Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Phase 1 Reopening for the Directed Butterfish Fishery, 18844-18845 [2014-07612]
Download as PDF
TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
18844
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
(a) * * *
(1) * * *
(iii) A vessel issued a Tier 3 Limited
Access Mackerel Permit is authorized to
fish for, possess, or land up to 100,000
lb (45.36 mt) of Atlantic mackerel in the
EEZ per trip, and may only land
Atlantic mackerel once on any calendar
day, which is defined as the 24-hr
period beginning at 0001 hours and
ending at 2400 hours, provided that the
fishery has not been closed because 90
percent of the Tier 3 allocation has been
harvested, or 95 percent of the DAH has
been harvested, as specified in
§ 648.24(b)(1)(i) and (ii).
*
*
*
*
*
(b) Longfin squid. (1) Unless specified
in paragraph (b)(2) of this section,
during a closure of the directed fishery
for longfin squid vessels may not fish
for, possess, or land more than 2,500 lb
(1.13 mt) of longfin squid per trip at any
time, and may only land longfin squid
once on any calendar day, which is
defined as the 24-hr period beginning at
0001 hours and ending at 2400 hours. If
a vessel has been issued a longfin squid
incidental catch permit (as specified at
§ 648.4(a)(5)(ii)), then it may not fish for,
possess, or land more than 2,500 lb
(1.13 mt) of longfin squid per trip at any
time and may only land longfin squid
once on any calendar day, unless such
a vessel meets the criteria outlined in
paragraph (b)(2) of this section.
(2) During a closure of the directed
fishery for longfin squid for Trimester II,
a vessel with a longfin squid/butterfish
moratorium permit that is on a directed
Illex squid fishing trip (i.e., possess over
10,000 lb (4.54 mt) of Illex) and is
seaward of the coordinates specified at
§ 648.23 (a)(3), may possess up to 15,000
lb (6.80 mt) of longfin squid. Once
landward of the coordinates specified at
§ 648.23 (a)(3), such vessels must stow
all fishing gear, as specified at
§ 648.23(b), in order to possess more
than 2,500 lb (1.13 mt) of longfin squid
per trip.
*
*
*
*
*
(d) * * *
(3) Phase 3. When butterfish harvest
is projected to reach the trip limit
reduction threshold for phase 3 (as
described in § 648.24), all vessels issued
a longfin squid/butterfish moratorium
permit, regardless of mesh size used,
may not fish for, possess, or land more
than 600 lb (0.27 mt) of butterfish per
trip at any time, and may only land
butterfish once on any calendar day,
which is defined as the 24-hr period
beginning at 0001 hours and ending at
2400 hours. If a vessel has been issued
a longfin squid/butterfish incidental
catch permit (as specified at
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:26 Apr 03, 2014
Jkt 232001
§ 648.4(a)(5)(ii)), it may not fish for,
possess, or land more than 600 lb (0.27
mt) of butterfish per trip at any time.
[FR Doc. 2014–07610 Filed 4–3–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 130903775–4276–02]
RIN 0648–XD205
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and
Butterfish Fisheries; Phase 1
Reopening for the Directed Butterfish
Fishery
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces that phase
1 of the directed butterfish fishery will
be reopened to provide the opportunity
for vessels targeting butterfish to fish
with a higher possession limit. Vessels
issued a longfin squid/butterfish
moratorium permit may fish for, catch,
possess, or land unlimited amounts of
butterfish when using greater than or
equal to 3-inch (76-mm) mesh. The
possession limit remains 2,500-lb (1.13
mt) per trip or calendar day for vessels
fishing less than 3-inch (76-mm) mesh.
The incidental possession limit also
remains unchanged at 600 lb (0.27 mt).
DATES: Effective April 4, 2014, through
December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aja
Szumylo, Fishery Policy Analyst, 978–
281–9195, Fax 978–281–9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations at 50 CFR part 648 govern
the butterfish fishery. The regulations
require specifications for maximum
sustainable yield, initial optimum yield,
allowable biological catch, annual catch
limit (ACL), domestic annual harvest
(DAH), domestic annual processing
(DAP), joint venture processing, and
total allowable levels of foreign fishing
for the species managed under the
Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish
(MSB) Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
The procedures for setting the annual
initial specifications are described in
§ 648.22.
Due to the increase in the butterfish
DAH from previous years, the 2013 MSB
specifications implemented a 3-phase
butterfish management system to allow
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00080
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
for maximum utilization of the
butterfish resource without exceeding
the stock-wide ACL. In phase 1, there is
no trip limit for vessels issued longfin
squid/butterfish moratorium permits
using mesh greater than or equal to 3
inches (76 mm), a 2,500-lb (1.13-mt) trip
limit for longfin squid/butterfish
moratorium permits using mesh less
than 3 inches (76 mm), and a trip limit
of 600 lb (0.27 mt) for vessels issued
squid/butterfish incidental catch
permits. Once butterfish harvest reaches
the trip hold reduction threshold to
move from phase 1 to phase 2, the trip
limit for longfin squid/butterfish
moratorium permit holders will be
reduced while in phase 2 to 5,000 lb
(2.27 mt) for vessels using greater than
or equal to 3-inch (7.62 cm) mesh. The
limit remains unchanged at 2,500-lb
(1.13 mt) per trip or calendar day for
vessels issued a Federal longfin squid/
butterfish moratorium permits and
fishing with less than 3-inch (76-mm);
and the incidental limit remains at 600
lb (0.27 mt). When we project butterfish
harvest to reach the trip hold reduction
thresholds to move from phase 2 to
phase 3, the trip limit for all longfin
squid/butterfish moratorium permit
holders will be reduced while in phase
3 to 500 lb (0.23 mt) to avoid quota
overages. For phases 2 and 3, the quota
thresholds to reduce the trip limits will
vary bimonthly throughout the year.
The 2013 MSB specifications set the
2013 butterfish DAH at 2,570 mt (77 FR
3346, January 16, 2013). The regulations
at § 648.22(d) state that, if annual
specifications for the MSB fisheries are
not published in the Federal Register
prior to the start of the fishing year
(January 1), the previous year’s annual
specifications, will remain in effect. On
March 18, 2014 (79 FR 15046), NMFS
announced a trip limit reduction for the
butterfish fishery based on the phase 2
trip limit reduction threshold for the
2013 butterfish quota.
The final rule for 2014 MSB
specifications and management
measures is published elsewhere in this
issue. The 2014 butterfish specifications
were implemented upon publication of
that action, and immediately
superseded the 2013 specifications. The
2014 butterfish specifications increase
the butterfish quota by 630 mt. Relative
to the increased 2014 butterfish quota,
only 45 percent of the butterfish quota
has been harvested. Because the 2014
March/April phase 2 trip limit
reduction threshold for butterfish is 57
percent, effective April 4, 2014, the
butterfish fishery can return to phase 1.
