Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2014 Recreational Accountability Measure and Closure for Gray Triggerfish in the South Atlantic, 70120 [2014-27943]
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70120
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 227 / Tuesday, November 25, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
Under authority delegated in 49 CFR
part 1.95.
R. Ryan Posten
Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2014–27885 Filed 11–24–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–59–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 120815345–3525–02]
RIN 0648–XD628
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South
Atlantic; 2014 Recreational
Accountability Measure and Closure
for Gray Triggerfish in the South
Atlantic
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS implements
accountability measures (AMs) for
recreational gray triggerfish in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the
South Atlantic. Because recreational
landings for gray triggerfish in the 2013
fishing year exceeded the recreational
annual catch limit (ACL) for the stock,
NMFS monitored recreational landings
in 2014 for a persistence in increased
landings. Through this temporary rule,
NMFS now closes the recreational
sector for gray triggerfish in the South
Atlantic EEZ on November 26, 2014, as
NMFS has projected the recreational
ACL to have been met for the 2014
fishing year. This closure is necessary to
protect the gray triggerfish resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m.,
local time, November 26, 2014, until
12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Catherine Hayslip, telephone: 727–824–
5305, or email: catherine.hayslip@
noaa.gov.
wreier-aviles on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
14:24 Nov 24, 2014
Jkt 235001
The
snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic, which includes gray
triggerfish, is managed under the
Fishery Management Plan for 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 recreational ACL for gray
triggerfish is 353,638 lb (160,407 kg),
round weight. In accordance with
regulations at 50 CFR 622.193(q)(2), if
the recreational ACL is exceeded, the
Assistant Administrator, NMFS (AA),
will file a notification with the Office of
the Federal Register to reduce the length
of the following fishing season by the
amount necessary to ensure landings do
not exceed the recreational ACL in the
following fishing year. In the 2013
fishing year, recreational landings were
373,983 lb (169,636 kg), round weight,
and therefore, exceeded the recreational
ACL by 20,345 lb (9,228 kg), round
weight. NMFS received landings
projections on November 12, 2014, that
indicated the fishery has likely met the
recreational ACL. Therefore, this
temporary rule closes the recreational
sector for gray triggerfish within the
snapper-grouper fishery in 2014,
effective 12:01 a.m., local time,
November 26, 2014.
During the closure, the bag and
possession limit for gray triggerfish in or
from the South Atlantic EEZ is zero. The
recreational sector for gray triggerfish
will reopen on January 1, 2015, the
beginning of the 2015 recreational
fishing season. Upon reaching the
commercial ACL, NMFS closed the
commercial sector for gray triggerfish
effective May 12, 2014 (79 FR 26375,
May 8, 2014). Therefore, on November
26, 2014, no commercial or recreational
harvest of gray triggerfish from the
South Atlantic EEZ is permitted until
January 1, 2015.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
Frm 00068
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
Classification
The Assistant Administrator (AA),
Southeast Region, NMFS, has
determined this temporary rule is
necessary for the conservation and
management of South Atlantic gray
triggerfish within the South Atlantic
snapper-grouper fishery and is
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens
Act and other applicable laws.
This action is taken under 50 CFR
622.193(q)(2) and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
These measures are exempt from the
procedures of the Regulatory Flexibility
Act because the temporary rule is issued
without opportunity for prior notice and
comment.
This action responds to the best
scientific information available recently
obtained from the fishery. The AA finds
that the need to immediately implement
this action to close the recreational
sector for gray triggerfish 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 are unnecessary and
contrary to the public interest. Such
procedures are unnecessary because the
rule itself has been subject to notice and
comment, and all that remains is to
notify the public of the closure.
Additionally, such procedures are
contrary to the public interest because
there is a need to immediately notify the
public of the recreational closure for
gray triggerfish for the 2014 fishing year,
to prevent recreational harvest of gray
triggerfish from further exceeding the
ACL, which will help protect this
resource in the South Atlantic.
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 20, 2014.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–27943 Filed 11–21–14; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\25NOR1.SGM
25NOR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 25, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 70120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-27943]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 120815345-3525-02]
RIN 0648-XD628
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2014 Recreational
Accountability Measure and Closure for Gray Triggerfish in the South
Atlantic
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for recreational
gray triggerfish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South
Atlantic. Because recreational landings for gray triggerfish in the
2013 fishing year exceeded the recreational annual catch limit (ACL)
for the stock, NMFS monitored recreational landings in 2014 for a
persistence in increased landings. Through this temporary rule, NMFS
now closes the recreational sector for gray triggerfish in the South
Atlantic EEZ on November 26, 2014, as NMFS has projected the
recreational ACL to have been met for the 2014 fishing year. This
closure is necessary to protect the gray triggerfish resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, November 26,
2014, until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Hayslip, telephone: 727-824-
5305, or email: catherine.hayslip@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic, which includes gray triggerfish, is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for 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 recreational ACL for gray triggerfish is 353,638 lb (160,407
kg), round weight. In accordance with regulations at 50 CFR
622.193(q)(2), if the recreational ACL is exceeded, the Assistant
Administrator, NMFS (AA), will file a notification with the Office of
the Federal Register to reduce the length of the following fishing
season by the amount necessary to ensure landings do not exceed the
recreational ACL in the following fishing year. In the 2013 fishing
year, recreational landings were 373,983 lb (169,636 kg), round weight,
and therefore, exceeded the recreational ACL by 20,345 lb (9,228 kg),
round weight. NMFS received landings projections on November 12, 2014,
that indicated the fishery has likely met the recreational ACL.
Therefore, this temporary rule closes the recreational sector for gray
triggerfish within the snapper-grouper fishery in 2014, effective 12:01
a.m., local time, November 26, 2014.
During the closure, the bag and possession limit for gray
triggerfish in or from the South Atlantic EEZ is zero. The recreational
sector for gray triggerfish will reopen on January 1, 2015, the
beginning of the 2015 recreational fishing season. Upon reaching the
commercial ACL, NMFS closed the commercial sector for gray triggerfish
effective May 12, 2014 (79 FR 26375, May 8, 2014). Therefore, on
November 26, 2014, no commercial or recreational harvest of gray
triggerfish from the South Atlantic EEZ is permitted until January 1,
2015.
Classification
The Assistant Administrator (AA), Southeast Region, NMFS, has
determined this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and
management of South Atlantic gray triggerfish within the South Atlantic
snapper-grouper fishery and is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act
and other applicable laws.
This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.193(q)(2) and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
These measures are exempt from the procedures of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act because the temporary rule is issued without
opportunity for prior notice and comment.
This action responds to the best scientific information available
recently obtained from the fishery. The AA finds that the need to
immediately implement this action to close the recreational sector for
gray triggerfish 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 are
unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such procedures are
unnecessary because the rule itself has been subject to notice and
comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the closure.
Additionally, such procedures are contrary to the public interest
because there is a need to immediately notify the public of the
recreational closure for gray triggerfish for the 2014 fishing year, to
prevent recreational harvest of gray triggerfish from further exceeding
the ACL, which will help protect this resource in the South Atlantic.
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 20, 2014.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-27943 Filed 11-21-14; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P