Extension of Temporary Rule That Established Separate Annual Catch Limits and Accountability Measures for Blueline Tilefish in the South Atlantic Region, 61262-61263 [2014-24220]
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61262
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
call or email Paul Crissy, Office of
Standards Evaluation and Development,
Coast Guard; telephone 202–372–1093,
email Paul.H.Crissy@uscg.mil. If you
have questions on viewing material on
the docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone
202–366–9826.
To view
the original final rule document, visit
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/FR2014-09-29/2014-21994.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 131231999–4319–01]
RIN 0648–BD87
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On September 29, 2014, the Coast
Guard published its annual technical
amendment to make non-substantive
changes to Title 46 of the Code of
Federal Regulations. 79 FR 58270.
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; emergency
action extended.
AGENCY:
Need for Correction
The Coast Guard published a final
rule in the Federal Register that created
the need for this correction. The Coast
Guard amended § 67.259(b) by removing
the word ‘‘effected,’’ and adding in its
place the word ‘‘affected.’’ This
replacement was incorrect, however, as
the word ‘‘effected’’ was used correctly.
This correction amends paragraph (b) by
replacing the word ‘‘affected’’ with the
word ‘‘effected.’’
List of Subjects in 46 CFR Part 67
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Vessels.
Accordingly, 46 CFR part 67 is
amended by making the following
correcting amendment:
PART 67—DOCUMENTATION OF
VESSELS
1. The authority citation for part 67
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 14 U.S.C. 664; 31 U.S.C. 9701;
42 U.S.C. 9118; 46 U.S.C. 2103, 2107, 2110,
12106, 12120, 12122; 46 U.S.C. app. 841a,
876; Department of Homeland Security
Delegation No. 0170.1.
§ 67.259
[Corrected]
2. In § 67.259(b), remove the word
‘‘affected’’ and add, in its place, the
word ‘‘effected’’.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
■
Dated: October 6, 2014.
Katia Cervoni,
Chief, Office of Regulations and
Administrative Law, U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 2014–24219 Filed 10–9–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–04–P
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16:20 Oct 09, 2014
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Extension of Temporary Rule That
Established Separate Annual Catch
Limits and Accountability Measures for
Blueline Tilefish in the South Atlantic
Region
NMFS issues this temporary
rule to extend the expiration date of
emergency measures implemented to
reduce the amount of blueline tilefish
that may be harvested in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ) of the South
Atlantic. NMFS published an
emergency rule on April 17, 2014, to
remove the blueline tilefish portion
from the deep-water complex annual
catch limit (ACL) and establish separate
commercial and recreational ACLs and
accountability measures (AMs) for
blueline tilefish. The intent of this
rulemaking is to extend the measures
implemented in the emergency action to
reduce overfishing of blueline tilefish in
the South Atlantic while the South
Atlantic Fishery Management Council
(Council) develops permanent
management measures.
DATES: The expiration date for the
temporary rule published at 79 FR
21636, April 17, 2014, is extended from
October 14, 2014, through April 18,
2015, unless NMFS publishes a
superseding document in the Federal
Register.
SUMMARY:
Electronic copies of the
documents in support of this temporary
rule may be obtained from the Southeast
Regional Office Web site at https://sero.
nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_
atl/sg/2014/acl_er/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick
DeVictor, Southeast Regional Office,
NMFS, telephone: 727–824–5305, email:
Rick.DeVictor@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS and
the Council manage South Atlantic
snapper-grouper species, including
blueline tilefish, under the Fishery
Management Plan for the SnapperGrouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The Council prepared the
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
Frm 00048
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
FMP and NMFS implements the FMP
through regulations at 50 CFR part 622
under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens
Act). The Magnuson-Stevens Act
provides the legal authority for the
promulgation of emergency regulations
under section 305(c) (16 U.S.C. 1855(c)).
Background
At its December 2013 meeting, the
Council requested that NMFS
promulgate emergency regulations to
reduce overfishing of blueline tilefish
and rebuild the blueline tilefish stock,
based on the most recent stock
assessment conducted for blueline
tilefish in 2013, while permanent
management measures and regulations
are being developed through
Amendment 32 to the FMP. The need
for this emergency action is to minimize
adverse biological effects to the blueline
tilefish stock and adverse socioeconomic effects to fishermen and
fishing communities that utilize the
blueline tilefish portion of the snappergrouper fishery. The Council and NMFS
determined that any short-term adverse
socio-economic effects of the temporary
measures would be justified to
minimize long-term reductions in
harvest that may be required if levels of
unsustainable harvest continued to
reduce the biomass of the blueline
tilefish stock. Accordingly, on April 17,
2014, NMFS published a temporary rule
under the Magnuson-Stevens Act to
implement emergency regulations for
the blueline tilefish stock in the South
Atlantic (74 FR 21636) and requested
public comment. That temporary rule is
effective through October 14, 2014.
