Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 37, 5404-5406 [2013-01431]

Download as PDF sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with 5404 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 17 / Friday, January 25, 2013 / Proposed Rules Gulf of Mexico (FMP; formerly the Draft Generic Amendment to Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Plans for Offshore Aquaculture) on September 2, 2004. A notice of availability for the draft programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) was published on September 12, 2008. On June 26, 2009, a notice of availability was published for the final PEIS. This supplemental NOI is intended to inform the public of NMFS and the Council’s decision to consider new information from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) MC252 blowout. This information is needed in order to consider potential changes to the environment linked to the DWH blowout and determine if and how such changes may affect the actions and alternatives analyzed in the FMP. Comments are being solicited on the range of issues related to the DWH blowout to be addressed in the SFPEIS. DATES: Written comments on the range of issues to be addressed in the SFPEIS will be accepted until February 25, 2013. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the supplemental NOI identified by NOAA–NMFS–2008–0233 by any of the following methods: • Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Go to www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-20080233, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. • Mail: Submit written comments to Jess Beck, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/ A’’ in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only. Electronic copies of the FMP, which includes a final programmatic environmental impact statement VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:46 Jan 24, 2013 Jkt 229001 (FPEIS), an initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA), and a regulatory impact review (RIR) may be obtained from the Southeast Regional Office Web site at https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/ AquacultureHomepage.htm or may be downloaded from the Council’s Web site at https://gulfcouncil.org/ fishery_management_plans/ aquaculture_management.php. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jess Beck, 727–824–5301, email: Jess.Beck@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Aquaculture in the Gulf is managed under the FMP. The FMP was prepared by the Council and is implemented through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). Background Worldwide demand for protein is increasing and fisheries production will not likely be adequate to supply the world demand for fisheries products without supplementation through aquaculture. In the United States, approximately 84 percent of all seafood consumed is currently imported from other countries, creating an annual trade deficit of over 9 billion dollars. It is estimated by 2025, two million more metric tons of seafood will be needed over and above what is consumed today. Commercial wild-capture fishery production has remained stable or declined in recent decades, due to overfishing and increasingly stringent management restrictions. Aquaculture is one method to meet current and future demands for seafood. Prior to the FMP, there was no process for accommodating commercial-scale offshore aquaculture in Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf), other than live rock aquaculture which is authorized under Amendments 2 and 3 to the Fishery Management Plan for Coral and Coral Reefs of the Gulf. NMFS may issue an exempted fishing permit (EFP) to conduct offshore aquaculture in Federal waters; however, an EFP is of limited duration and is not intended for commercial production of fish and shellfish. The Council developed the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act to authorize the development of commercial aquaculture operations in Federal waters of the Gulf. The FMP was initiated to provide a comprehensive framework for authorizing and regulating offshore aquaculture activities. The FMP also establishes a programmatic approach for evaluating the potential impacts of PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 proposed aquaculture operations in the Gulf. A NOI for the FMP was published on September 2, 2004 (69 FR 53682). A notice of availability for the draft PEIS was published on September 12, 2008 (73 FR 53001). On June 26, 2009, a notice of availability was published for the final PEIS (74 FR 30569). The FMP entered into effect by operation of law on September 3, 2009. On April 20, 2010, an explosion occurred on the DWH MC252 oil rig, resulting in the release of an estimated 4.9 million bbl (779 million L) of oil into the Gulf. In addition, 1.84 million gal (6.96 million L) of Corexit 9500A dispersant were applied as part of the effort to constrain the spill. The well was successfully capped in a coordinated effort on July 15, 2010. This supplemental NOI is intended to inform the public of NMFS and the Council’s decision to consider new information from the DWH MC252 blowout. This information is needed in order to consider potential changes to the environment linked to the DWH blowout and determine if and how such changes may affect the actions and alternatives analyzed in the FMP. Comments are being solicited on the range of issues related to the DWH blowout to be addressed in the SFPEIS. Availability of the draft SFPEIS will be published at a later date in the Federal Register. