Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Sub-Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Harvested for Management Area 3, 63406-63407 [2013-24999]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
63406
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 206 / Thursday, October 24, 2013 / Rules and Regulations
NMFS is opening directed
fishing for pollock in Statistical Area
620 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This
action is necessary to fully use the 2013
total allowable catch of pollock in
Statistical Area 620 of the GOA.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local
time (A.l.t.), October 22, 2013, through
1200 hrs, A.l.t., November 1, 2013.
Comments must be received at the
following address no later than 4:30
p.m., A.l.t., November 5, 2013.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this document, identified by NOAA–
NMFS–2012–0180 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-20120180, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon,
complete the required fields, and enter
or attach your comments.
• Mail: Address written comments to
Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn:
Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O.
Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668.
• Fax: Address written comments to
Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn:
Ellen Sebastian. Fax comments to 907–
586–7557.
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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh
Keaton, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council
under authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act. Regulations governing
Emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:22 Oct 23, 2013
Jkt 232001
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance
with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50
CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
NMFS closed directed fishing for
pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the
GOA under § 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on
October 7, 2013 (78 FR 61990, October
10, 2013).
As of October 17, 2013, NMFS has
determined that approximately 3,553
metric tons of pollock remain in the
directed fishing allowance for pollock in
Statistical Area 620 of the GOA.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 679.25(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)(i)(C), and
(a)(2)(iii)(D), and to fully utilize the
2013 TAC of pollock in Statistical Area
620 of the GOA, NMFS is terminating
the previous closure and is reopening
directed fishing pollock in Statistical
Area 620 of the GOA, effective 1200 hrs,
A.l.t., October 22, 2013.
The Administrator, Alaska Region
(Regional Administrator) considered the
following factors in reaching this
decision: (1) The current catch of
pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the
GOA and, (2) the harvest capacity and
stated intent on future harvesting
patterns of vessels in participating in
this fishery.
Classification
This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA), finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. This requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries
data in a timely fashion and would
delay the opening of the directed
pollock fishery in Statistical Area 620 of
the GOA. Immediate notification is
necessary to allow for the orderly
conduct and efficient operation of this
fishery, to allow the industry to plan for
the fishing season, and to avoid
potential disruption to the fishing fleet
and processors. NMFS was unable to
publish a notice providing time for
public comment because the most
recent, relevant data only became
available as of October 17, 2013.
The AA also finds good cause to
waive the 30-day delay in the effective
date of this action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3). This finding is based upon
the reasons provided above for waiver of
prior notice and opportunity for public
comment.
PO 00000
Frm 00038
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
Without this inseason adjustment,
NMFS could not allow pollock fishery
in Statistical Area 620 of the GOA to be
harvested in an expedient manner and
in accordance with the regulatory
schedule. Under § 679.25(c)(2),
interested persons are invited to submit
written comments on this action to the
above address until November 5, 2013.
This action is required by § 679.25
and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 21, 2013.
Kelly Denit,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–25012 Filed 10–21–13; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 130408348–3835–02]
RIN 0648–XC906
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; SubAnnual Catch Limit (ACL) Harvested
for Management Area 3
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
Effective 1200 hr, October 24,
2013, federally permitted vessels may
not fish for, catch, possess, transfer, or
land more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of
Atlantic herring (herring) per trip or
calendar day in or from Management
Area 3 until January 1, 2014, when the
2014 allocation for Area 3 becomes
available. This action is required
because NMFS projects that 92 percent
of the catch limit for that area was
caught as of October 18, 2013. Vessels
that have entered port before 1200 hr,
October 24, 2013, may possess, offload,
and sell more than 2,000 lb of herring
from Area 3, from that trip. Also
effective 1200 hr, October 24, 2013,
federally permitted dealers may not
receive more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of
herring caught within Management Area
3 per trip or calendar day, unless it is
from a trip landed by a vessel that
entered port before 1200 hr, October 24,
2013.
