Rule2023-21838
Pacific Island Fisheries; 2023 U.S. Territorial Longline Bigeye Tuna Catch Limits for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 3, 2023
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 2023 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 88 Issue 190 (Tuesday, October 3, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 3, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67984-67985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21838]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 665
[RTID 0648-XD391]
Pacific Island Fisheries; 2023 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 2023 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 February 2,
2023. The start date for attributing 2023 bigeye tuna catch to the CNMI
is October 8, 2023.
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, telephone
808-522-8220, fax 808-522-8226, or <a href="https://www.wpcouncil.org">https://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-2022-0117, are available from <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAA-NMFS-2022-0117">https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NOAA-NMFS-2022-0117</a>, or from Sarah Malloy,
Acting Regional Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1845
Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Kamikawa, NMFS PIR Sustainable
Fisheries, 808-725-5177.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a final rule published on June 15, 2023,
NMFS specified a 2023 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 (88 FR 39201). 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
overall allocation limit among all territories may not exceed 3,000 t.
On September 18, 2023, NMFS received from the Council, through its
Executive Director, a specified fishing agreement between the CNMI and
the Hawaii Longline Association (HLA) allocating 1,500 t of CNMI's
2,000 t bigeye tuna limit to U.S. fishing vessels identified in the
agreement for 2023. The Council's Executive Director advised that the
agreement is consistent with the FEP and its implementing regulations.
On September 26, 2023, 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. Based on logbook data submitted by U.S. longline
vessels in the WCPFC Convention Area, NMFS forecasts that the U.S.
longline fishery will reach the U.S. bigeye tuna limit of 3,554 t by
October 15, 2023. Regulations at 665.819(c)(9)(i) directs NMFS to begin
attributing catch to the applicable U.S. territory starting seven days
before the date NMFS forecasts the U.S. limit to be reached, or upon
the effective date of the agreement, whichever is later. Therefore, on
October 8, 2023, NMFS will begin attributing bigeye tuna caught by
vessels in the agreement to the CNMI. If NMFS determines that the
fishery will reach the overall 2,000 t territorial catch limit or the
1,500 t allocation limit, we will restrict the catch and retention of
longline-caught bigeye tuna by vessels in order to not exceed these
limits, unless the vessels are included in a subsequent specified
[[Page 67985]]
fishing agreement with another U.S. territory.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 28, 2023.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-21838 Filed 10-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on October 3, 2023.
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