Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2013 Commercial Accountability Measure and Closure for South Atlantic Vermilion Snapper, 71530-71531 [2013-28648]
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sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with RULES
71530
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2013 / Rules and Regulations
it will remain closed through December
31, 2013. This closure is necessary to
protect the red porgy resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m.,
local time, December 2, 2013, until
12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Catherine Hayslip, telephone: 727–824–
5305, email:
Catherine.Hayslip@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic includes red porgy and is
managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the SnapperGrouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared
by the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council and is
implemented under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations
at 50 CFR part 622.
The commercial ACL (commercial
quota) for red porgy in the South
Atlantic is 147,115 lb (66,730 kg), gutted
weight, for the current 2013 fishing
year, as specified in 50 CFR
622.190(a)(6)(i).
In accordance with regulations at 50
CFR 622.193(v)(1)(i), NMFS is required
to close the commercial sector for red
porgy when its commercial ACL
(commercial quota) has been reached, or
is projected to be reached, by filing a
notification to that effect with the Office
of the Federal Register. NMFS has
determined that the commercial ACL
(commercial quota) for South Atlantic
red porgy for the 2013 fishing year will
have been reached by December 2, 2013.
Commercial harvest or possession of red
porgy is prohibited during January—
April each year. Accordingly, the
commercial sector for South Atlantic
red porgy is closed effective 12:01 a.m.,
local time, December 2, 2013, until
12:01 a.m., local time, May 1, 2014.
The operator of a vessel with a valid
commercial vessel permit for South
Atlantic snapper-grouper having red
porgy onboard must have landed and
bartered, traded, or sold such red porgy
prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, December
2, 2013. During the closure, the bag
limit specified in 50 CFR 622.187(b)(6)
and the possession limits specified in 50
CFR 622.187(c)(2) apply to all harvest or
possession of red porgy in or from the
South Atlantic EEZ. During the closure,
the sale or purchase of red porgy taken
from the EEZ is prohibited. As specified
in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1)(i), the
prohibition on sale or purchase does not
apply to the sale or purchase of red
porgy that were harvested, landed
ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m.,
VerDate Mar<15>2010
20:31 Nov 27, 2013
Jkt 232001
local time, December 2, 2013, and were
held in cold storage by a dealer or
processor. For a person on board a
vessel for which a Federal commercial
or charter vessel/headboat permit for the
South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery
has been issued, the sale and purchase
provisions of the commercial closure for
red porgy apply regardless of whether
the fish are harvested in state or Federal
waters, as specified in 50 CFR
622.190(c)(1)(ii).
As specified in 50 CFR 622.184(c),
during January, February, March, and
April, the harvest or possession of red
porgy in or from the South Atlantic EEZ
is limited to three per person per day or
three per person per trip, whichever is
more restrictive. In addition, this
limitation is applicable in the South
Atlantic on board a vessel for which a
valid Federal commercial or charter
vessel/headboat permit for South
Atlantic snapper-grouper has been
issued without regard to where such red
porgy were harvested. Such red porgy
are subject to the prohibition on sale or
purchase, as specified in § 622.192(f).
Classification
The Regional Administrator,
Southeast Region, NMFS, has
determined this temporary rule is
necessary for the conservation and
management of South Atlantic red porgy
and is consistent with the MagnusonStevens Act, the FMP, and other
applicable laws.
The temporary rule has been
determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
This action is taken under 50 CFR
622.193(v)(1)(i) and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
This action responds to the best
available scientific information recently
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,
(AA), finds that the need to immediately
implement this action to close the
commercial sector for red porgy
constitutes good cause to waive the
requirements to provide prior notice
and opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth in 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B), as such procedures
would be unnecessary and contrary to
the public interest. Such procedures
would be unnecessary because the rule
itself has been subject to notice and
comment, and all that remains is to
notify the public of the closure.
Allowing prior notice and opportunity
for public comment is contrary to the
public interest because of the need to
immediately implement this action to
protect red porgy since the capacity of
the fishing fleet allows for rapid harvest
of the commercial ACL (commercial
PO 00000
Frm 00096
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
quota). Prior notice and opportunity for
public comment would require time and
would likely result in a harvest well in
excess of the established commercial
ACL (commercial quota).
For the aforementioned reasons, the
AA also finds good cause to waive the
30-day delay in the effectiveness of this
action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 25, 2013.
