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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

CFR Citation: 50 CFR Part 679

RIN ID: RIN 0648-AM72

DOCUMENT ID: [I.D. 051500D ]

NOTICE: PROPOSED RULES

ACTION: Fishery conservation and management:

DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

SUBJECT CATEGORY: Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program

DATES: Comments on Amendment 66 must be submitted by July 31, 2000.

DOCUMENT SUMMARY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 66 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP) to remove the allocation of squid to the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The Council has recommended this amendment to prevent the incidental catch of squid in the pollock CDQ fisheries from preventing the CDQ groups from fully harvesting the pollock CDQ allocation required under the American Fisheries Act (AFA).

SUMMARY: Alaska; fisheries of Exclusive Economic Zone—; Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program,

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MagnusonStevens Act) requires that each Regional Fishery Management Council submit any FMP or FMP amendment it prepares to NMFS for review and approval, disapproval, or partial approval. The MagnusonStevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP or amendment, immediately publish a notification in the Federal Register that the FMP or amendment is available for public review and comment. Therefore, NMFS solicits comments on the approval, disapproval, or partial approval of this amendment.

The Council adopted Amendment 66 at its June 1999 meeting. If approved by NMFS, this amendment would remove the allocation of 7.5 percent of the squid total allowable catch (TAC) to the CDQ Program. Currently, each CDQ group must manage its CDQ fisheries to ensure that its squid CDQ allocation is not exceeded. The pollock fishery takes squid as incidental catch. The potential exists that if a CDQ group were to catch its full squid allocation, it would be precluded from continuing to fish for pollock. This potential constraint on the pollock CDQ fisheries existed when the pollock CDQ allocation was 7.5 percent of the pollock TAC. The potential is more likely now that the pollock CDQ allocation has been increased to 10 percent of the TAC under the AFA. In passing the AFA, Congress manifested its intent that CDQ groups be able to harvest their full pollock allocations. Therefore, the Council is recommending removal of squid as a CDQ species.

NMFS solicits public comments on the amendment through July 31, 2000. A proposed rule that would implement the amendment may be published in the Federal Register for public comment following NMFS's evaluation under the MagnusonStevens Act procedures. Public comments on the proposed rule must be received by the end of the comment period on the amendment to be considered in the approval/disapproval decision on the amendment. All comments received by the end of the comment period on the amendment, whether specifically directed to the amendment or to the proposed rule, will be considered in the approval/disapproval decision; comments received after that date will not be considered in the approval/disapproval decision on the amendment. To be considered, [[Page 34435]]
comments must be received by close of business on the last day of the comment period specified in this notice of availability; that does not mean postmarked or otherwise transmitted by that date.

Dated: May 22, 2000.
Richard W. Surdi,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 0013370 Filed 52600; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 351022F

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Sally Bibb, 907-586-7389, sally.bibb@noaa.gov.