Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2015 Commercial Accountability Measure and Closure for South Atlantic Snowy Grouper, 56932-56933 [2015-23604]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
56932
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 182 / Monday, September 21, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
rmajette on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with RULES
for the January 1 through June 30, 2016
period as specified in 50 CFR
622.190(a)(4)(i)(D).
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, September 22, 2015.
During the closure, the bag limit
specified in 50 CFR 622.187(b)(5) and
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,
September 22, 2015, 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 bag and possession limits
and the prohibition on sale and
purchase 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 South Atlantic
vermilion snapper and is consistent
with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and
other applicable laws.
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
scientific information available. 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 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.
Allowing prior notice and opportunity
for public comment is contrary to the
public interest because of the need to
VerDate Sep<11>2014
13:55 Sep 18, 2015
Jkt 235001
immediately implement this action to
protect vermilion snapper since the
capacity of the fishing fleet allows for
rapid harvest of the commercial quota.
Prior notice and opportunity for public
comment could result in a harvest well
in excess of the established 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: September 16, 2015.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–23616 Filed 9–16–15; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 0907271173–0629–03]
RIN 0648–XE181
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2015
Commercial Accountability Measure
and Closure for South Atlantic Snowy
Grouper
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS implements
accountability measures (AMs) for
commercial snowy grouper in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the
South Atlantic. NMFS projects
commercial landings for snowy grouper
will reach the commercial annual catch
limit (ACL) (equivalent to the
commercial quota) by September 22,
2015. Therefore, NMFS closes the
commercial sector for snowy grouper in
the South Atlantic EEZ on September
22, 2015, and it will remain closed until
the start of the next fishing season on
January 1, 2016. This closure is
necessary to protect the snowy grouper
resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m.,
local time, September 22, 2015, until
12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Britni LaVine, NMFS Southeast
Regional Office, telephone: 727–824–
5305, email: britni.lavine@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
snapper-grouper fishery of the South
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00040
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
Atlantic includes snowy grouper 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 by NMFS under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by
regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
The final rule implementing
Regulatory Amendment 20 to the FMP
recently revised the commercial quota
(equivalent to the commercial ACL) for
snowy grouper in the South Atlantic to
115,451 lb (52,368 kg), gutted weight;
136,233 lb (61,794 kg), round weight, for
the remainder of the current fishing
year, ending December 31, 2015, as
specified in 50 CFR 622.190(a)(1) (80 FR
43033, July 21, 2015).
Under 50 CFR 622.193(b)(1), NMFS is
required to close the commercial sector
for snowy grouper when the commercial
quota (commercial ACL) is reached, or
is projected to be reached, by filing a
notification to that effect with the Office
of the Federal Register. NMFS projects
that commercial landings of South
Atlantic snowy grouper will reach the
commercial ACL by September 22,
2015. Accordingly, the commercial
sector for South Atlantic snowy grouper
is closed effective 12:01 a.m., local time,
September 22, 2015, until 12:01 a.m.,
local time, January 1, 2016.
The operator of a vessel with a valid
commercial vessel permit for South
Atlantic snapper-grouper with snowy
grouper on board must have landed and
bartered, traded, or sold such snowy
grouper prior to 12:01 a.m., local time,
September 22, 2015. During the
commercial closure, harvest and
possession of snowy grouper in or from
the South Atlantic EEZ is limited to the
bag and possession limits, as specified
in § 622.187(b)(2)(ii) and (c)(1). Also
during the commercial closure, the sale
or purchase of snowy grouper taken
from the South Atlantic EEZ is
prohibited. The prohibition on sale or
purchase does not apply to the sale or
purchase of snowy grouper that were
harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior
to 12:01 a.m., local time, September 22,
2015, 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 bag and possession
limits and the sale and purchase
provisions of the commercial closure for
snowy grouper would apply regardless
of whether the fish are harvested in state
E:\FR\FM\21SER1.SGM
21SER1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 182 / Monday, September 21, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
or Federal waters, as specified in 50
CFR 622.190(c)(1)(ii).
