WASHINGTON, DC On March 8, 2006, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) joined his colleagues in sending a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requesting an extension of the public comment period for NOAAs recently proposed changes to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery. Reed stated, The proposed rule change would greatly affect the northeast fishery. It is essential that the public is involved in the process. It is my hope that NOAA will agree to extend the public comment period, and allow our citizens the time to make their viewpoints known.Text of the letter follows:Dear Vice Admiral Lautenbacher:We're writing to respectfully request that you extend the comment period for NOAA'srecently proposed emergency secretarial action on the Northeast Multispecies Fishery [DocketNo. 060209031-6031-01]. This major rule proposal will have an enormous impact on theNortheast's groundfish fishery, and to have a fair and open rulemaking process, additional timeis needed for interested parties to analyze and submit their comments.NOAA published its Proposed Rule in the Federal Register on March 3, 2006, and set a comment deadline of March 9. A proposed rule of this magnitude should have 30 days, at a minimum, for public comment.The Proposed Rule includes major changes for the fishery, such as applying an across the-board reduction in the number of "days at sea" in which permit-holders are allowed to fish.It would force a net reduction of 34.5 percent in Category A DAS for all NE multispeciesvessels, and the cumulative impact of the Amendment 13 DAS reductions and the Proposed Rulewould result in a net reduction of approximately 61 percent from 2001 to 2006. Additional timeis needed to assess the profound economic impacts of making such major DAS reductions.An alternative proposal, the "TAC alternative," which the New England Fishery Management Council has already voted to analyze as a possible alternative to the Northeast Fishery's Framework 42, could also be applied to the emergency regulation.As you know, the emergency regulation was proposed as a bridge until Framework 42 isapproved after May 1, 2006. The TAC alternative would likely take a more precise approach toachieving the necessary biological objectives and fishing mortality rate reductions, and it would achieve those objectives in a way that will have far less harmful economic impact. Extending the public comment period will allow more time for this alternative to be reframed for providing comment on the Proposed Rule.We believe it is essential for additional time to be provided for public comment on thisextremely serious issue, which will have a major impact on all of our states' economies andparticularly on our fishing communities. We hope that you will agree, and that you will provideadditional time for public comment on the Proposed Rule as soon as possible.With respect and appreciation, and we thank you for your consideration of our request.