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: January 18, 2013. James P. Burgess, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2013–01562 Filed 1–24–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 622 RIN 0648–BC66 Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 37 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments. AGENCY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\25JAP1.SGM 25JAP1 sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 17 / Friday, January 25, 2013 / Proposed Rules submitted Amendment 37 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. Amendment 37 proposes to modify the gray triggerfish rebuilding plan; revise the commercial and recreational sector’s annual catch limits (ACLs) and annual catch targets (ACTs) for gray triggerfish; revise the recreational sector accountability measures (AMs) for gray triggerfish; revise the gray triggerfish recreational bag limit; establish a commercial trip limit for gray triggerfish; and establish a fixed closed season for the gray triggerfish commercial and recreational sectors. The intent of Amendment 37 is to end overfishing of gray triggerfish and help achieve optimum yield (OY) for the gray triggerfish resource in accordance with the requirements of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). DATES: Written comments must be received on or before March 26, 2013. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by ‘‘NOAA–NMFS–2012–0199’’, by any of the following methods: • Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-20120199, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. • Mail: Submit written comments to Rich Malinowski, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/ A’’ in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only. Electronic copies of the amendment may be obtained from the Southeast Regional Office Web site at https:// sero.nmfs.noaa.gov. VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:46 Jan 24, 2013 Jkt 229001 Rich Malinowski, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, telephone 727–824–5305; email: rich.malinowski@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reef fish fishery of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) is managed under the FMP. The FMP was prepared by the Council and is implemented through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The MagnusonStevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon receiving a plan or amendment, publish an announcement in the Federal Register notifying the public that the plan or amendment is available for review and comment. All gray triggerfish weights discussed in this proposed rule are in round weight. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Background The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires NMFS and regional fishery management councils to prevent overfishing and achieve, on a continuing basis, the OY from federally managed fish stocks. These mandates are intended to ensure fishery resources are managed for the greatest overall benefit to the nation, particularly with respect to providing food production and recreational opportunities, and protecting marine ecosystems. To further this goal, the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires fishery managers to specify their strategy to rebuild overfished stocks to a sustainable level within a certain time frame, to minimize bycatch and bycatch mortality to the extent practicable, and to establish AMs for a stock to ensure ACLs are not exceeded. Amendment 37 addresses these issues for gray triggerfish. Status of the Gray Triggerfish Stock The last Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) benchmark stock assessment for gray triggerfish was completed in 2006 (SEDAR 9). SEDAR 9 indicated that the gray triggerfish stock was both overfished and possibly undergoing overfishing. Subsequently, Amendment 30A to the FMP established a gray triggerfish rebuilding plan beginning in the 2008 fishing year (73 FR 38139, July 3, 2008). In 2011, a SEDAR update stock assessment for gray triggerfish determined that the gray triggerfish stock was still overfished and was additionally undergoing overfishing. The 2011 update assessment indicated the 2008 gray triggerfish rebuilding plan had not made adequate progress toward ending overfishing and rebuilding the stock. NMFS informed the Council of this determination in a letter dated March 13, 2012. NMFS also requested that the Council work to end overfishing of gray PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 5405 triggerfish immediately and to revise the gray triggerfish stock rebuilding plan. As a way to more quickly implement measures to end overfishing and rebuild the stock, the Council requested and NMFS implemented a temporary rule to reduce the gray triggerfish commercial and recreational ACLs and ACTs (77 FR 28308, May 14, 2012). The temporary rule also established an in-season AM for the gray triggerfish recreational sector to be more consistent with the commercial sector AMs and provide for an additional level of protection to ensure that the recreational ACL is not exceeded and that the risk of overfishing is reduced. These interim measures were then extended through May 15, 2013, to ensure that the more permanent measures being developed through Amendment 37 could be implemented without a lapse in these more protective management measures (77 FR 67303, November 9, 2012). Actions Contained in Amendment 37 Amendment 37 proposes to modify the gray triggerfish rebuilding plan, revise the commercial and recreational sector’s ACLs and ACTs for gray triggerfish (the commercial ACT is expressed as the commercial quota in the regulatory text), revise the recreational sector AMs for gray triggerfish, revise the gray triggerfish recreational bag limit, establish a commercial trip limit for gray triggerfish, and establish a fixed closed season for the gray triggerfish commercial and recreational sectors. Modifications to the Gray Triggerfish Rebuilding Plan Amendment 37 would revise the rebuilding plan for gray triggerfish. The gray triggerfish stock is currently in the 5th year of a rebuilding plan that began in 2008. Amendment 37 would modify the rebuilding plan in response to the results from the 2011 SEDAR 9 Update and the Council’s subsequent Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) review and recommendations for the gray triggerfish allowable biological catch (ABC). The modified rebuilding plan would be based on a constant fishing mortality rate that does not exceed the fishing mortality rate at OY. ACLs and ACTs Amendment 37 would revise the ACLs for the gray triggerfish commercial and recreational sectors. Amendment 37 would also revise the ACTs (commercial