0648-BI51 202004 Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 0600 Department of Commerce DOC Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Pelagic Longline Bluefin Tuna Area-Based and Weak Hook Management

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) fisheries are managed under the dual authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA). This rulemaking will address the area-based and weak hook management measures for bluefin tuna in the pelagic longline fishery. NMFS implemented an individual bluefin tuna quota system for pelagic longline fishery participants in 2015. With this approach and its emphasis on individual vessel accountability, NMFS has determined some fleetwide measures may be redundant. This action would appropriately streamline regulations and increase flexibility to the Atlantic pelagic longline fishery while maintaining bycatch reduction and conservation and management obligations.

]]> Substantive, Nonsignificant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Completed Actions No No Deregulatory 50 CFR 635 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. No NPRM 07/12/2019 84 FR 33205 NPRM Correction 08/08/2019 84 FR 38918 NPRM Comment Period End 09/30/2019 Final Action 04/02/2020 85 FR 18812 Final Action Effective 04/02/2020 Yes Businesses Federal No No Yes No Jennifer Wallace M. Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 301 427-8500 jenni.wallace@noaa.gov 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13362, Silver Spring MD 20910