Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/02/08/2019-01294/pacific-island-fisheries-reclassifying-management-unit-species-to-ecosystem-component-species
Timestamp: 2019-02-21 11:32:07
Document Index: 637698628

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u2009665', '§\u2009665', '§\u2009665', '§\u2009665', '§\u2009665', '§\u2009665', '§\u2009665', '§\u2009665', '§\u2009665', '§\u2009665', '§\u2009665', '§\u2009665']

2767-2775 (9 pages)
Docket No. 180202118-8999-01
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2019-01294 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2019-01294
The Council and NMFS manage fishing in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the U.S. Pacific Islands pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). In this rule, NMFS, as recommended by the Council, is reclassifying certain bottomfish, coral reef ecosystem, precious coral, and crustacean management unit species (MUS) in the three FEPs as ecosystem component species (ECS). The action focuses Federal conservation and management on the MUS (i.e., the targets of Federal fisheries).
This action does not change any fishery operations in terms of location, target and non-target species, catch, Start Printed Page 2768effort, fishermen participation, gear composition, seasonality, intensity, or bycatch. For newly designated ECS, the Council and NMFS would no longer establish annual catch limits or associated accountability measures. The Council and NMFS, in cooperation with the State of Hawaii, Territory of American Samoa and Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will continue to monitor fisheries that catch ECS. If an ECS stock becomes a target of a Federal fishery in the future, NMFS and the Council may consider including that stock in the management unit to actively manage that stock.
4. In § 665.12:
a. Revise the definition of “American Samoa FEP”;
b. Remove the definition of “Currently harvested coral reef taxa”;
c. Revise the definitions of “Ecosystem component species”, “First level buyer”, “Hawaii FEP”, “Mariana FEP,” “No-take MPA”, “Offload”, and “Pelagics FEP”;
d. Remove the definition of “Potentially harvested coral reef taxa”; and
e. Revise the definitions of “PRIA FEP”, “Special permit”, and “Transship”.
PRIA FEP means the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Pacific Remote Island Areas of Palmyra Atoll, Kingman Start Printed Page 2769Reef, Jarvis Island, Baker Island, Howland Island, Johnston Atoll, and Wake Island, available from the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council or PIRO.
American Samoa bottomfish management unit species (American Samoa bottomfish MUS) means the following species:Start Printed Page 2770
palu-èna èna pink snapper Pristipomoides filamentosus.
19. In § 665.141, add a definition for “American Samoa crustacean ecosystem component species (American Samoa crustacean ECS)” in alphabetical order and remove the definition of “American Start Printed Page 2771Samoa crustacean management unit species”.
20. In § 665.161, add a definition for “American Samoa precious coral ecosystem component species (American Samoa precious coral ECS)” in alphabetical order and remove the definition of “American Samoa precious coral management unit species”.
25. In § 665.201, add a definition for “Hawaii bottomfish ecosystem component species (Hawaii bottomfish ECS)” in alphabetical order, revise the definitions of “Hawaii bottomfish management unit species (Hawaii bottomfish MUS)” and “Main Hawaiian Islands non-commercial bottomfish permit”, and in the definition of “Seamount Groundfish”, revise the entry for “Armorhead” to read as follows:
(2) MHI non-commercial. The owner of a vessel that is used for and any person who participates in non-commercial, vessel-based fishing, landing, or transshipment of Hawaii bottomfish MUS or ECS in the MHI management subarea is required to Start Printed Page 2772obtain an MHI non-commercial bottomfish permit or a State of Hawaii Commercial Marine License. If one or more persons on a vessel-based bottomfish fishing trip holds an MHI non-commercial permit, then the entire trip is considered non-commercial, and not commercial. However, if any commercial fishing occurs during or as a result of a vessel-based fishing trip, then the fishing trip is considered commercial, and not non-commercial. Charter boat customers are not subject to the requirements of the section.
(i) Hawaii coral reef ECS in low-use MPAs as defined in § 665.199;Start Printed Page 2773
39. In § 665.241, add a definition for “Hawaii crustacean ecosystem component species (Hawaii crustacean ECS)” in alphabetical order and revise the definition of “Hawaii crustacean management unit species (Hawaii crustacean MUS)” to read as follows:
41. In § 665.261, add a definition for “Hawaii precious coral ecosystem component species (Hawaii precious coral ECS)” in alphabetical order and revise the definition of “Hawaii precious coral management unit species (Hawaii precious coral MUS)” to read as follows:
(c) Take and retain, possess, or land any live Hemicorallium laauense, Pleurocorallium secundum, Corallium sp., or live black coral from any precious coral permit area that is less Start Printed Page 2774than the minimum height specified in § 665.265 unless:
46. In § 665.401, add a definition for “Mariana bottomfish ecosystem component species (Mariana bottomfish ECS)” in alphabetical order and revise the definition of “Mariana bottomfish management unit species (Mariana bottomfish MUS)” to read as follows:
To ensure consistency between the management regimes of different Federal agencies with shared management responsibilities of fishery resources within the Mariana coral reef ecosystem management area, fishing for Mariana coral reef ECS is not allowed within the boundary of a National Start Printed Page 2775Wildlife Refuge unless specifically authorized by the USFWS, regardless of whether that refuge was established by action of the President or the Secretary of the Interior.
56. In § 665.441, add a definition for “Mariana crustacean ecosystem component species (Mariana crustacean ECS)” in alphabetical order and remove the definition of “Mariana crustacean management unit species”.
§ 665.441
59. In § 665.461, add introductory text and a definition for “Mariana precious coral ecosystem component species (Mariana precious coral ECS)” in alphabetical order and remove the definition of “Mariana precious coral management unit species” to read as follows: