Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery Off the Southern Atlantic States; Regulatory Amendment 22, 48277-48279 [2015-19806]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 155 / Wednesday, August 12, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
(c) The Director may approve a
request for a suspension of the service
or payment obligations for a period of
one year. A renewal of this suspension
may also be granted.
(d) Compliance by a participant with
a service or payment obligation will be
considered impossible if the Director
determines, on the basis of information
and documentation as may be required,
that the participant suffers from a
physical or mental disability resulting
in the permanent inability of the
participant to perform the service or
other activities that would be necessary
to comply with the obligation.
(e) In determining whether to waive
or suspend any or all of the service or
payment obligations of a participant as
imposing an undue hardship and being
against equity and good conscience, the
Director, on the basis of information and
documentation as may be required, will
consider:
(1) The participant’s present financial
resources and obligations;
(2) The participant’s estimated future
financial resources and obligations; and
(3) The extent to which the
participant has problems of a personal
nature, such as physical or mental
disability or terminal illness in the
immediate family, which so intrude on
the participant’s present and future
ability to perform as to raise a
presumption that the individual will be
unable to begin or complete the
obligation incurred.
§ 68b.12 What other regulations and
statutes apply?
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Several other regulations and statutes
apply to this part. These include, but are
not necessarily limited to:
(a) Debt Collection Act of 1982 (31
U.S.C. 3701 et seq.);
(b) Debt Collection Improvement Act
of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 3701 note);
(c) Fair Credit Reporting Act (15
U.S.C. 1681 et seq.);
(d) Federal Debt Collection
Procedures Act of 1990 (28 U.S.C. 176);
and
(e) Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C.
552a).
Dated: March 27, 2015.
Francis S. Collins,
Director, National Institutes of Health.
Approved: July 29, 2015.
Sylvia M. Burwell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015–19739 Filed 8–11–15; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 150305220–5683–02]
RIN 0648–BE76
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; SnapperGrouper Fishery Off the Southern
Atlantic States; Regulatory
Amendment 22
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
NMFS issues this final rule to
implement Regulatory Amendment 22
to the Fishery Management Plan for the
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South
Atlantic Region (FMP)(Regulatory
Amendment 22), as prepared and
submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council (Council). This
final rule revises the annual catch limits
(ACLs) for gag grouper (gag) and
wreckfish and the directed commercial
quota for gag, based upon revisions to
the acceptable biological catch (ABC)
and the optimum yield (OY) for gag and
wreckfish. The purpose of this final rule
is to help achieve OY and prevent
overfishing of gag and wreckfish in the
South Atlantic region while minimizing,
to the extent practicable, adverse social
and economic effects to the snappergrouper fishery.
DATES: This rule is effective September
11, 2015, except for the amendments to
§§ 622.190(b) and 622.193(r)(1) which
are effective August 12, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of
Regulatory Amendment 22, which
includes an environmental assessment,
a Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
analysis, and a regulatory impact
review, may be obtained from the
Southeast Regional Office Web site at
https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_
fisheries/s_atl/sg/2015/reg_am22/
index.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Janine Vara, telephone: 727–824–
5305, email: mary.vara@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Gag and
wreckfish are in the snapper-grouper
fishery and are managed under the FMP.
The FMP was prepared by the Council
and is implemented through regulations
at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act).
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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48277
On June 4, 2015, NMFS published a
proposed rule for Regulatory
Amendment 22 and requested public
comment through July 6, 2015 (80 FR
31880). The proposed rule and
Regulatory Amendment 22 set forth the
rationale for the actions contained in
this final rule. A summary of the actions
implemented by Regulatory
Amendment 22 and this final rule is
provided below.
Management Measures Contained in
This Final Rule
This final rule revises the commercial
and recreational ACLs and directed
commercial quotas for gag for the 2015
through the 2019 fishing years and
subsequent fishing years, and revises
the commercial and recreational ACLs
for wreckfish for the 2015 through the
2020 fishing years and subsequent
fishing years.
Comments and Responses
NMFS received a total of six unique
comment submissions (some containing
several comments) from three
individuals, two fishing associations,
and one Federal agency on Regulatory
Amendment 22 and the proposed rule.
Two comments were supportive of the
actions contained in the regulatory
amendment and proposed rule, one
comment stated the commenter had no
comments, and three of the comments
expressed concerns regarding red
snapper regulations, venting fish,
fishery closures, sector allocations, tag
programs, reporting requirements, and
changing the Marine Recreational
Information Program on accuracy and
reliability; NMFS determined these
comments were beyond the scope of the
proposed rule and, therefore, they have
not been addressed in this final rule. A
summary of the comments relevant to
Regulatory Amendment 22 and the
proposed rule and NMFS’s responses
are included below.
Comment 1: One commenter
questioned whether the 2012, 2013, and
2014 catch years were included in the
gag stock assessment, and asked why
the recreational ACL will be lowered
when the recreational sector caught only
a percentage of the recreational ACL
during those 3 years.
Response: The stock assessment for
gag was initially conducted in 2006 and
then updated in 2014 using data
through 2012, and the recreational ACL
is changing because of that stock
assessment. Based on that stock
assessment, the Council’s Scientific and
Statistical Committee (SSC)
recommended new ABC levels for gag.
This final rule sets the total ACL equal
to 95 percent of the SSC’s recommended
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48278
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 155 / Wednesday, August 12, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
In addition, eliminating the 30-day
delay in effectiveness will allow
fishermen to access wreckfish during
the summer when weather and sea
conditions are most favorable for
harvest. Wreckfish are taken far offshore
and in deep water. Therefore, to
enhance safety-at-sea, implementing the
opportunity for commercial wreckfish
fishermen to continue fishing right away
would mean that fishermen will not
need to fish later in the fishing year
when weather can be poor, which is
more likely to happen if these ACLs are
implemented with a 30-day delay in
effectiveness.
Classification
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
ABC. The ABC and total ACL for gag
will initially decrease from 2014 levels
but will gradually increase after 2015 as
the biomass increases, and will exceed
2014 levels in 2018. The sector
allocations of 51 percent commercial
and 49 percent recreational that were
established in Amendment 16 to the
FMP (74 FR 30964, June 29, 2009) are
applied to the total ACL to determine
each sector’s ACL. Thus, the
recreational ACL is decreased because
the ABC and total ACL are decreased.
NMFS determined that Regulatory
Amendment 22 is based on the best
scientific information available.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 622
The NMFS Regional Administrator,
Southeast Region, has determined that
this final rule is necessary for the
conservation and management of South
Atlantic gag and wreckfish and is
consistent with Regulatory Amendment
22, the FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens Act,
and other applicable law.
This final rule has been determined to
be not significant for purposes of
Executive Order 12866.
The Chief Counsel for Regulation of
the Department of Commerce certified
to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the
Small Business Administration during
the proposed rule stage that this action
would not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small
entities. The factual basis for this
certification was published in the
proposed rule and is not repeated here.
No comments were received regarding
the certification and NMFS has not
received any new information that
would affect its determination. No
changes to the final rule were made in
response to public comments. As a
result, a final regulatory flexibility
analysis was not required and none was
prepared.
The NOAA Assistant Administrator
for Fisheries (AA) finds good cause
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the
30-day delay in effectiveness for the
commercial ACLs (commercial quotas)
for wreckfish contained at §§ 622.190(b)
and 622.193(r)(1) in this final rule. The
final rule increases the commercial
ACLs for wreckfish in the South
Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
to help achieve OY and prevent
overfishing of wreckfish, while
minimizing adverse social and
economic effects on wreckfish.
Implementing these increased
commercial ACLs immediately provides
timely opportunity for commercial
wreckfish fishermen to achieve OY for
the fishery, thereby helping to achieve
the intent of this final rule.
Annual catch limits, Fisheries,
Fishing, Gag, Quotas, South Atlantic,
Wreckfish.
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Dated: August 7, 2015.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
gutted weight; 409,816 lb (185,889 kg),
round weight.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) Wreckfish. (1) The quotas for
wreckfish apply to wreckfish
shareholders, or their employees,
contractors, or agents. The quotas are
given round weight. See § 622.172 for
information on the wreckfish
shareholder under the ITQ system.
(i) For the 2015 fishing year—411,350
lb (186,585 kg).
(ii) For the 2016 fishing year—402,515
(182,578 kg).
(iii) For the 2017 fishing year—
393,490 lb (178,484 kg).
(iv) For the 2018 fishing year—
385,985 lb (175,080 kg).
(v) For the 2019 fishing year—376,960
lb (170,986 kg).
(vi) For the 2020 and subsequent
fishing years—369,645 lb (167,668 kg).
(2) [Reserved]
*
*
*
*
*
■ 3. In § 622.193, paragraphs (c) and (r)
are revised to read as follows:
For the reasons set out in the
preamble, 50 CFR part 622 is amended
as follows:
§ 622.193 Annual catch limits (ACLs),
annual catch targets (ACTs), and
accountability measures (AMs).
PART 622—FISHERIES OF THE
CARIBBEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND
SOUTH ATLANTIC
*
1. The authority citation for part 622
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
2. In § 622.190, the last sentence in the
introductory text of paragraph (a), and
paragraphs (a)(7) and (b), are revised to
read as follows:
■
§ 622.190
Quotas.
*
*
*
*
*
(a) * * * The quotas are in gutted
weight, that is eviscerated but otherwise
whole, except for the quotas in
paragraphs (a)(4) through (7) of this
section which are in both gutted weight
and round weight.
*
*
*
*
*
(7) Gag—(i) For the 2015 fishing
year—295,459 lb (134,018 kg), gutted
weight; 348,642 lb (158,141 kg), round
weight.
(ii) For the 2016 fishing year—297,882
lb (135,117 kg), gutted weight; 351,501
(159,438 kg), round weight.
(iii) For the 2017 fishing year—
318,231 lb (144,347 kg), gutted weight;
375,513 lb (170,330 kg), round weight.
(iv) For the 2018 fishing year—
335,188 lb (152,039 kg), gutted weight;
395,522 lb (179,406 kg), round weight.
(v) For the 2019 and subsequent
fishing years—347,301 lb (157,533 kg),
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*
*
*
*
(c) Gag—(1) Commercial sector. If
commercial landings, as estimated by
the SRD, reach or are projected to reach
the applicable directed commercial
quota, specified in § 622.190(a)(7), the
AA will file a notification with the
Office of the Federal Register to close
the commercial sector for gag for the
remainder of the fishing year. The
commercial ACL for gag is 322,677 lb
(146,364 kg), gutted weight, 380,759 lb
(172,709 kg), round weight, for 2015;
325,100 lb (147,463 kg), gutted weight,
383,618 lb (174,006 kg), round weight,
for 2016; 345,449 lb (197,516 kg), gutted
weight, 407,630 lb (184,898 kg), round
weight, for 2017; 362,406 lb (164,385
kg), gutted weight, 427,639 lb (193,974
kg), round weight, for 2018; and 374,519
lb (169,879 kg), gutted weight, 441,932
lb (200,457 kg), round weight, for 2019
and subsequent fishing years.
(2) Recreational sector. (i) If
recreational landings, as estimated by
the SRD, reach or are projected to reach
the applicable recreational ACL,
specified in paragraph (c)(2)(iv) of this
section, and gag are overfished, based
on the most recent Status of U.S.
Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA
will file a notification with the Office of
the Federal Register to close the gag
recreational sector for the remainder of
the fishing year. On and after the
effective date of such notification, the
bag and possession limits for gag in or
from the South Atlantic EEZ are zero.
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 155 / Wednesday, August 12, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
These bag and possession limits 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.
(ii) Without regard to overfished
status, if gag recreational landings
exceed the recreational ACL, the AA
will file a notification with the Office of
the Federal Register, at or near the
beginning of the following fishing year,
to reduce the recreational ACL for that
fishing year by the amount of the
overage.
(iii) Recreational landings will be
evaluated relative to the ACL based on
a moving multi-year average of landings,
as described in the FMP.
(iv) The recreational ACL for gag is
310,023 lb (148,025 kg), gutted weight,
365,827 (165,936 kg), round weight, for
2015; 312,351 lb (149,137 kg), gutted
weight, 368,574 lb (175,981 kg), round
weight, for 2016; 331,902 lb (158,472
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18:35 Aug 11, 2015
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kg), gutted weight, 391,644 lb (186,997
kg), round weight, for 2017; 348,194 lb
(166,251 kg), gutted weight, 410,869 lb
(196,176 kg), round weight, for 2018;
and 359,832 lb (171,807 kg), gutted
weight, 424,602 lb (202,733 kg), round
weight, for 2019 and subsequent fishing
years.
*
*
*
*
*
(r) Wreckfish—(1) Commercial sector.
The ITQ program for wreckfish in the
South Atlantic serves as the
accountability measure for commercial
wreckfish. The commercial ACL for
wreckfish is equal to the applicable
commercial quota specified in
§ 622.190(b).
(2) Recreational sector. (i) If
recreational landings for wreckfish, as
estimated by the SRD, exceed the
recreational ACL specified in paragraph
(r)(2)(ii) of this section, then during the
following fishing year, recreational
landings will be monitored for a
persistence in increased landings and, if
necessary, the AA will file a notification
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48279
with the Office of the Federal Register,
to reduce the length of the following
recreational fishing season by the
amount necessary to ensure recreational
landings do not exceed the recreational
ACL in the following fishing year.
However, the length of the recreational
season will also not be reduced during
the following fishing year if the RA
determines, using the best scientific
information available, that a reduction
in the length of the following fishing
season is unnecessary.
(ii) The recreational ACL for
wreckfish is 21,650 (9,820 kg), round
weight, for 2015; 21,185 lb (9,609 kg),
round weight, for 2016; 20,710 lb (9,394
kg), round weight, for 2017; 20,315 lb
(9,215 kg), round weight, for 2018;
19,840 lb (8,999 kg), round weight, for
2019; and 19,455 lb (8,825 kg), round
weight, for 2020 and subsequent fishing
years.
*
*
*
*
*
[FR Doc. 2015–19806 Filed 8–11–15; 8:45 am]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 155 (Wednesday, August 12, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48277-48279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19806]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 150305220-5683-02]
RIN 0648-BE76
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Snapper-Grouper Fishery Off the Southern Atlantic States; Regulatory
Amendment 22
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS issues this final rule to implement Regulatory Amendment
22 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of
the South Atlantic Region (FMP)(Regulatory Amendment 22), as prepared
and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
(Council). This final rule revises the annual catch limits (ACLs) for
gag grouper (gag) and wreckfish and the directed commercial quota for
gag, based upon revisions to the acceptable biological catch (ABC) and
the optimum yield (OY) for gag and wreckfish. The purpose of this final
rule is to help achieve OY and prevent overfishing of gag and wreckfish
in the South Atlantic region while minimizing, to the extent
practicable, adverse social and economic effects to the snapper-grouper
fishery.
DATES: This rule is effective September 11, 2015, except for the
amendments to Sec. Sec. 622.190(b) and 622.193(r)(1) which are
effective August 12, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of Regulatory Amendment 22, which includes
an environmental assessment, a Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
analysis, and a regulatory impact review, may be obtained from the
Southeast Regional Office Web site at https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/sg/2015/reg_am22/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Janine Vara, telephone: 727-824-
5305, email: mary.vara@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Gag and wreckfish are in the snapper-grouper
fishery and are managed under the FMP. The FMP was prepared by the
Council and is implemented through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under
the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
On June 4, 2015, NMFS published a proposed rule for Regulatory
Amendment 22 and requested public comment through July 6, 2015 (80 FR
31880). The proposed rule and Regulatory Amendment 22 set forth the
rationale for the actions contained in this final rule. A summary of
the actions implemented by Regulatory Amendment 22 and this final rule
is provided below.
Management Measures Contained in This Final Rule
This final rule revises the commercial and recreational ACLs and
directed commercial quotas for gag for the 2015 through the 2019
fishing years and subsequent fishing years, and revises the commercial
and recreational ACLs for wreckfish for the 2015 through the 2020
fishing years and subsequent fishing years.
Comments and Responses
NMFS received a total of six unique comment submissions (some
containing several comments) from three individuals, two fishing
associations, and one Federal agency on Regulatory Amendment 22 and the
proposed rule. Two comments were supportive of the actions contained in
the regulatory amendment and proposed rule, one comment stated the
commenter had no comments, and three of the comments expressed concerns
regarding red snapper regulations, venting fish, fishery closures,
sector allocations, tag programs, reporting requirements, and changing
the Marine Recreational Information Program on accuracy and
reliability; NMFS determined these comments were beyond the scope of
the proposed rule and, therefore, they have not been addressed in this
final rule. A summary of the comments relevant to Regulatory Amendment
22 and the proposed rule and NMFS's responses are included below.
Comment 1: One commenter questioned whether the 2012, 2013, and
2014 catch years were included in the gag stock assessment, and asked
why the recreational ACL will be lowered when the recreational sector
caught only a percentage of the recreational ACL during those 3 years.