The measures contained in the
temporary rule and this extension,
remove blueline tilefish from the deepwater complex and establish separate
commercial and recreational ACLs and
AMs for blueline tilefish in the EEZ of
the South Atlantic. The temporary rule
and this extension implement a blueline
tilefish total (commercial and
recreational) ACL of 224,100 lb (101,650
kg), round weight. The commercial ACL
for blueline tilefish is set at 112,207 lb
(50,896 kg), round weight, and the
recreational ACL is set at 111,893 lb
(50,754 kg), round weight. The deepwater complex (composed of
yellowedge grouper, silk snapper, misty
grouper, queen snapper, sand tilefish,
black snapper, and blackfin snapper)
ACL remains at current levels, except
with the blueline tilefish portion of the
complex ACL of 631,341 lb (286,371 kg),
round weight, removed from the
complex. Thus, for the deep-water
complex without blueline tilefish, the
E:\FR\FM\10OCR1.SGM
10OCR1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
commercial ACL is 60,371 lb (27,384
kg), round weight, and the recreational
ACL is 19,313 lb (8,760 kg), round
weight.
The temporary rule and this extension
also establish in-season AMs for
blueline tilefish to prevent these catch
limits from being exceeded. If
commercial landings for blueline
tilefish reach or are projected to reach
the commercial ACL, NMFS will file a
notification with the Office of the
Federal Register to close the commercial
sector for blueline tilefish for the
remainder of the fishing year. On and
after the effective date of such a
notification, all sale or purchase of
blueline tilefish is prohibited and
harvest or possession of blueline tilefish
in or from the South Atlantic EEZ is
limited to the bag and possession limit.
This bag and possession limit applies 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 species were harvested, i.e., in
state or Federal waters. During the 2014
commercial fishing season, through
AMs implemented in the emergency
rule, NMFS closed the commercial
sector for blueline tilefish on June 23,
2014, when NMFS determined the
commercial ACL for blueline tilefish
was projected to be met (79 FR 35292,
June 20, 2014). The commercial sector
will reopen on January 1, 2015.
If recreational landings for blueline
tilefish reach or are projected to reach
the recreational ACL, NMFS will file a
notification with the Office of the
Federal Register to close the recreational
sector for blueline tilefish for the
remainder of the fishing year. On and
after the effective date of such
notification, the bag and possession
limit of blueline tilefish in or from the
South Atlantic EEZ would be zero. This
bag and possession limit would also
apply in the South Atlantic on board a
vessel for which a valid Federal
commercial or charter vessel/headboat
permit for South Atlantic snappergrouper has been issued, without regard
to where such species were harvested,
i.e., in state or Federal waters.
The Council requested an extension of
the temporary rule at its September
2014 meeting, and via an October 2,
2014, letter to NMFS, to ensure that
management measures remain in effect
for blueline tilefish to reduce
overfishing while more permanent
measures are developed through
Amendment 32 to the FMP. Section
305(c)(3)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act allows for emergency regulations to
be extended for one additional period of
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:20 Oct 09, 2014
Jkt 235001
186 days provided that the public has
had an opportunity to comment on the
emergency measures and the Council is
actively preparing a plan amendment to
address the overfishing on a permanent
basis. If approved, Amendment 32 is
scheduled to be implemented early in
the 2015 fishing year.
Comments and Responses
Section 305(c)(3)(B) of the MagnusonStevens Act requires that the public has
an opportunity to comment on
emergency measures after the regulation
is published and the Council is actively
preparing a plan amendment to address
overfishing on a permanent basis. NMFS
solicited public comments in the April
17, 2014, temporary rule but received no
comments on the temporary rule or the
emergency measures.
Classification
This action is issued pursuant to
section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, 16 U.S.C. 1855(c). The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA), has determined that the
emergency measures this temporary rule
extends are based upon the best
scientific information available, are
necessary for the conservation and
management of the blueline tilefish
component of the snapper-grouper
fishery and are consistent with the
Magnuson-Stevens Act and other
applicable laws. The Council is
developing Amendment 32 to establish
long-term measures to end overfishing
of South Atlantic blueline tilefish.
