Fishery Management Plan and Amendments: Trawl Rationalization Approval and Implementation Process Archives
Schedule
The approval and implementation process for trawl rationalization included five parts:
- EIS. Submission of a draft and final environmental impact statement (EIS) (National Environmental Policy Act process public comment period on the draft).
- Rules. Submission of three proposed and final rules (one on data collection, the other on initial allocation, and the third on program components).
- Recommendations (Rec). Formal submission of the Council policy recommendations process(Amendment 20). (Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) MSA process public coment period on Council recommendations).
- Decisions (Dec). NMFS decision on whether or not to approve Council recommendations.
- Implementation (Impl). Implementation, if approved by NMFS.
Note that the intersector allocation amendment (Amendment 21) was on a similar schedule, and the rulemaking for Amendment 21 was combined with that for trawl rationalization (Amendment 20) initial allocation. The following table provides the initial schedule for the Amendment 20 approval process and documents the actual completion of each step in that process.
| Amendment 20 Approval Process |
Schedule | Status |
| EIS. Finalization of Draft EIS and Related Elements of the Decision Package | Summer/Fall 2009 | Complete. |
| Rules. Drafting of Proposed Regulations | Summer/Fall/Winter 2009-2010 | Complete — NMFS/NOAA General Counsel. |
| Rule (1) First Proposed Rule Submitted. Topic: Collection of Ownership Data |
September 16, 2009 | Complete. Public Comment Period Ended September 16, 2009. |
| Rule (2) Council Review of Regulations Proposed for Second Rule. Topic: Initial Allocation. |
Fall 2009 through Spring 2010 | Completed at April 2010 Council Meeting. |
| EIS. Submission of Draft EIS to EPA | Winter 2009 | Complete. |
| EIS. 45-Day Public Comment Period on Draft EIS | Winter 2009-2010 | Completed January 19, 2010. To view the public comments received, see Documents Archives on the Amendment 20 webpage. |
| Rule (1). Finalization of Rule on Collection of Ownership Data | Winter 2010 | Complete. Final Rule Published January 29, 2010. |
| Rec and Rule (2). Formal submission of Council MSA Recommendations and Proposed Initial Allocation Regulations to NMFS | Spring 2010 | Complete. Submitted May 7, 2010. |
| Rec. 60-Day MSA Public Comment Period on Trawl Rationalization Fishery Management Plan Amendment | Spring 2010 | Complete. Comment Period Closed July 12, 2010. |
| Rule (2). Public Comment Period on Proposed Initial Allocation Regulations | Spring 2010 | Complete. Proposed Rule Published June 1, 2010; Comment Period Ended July 12, 2010. |
| Rule (3). Council Review of Regulations Proposed for Third Rule. Topic: Program Components |
Spring 2010 | Completed at the June 2010 Council Meeting with additional staff and committee review ongoing through mid-July 2010. |
| EIS. Submission of Final EIS to EPA | Spring 2010 | Completed June 9, 2010. |
| EIS. 30-Day Public Comment Period on Final EIS. | Summer 2010 | Complete. Public Comment Period Ended July 26, 2010. |
| Dec. NMFS Decision to Approve or Disapprove Council Recommendations | Summer 2010 | Complete. NMFS Approved Council Recommendation; August 9, 2010 |
| Rule (2). Finalization of Rule on Initial Allocation | Summer 2010 | Complete. Final Initial Allocation Rule Published October 1, 2010. |
| Rule (3). Submission of Third Proposed Rule for Public Comment (Program Components) | Summer 2010 | Complete. Proposed Rule Published August 31, 2010. Comment Period Closed September 30, 2010. |
| Impl. QS Application Process | Fall 2010 | Complete. Application Deadline Was November 1, 2010. |
| Rule (3). Finalization of Rule on Program Components | Fall/Winter 2010 | Complete. Final Components Rule Published December 15, 2010. |
| Impl. IFQ Required for Groundfish Trawl Vessels Making Shoreside Landings, Co-op Structures in Place for At-Sea Whiting Fishery | January 1, 2011 | Complete. Fishing started January 11, 2011. |
Links
Contact Information
Contact the staff officer for trawl rationalization:
Mr. Jim Seger (Jim.Seger@noaa.gov) phone (503) 820-2280 ext. 416 or toll free 1-866-806-7204.