Response: The stock assessment for gag was initially conducted in
2006 and then updated in 2014 using data through 2012, and the
recreational ACL is changing because of that stock assessment. Based on
that stock assessment, the Council's Scientific and Statistical
Committee (SSC) recommended new ABC levels for gag. This final rule
sets the total ACL equal to 95 percent of the SSC's recommended
[[Page 48278]]
ABC. The ABC and total ACL for gag will initially decrease from 2014
levels but will gradually increase after 2015 as the biomass increases,
and will exceed 2014 levels in 2018. The sector allocations of 51
percent commercial and 49 percent recreational that were established in
Amendment 16 to the FMP (74 FR 30964, June 29, 2009) are applied to the
total ACL to determine each sector's ACL. Thus, the recreational ACL is
decreased because the ABC and total ACL are decreased. NMFS determined
that Regulatory Amendment 22 is based on the best scientific
information available.
Classification
The NMFS Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, has determined
that this final rule is necessary for the conservation and management
of South Atlantic gag and wreckfish and is consistent with Regulatory
Amendment 22, the FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable
law.
This final rule has been determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration during the proposed rule stage that this action would
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities. The factual basis for this certification was published in the
proposed rule and is not repeated here. No comments were received
regarding the certification and NMFS has not received any new
information that would affect its determination. No changes to the
final rule were made in response to public comments. As a result, a
final regulatory flexibility analysis was not required and none was
prepared.
The NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (AA) finds good
cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness for the commercial ACLs (commercial quotas) for wreckfish
contained at Sec. Sec. 622.190(b) and 622.193(r)(1) in this final
rule. The final rule increases the commercial ACLs for wreckfish in the
South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to help achieve OY and
prevent overfishing of wreckfish, while minimizing adverse social and
economic effects on wreckfish. Implementing these increased commercial
ACLs immediately provides timely opportunity for commercial wreckfish
fishermen to achieve OY for the fishery, thereby helping to achieve the
intent of this final rule.
In addition, eliminating the 30-day delay in effectiveness will
allow fishermen to access wreckfish during the summer when weather and
sea conditions are most favorable for harvest. Wreckfish are taken far
offshore and in deep water. Therefore, to enhance safety-at-sea,
implementing the opportunity for commercial wreckfish fishermen to
continue fishing right away would mean that fishermen will not need to
fish later in the fishing year when weather can be poor, which is more
likely to happen if these ACLs are implemented with a 30-day delay in
effectiveness.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 622
Annual catch limits, Fisheries, Fishing, Gag, Quotas, South
Atlantic, Wreckfish.
Dated: August 7, 2015.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 622 is amended
as follows:
PART 622--FISHERIES OF THE CARIBBEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND SOUTH
ATLANTIC
0
1. The authority citation for part 622 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
0
2. In Sec. 622.190, the last sentence in the introductory text of
paragraph (a), and paragraphs (a)(7) and (b), are revised to read as
follows:
Sec. 622.190 Quotas.
* * * * *
(a) * * * The quotas are in gutted weight, that is eviscerated but
otherwise whole, except for the quotas in paragraphs (a)(4) through (7)
of this section which are in both gutted weight and round weight.
* * * * *
(7) Gag--(i) For the 2015 fishing year--295,459 lb (134,018 kg),
gutted weight; 348,642 lb (158,141 kg), round weight.
(ii) For the 2016 fishing year--297,882 lb (135,117 kg), gutted
weight; 351,501 (159,438 kg), round weight.
(iii) For the 2017 fishing year--318,231 lb (144,347 kg), gutted
weight; 375,513 lb (170,330 kg), round weight.
(iv) For the 2018 fishing year--335,188 lb (152,039 kg), gutted
weight; 395,522 lb (179,406 kg), round weight.
(v) For the 2019 and subsequent fishing years--347,301 lb (157,533
kg), gutted weight; 409,816 lb (185,889 kg), round weight.
* * * * *
(b) Wreckfish. (1) The quotas for wreckfish apply to wreckfish
shareholders, or their employees, contractors, or agents. The quotas
are given round weight. See Sec. 622.172 for information on the
wreckfish shareholder under the ITQ system.
(i) For the 2015 fishing year--411,350 lb (186,585 kg).
(ii) For the 2016 fishing year--402,515 (182,578 kg).
