Notice2024-03664
Pacific Island Pelagic Fisheries; False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan; New Trigger Value for Southern Exclusion Zone Closure
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
February 23, 2024
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, and the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan, NMFS is publishing a new trigger value for the Southern Exclusion Zone (SEZ) closure. The new trigger is three observed mortality or serious injuries of false killer whales incidental to the deep-set longline fishery within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 37 (Friday, February 23, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 37 (Friday, February 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13694-13695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03664]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XD698]
Pacific Island Pelagic Fisheries; False Killer Whale Take
Reduction Plan; New Trigger Value for Southern Exclusion Zone Closure
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of
1972, and the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan, NMFS is
publishing a new trigger value for the Southern Exclusion Zone (SEZ)
closure. The new trigger is three observed mortality or serious
injuries of false killer whales incidental to the deep-set longline
fishery within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elena Duke, NMFS Pacific Islands
Region, (808) 725-5134, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#84e1e8e1eae5aae0f1efe1c4eaebe5e5aae3ebf2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="442128212a256a20312f21042a2b25256a232b32">[email protected]</span></a>; or Kristy Long, NMFS
Office of Protected Resources, (301) 427-8402, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ca81b8a3b9beb3e486a5a4ad8aa4a5ababe4ada5bc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a8e3dac1dbdcd186e4c7c6cfe8c6c7c9c986cfc7de">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Pursuant to section 118(f) of the MMPA, on December 31, 2012, NMFS
implemented the False Killer Whale Take Reduction Plan (Plan). The Plan
establishes a framework to reduce the level of incidental mortality and
serious injury (M/SI) of the Hawaii pelagic and Hawaii insular stocks
of false killer whales in the Hawaii longline fisheries (77 FR 71260;
November 29, 2012).
In accordance with the Plan, NMFS issued regulations to establish
the SEZ (50 CFR 229.37(d)(2)). These regulations require NMFS to close
the SEZ to deep-set longline fishing when a certain number (trigger) of
false killer whale M/SI are observed in the deep-set longline fishery
in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). As described in the Plan
regulations, the SEZ is bounded on the east at 154[deg]30' W longitude,
on the west at 165[deg] W longitude, on the north by the boundaries of
the Main Hawaiian Islands Longline Fishing Prohibited Area and
Papah[amacr]naumoku[amacr]kea Marine National Monument, and on the
south by the EEZ boundary (see fig. 1). The SEZ trigger is defined in
Sec. 229.37(e)(2) as the larger of either of these 2 values: (i) 2
observed M/SI of false killer whales within the EEZ around Hawaii, or
(ii) the smallest number of observed false killer whale M/SI that, when
extrapolated based on the percentage observer coverage in the deep-set
longline fishery for that year, exceeds the Hawaii pelagic false killer
whale stock's potential biological removal (PBR). For the first year of
the Plan's implementation, NMFS established the trigger value as 2
observed false killer whale M/SI by the deep-set longline fishery
within the EEZ around Hawaii (77 FR 71259, November 29, 2012), based on
the PBR level of 9.1 for the Hawaii pelagic stock of false killer
whales, as calculated in the draft 2012 Stock Assessment Report (SAR)
(Carretta et al., 2012). The Plan specifies the trigger value (2) will
remain valid until NMFS publishes a new trigger value in the Federal
Register (Sec. 229.37(e)(1)). NMFS published a new trigger value on
December 15, 2020 following a change in the abundance estimate, which
changed the trigger value from 2 to 4 observed M/SI of false killer
whales (85 FR 81184, December 15, 2020).
[[Page 13695]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN23FE24.003
NMFS set the annual observer coverage rate in the Hawaii deep-set
longline fishery for 2024 at 13.5 percent. Observer coverage was
previously set at 20 percent, but has been reduced due to increased
program costs and available funding for the observer program. The
abundance estimate for the Hawaii pelagic stock of false killer whales
is 2,086 (CV = 0.35) individuals in the Hawaii EEZ. The minimum
population abundance (N<INF>min</INF>), used for calculating PBR, is
1,567 animals within the EEZ around Hawaii.\1\ The PBR published in the
final 2022 SAR for this stock within the EEZ is calculated as 16
pelagic false killer whales (Carretta et al., 2023). Based on the
current published PBR of 16 whales for the Hawaii pelagic stock of
false killer whales within the EEZ, and the 2024 annual observer
coverage (13.5 percent), the trigger value is calculated as 3 observed
M/SI of false killer whales. This value is smaller than the currently
published trigger value because of the decrease in the observer
coverage rate. Therefore, NMFS sets the trigger value for SEZ closure
at three observed false killer whale M/SI in the deep-set longline
fishery in the EEZ around Hawaii.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ At a March 2023 False Killer Whale Take Reduction Team
meeting, NMFS introduced a False Killer Whale Management Area that
included areas inside and outside the EEZ around Hawaii with a PBR
calculated to be 33 pelagic false killer whales. The False Killer
Whale Management Area and associated PBR are not yet available for
current management use. NMFS is using the PBR (16) from the 2022
final SAR to revise the SEZ trigger.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information on the Plan is available on the internet at the
following address: <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/false-killer-whale-take-reduction">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/false-killer-whale-take-reduction</a>. Copies of
reference materials may also be obtained from the NMFS Pacific Islands
Regional Office, Protected Resources Division, 1845 Wasp Blvd.,
Building 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.
This notice serves as a notification to fishermen, the fishing
industry, and the general public that the SEZ closure trigger value is
three observed false killer whale M/SI in the deep-set longline fishery
in the EEZ around Hawaii.
References
Carretta, J.V., E. Oleson, D.W. Weller, A.R. Lang, K.A. Forney, J.
Baker, B. Hanson, K Martien, M.M. Muto, M.S. Lowry, J. Barlow, D.
Lynch, L. Carswell, R.L. Brownell Jr., D.K. Mattila, and M.C. Hill.
2012. U.S. Pacific Marine Mammal Stock Assessments: 2012. NOAA
Technical Memorandum NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-504. 378p.
Carretta, J.W., E.M. Oleson, K.A. Forney, M.M. Muto, D.W. Weller,
A.R. Lang, J. Baker, B. Hanson, A.J. Orr, J. Barlow, J.E. Moore, and
R.L. Brownell. 2023. U.S. Pacific Marine Mammal Stock Assessments:
2022. U.S. Department of Commerce. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-
SWFSC-684. 409 p.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.
Dated: February 16, 2024.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-03664 Filed 2-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 23, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.