ACT expressed as a quota in the regulatory text) for both sectors. The Council’s SSC reviewed the gray triggerfish 2011 SEDAR 9 Update. The SSC recommended that the ABC for gray E:\FR\FM\25JAP1.SGM 25JAP1 5406 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 17 / Friday, January 25, 2013 / Proposed Rules triggerfish for the 2012 and 2013 fishing years be set at 305,300 lb (138,346 kg). Based on this recommendation, the commercial and recreational ACLs and ACTs for the gray triggerfish need to be updated. In Amendment 30A to the FMP, the Council established a 21 percent commercial and 79 percent recreational allocation of the gray triggerfish ABC (73 FR 38139, July 3, 2008). These allocations are used to set the commercial and recreational sectorspecific ACLs. The ABC recommended by the SSC is 305,300 lb (138,482 kg) and the combined sector ACLs are equal to the ABC. Based on the allocations established in Amendment 30A to the FMP, Amendment 37 would set a reduced commercial ACL of 64,100 lb (29,075 kg), and a reduced recreational ACL of 241,200 lb (109,406 kg). The Generic Annual Catch Limit Amendment developed by the Council and implemented by NMFS (76 FR 82044, December 29, 2011) established a standardized procedure to set sectorspecific ACTs based on the ACLs. ACTs are intended to account for management uncertainty and provide a buffer that better ensures a sector does not exceed its designated ACL. The Council chose to use this procedure, which resulted in a 5 percent buffer between the commercial ACL and ACT, and a 10 percent buffer between the recreational ACL and ACT. Therefore, Amendment 37 would set the commercial ACT (commercial quota) at 60,900 lb (27,624 kg), and the recreational ACT at 217,100 lb (98,475 kg). The proposed ACLs and ACTs in Amendment 37 are the same as those currently in place as implemented through the temporary rule for gray triggerfish (77 FR 28308, May 14, 2012). The current commercial gray triggerfish quota functions as the commercial ACT. sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with AMs Amendment 37 proposes to modify the gray triggerfish recreational sector AMs. Currently, the AM for the recreational sector is triggered if the recreational ACL is exceeded and VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:46 Jan 24, 2013 Jkt 229001 requires NMFS to reduce the length of the following year’s fishing season by the amount necessary to ensure that recreational landings do not exceed the recreational ACT during the following year. Amendment 37 would replace this AM with an in-season AM, in the form of a recreational season closure that would prohibit the recreational harvest of gray triggerfish after the recreational ACT is reached or projected to be reached. This in-season AM would provide an additional level of protection to help ensure that the recreational ACL is not exceeded and reduce the risk of overfishing. Amendment 37 would also add an overage adjustment that would apply if the recreational sector ACL is exceeded and gray triggerfish are overfished. This post-season AM would reduce the recreational ACL and ACT for the following year by the amount of the ACL overage in the prior fishing year, unless the best scientific information available determines that a greater, lesser, or no overage adjustment is necessary. Commercial Trip Limit Currently, there is no trip limit for the commercial sector. Amendment 37 would establish a commercial trip limit for gray triggerfish of 12 fish. This trip limit would allow commercial reef fish fisherman to harvest their incidental catch of gray triggerfish. This trip limit would be applicable until the commercial ACT (commercial quota) is reached or projected to be reached during a fishing year and the commercial sector is closed. Seasonal Closure of the Commercial and Recreational Sectors Amendment 37 would establish a seasonal closure of the gray triggerfish commercial and recreational sectors in the Gulf from June through July, each year. This fixed seasonal closure would occur during gray triggerfish peak spawning season and during the period with the highest percentage of recreational landings. PO 00000 Frm 00087 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 9990 Recreational Bag Limit Gray triggerfish currently are part of the 20-fish aggregate reef fish recreational bag limit. As such, there is currently no specific limit for recreational gray triggerfish landings as long as the total is 20 fish or less. Amendment 37 would establish a 2-fish gray triggerfish recreational bag limit within the 20-fish aggregate reef fish bag limit. This recreational bag limit would be applicable until the recreational ACT is reached or projected to be reached during a fishing year and the recreational sector is closed. Proposed Rule for Amendment 37 A proposed rule that would implement Amendment 37 has been drafted. In accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is evaluating Amendment 37 to determine whether it is consistent with the FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. If the determination is affirmative, NMFS will publish the proposed rule in the Federal Register for public review and comment. Consideration of Public Comments The Council submitted Amendment 37 for Secretarial review, approval, and implementation. NMFS’ decision to approve, partially approve, or disapprove Amendment 37 will be based, in part, on consideration of comments, recommendations, and information received during the comment period on this notice of availability. Public comments received by 5 p.m. eastern time, on March 26, 2013, will be considered by NMFS in the approval/ disapproval decision regarding Amendment 37. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: January 17, 2013. Kara Meckley, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2013–01431 Filed 1–24–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P E:\FR\FM\25JAP1.SGM 25JAP1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 17 (Friday, January 25, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5404-5406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01431]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

