Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS is implementing regulations for Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, which the New England Fishery Management Council adopted and NMFS approved. This action adjusts the existing industry-funded at-sea monitoring program for groundfish sectors to improve the accuracy of collected catch data (landings and discards) and catch accounting. The measures implementing Amendment 23 are intended to ensure there is a precise and accurate representation of catch to set catch limit levels that prevent overfishing and determine when catch limits are exceeded.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No.: 221121-0246] RIN 0648-BK17 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: NMFS is implementing regulations for Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, which the New England Fishery Management Council adopted and NMFS approved. This action adjusts the existing industry-funded at-sea monitoring program for groundfish sectors to improve the accuracy of collected catch data (landings and discards) and catch accounting. The measures implementing Amendment 23 are intended to ensure there is a precise and accurate representation of catch to set catch limit levels that prevent overfishing and determine when catch limits are exceeded. DATES: This rule is effective January 9, 2023, except for amendatory instruction 4 (§ 648.11(l)(5)), which is effective December 15, 2022. ADDRESSES: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) prepared an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this action that describes the proposed measures in Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and other considered alternatives, and analyzes the impacts of the proposed measures and alternatives. The Council submitted the amendment to NMFS, including the EIS, a description of the Council's preferred alternatives, the Council's rationale f…
Citation: 87 FR 75852