Sean F. Corson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–28647 Filed 11–25–13; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 130312235–3658–02]
RIN 0648–XC984
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2013
Commercial Accountability Measure
and Closure for South Atlantic
Vermilion Snapper
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS implements
accountability measures (AMs) for the
commercial sector for vermilion snapper
in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of
the South Atlantic. Commercial
landings for vermilion snapper, as
estimated by the Science Research
Director (SRD), are projected to reach
the commercial annual catch limit
(ACL) for the July 1 through December
31, 2013, fishing period on December 2,
2013. Therefore, NMFS closes the
commercial sector for vermilion snapper
in the South Atlantic EEZ on December
2, 2013, and it will remain closed until
the start of the January 1 through June
30, 2014, fishing period. This closure is
necessary to protect the vermilion
snapper resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m.,
local time, December 2, 2013, until
12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Catherine Hayslip, telephone: 727–824–
5305, email:
Catherine.Hayslip@noaa.gov.
SUMMARY:
The
snapper-grouper fishery of the South
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\29NOR1.SGM
29NOR1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 230 / Friday, November 29, 2013 / Rules and Regulations
sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with RULES
Atlantic includes vermilion snapper and
is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the SnapperGrouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared
by the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council and is
implemented under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations
at 50 CFR part 622.
The commercial ACL (commercial
quota) for vermilion snapper in the
South Atlantic is divided into two, 6month time periods, and is 420,252 lb
(190,623 kg), gutted weight, for the
current fishing period, July 1 through
December 31, 2013, as specified in 50
CFR 622.190(a)(4)(ii)(A).
In accordance with regulations at 50
CFR 622.193(f)(1), NMFS is required to
close the commercial sector for
vermilion snapper when its commercial
ACL (commercial quota) for that portion
of the fishing year applicable to the
respective commercial ACL (commercial
quota) has been reached, or is projected
to be reached, by filing a notification to
that effect with the Office of the Federal
Register. NMFS has determined that the
commercial ACL (commercial quota) for
South Atlantic vermilion snapper for
the July–December fishing period will
have been reached by December 2, 2013.
Accordingly, the commercial sector for
South Atlantic vermilion snapper is
closed effective 12:01 a.m., local time,
December 2, 2013, until 12:01 a.m.,
local time, January 1, 2014. The
commercial ACL (commercial quota) for
vermilion snapper in the South Atlantic
is 401,874 lb (182,287 kg), gutted
weight, for the January 1 through June
30, 2014, fishing period, as specified in
50 CFR 622.190(a)(4)(i)(B).
The operator of a vessel with a valid
commercial vessel permit for South
Atlantic snapper-grouper having
VerDate Mar<15>2010
20:31 Nov 27, 2013
Jkt 232001
vermilion snapper onboard must have
landed and bartered, traded, or sold
such vermilion snapper prior to 12:01
a.m., local time, December 2, 2013.
During the closure, the bag limit
specified in 50 CFR 622.187(b)(5),
applies to all harvest or possession of
vermilion snapper in or from the South
Atlantic EEZ, including the bag limit
that may be retained by the captain or
crew of a vessel operating as a charter
vessel or headboat. The bag limit for
such captain and crew is zero. During
the closure, the possession limits
specified in 50 CFR 622.187(c)(1) apply
to all harvest or possession of vermilion
snapper in or from the South Atlantic
EEZ. During the closure, the sale or
purchase of vermilion snapper taken
from the EEZ is prohibited. As specified
in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1)(i), the
prohibition on sale or purchase does not
apply to the sale or purchase of
vermilion snapper that were harvested,
landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01
a.m., local time, December 2, 2013, and
were held in cold storage by a dealer or
processor. For a person on board a
vessel for which a Federal commercial
or charter vessel/headboat permit for the
South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery
has been issued, the sale and purchase
provisions of the commercial closure for
vermilion snapper would apply
regardless of whether the fish are
harvested in state or Federal waters, as
specified in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1)(ii).
Classification
The Regional Administrator,
Southeast Region, NMFS, has
determined this temporary rule is
necessary for the conservation and
management of the South Atlantic
snapper-grouper fishery and is
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, the FMP, and other applicable
laws.
PO 00000
Frm 00097
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
71531
The temporary rule has been
determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
This action is taken under 50 CFR
622.193(f)(1) and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
This action responds to the best
available scientific information recently
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,
(AA), finds that the need to immediately
implement this action to close the
commercial sector for vermilion snapper
constitutes good cause to waive the
requirements to provide prior notice
and opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth in 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B), as such procedures
would be unnecessary and contrary to
the public interest. Such procedures
would be unnecessary because the rule
itself has been subject to notice and
comment, and all that remains is to
notify the public of the closure.
Allowing prior notice and opportunity
for public comment is contrary to the
public interest because of the need to
immediately implement this action to
protect vermilion snapper since the
capacity of the fishing fleet allows for
rapid harvest of the quota. Prior notice
and opportunity for public comment
would require time and would likely
result in a harvest well in excess of the
established commercial ACL
(commercial quota).