DATES: Effective 1200 hr local time,
October 24, 2013, through December 31,
2013.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\24OCR1.SGM
24OCR1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 206 / Thursday, October 24, 2013 / Rules and Regulations
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES
Christopher Biegel, Fishery
Management Specialist, (978) 281–9112.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reader
can find regulations governing the
herring fishery at 50 CFR part 648. The
regulations require annual specification
of the overfishing limit, acceptable
biological catch, annual catch limit
(ACL), optimum yield, domestic harvest
and processing, U.S. at-sea processing,
border transfer, and sub-ACLs for each
management area. The 2013 Domestic
Annual Harvest is 107,800 metric tons
(mt); the 2013 sub-ACL allocated to
Area 3 is 42,000 mt, and 0 mt of the subACL is set aside for research (October 4,
2013, 78 FR 61828).
The regulations at § 648.201 require
that when the Administrator, Northeast
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator)
projects herring catch will reach 92
percent of the sub-ACL allocated in any
of the four management areas
designated in the Atlantic Herring
Fishery Management Plan (FMP), NMFS
must prohibit herring vessel permit
holders from fishing for, catching,
possessing, transferring, or landing more
than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring per
trip or calendar day in or from the
specified management area for the
remainder of the fishing year. The
Regional Administrator monitors the
herring fishery catch in each of the
management areas based upon dealer
reports, state data, and other available
information. NMFS must publish
notification in the Federal Register of
the date that the catch is projected to
reach 92 percent of the management
area sub-ACL and reduced trip limit
period. Vessels that have entered port
before the reduced trip limit period may
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:22 Oct 23, 2013
Jkt 232001
offload and sell more than 2,000 lb
(907.2 kg) of herring from Area 3, from
that trip. During the reduced trip limit
period, vessels may transit Area 3 with
more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring
on board only under the conditions
specified below.
The Regional Administrator has
determined, based on dealer reports and
other available information, that the
herring fleet will have caught 92 percent
of the total herring sub-ACL allocated to
Area 3 by October 18, 2013. In order to
give the herring fleet sufficient time to
comply with this reduced trip limit,
effective 1200 hr local time, October 24,
2013, federally permitted vessels may
not fish for, catch, possess, transfer, or
land more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of
herring per trip or calendar day, in or
from Area 3 through December 31, 2013,
except that vessels that have entered
port before 1200 hr on October 24, 2013,
may offload and sell more than 2,000 lb
(907.2 kg) of herring from Area 3, from
that trip after the closure. During the
reduced trip limit period, a vessel may
transit through Area 3 with more than
2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring on board,
provided the vessel did not catch the
herring in Area 3 and stows all fishing
gear aboard, making it unavailable for
immediate use as required by
§ 648.23(b). Effective 1200 hr on October
24, 2013, NMFS also advises federally
permitted dealers that they may not
receive herring from federally permitted
herring vessels that harvest more than
2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring from Area
3 through 2400 hr local time, December
31, 2013, unless it is from a trip landed
by a vessel that entered port before 1200
hr on October 24, 2013.
PO 00000
Frm 00039
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
63407
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part
648 and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
NMFS finds good cause pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice
and the opportunity for public comment
because it would be contrary to the
public interest and impracticable. This
action reduces the trip limit to 2,000 lb
(907.2 kg) for Management Area 3 until
January 1, 2014, under current
regulations. The regulations at
§ 648.201(a) require such action to
ensure that herring vessels do not
exceed the 2013 sub-ACL allocated to
Area 3. The herring fishery opened for
the 2013 fishing year on January 1,
2013. Data indicating the herring fleet
will have landed at least 92 percent of
the 2013 sub-ACL allocated to Area 3
have only recently become available. If
implementation of this reduced trip
limit period is delayed to solicit prior
public comment, the sub-ACL for Area
3 for this fishing year may be exceeded,
thereby undermining the conservation
objectives of the FMP. If sub-ACLs are
exceeded, the excess must also be
deducted from a future sub-ACL and
would reduce future fishing
opportunities. NMFS further finds,
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), good
cause to waive the 30-day delayed
effectiveness period for the reasons
stated above.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 21, 2013.
