA), NOAA, announces 

the extension of temporary restrictions 

consistent with the requirements of the 

Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction 

Plan’s (ALWTRP) implementing 

regulations. These restrictions will 

continue to apply to lobster trap and 

anchored gillnet fishermen in an area 

totaling approximately 2,305 nm2 (7,905 

km2), south of Portland, Maine, for an 

additional 15 days. The purpose of this 

action is to provide immediate 

protection to an aggregation of Northern 

right whales (right whales). 

DATES: The area and gear restrictions 

were initially effective 0001 hours 

October 27, 2007, through 2400 hours 

November 10, 2007. This notice extends 

the restricted period from 0001 hours 

November 11, 2007, through 2400 hours 

November 25, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed and 

final Dynamic Area Management (DAM) 

rules, Environmental Assessments 

(EAs), Atlantic Large Whale Take 

Reduction Team (ALWTRT) meeting 

summaries, and progress reports on 

implementation of the ALWTRP may 

also be obtained by writing Diane 

Borggaard, NMFS/Northeast Region, 

One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 

01930. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Diane Borggaard, NMFS/Northeast 

Region, 978–281–9300 x6503; or Kristy 

Long, NMFS, Office of Protected 

Resources, 301–713–2322. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Access 

Several of the background documents 

for the ALWTRP and the take reduction 

planning process can be downloaded 

from the ALWTRP web site at http:// 

www.nero.noaa.gov/whaletrp/. 

Background 

The ALWTRP was developed 

pursuant to section 118 of the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to 

reduce the incidental mortality and 

serious injury of three endangered 

species of whales (right, fin, and 

humpback) due to incidental interaction 

with commercial fishing activities. In 

addition, the measures identified in the 

ALWTRP would provide conservation 

benefits to a fourth species (minke), 

which are neither listed as endangered 

nor threatened under the Endangered 

Species Act (ESA). The ALWTRP, 

implemented through regulations 

codified at 50 CFR 229.32, relies on a 

combination of fishing gear 

modifications and time/area closures to 

reduce the risk of whales becoming 

entangled in commercial fishing gear 

(and potentially suffering serious injury 

or mortality as a result). 

On January 9, 2002, NMFS published 

the final rule to implement the 

ALWTRP’s DAM program (67 FR 1133). 

On August 26, 2003, NMFS amended 

the regulations by publishing a final 

rule, which specifically identified gear 

modifications that may be allowed in a 

DAM zone (68 FR 51195). The DAM 

program provides specific authority for 

NMFS to restrict temporarily on an 

expedited basis the use of lobster trap/ 

pot and anchored gillnet fishing gear in 

areas north of 40° 00′ N. lat. to protect 

right whales. Under the DAM program, 

NMFS may: (1) require the removal of 

all lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet 

fishing gear for a 15–day period; (2) 

allow lobster trap/pot and anchored 

gillnet fishing within a DAM zone with 

gear modifications determined by NMFS 

to sufficiently reduce the risk of 

entanglement; and/or (3) issue an alert 

to fishermen requesting the voluntary 

removal of all lobster trap/pot and 

anchored gillnet gear for a 15–day 

period and asking fishermen not to set 

any additional gear in the DAM zone 

during the 15–day period. 

A DAM zone is triggered when NMFS 

receives a reliable report from a 

qualified individual of three or more 

right whales sighted within an area (75 

nm2 (139 km2)) such that right whale 

density is equal to or greater than 0.04 

right whales per nm2 (1.85 km2). A 

qualified individual is an individual 

ascertained by NMFS to be reasonably 

able, through training or experience, to 

identify a right whale. Such individuals 

include, but are not limited to, NMFS 

staff, U.S. Coast Guard and Navy 

personnel trained in whale 

identification, scientific research survey 

personnel, whale watch operators and 

naturalists, and mariners trained in 

whale species identification through 

disentanglement training or some other 

training program deemed adequate by 

NMFS. A reliable report would be a 

credible right whale sighting. 

On October 16, 2007, an aerial survey 

reported a sighting of seven right whales 

in the proximity of 43° 05′ N. latitude 

and 69° 56′ W. longitude. This position 

lies south of the Portland, Maine. After 

conducting an investigation, NMFS 

ascertained that the report came from a 

qualified individual and determined 

that the report was reliable. Thus, 

NMFS received a reliable report from a 

qualified individual of the requisite 

right whale density to trigger the DAM 

provisions of the ALWTRP. 

Once a DAM zone is triggered, NMFS 

determines whether to impose, in the 

zone, restrictions on fishing and/or 

fishing gear. This determination is based 

on the following factors, including but 

not limited to: the location of the DAM 

zone with respect to other fishery 

closure areas, weather conditions as 

they relate to the safety of human life at 

sea, the type and amount of gear already 

present in the area, and a review of 

recent right whale entanglement and 

mortality data. 