Longfin squid/butterfish moratorium
permit holders using mesh sizes greater
than 3 inches (76 mm) may fish for,
E:\FR\FM\04APR1.SGM
04APR1
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
catch, possess, or land unlimited
amounts of butterfish until the phase 2
trip limit reduction threshold is
triggered. The trip limits for vessels
issued longfin squid/butterfish
moratorium permits fishing with mesh
less than 3 inches (76 mm) will remain
at 2,500 lb (1.13 mt) of butterfish per
trip and the incidental trip limit will
remain at 600 lb (0.27 mt). When
butterfish harvest is projected to reach
the phase 2 trip limit reduction
threshold specified for 2014, butterfish
trip limits for longfin squid/butterfish
moratorium permit holders will be
reduced to 5,000 lb (2.27 mt) for vessels
fishing with mesh sizes greater than 3
inches (76 mm), through a subsequent
action in the Federal Register.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Classification
SUMMARY:
This action is required by 50 CFR part
648 and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
The Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA (AA), 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. This
action reopens the phase 1 of the
directed butterfish fishery until the 2014
phase 2 trip limit reduction threshold is
reached. If implementation of this
reopening was delayed to solicit prior
public comment, vessels would be
prevented from fishing with a higher
possession limit and may not be able to
fully harvest the 2014 butterfish quota,
thereby undermining the conservation
objectives of the FMP. The AA further
finds, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3),
good cause to waive the 30-day delayed
effectiveness period for the reason
stated above.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 1, 2014.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–07612 Filed 4–3–14; 8:45 am]
TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:26 Apr 03, 2014
Jkt 232001
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 130925836–4174–02]
RIN 0648–XD225
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Trawl
Catcher Vessels in the Central
Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels
using trawl gear in the Central
Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska
(GOA). This action is necessary to
prevent exceeding the A season
allowance of the 2014 Pacific cod total
allowable catch apportioned to trawl
catcher vessels in the Central Regulatory
Area of the GOA.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), April 1, 2014, through
1200 hours, A.l.t., June 10, 2014.
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
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance
with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50
CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
Regulations governing sideboard
protections for GOA groundfish
fisheries appear at subpart B of 50 CFR
part 680.
The A season allowance of the 2014
Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC)
apportioned to trawl catcher vessels in
the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA
is 8,249 metric tons (mt), as established
by the final 2014 and 2015 harvest
specifications for groundfish of the GOA
(79 FR 12890, March 6, 2014).
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),
the Administrator, Alaska Region,
NMFS (Regional Administrator) has
PO 00000
Frm 00081
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
18845
determined that the A season allowance
of the 2014 Pacific cod TAC
apportioned to trawl catcher vessels in
the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA
will soon be reached. Therefore, the
Regional Administrator is establishing a
directed fishing allowance of 7,749 mt
and is setting aside the remaining 500
mt as bycatch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries. In
accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the
Regional Administrator finds that this
directed fishing allowance has been
reached. Consequently, NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific
cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear
in the Central Regulatory Area of the
GOA. After the effective date of this
closure the maximum retainable
amounts at § 679.20(e) and (f) apply at
any time during a trip.
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 directed fishing closure of
Pacific cod by catcher vessels using
trawl gear in the Central Regulatory
Area of the GOA. NMFS was unable to
publish a notice providing time for
public comment because the most
recent, relevant data only became
available as of March 31, 2014.
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.
This action is required by § 679.20
and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 1, 2014.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–07578 Filed 4–1–14; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\04APR1.SGM
04APR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 65 (Friday, April 4, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 18844-18845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07612]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 130903775-4276-02]
RIN 0648-XD205
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel,
Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Phase 1 Reopening for the Directed
Butterfish Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that phase 1 of the directed butterfish fishery
will be reopened to provide the opportunity for vessels targeting
butterfish to fish with a higher possession limit. Vessels issued a
longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permit may fish for, catch,
possess, or land unlimited amounts of butterfish when using greater
than or equal to 3-inch (76-mm) mesh. The possession limit remains
2,500-lb (1.13 mt) per trip or calendar day for vessels fishing less
than 3-inch (76-mm) mesh. The incidental possession limit also remains
unchanged at 600 lb (0.27 mt).
DATES: Effective April 4, 2014, through December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aja Szumylo, Fishery Policy Analyst,
978-281-9195, Fax 978-281-9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations at 50 CFR part 648 govern the
butterfish fishery. The regulations require specifications for maximum
sustainable yield, initial optimum yield, allowable biological catch,
annual catch limit (ACL), domestic annual harvest (DAH), domestic
annual processing (DAP), joint venture processing, and total allowable
levels of foreign fishing for the species managed under the Atlantic
Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
The procedures for setting the annual initial specifications are
described in Sec. 648.22.
