Rule2024-03890
Fisheries Off West Coast States; West Coast Salmon Fisheries; Amendment 24 to the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan
Primary source
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Published
February 27, 2024
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces the approval of amendment 24 to the Pacific Salmon Fishery Management Plan (Salmon FMP). The intent of amendment 24 is to clarify the technical process for reviewing updates to the models used to determine the Chinook salmon abundance threshold that may trigger additional management measures to limit the impact of ocean salmon fisheries on Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW). The whales are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Chinook salmon, some of which are listed as threatened under the ESA, are their preferred prey. This action is administrative in nature and does not change the formula for calculating the threshold or the fishery management responses currently described in the Salmon FMP.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 14416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03890]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[RTID 0648-XD471]
Fisheries Off West Coast States; West Coast Salmon Fisheries;
Amendment 24 to the Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of agency decision.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the approval of amendment 24 to the Pacific
Salmon Fishery Management Plan (Salmon FMP). The intent of amendment 24
is to clarify the technical process for reviewing updates to the models
used to determine the Chinook salmon abundance threshold that may
trigger additional management measures to limit the impact of ocean
salmon fisheries on Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW). The whales
are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Chinook salmon,
some of which are listed as threatened under the ESA, are their
preferred prey. This action is administrative in nature and does not
change the formula for calculating the threshold or the fishery
management responses currently described in the Salmon FMP.
DATES: The amendment was approved on February 21, 2024.
ADDRESSES: The amended Salmon FMP is available on the Pacific Fishery
Management Council's (Council) website (<a href="https://www.pcouncil.org">https://www.pcouncil.org</a>).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannon Penna at 562-980-4239,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f6a59e9798989998d8a693989897b698999797d8919980"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7b28131a15151415552b1e15151a3b15141a1a551c140d">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The ocean salmon fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) (3-
200 nautical miles; 5.6-370.4 kilometers) seaward of Washington,
Oregon, and California are managed under the Salmon FMP. Amendment 24
to the Salmon FMP will clarify the process for review of updates to the
models used to determine the Chinook salmon abundance threshold, and
the recalculation of the threshold value based on updated model
information, by revising Section 6.6.8 of the Salmon FMP. The revised
text will not change the approach used to calculate the threshold.
Amendment 24 also includes some minor housekeeping edits, such as
updates to references and correction of a species name.
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA)
requires that each regional fishery management council submit any
fishery management plan (FMP) or plan amendment it prepares to NMFS for
review and approval, disapproval, or partial approval by the Secretary
of Commerce (Secretary) (MSA 304(a)). The MSA also requires that NMFS,
upon receiving an FMP or plan amendment, immediately publish a notice
that the FMP or plan amendment is available for public review and
comment.
The Notice of Availability (NOA) for amendment 24 was published in
the Federal Register on November 27, 2023 (88 FR 82819), with a 60-day
comment period that ended on January 26, 2024.
NMFS determined that amendment 24 is consistent with the MSA and
other applicable laws, and the Secretary of Commerce approved amendment
24 on February 21, 2024. The November 27, 2023, NOA contains additional
information on this action. Amendment 24 will be implemented through
the annual salmon management measures; no changes to existing Federal
regulations are necessary.
Public Comment
We received one comment from the public in support of amendment 24.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 21, 2024.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-03890 Filed 2-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 27, 2024.
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