News + Annoucements

FR notice – Implementation of Emergency Decisions of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (June 10, 2021)

Federal Register Notices, News and Updates

Action

Interim final rule; temporary specifications; request for comments.

Summary

This interim final rule establishes a framework to implement short-notice decisions of the Commission on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (Commission or WCPFC). Using the framework established through this interim final rule, this action also includes temporary specifications to implement three short-notice WCPFC decisions. NMFS is undertaking this action under the authority of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (WCPFC Implementation Act) to satisfy the obligations of the United States as a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (Convention). NMFS seeks comments on this interim final rule and will respond to those comments in a subsequent final rule.

Dates

Effective date: This interim final rule is effective on June 11, 2021.

Temporary specifications: The temporary specifications set out in the preamble are in effect from June 11, 2021 until September 14, 2021.

Comment due date: Comments on the interim final rule must be submitted in writing by July 12, 2021.

Addresses

You may submit comments on the interim final rule, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2020-0150, and the regulatory impact review (RIR) prepared for the interim final rule, by either of the following methods:

Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and enter NOAA-NMFS-2020-0150 in the Search box. Click on the “Comment” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Michael D. Tosatto, Regional Administrator, NMFS, Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO), 1845 Wasp Blvd., Building 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.

Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, might not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name and address), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter “N/A” in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).

Copies of the RIR, the programmatic environmental assessment (PEA), 2019 supplemental environmental assessment (SEA), and 2021 SEA prepared for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) purposes are available at www.regulations.gov or may be obtained from Michael D. Tosatto, Regional Administrator, NMFS PIRO (see address above).