Due to the increase in the butterfish DAH from previous years, the
2013 MSB specifications implemented a 3-phase butterfish management
system to allow for maximum utilization of the butterfish resource
without exceeding the stock-wide ACL. In phase 1, there is no trip
limit for vessels issued longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permits
using mesh greater than or equal to 3 inches (76 mm), a 2,500-lb (1.13-
mt) trip limit for longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permits using
mesh less than 3 inches (76 mm), and a trip limit of 600 lb (0.27 mt)
for vessels issued squid/butterfish incidental catch permits. Once
butterfish harvest reaches the trip hold reduction threshold to move
from phase 1 to phase 2, the trip limit for longfin squid/butterfish
moratorium permit holders will be reduced while in phase 2 to 5,000 lb
(2.27 mt) for vessels using greater than or equal to 3-inch (7.62 cm)
mesh. The limit remains unchanged at 2,500-lb (1.13 mt) per trip or
calendar day for vessels issued a Federal longfin squid/butterfish
moratorium permits and fishing with less than 3-inch (76-mm); and the
incidental limit remains at 600 lb (0.27 mt). When we project
butterfish harvest to reach the trip hold reduction thresholds to move
from phase 2 to phase 3, the trip limit for all longfin squid/
butterfish moratorium permit holders will be reduced while in phase 3
to 500 lb (0.23 mt) to avoid quota overages. For phases 2 and 3, the
quota thresholds to reduce the trip limits will vary bimonthly
throughout the year.
The 2013 MSB specifications set the 2013 butterfish DAH at 2,570 mt
(77 FR 3346, January 16, 2013). The regulations at Sec. 648.22(d)
state that, if annual specifications for the MSB fisheries are not
published in the Federal Register prior to the start of the fishing
year (January 1), the previous year's annual specifications, will
remain in effect. On March 18, 2014 (79 FR 15046), NMFS announced a
trip limit reduction for the butterfish fishery based on the phase 2
trip limit reduction threshold for the 2013 butterfish quota.
The final rule for 2014 MSB specifications and management measures
is published elsewhere in this issue. The 2014 butterfish
specifications were implemented upon publication of that action, and
immediately superseded the 2013 specifications. The 2014 butterfish
specifications increase the butterfish quota by 630 mt. Relative to the
increased 2014 butterfish quota, only 45 percent of the butterfish
quota has been harvested. Because the 2014 March/April phase 2 trip
limit reduction threshold for butterfish is 57 percent, effective April
4, 2014, the butterfish fishery can return to phase 1. Longfin squid/
butterfish moratorium permit holders using mesh sizes greater than 3
inches (76 mm) may fish for,
[[Page 18845]]
catch, possess, or land unlimited amounts of butterfish until the phase
2 trip limit reduction threshold is triggered. The trip limits for
vessels issued longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permits fishing with
mesh less than 3 inches (76 mm) will remain at 2,500 lb (1.13 mt) of
butterfish per trip and the incidental trip limit will remain at 600 lb
(0.27 mt). When butterfish harvest is projected to reach the phase 2
trip limit reduction threshold specified for 2014, butterfish trip
limits for longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permit holders will be
reduced to 5,000 lb (2.27 mt) for vessels fishing with mesh sizes
greater than 3 inches (76 mm), through a subsequent action in the
Federal Register.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), 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. This action reopens the phase 1 of the directed
butterfish fishery until the 2014 phase 2 trip limit reduction
threshold is reached. If implementation of this reopening was delayed
to solicit prior public comment, vessels would be prevented from
fishing with a higher possession limit and may not be able to fully
harvest the 2014 butterfish quota, thereby undermining the conservation
objectives of the FMP. The AA further finds, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3), good cause to waive the 30-day delayed effectiveness period
for the reason stated above.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 1, 2014.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-07612 Filed 4-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P