NMFS reviewed the options and 

factors noted above and on October 25, 

2007, published a temporary rule in the 

Federal Register (72 FR 60583) to 

announce the establishment of a DAM 

zone with restrictions on anchored 

gillnet and lobster trap gear for a 15–day 

period. On November 5, 2007, a 

subsequent survey conducted over the 

DAM zone indicated that fourteen 

whales are still present in the area and 

the DAM zone trigger of 0.04 right 

whales per square nautical mile (1.85 

km2) continues to be met. Therefore, in 

order to further protect the right whales 

in this DAM zone, pursuant to 50 CFR 

229.32(g)(3)(v), NMFS is exercising its 

authority to extend the restrictions on 

lobster trap and anchored gillnet gear 

for an additional 15 day period. 

The DAM zone is bound by the 

following coordinates: 

43° 25′ N., 70° 23′ W. (NW Corner) 

43° 25′ N., 69° 29′ W. 

42° 45′ N., 69° 29′ W. 

42° 45′ N., 69° 38′ W. 

42° 34′ N., 69° 38′ W. 

42° 34′ N., 70° 34′ W. 

43° 19′ N., 70° 34′ W. 

43° 19′ N., 70° 23′ W. 

43° 25′ N., 70° 23′ W. (NW Corner) 

In addition to those gear 

modifications currently implemented 

under the ALWTRP at 50 CFR 229.32, 

the following gear modifications are 

required in the DAM zone. If the 

requirements and exceptions for gear 

modification in the DAM zone, as 


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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 13, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 63825 

described below, differ from other 

ALWTRP requirements for any 

overlapping areas and times, then the 

more restrictive requirements will apply 

in the DAM zone. Special note for 

gillnet fisherman: A portion of this 

DAM zone overlaps the year-round 

Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area for 

Northeast Multispecies found at 50 CFR 

648.81(e). Due to this closure, sink 

gillnet gear is prohibited from this 

portion of the DAM zone. 

Lobster Trap/pot Gear 

Fishermen utilizing lobster trap/pot 

gear within the portions of Northern 

Nearshore Lobster Waters, Northern 

Inshore State Lobster Waters, and the 

Stellwagen Bank/Jeffrey’s Ledge 

Restricted Area that overlap with the 

DAM zone are required to utilize all of 

the following gear modifications while 

the DAM zone is in effect: 

1. Groundlines must be made of either 

sinking or neutrally buoyant line. 

Floating groundlines are prohibited; 

2. All buoy lines must be made of 

either sinking or neutrally buoyant line, 

except the bottom portion of the line, 

which may be a section of floating line 

not to exceed one-third the overall 

length of the buoy line; 

3. Fishermen are allowed to use two 

buoy lines per trawl; and 

4. A weak link with a maximum 

breaking strength of 600 lb (272.4 kg) 

must be placed at all buoys. 

Fishermen utilizing lobster trap/pot 

gear within the portion of the Offshore 

Lobster Waters Area that overlap with 

the DAM zone are required to utilize all 

of the following gear modifications 

while the DAM zone is in effect: 

1. Groundlines must be made of either 

sinking or neutrally buoyant line. 

Floating groundlines are prohibited; 

2. All buoy lines must be made of 

either sinking or neutrally buoyant line, 

except the bottom portion of the line, 

which may be a section of floating line 

not to exceed one-third the overall 

length of the buoy line; 

3. Fishermen are allowed to use two 

buoy lines per trawl; and 

4. A weak link with a maximum 

breaking strength of 1,500 lb (680.4 kg) 

must be placed at all buoys. 

Anchored Gillnet Gear 

Fishermen utilizing anchored gillnet 

gear within the portions of Other 

Northeast Gillnet Waters and the 

Stellwagen Bank/Jeffrey’s Ledge 

Restricted Area that overlap with the 

DAM zone are required to utilize all the 

following gear modifications while the 

DAM zone is in effect: 

1. Groundlines must be made of either 

sinking or neutrally buoyant line. 

Floating groundlines are prohibited; 

2. All buoy lines must be made of 

either sinking or neutrally buoyant line, 

except the bottom portion of the line, 

which may be a section of floating line 

not to exceed one-third the overall 

length of the buoy line; 

3. Fishermen are allowed to use two 

buoy lines per string; 

4. The breaking strength of each net 

panel weak link must not exceed 1,100 

lb (498.8 kg). The weak link 

requirements apply to all variations in 

net panel size. One weak link must be 

placed in the center of the floatline and 

one weak link must be placed in the 

center of each of the up and down lines 

at both ends of the net panel. 

Additionally, one weak link must be 

placed as close as possible to each end 

of the net panels on the floatline; or, one 

weak link must be placed between 

floatline tie-loops between net panels 

and one weak link must be placed 

where the floatline tie-loops attach to 

the bridle, buoy line, or groundline at 

each end of a net string; 

5. A weak link with a maximum 

breaking strength of 1,100 lb (498.8 kg) 

must be placed at all buoys; and 

6. All anchored gillnets, regardless of 

the number of net panels, must be 

securely anchored with the holding 

power of at least a 22–lb (10.0–kg) 

Danforth-style anchor at each end of the 

net string. 