RIN 0648-BC66


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 37

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) has

[[Page 5405]]

submitted Amendment 37 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish 
Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) for review, approval, and 
implementation by NMFS. Amendment 37 proposes to modify the gray 
triggerfish rebuilding plan; revise the commercial and recreational 
sector's annual catch limits (ACLs) and annual catch targets (ACTs) for 
gray triggerfish; revise the recreational sector accountability 
measures (AMs) for gray triggerfish; revise the gray triggerfish 
recreational bag limit; establish a commercial trip limit for gray 
triggerfish; and establish a fixed closed season for the gray 
triggerfish commercial and recreational sectors. The intent of 
Amendment 37 is to end overfishing of gray triggerfish and help achieve 
optimum yield (OY) for the gray triggerfish resource in accordance with 
the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before March 26, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
``NOAA-NMFS-2012-0199'', by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2012-0199, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Rich Malinowski, 
Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, 
FL 33701.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in 
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Electronic copies of the amendment may be obtained from the 
Southeast Regional Office Web site at https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rich Malinowski, Southeast Regional 
Office, NMFS, telephone 727-824-5305; email: rich.malinowski@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reef fish fishery of the Gulf of Mexico 
(Gulf) is managed under the FMP. The FMP was prepared by the Council 
and is implemented through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the 
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also 
requires that NMFS, upon receiving a plan or amendment, publish an 
announcement in the Federal Register notifying the public that the plan 
or amendment is available for review and comment. All gray triggerfish 
weights discussed in this proposed rule are in round weight.

Background

    The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires NMFS and regional fishery 
management councils to prevent overfishing and achieve, on a continuing 
basis, the OY from federally managed fish stocks. These mandates are 
intended to ensure fishery resources are managed for the greatest 
overall benefit to the nation, particularly with respect to providing 
food production and recreational opportunities, and protecting marine 
ecosystems. To further this goal, the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires 
fishery managers to specify their strategy to rebuild overfished stocks 
to a sustainable level within a certain time frame, to minimize bycatch 
and bycatch mortality to the extent practicable, and to establish AMs 
for a stock to ensure ACLs are not exceeded. Amendment 37 addresses 
these issues for gray triggerfish.

