Rule2021-18365
Pacific Island Fisheries; 2021 U.S. Territorial Longline Bigeye Tuna Catch Limits for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Primary source
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Published
August 26, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces a valid specified fishing agreement that allocates up to 1,500 metric tons (t) of the 2021 bigeye tuna limit for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to U.S. longline fishing vessels. The agreement supports the long-term sustainability of fishery resources of the U.S. Pacific Islands, and fisheries development in the CNMI.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 163 (Thursday, August 26, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 163 (Thursday, August 26, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 47596-47597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18365]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 665
[RTID 0648-XB264]
Pacific Island Fisheries; 2021 U.S. Territorial Longline Bigeye
Tuna Catch Limits for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Announcement of a valid specified fishing agreement.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces a valid specified fishing agreement that
allocates up to 1,500 metric tons (t) of the 2021 bigeye tuna limit for
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to U.S.
longline fishing vessels. The agreement supports the long-term
sustainability of fishery resources of the U.S. Pacific Islands, and
fisheries development in the CNMI.
DATES: The specified fishing agreement was valid as of July 15, 2021.
The start
[[Page 47597]]
date for attributing 2021 bigeye tuna catch to the CNMI is August 30,
2021.
ADDRESSES: The Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the
Western Pacific (FEP) describes specified fishing agreements and is
available from the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council
(Council), 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, tel. 808-
522-8220, fax 808-522-8226, or <a href="http://www.wpcouncil.org">http://www.wpcouncil.org</a>.
NMFS prepared environmental analyses that describe the potential
impacts on the human environment that would result from the action. The
analyses, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2020-0010, are available from <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/search/docket?filter=NOAA-NMFS-2020-0010">https://www.regulations.gov/search/docket?filter=NOAA-NMFS-2020-0010</a>, or from
Michael D. Tosatto, Regional Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands Region
(PIR), 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Rassel, NMFS PIRO Sustainable
Fisheries, 808-725-5184.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a final rule published on January 12,
2021, NMFS specified a 2021 limit of 2,000 t of longline-caught bigeye
tuna for each of the U.S. Pacific Island territories of American Samoa,
Guam, and the CNMI (86 FR 2297). NMFS allows each territory to allocate
up to 1,500 t of the 2,000 t limit to U.S. longline fishing vessels
identified in a valid specified fishing agreement, but the total
allocation among all territories may not exceed 3,000 t.
On June 25, 2021, NMFS received from the Council a specified
fishing agreement between the CNMI and the Hawaii Longline Association.
The Council's Executive Director advised that the agreement is
consistent with the FEP and its implementing regulations. On July 15,
2021, NMFS reviewed the agreement and determined that it is consistent
with the FEP, implementing regulations, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act, and other applicable laws.
In accordance with 50 CFR 300.224(d) and 50 CFR 665.819(c)(9),
vessels in the agreement may retain and land bigeye tuna in the western
and central Pacific Ocean under the CNMI attribution specified in the
fishing agreement. On August 30, 2021, NMFS began attributing bigeye
tuna caught by vessels in the agreement to the CNMI. If NMFS determines
that the fishery will reach the 1,500 t allocation specified in the
CNMI agreement, we will restrict the retention of bigeye tuna caught by
vessels in the agreement, unless the vessels are included in a
subsequent specified fishing agreement with another U.S. territory.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 20, 2021.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-18365 Filed 8-25-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 26, 2021.
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