The restrictions will be in effect 

beginning at 0001 hours, November 11, 

through 2400 hours November 25, 2007, 

unless terminated sooner or extended by 

NMFS through another notification in 

the Federal Register. 

The restrictions will be announced to 

state officials, fishermen, ALWTRT 

members, and other interested parties 

through e-mail, phone contact, NOAA 

website, and other appropriate media 

immediately upon issuance of the rule 

by the AA. 

Classification 

In accordance with section 118(f)(9) of 

the MMPA, the Assistant Administrator 

(AA) for Fisheries has determined that 

this action is necessary to implement a 

take reduction plan to protect North 

Atlantic right whales. 

Environmental Assessments for the 

DAM program were prepared on 

December 28, 2001, and August 6, 2003. 

This action falls within the scope of the 

analyses of these EAs, which are 

available from the agency upon request. 

NMFS provided prior notice and an 

opportunity for public comment on the 

regulations establishing the criteria and 

procedures for implementing a DAM 

zone. Providing prior notice and 

opportunity for comment on this action, 

pursuant to those regulations, would be 

impracticable because it would prevent 

NMFS from executing its functions to 

protect and reduce serious injury and 

mortality of endangered right whales. 

The regulations establishing the DAM 

program are designed to enable the 

agency to help protect unexpected 

concentrations of right whales. In order 

to meet the goals of the DAM program, 

the agency needs to be able to create a 

DAM zone and implement restrictions 

on fishing gear as soon as possible once 

the criteria are triggered and NMFS 

determines that a DAM restricted zone 

is appropriate. If NMFS were to provide 

prior notice and an opportunity for 

public comment upon the creation of a 

DAM restricted zone, the aggregated 

right whales would be vulnerable to 

entanglement which could result in 

serious injury and mortality. 

Additionally, the right whales would 

most likely move on to another location 

before NMFS could implement the 

restrictions designed to protect them, 

thereby rendering the action obsolete. 

Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 

553(b)(B), the AA finds that good cause 

exists to waive prior notice and an 

opportunity to comment on this action 

to implement a DAM restricted zone to 

reduce the risk of entanglement of 

endangered right whales in commercial 

lobster trap/pot and anchored gillnet 

gear as such procedures would be 

impracticable. 

For the same reasons, the AA finds 

that, under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), good 

cause exists to waive the 30–day delay 

in effective date. If NMFS were to delay 

for 30 days the effective date of this 

action, the aggregated right whales 

would be vulnerable to entanglement, 

which could cause serious injury and 

mortality. Additionally, right whales 

would likely move to another location 

between the time NMFS approved the 

action creating the DAM restricted zone 

and the time it went into effect, thereby 

rendering the action obsolete and 

ineffective. Nevertheless, NMFS 

recognizes the need for fishermen to 

have time to either modify or remove (if 

not in compliance with the required 

restrictions) their gear from a DAM zone 

once one is approved. Thus, NMFS 

makes this action effective 2 days after 

the date of publication of this document 

in the Federal Register. NMFS will also 

endeavor to provide notice of this action 

to fishermen through other means upon 

issuance of the rule by the AA, thereby 

providing approximately 3 additional 

days of notice while the Office of the 


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63826 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 13, 2007 / Rules and Regulations 

Federal Register processes the 

document for publication. 

NMFS determined that the regulations 

establishing the DAM program and 

actions such as this one taken pursuant 

to those regulations are consistent to the 

maximum extent practicable with the 

enforceable policies of the approved 

coastal management program of the U.S. 

Atlantic coastal states. This 

determination was submitted for review 

by the responsible state agencies under 

section 307 of the Coastal Zone 

Management Act. Following state 

review of the regulations creating the 

DAM program, no state disagreed with 

NMFS’ conclusion that the DAM 

program is consistent to the maximum 

extent practicable with the enforceable 

policies of the approved coastal 

management program for that state. 

The DAM program under which 

NMFS is taking this action contains 

policies with federalism implications 

warranting preparation of a federalism 

assessment under Executive Order 

13132. Accordingly, in October 2001 

and March 2003, the Assistant Secretary 

for Intergovernmental and Legislative 

Affairs, Department of Commerce, 

provided notice of the DAM program 

and its amendments to the appropriate 

elected officials in states to be affected 

by actions taken pursuant to the DAM 

program. Federalism issues raised by 

state officials were addressed in the 

final rules implementing the DAM 

program. A copy of the federalism 

Summary Impact Statement for the final 

rules is available upon request 

(ADDRESSES). 

The rule implementing the DAM 

program has been determined to be not 

significant under Executive Order 

12866. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq. and 50 

CFR 229.32(g)(3). 

Dated: November 6, 2007. 

John Oliver, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Operations, National Marine Fisheries 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 07–5623 Filed 11–7–07; 11:56 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 


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