Kelly Denit,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–24999 Filed 10–21–13; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\24OCR1.SGM
24OCR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 206 (Thursday, October 24, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63406-63407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-24999]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 130408348-3835-02]
RIN 0648-XC906
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring
Fishery; Sub-Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Harvested for Management Area 3
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Effective 1200 hr, October 24, 2013, federally permitted
vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer, or land more than
2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring (herring) per trip or calendar
day in or from Management Area 3 until January 1, 2014, when the 2014
allocation for Area 3 becomes available. This action is required
because NMFS projects that 92 percent of the catch limit for that area
was caught as of October 18, 2013. Vessels that have entered port
before 1200 hr, October 24, 2013, may possess, offload, and sell more
than 2,000 lb of herring from Area 3, from that trip. Also effective
1200 hr, October 24, 2013, federally permitted dealers may not receive
more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring caught within Management Area
3 per trip or calendar day, unless it is from a trip landed by a vessel
that entered port before 1200 hr, October 24, 2013.
DATES: Effective 1200 hr local time, October 24, 2013, through December
31, 2013.
[[Page 63407]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Biegel, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9112.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reader can find regulations governing
the herring fishery at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual
specification of the overfishing limit, acceptable biological catch,
annual catch limit (ACL), optimum yield, domestic harvest and
processing, U.S. at-sea processing, border transfer, and sub-ACLs for
each management area. The 2013 Domestic Annual Harvest is 107,800
metric tons (mt); the 2013 sub-ACL allocated to Area 3 is 42,000 mt,
and 0 mt of the sub-ACL is set aside for research (October 4, 2013, 78
FR 61828).
The regulations at Sec. 648.201 require that when the
Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) projects
herring catch will reach 92 percent of the sub-ACL allocated in any of
the four management areas designated in the Atlantic Herring Fishery
Management Plan (FMP), NMFS must prohibit herring vessel permit holders
from fishing for, catching, possessing, transferring, or landing more
than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring per trip or calendar day in or from
the specified management area for the remainder of the fishing year.
The Regional Administrator monitors the herring fishery catch in each
of the management areas based upon dealer reports, state data, and
other available information. NMFS must publish notification in the
Federal Register of the date that the catch is projected to reach 92
percent of the management area sub-ACL and reduced trip limit period.
Vessels that have entered port before the reduced trip limit period may
offload and sell more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring from Area 3,
from that trip. During the reduced trip limit period, vessels may
transit Area 3 with more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring on board
only under the conditions specified below.
The Regional Administrator has determined, based on dealer reports
and other available information, that the herring fleet will have
caught 92 percent of the total herring sub-ACL allocated to Area 3 by
October 18, 2013. In order to give the herring fleet sufficient time to
comply with this reduced trip limit, effective 1200 hr local time,
October 24, 2013, federally permitted vessels may not fish for, catch,
possess, transfer, or land more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring per
trip or calendar day, in or from Area 3 through December 31, 2013,
except that vessels that have entered port before 1200 hr on October
24, 2013, may offload and sell more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring
from Area 3, from that trip after the closure. During the reduced trip
limit period, a vessel may transit through Area 3 with more than 2,000
lb (907.2 kg) of herring on board, provided the vessel did not catch
the herring in Area 3 and stows all fishing gear aboard, making it
unavailable for immediate use as required by Sec. 648.23(b). Effective
1200 hr on October 24, 2013, NMFS also advises federally permitted
dealers that they may not receive herring from federally permitted
herring vessels that harvest more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring
from Area 3 through 2400 hr local time, December 31, 2013, unless it is
from a trip landed by a vessel that entered port before 1200 hr on
October 24, 2013.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
NMFS finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior
notice and the opportunity for public comment because it would be
contrary to the public interest and impracticable. This action reduces
the trip limit to 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) for Management Area 3 until
January 1, 2014, under current regulations. The regulations at Sec.
648.201(a) require such action to ensure that herring vessels do not
exceed the 2013 sub-ACL allocated to Area 3. The herring fishery opened
for the 2013 fishing year on January 1, 2013. Data indicating the
herring fleet will have landed at least 92 percent of the 2013 sub-ACL
allocated to Area 3 have only recently become available. If
implementation of this reduced trip limit period is delayed to solicit
prior public comment, the sub-ACL for Area 3 for this fishing year may
be exceeded, thereby undermining the conservation objectives of the
FMP. If sub-ACLs are exceeded, the excess must also be deducted from a
future sub-ACL and would reduce future fishing opportunities. NMFS
further finds, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), good cause to waive the
30-day delayed effectiveness period for the reasons stated above.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 21, 2013.
Kelly Denit,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-24999 Filed 10-21-13; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
