Taking of Threatened or Endangered Species Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations

요약

NMFS proposes to prohibit shallow longline sets of the type normally targeting swordfish on the high seas in the Pacific Ocean east of 150[deg] W. long. by vessels that are not already prohibited from making such sets under the current regulations for the Fishery Management Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (WesPac FMP). This action is intended to protect endangered and threatened sea turtles from the adverse impacts of shallow longline fishing by U.S. longline fishing vessels in the Pacific Ocean and operating out of the west coast instead of Hawaii. This rule would supplement the regulations proposed to implement the Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (FMP) that would prohibit shallow longline sets on the high seas in the Pacific Ocean west of 150[deg] W. long. by vessels that would be managed under that FMP. The FMP is currently under review by NMFS and will be approved, disapproved or partially approved in early February 2004. Together, these two regulations are expected to conserve leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles as required under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).