Amendment 32, if approved, is not
expected to become effective until the
2015 fishing year.
This temporary rule has been
determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
Because prior notice and opportunity
for public comment are not required for
this rule by 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other
law, the analytical requirements of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601
et seq. are inapplicable. Accordingly, no
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is
required and none has been prepared.
The AA finds 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). Providing prior notice
and opportunity for public comment on
this action would be contrary to the
public interest. This rule would
continue emergency measures
implemented by the April 17, 2014,
temporary rule, for not more than an
additional 186 days beyond the current
expiration date of October 14, 2014. The
conditions prompting the initial
temporary rule still remain, and more
PO 00000
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
61263
permanent measures to be completed
through Amendment 32 have not yet
been approved or implemented. Failure
to extend these temporary measures,
would result in additional overfishing of
the South Atlantic blueline tilefish
stock, which is contrary to the public
interest and in violation of National
Standard 1 of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act.
For the reasons listed above, the AA
also finds good cause to waive the 30day delay in effectiveness of the action
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 6, 2014.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–24220 Filed 10–9–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 131021878–4158–02]
RIN 0648–XD537
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; ‘‘Other Rockfish’’ in
the Aleutian Island Subarea of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is prohibiting retention
of ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the Aleutian
Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary because
the 2014 total allowable catch (TAC) of
‘‘other rockfish’’ in the BSAI has been
reached.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local
time (A.l.t.), October 6, 2014, through
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh
Keaton, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI exclusive economic zone
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands (FMP) prepared by
the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council under authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\10OCR1.SGM
10OCR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 197 (Friday, October 10, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61262-61263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24220]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 131231999-4319-01]
RIN 0648-BD87
Extension of Temporary Rule That Established Separate Annual
Catch Limits and Accountability Measures for Blueline Tilefish in the
South Atlantic Region
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; emergency action extended.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS issues this temporary rule to extend the expiration date
of emergency measures implemented to reduce the amount of blueline
tilefish that may be harvested in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of
the South Atlantic. NMFS published an emergency rule on April 17, 2014,
to remove the blueline tilefish portion from the deep-water complex
annual catch limit (ACL) and establish separate commercial and
recreational ACLs and accountability measures (AMs) for blueline
tilefish. The intent of this rulemaking is to extend the measures
implemented in the emergency action to reduce overfishing of blueline
tilefish in the South Atlantic while the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council (Council) develops permanent management measures.
DATES: The expiration date for the temporary rule published at 79 FR
21636, April 17, 2014, is extended from October 14, 2014, through April
18, 2015, unless NMFS publishes a superseding document in the Federal
Register.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the documents in support of this
temporary rule may be obtained from the Southeast Regional Office Web
site at https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/sg/2014/acl_er/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick DeVictor, Southeast Regional
Office, NMFS, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: Rick.DeVictor@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS and the Council manage South Atlantic
snapper-grouper species, including blueline tilefish, under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The Council prepared the FMP and NMFS implements the FMP
through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act). The Magnuson-Stevens Act provides the legal authority for
the promulgation of emergency regulations under section 305(c) (16
U.S.C. 1855(c)).
Background
At its December 2013 meeting, the Council requested that NMFS
promulgate emergency regulations to reduce overfishing of blueline
tilefish and rebuild the blueline tilefish stock, based on the most
recent stock assessment conducted for blueline tilefish in 2013, while
permanent management measures and regulations are being developed
through Amendment 32 to the FMP. The need for this emergency action is
to minimize adverse biological effects to the blueline tilefish stock
and adverse socio-economic effects to fishermen and fishing communities
that utilize the blueline tilefish portion of the snapper-grouper
fishery. The Council and NMFS determined that any short-term adverse
socio-economic effects of the temporary measures would be justified to
minimize long-term reductions in harvest that may be required if levels
of unsustainable harvest continued to reduce the biomass of the
blueline tilefish stock. Accordingly, on April 17, 2014, NMFS published
a temporary rule under the Magnuson-Stevens Act to implement emergency
regulations for the blueline tilefish stock in the South Atlantic (74
FR 21636) and requested public comment. That temporary rule is
effective through October 14, 2014.