(iii) For the 2017 fishing year--393,490 lb (178,484 kg).
(iv) For the 2018 fishing year--385,985 lb (175,080 kg).
(v) For the 2019 fishing year--376,960 lb (170,986 kg).
(vi) For the 2020 and subsequent fishing years--369,645 lb (167,668
kg).
(2) [Reserved]
* * * * *
0
3. In Sec. 622.193, paragraphs (c) and (r) are revised to read as
follows:
Sec. 622.193 Annual catch limits (ACLs), annual catch targets (ACTs),
and accountability measures (AMs).
* * * * *
(c) Gag--(1) Commercial sector. If commercial landings, as
estimated by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the applicable
directed commercial quota, specified in Sec. 622.190(a)(7), the AA
will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to
close the commercial sector for gag for the remainder of the fishing
year. The commercial ACL for gag is 322,677 lb (146,364 kg), gutted
weight, 380,759 lb (172,709 kg), round weight, for 2015; 325,100 lb
(147,463 kg), gutted weight, 383,618 lb (174,006 kg), round weight, for
2016; 345,449 lb (197,516 kg), gutted weight, 407,630 lb (184,898 kg),
round weight, for 2017; 362,406 lb (164,385 kg), gutted weight, 427,639
lb (193,974 kg), round weight, for 2018; and 374,519 lb (169,879 kg),
gutted weight, 441,932 lb (200,457 kg), round weight, for 2019 and
subsequent fishing years.
(2) Recreational sector. (i) If recreational landings, as estimated
by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the applicable recreational
ACL, specified in paragraph (c)(2)(iv) of this section, and gag are
overfished, based on the most recent Status of U.S. Fisheries Report to
Congress, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the
Federal Register to close the gag recreational sector for the remainder
of the fishing year. On and after the effective date of such
notification, the bag and possession limits for gag in or from the
South Atlantic EEZ are zero.
[[Page 48279]]
These bag and possession limits 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.
(ii) Without regard to overfished status, if gag recreational
landings exceed the recreational ACL, the AA will file a notification
with the Office of the Federal Register, at or near the beginning of
the following fishing year, to reduce the recreational ACL for that
fishing year by the amount of the overage.
(iii) Recreational landings will be evaluated relative to the ACL
based on a moving multi-year average of landings, as described in the
FMP.
(iv) The recreational ACL for gag is 310,023 lb (148,025 kg),
gutted weight, 365,827 (165,936 kg), round weight, for 2015; 312,351 lb
(149,137 kg), gutted weight, 368,574 lb (175,981 kg), round weight, for
2016; 331,902 lb (158,472 kg), gutted weight, 391,644 lb (186,997 kg),
round weight, for 2017; 348,194 lb (166,251 kg), gutted weight, 410,869
lb (196,176 kg), round weight, for 2018; and 359,832 lb (171,807 kg),
gutted weight, 424,602 lb (202,733 kg), round weight, for 2019 and
subsequent fishing years.
* * * * *
(r) Wreckfish--(1) Commercial sector. The ITQ program for wreckfish
in the South Atlantic serves as the accountability measure for
commercial wreckfish. The commercial ACL for wreckfish is equal to the
applicable commercial quota specified in Sec. 622.190(b).
(2) Recreational sector. (i) If recreational landings for
wreckfish, as estimated by the SRD, exceed the recreational ACL
specified in paragraph (r)(2)(ii) of this section, then during the
following fishing year, recreational landings will be monitored for a
persistence in increased landings and, if necessary, the AA will file a
notification with the Office of the Federal Register, to reduce the
length of the following recreational fishing season by the amount
necessary to ensure recreational landings do not exceed the
recreational ACL in the following fishing year. However, the length of
the recreational season will also not be reduced during the following
fishing year if the RA determines, using the best scientific
information available, that a reduction in the length of the following
fishing season is unnecessary.
(ii) The recreational ACL for wreckfish is 21,650 (9,820 kg), round
weight, for 2015; 21,185 lb (9,609 kg), round weight, for 2016; 20,710
lb (9,394 kg), round weight, for 2017; 20,315 lb (9,215 kg), round
weight, for 2018; 19,840 lb (8,999 kg), round weight, for 2019; and
19,455 lb (8,825 kg), round weight, for 2020 and subsequent fishing
years.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2015-19806 Filed 8-11-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
