[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 130 (Monday, July 7, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38387-38388]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-1411]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

RIN 0648-AV14


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Revisions to Allowable Bycatch 
Reduction Devices

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

ACTION:  Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY:  Due to a request from the Gulf of Mexico shrimp industry, and 
based on new information collected through a NMFS-funded cooperative 
research proposal, NMFS is reopening the comment period on the proposed 
rule that would revise the list of allowable bycatch reduction devices 
(BRDs) certified for use in the shrimp fishery of the Gulf of Mexico. 
Reopening the comment period would allow interested constituents 
adequate time to prepare comments based on the new information 
regarding the performance of BRDs. NMFS is reopening the comment period 
for the proposed rule on July 7, 2008 and it will remain open through 
August 6, 2008. The proposed rule is intended to improve bycatch 
reduction in the shrimp fishery and better meet the requirements of 
national standard 9.

DATES:  The comment period for the proposed rule that published on June 
3, 2008 (73 FR 31669) and closed on July

[[Page 38388]]

3, 2008, will reopen on July 7, 2008, and remain open through 4:30 
p.m., eastern time, on August 6, 2008.

ADDRESSES:  You may submit comments, identified by 0648-AV14, by any 
one of the following methods:
    <bullet> Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov.
    <bullet> Fax: 727-824-5308, Attn: Steve Branstetter.
    <bullet> Mail: Steve Branstetter, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 
263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
    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. Attachments to electronic 
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, Wordperfect, or 
Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Copies of an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), and 
Regulatory Impact Review (RIR) completed in support of the proposed 
rule are available from the Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th 
Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; phone: 727-824-5305; fax: 727-
824-5308.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Steve Branstetter, telephone: 727-
824-5305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The fishery for shrimp in the exclusive 
economic zone of the Gulf is managed under the FMP prepared by the Gulf 
of Mexico Fishery Management Council. The FMP is implemented under the 
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act by regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
    On June 3, 2008 (73 FR 31669), NMFS published a proposed rule to 
revise the list of allowable BRDs used in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp 
fishery and requested comment by July 3, 2008. The Gulf of Mexico and 
South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc. (Foundation) recently 
conducted analyses regarding the efficacy of these BRDs under a 
Cooperative Research Program grant funded by NMFS. The new information 
from these analyses is currently being reviewed by the shrimp industry. 
The shrimp industry has requested a reopning of the comment period to 
allow sufficient time to review this new information and to comment on 
the proposed rule. Due to this request, NMFS will reopen the public 
comment period on the proposed rule on July 7, 2008 and it will remain 
open through August 6, 2008.

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

    Dated: July 1, 2008.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator For Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 08-1411 Filed 7-1-08; 4:05 pm]
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