Status of the Gray Triggerfish Stock

    The last Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) benchmark 
stock assessment for gray triggerfish was completed in 2006 (SEDAR 9). 
SEDAR 9 indicated that the gray triggerfish stock was both overfished 
and possibly undergoing overfishing. Subsequently, Amendment 30A to the 
FMP established a gray triggerfish rebuilding plan beginning in the 
2008 fishing year (73 FR 38139, July 3, 2008). In 2011, a SEDAR update 
stock assessment for gray triggerfish determined that the gray 
triggerfish stock was still overfished and was additionally undergoing 
overfishing. The 2011 update assessment indicated the 2008 gray 
triggerfish rebuilding plan had not made adequate progress toward 
ending overfishing and rebuilding the stock. NMFS informed the Council 
of this determination in a letter dated March 13, 2012. NMFS also 
requested that the Council work to end overfishing of gray triggerfish 
immediately and to revise the gray triggerfish stock rebuilding plan.
    As a way to more quickly implement measures to end overfishing and 
rebuild the stock, the Council requested and NMFS implemented a 
temporary rule to reduce the gray triggerfish commercial and 
recreational ACLs and ACTs (77 FR 28308, May 14, 2012). The temporary 
rule also established an in-season AM for the gray triggerfish 
recreational sector to be more consistent with the commercial sector 
AMs and provide for an additional level of protection to ensure that 
the recreational ACL is not exceeded and that the risk of overfishing 
is reduced. These interim measures were then extended through May 15, 
2013, to ensure that the more permanent measures being developed 
through Amendment 37 could be implemented without a lapse in these more 
protective management measures (77 FR 67303, November 9, 2012).

Actions Contained in Amendment 37

    Amendment 37 proposes to modify the gray triggerfish rebuilding 
plan, revise the commercial and recreational sector's ACLs and ACTs for 
gray triggerfish (the commercial ACT is expressed as the commercial 
quota in the regulatory text), revise the recreational sector AMs for 
gray triggerfish, revise the gray triggerfish recreational bag limit, 
establish a commercial trip limit for gray triggerfish, and establish a 
fixed closed season for the gray triggerfish commercial and 
recreational sectors.

Modifications to the Gray Triggerfish Rebuilding Plan

    Amendment 37 would revise the rebuilding plan for gray triggerfish. 
The gray triggerfish stock is currently in the 5th year of a rebuilding 
plan that began in 2008. Amendment 37 would modify the rebuilding plan 
in response to the results from the 2011 SEDAR 9 Update and the 
Council's subsequent Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) review 
and recommendations for the gray triggerfish allowable biological catch 
(ABC). The modified rebuilding plan would be based on a constant 
fishing mortality rate that does not exceed the fishing mortality rate 
at OY.

ACLs and ACTs

    Amendment 37 would revise the ACLs for the gray triggerfish 
commercial and recreational sectors. Amendment 37 would also revise the 
ACTs (commercial ACT expressed as a quota in the regulatory text) for 
both sectors.
    The Council's SSC reviewed the gray triggerfish 2011 SEDAR 9 
Update. The SSC recommended that the ABC for gray

[[Page 5406]]

