NOAA Keeps Fishing Days for 2016 at 1,828

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The US purse seine fleet fishing in the U.S. exclusive economic zone and on the high seas area known as Effort Limit Area for Purse Seine, or ELAPS, is getting only 1,828 fishing days for calendar years 2016.

This is according to the US National Marine Fisheries Service, which set the limit number of fishing days, under an interim rule which went into effect Wednesday, although the federal agency is currently accepting public comments until June 24th.

NMFS says the interim rule is necessary for the United States to implement provisions of a conservation and management measure adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

The United States is a member of the Commission and its territories are considered Participating Territories.

NMFS says the interim rule is being issued without prior notice or prior public comment because of the unexpectedly high level of U.S. purse seine fishing effort in the ELAPS in 2016.

And the high level in 2016 was unexpected because the fleet did not receive licenses, which are required for fishing in the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, which includes most of the ELAPS, until March 4 this year.

The interim rule notice says NMFS has yet to complete its economic impact review of the fishing restrictions on the ELAPS in the US territories.

In May of last year, Tri Marine International petitioned NMFS for an exemption from the limited fishing days for 2015 for US purse seiners that offload 50% of their catch in American Samoa.

The limits was 1,828 fishing days.

However, NMFS denied the petition but stated that it will consider proposing regulations that mitigate adverse economic impacts of purse seine fishing restrictions on the U.S. Participating Territories.

According to the interim rule, NMFS’ impact analysis is not completed.

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