Commerce Department Final Rule

2016-14967: International Fisheries; Western and Central Pacific Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species; Purse Seine Observer Requirements, and Fishing Restrictions and Limits in Purse Seine and Longline Fisheries for 2016-2017

Get alerted when the next rule lands

New rules open for comment on their own schedule. Pick how you want to hear about them — we email you when one appears.

Alert me on new Commerce Department rules or alert me on a subject

Publishing to members? Embed a live rule tracker on your own site — the proposed rules in your area and the comment deadlines closing on them, updating themselves. Free, one line of HTML.

Create a free account & build one →

Summary

Under authority of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (WCPFC Implementation Act), NMFS issues this final rule that, first, requires that U.S. purse seine vessels carry observers on fishing trips in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO); second, establishes restrictions in 2016 and 2017 on the use of fish aggregating devices (FADs) by U.S. purse seine vessels in the WCPO; and third, establishes limits in 2016 and 2017 on the amount of bigeye tuna that may be captured by U.S. longline vessels in the WCPO. This action implementing specific provisions of Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) 2015-01 is necessary 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), pursuant to the authority of the WCPFC Implementation Act.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 1 part of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

Don't miss the comment window

One Click Politics alerts you on every deadline, hearing, and rule change.

See all rules with comments due soon →