For the aforementioned reasons, the
AA also finds good cause to waive the
30-day delay in the effectiveness of this
action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 25, 2013.
Sean F. Corson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–28648 Filed 11–27–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\29NOR1.SGM
29NOR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 71530-71531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28648]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 130312235-3658-02]
RIN 0648-XC984
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
2013 Commercial Accountability Measure and Closure for South Atlantic
Vermilion Snapper
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the
commercial sector for vermilion snapper in the exclusive economic zone
(EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial landings for vermilion snapper,
as estimated by the Science Research Director (SRD), are projected to
reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the July 1 through
December 31, 2013, fishing period on December 2, 2013. Therefore, NMFS
closes the commercial sector for vermilion snapper in the South
Atlantic EEZ on December 2, 2013, and it will remain closed until the
start of the January 1 through June 30, 2014, fishing period. This
closure is necessary to protect the vermilion snapper resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, December 2, 2013,
until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Hayslip, telephone: 727-824-
5305, email: Catherine.Hayslip@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South
[[Page 71531]]
Atlantic includes vermilion snapper and is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council and is implemented under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
The commercial ACL (commercial quota) for vermilion snapper in the
South Atlantic is divided into two, 6-month time periods, and is
420,252 lb (190,623 kg), gutted weight, for the current fishing period,
July 1 through December 31, 2013, as specified in 50 CFR
622.190(a)(4)(ii)(A).
In accordance with regulations at 50 CFR 622.193(f)(1), NMFS is
required to close the commercial sector for vermilion snapper when its
commercial ACL (commercial quota) for that portion of the fishing year
applicable to the respective commercial ACL (commercial quota) has been
reached, or is projected to be reached, by filing a notification to
that effect with the Office of the Federal Register. NMFS has
determined that the commercial ACL (commercial quota) for South
Atlantic vermilion snapper for the July-December fishing period will
have been reached by December 2, 2013. Accordingly, the commercial
sector for South Atlantic vermilion snapper is closed effective 12:01
a.m., local time, December 2, 2013, until 12:01 a.m., local time,
January 1, 2014. The commercial ACL (commercial quota) for vermilion
snapper in the South Atlantic is 401,874 lb (182,287 kg), gutted
weight, for the January 1 through June 30, 2014, fishing period, as
specified in 50 CFR 622.190(a)(4)(i)(B).
The operator of a vessel with a valid commercial vessel permit for
South Atlantic snapper-grouper having vermilion snapper onboard must
have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such vermilion snapper prior
to 12:01 a.m., local time, December 2, 2013. During the closure, the
bag limit specified in 50 CFR 622.187(b)(5), applies to all harvest or
possession of vermilion snapper in or from the South Atlantic EEZ,
including the bag limit that may be retained by the captain or crew of
a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat. The bag limit for
such captain and crew is zero. During the closure, the possession
limits specified in 50 CFR 622.187(c)(1) apply to all harvest or
possession of vermilion snapper in or from the South Atlantic EEZ.
During the closure, the sale or purchase of vermilion snapper taken
from the EEZ is prohibited. As specified in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1)(i),
the prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to the sale or
purchase of vermilion snapper that were harvested, landed ashore, and
sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, December 2, 2013, and were held
in cold storage by a dealer or processor. For a person on board a
vessel for which a Federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit
for the South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery has been issued, the
sale and purchase provisions of the commercial closure for vermilion
snapper would apply regardless of whether the fish are harvested in
state or Federal waters, as specified in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1)(ii).
Classification
The Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, has determined
this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and management of
the South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery and is consistent with the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, the FMP, and other applicable laws.
The temporary rule has been determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.193(f)(1) and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
This action responds to the best available scientific information
recently obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA, (AA), finds that the need to immediately implement
this action to close the commercial sector for vermilion snapper
constitutes good cause to waive the requirements to provide prior
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set
forth in 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), as such procedures would be unnecessary
and contrary to the public interest. Such procedures would be
unnecessary because the rule itself has been subject to notice and
comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the closure.
Allowing prior notice and opportunity for public comment is contrary to
the public interest because of the need to immediately implement this
action to protect vermilion snapper since the capacity of the fishing
fleet allows for rapid harvest of the quota. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment would require time and would likely
result in a harvest well in excess of the established commercial ACL
(commercial quota).
For the aforementioned reasons, the AA also finds good cause to
waive the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of this action under 5
U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 25, 2013.
Sean F. Corson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-28648 Filed 11-27-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