The measures contained in the temporary rule and this extension,
remove blueline tilefish from the deep-water complex and establish
separate commercial and recreational ACLs and AMs for blueline tilefish
in the EEZ of the South Atlantic. The temporary rule and this extension
implement a blueline tilefish total (commercial and recreational) ACL
of 224,100 lb (101,650 kg), round weight. The commercial ACL for
blueline tilefish is set at 112,207 lb (50,896 kg), round weight, and
the recreational ACL is set at 111,893 lb (50,754 kg), round weight.
The deep-water complex (composed of yellowedge grouper, silk snapper,
misty grouper, queen snapper, sand tilefish, black snapper, and
blackfin snapper) ACL remains at current levels, except with the
blueline tilefish portion of the complex ACL of 631,341 lb (286,371
kg), round weight, removed from the complex. Thus, for the deep-water
complex without blueline tilefish, the
[[Page 61263]]
commercial ACL is 60,371 lb (27,384 kg), round weight, and the
recreational ACL is 19,313 lb (8,760 kg), round weight.
The temporary rule and this extension also establish in-season AMs
for blueline tilefish to prevent these catch limits from being
exceeded. If commercial landings for blueline tilefish reach or are
projected to reach the commercial ACL, NMFS will file a notification
with the Office of the Federal Register to close the commercial sector
for blueline tilefish for the remainder of the fishing year. On and
after the effective date of such a notification, all sale or purchase
of blueline tilefish is prohibited and harvest or possession of
blueline tilefish in or from the South Atlantic EEZ is limited to the
bag and possession limit. This bag and possession limit applies 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 species were harvested,
i.e., in state or Federal waters. During the 2014 commercial fishing
season, through AMs implemented in the emergency rule, NMFS closed the
commercial sector for blueline tilefish on June 23, 2014, when NMFS
determined the commercial ACL for blueline tilefish was projected to be
met (79 FR 35292, June 20, 2014). The commercial sector will reopen on
January 1, 2015.
If recreational landings for blueline tilefish reach or are
projected to reach the recreational ACL, NMFS will file a notification
with the Office of the Federal Register to close the recreational
sector for blueline tilefish for the remainder of the fishing year. On
and after the effective date of such notification, the bag and
possession limit of blueline tilefish in or from the South Atlantic EEZ
would be zero. This bag and possession limit would also apply 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 species were harvested,
i.e., in state or Federal waters.
The Council requested an extension of the temporary rule at its
September 2014 meeting, and via an October 2, 2014, letter to NMFS, to
ensure that management measures remain in effect for blueline tilefish
to reduce overfishing while more permanent measures are developed
through Amendment 32 to the FMP. Section 305(c)(3)(B) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act allows for emergency regulations to be extended for one
additional period of 186 days provided that the public has had an
opportunity to comment on the emergency measures and the Council is
actively preparing a plan amendment to address the overfishing on a
permanent basis. If approved, Amendment 32 is scheduled to be
implemented early in the 2015 fishing year.
Comments and Responses
Section 305(c)(3)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that the
public has an opportunity to comment on emergency measures after the
regulation is published and the Council is actively preparing a plan
amendment to address overfishing on a permanent basis. NMFS solicited
public comments in the April 17, 2014, temporary rule but received no
comments on the temporary rule or the emergency measures.
Classification
This action is issued pursuant to section 305(c) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C. 1855(c). The Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA (AA), has determined that the emergency measures this
temporary rule extends are based upon the best scientific information
available, are necessary for the conservation and management of the
blueline tilefish component of the snapper-grouper fishery and are
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable laws. The
Council is developing Amendment 32 to establish long-term measures to
end overfishing of South Atlantic blueline tilefish. Amendment 32, if
approved, is not expected to become effective until the 2015 fishing
year.
This temporary rule has been determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
Because prior notice and opportunity for public comment are not
required for this rule by 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical
requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.
are inapplicable. Accordingly, no Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is
required and none has been prepared.
The AA finds 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). Providing prior notice and opportunity for
public comment on this action would be contrary to the public interest.
This rule would continue emergency measures implemented by the April
17, 2014, temporary rule, for not more than an additional 186 days
beyond the current expiration date of October 14, 2014. The conditions
prompting the initial temporary rule still remain, and more permanent
measures to be completed through Amendment 32 have not yet been
approved or implemented. Failure to extend these temporary measures,
would result in additional overfishing of the South Atlantic blueline
tilefish stock, which is contrary to the public interest and in
violation of National Standard 1 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
For the reasons listed above, the AA also finds good cause to waive
the 30-day delay in effectiveness of the action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 6, 2014.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-24220 Filed 10-9-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P