triggerfish for the 2012 and 2013 fishing years be set at 305,300 lb 
(138,346 kg). Based on this recommendation, the commercial and 
recreational ACLs and ACTs for the gray triggerfish need to be updated.
    In Amendment 30A to the FMP, the Council established a 21 percent 
commercial and 79 percent recreational allocation of the gray 
triggerfish ABC (73 FR 38139, July 3, 2008). These allocations are used 
to set the commercial and recreational sector-specific ACLs. The ABC 
recommended by the SSC is 305,300 lb (138,482 kg) and the combined 
sector ACLs are equal to the ABC. Based on the allocations established 
in Amendment 30A to the FMP, Amendment 37 would set a reduced 
commercial ACL of 64,100 lb (29,075 kg), and a reduced recreational ACL 
of 241,200 lb (109,406 kg).
    The Generic Annual Catch Limit Amendment developed by the Council 
and implemented by NMFS (76 FR 82044, December 29, 2011) established a 
standardized procedure to set sector-specific ACTs based on the ACLs. 
ACTs are intended to account for management uncertainty and provide a 
buffer that better ensures a sector does not exceed its designated ACL. 
The Council chose to use this procedure, which resulted in a 5 percent 
buffer between the commercial ACL and ACT, and a 10 percent buffer 
between the recreational ACL and ACT. Therefore, Amendment 37 would set 
the commercial ACT (commercial quota) at 60,900 lb (27,624 kg), and the 
recreational ACT at 217,100 lb (98,475 kg). The proposed ACLs and ACTs 
in Amendment 37 are the same as those currently in place as implemented 
through the temporary rule for gray triggerfish (77 FR 28308, May 14, 
2012). The current commercial gray triggerfish quota functions as the 
commercial ACT.

AMs

    Amendment 37 proposes to modify the gray triggerfish recreational 
sector AMs. Currently, the AM for the recreational sector is triggered 
if the recreational ACL is exceeded and requires NMFS to reduce the 
length of the following year's fishing season by the amount necessary 
to ensure that recreational landings do not exceed the recreational ACT 
during the following year. Amendment 37 would replace this AM with an 
in-season AM, in the form of a recreational season closure that would 
prohibit the recreational harvest of gray triggerfish after the 
recreational ACT is reached or projected to be reached. This in-season 
AM would provide an additional level of protection to help ensure that 
the recreational ACL is not exceeded and reduce the risk of 
overfishing. Amendment 37 would also add an overage adjustment that 
would apply if the recreational sector ACL is exceeded and gray 
triggerfish are overfished. This post-season AM would reduce the 
recreational ACL and ACT for the following year by the amount of the 
ACL overage in the prior fishing year, unless the best scientific 
information available determines that a greater, lesser, or no overage 
adjustment is necessary.

Commercial Trip Limit

    Currently, there is no trip limit for the commercial sector. 
Amendment 37 would establish a commercial trip limit for gray 
triggerfish of 12 fish. This trip limit would allow commercial reef 
fish fisherman to harvest their incidental catch of gray triggerfish. 
This trip limit would be applicable until the commercial ACT 
(commercial quota) is reached or projected to be reached during a 
fishing year and the commercial sector is closed.

Seasonal Closure of the Commercial and Recreational Sectors

    Amendment 37 would establish a seasonal closure of the gray 
triggerfish commercial and recreational sectors in the Gulf from June 
through July, each year. This fixed seasonal closure would occur during 
gray triggerfish peak spawning season and during the period with the 
highest percentage of recreational landings.

Recreational Bag Limit

    Gray triggerfish currently are part of the 20-fish aggregate reef 
fish recreational bag limit. As such, there is currently no specific 
limit for recreational gray triggerfish landings as long as the total 
is 20 fish or less. Amendment 37 would establish a 2-fish gray 
triggerfish recreational bag limit within the 20-fish aggregate reef 
fish bag limit. This recreational bag limit would be applicable until 
the recreational ACT is reached or projected to be reached during a 
fishing year and the recreational sector is closed.

Proposed Rule for Amendment 37

    A proposed rule that would implement Amendment 37 has been drafted. 
In accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is evaluating 
Amendment 37 to determine whether it is consistent with the FMP, the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. If the determination is 
affirmative, NMFS will publish the proposed rule in the Federal 
Register for public review and comment.

Consideration of Public Comments

    The Council submitted Amendment 37 for Secretarial review, 
approval, and implementation. NMFS' decision to approve, partially 
approve, or disapprove Amendment 37 will be based, in part, on 
consideration of comments, recommendations, and information received 
during the comment period on this notice of availability.
    Public comments received by 5 p.m. eastern time, on March 26, 2013, 
will be considered by NMFS in the approval/disapproval decision 
regarding Amendment 37.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: January 17, 2013.
Kara Meckley,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-01431 Filed 1-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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