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Classification
The Regional Administrator,
Southeast Region, NMFS, has
determined this temporary rule is
necessary for the conservation and
management of snowy grouper and the
South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery
and is consistent with the MagnusonStevens Act and other applicable laws.
This action is taken under 50 CFR
622.193(b)(1) 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. The
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA (AA), finds that the need to
immediately implement this action to
close the commercial sector for snowy
grouper 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 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. Such procedures
are contrary to the public interest
because of the need to immediately
implement this action to protect snowy
grouper since the capacity of the fishing
fleet allows for rapid harvest of the
commercial ACL (commercial quota).
Prior notice and opportunity for public
comment would require time and would
potentially 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).
rmajette on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with RULES
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 16, 2015.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–23604 Filed 9–16–15; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
13:55 Sep 18, 2015
Jkt 235001
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 140214138–4482–02]
RIN 0648–XE189
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Bluefish Fishery and Summer
Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota
Harvested for the State of
Massachusetts
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closures.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces that the
2015 commercial bluefish and summer
flounder quota allocated to the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts has
been harvested. Vessels issued
commercial Federal fisheries permits for
these fisheries may not land bluefish or
summer flounder in Massachusetts for
the remainder of calendar year 2015,
unless additional quota becomes
available through a transfer from
another state. Regulations governing
these fisheries require publication of
this notice to advise Massachusetts that
the quota has been harvested, and to
advise Federal vessel and dealer permit
holders that no Federal commercial
quota is available to land bluefish or
summer flounder in Massachusetts.
DATES: Effective 0001 hours, September
17, 2015, through December 31, 2015 for
summer flounder and effective 0001
hours, September 19, 2015, through
December 31, 2015 for bluefish.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid
Lichwell, (978) 281–9112, or
Reid.Lichwell@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations governing the bluefish
fishery and summer flounder fishery are
found at 50 CFR part 648. The bluefish
regulations require annual specification
of a commercial quota that is
apportioned on a percentage basis
among the coastal states from Florida
through Maine, while the summer
flounder regulations require annual
specification of commercial quota that is
apportioned based on a percentage basis
among coastal states from North
Carolina through Maine. The processes
to set the annual commercial quotas and
the percent allocated to each state are
described in § 648.162 and § 648.102 for
bluefish and summer flounder,
respectively.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00041
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
56933
The initial coastwide commercial
quota for bluefish for the 2015 fishing
year is 5,241,202 lb (2,377,371 kg) (80
FR 46848, August 6, 2015). The percent
allocated to vessels landing bluefish in
Massachusetts is 6.7167 percent,
resulting in an initial commercial quota
of 352,036 lb (159,681 kg). The 2015
allocation was adjusted to 602,036 lb
(273,079 kg) to reflect quota transfers
from other states.
The initial coastwide commercial
quota for summer flounder for the 2015
fishing year was set at 11,069,410 lb
(5,021,000 kg) (79 FR 78311, December
30, 2014). The percent allocated to
vessels landing summer flounder in
Massachusetts is 6.82046 percent,
resulting in an initial commercial quota
of 754,985 lb (340,165 kg). The 2015
allocation was adjusted to 760,785 lb
(345,086 kg) to reflect quota overages
from 2014 and quota transfers from
other states.
The Administrator, Greater Atlantic
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator),
monitors the state commercial quotas
and determines when a state’s
commercial quota has been harvested.
NMFS is required to publish a notice in
the Federal Register alerting Federal
commercial vessel and dealer permit
holders that, effective upon a specific
date, the state’s commercial quota has
been harvested and no commercial
quota is available to land bluefish or
summer flounder in that state. The
Regional Administrator has determined,
based upon dealer reports and other
available information, that
Massachusetts has harvested its quota
for 2015.
Section 648.4(b) provides that Federal
permit holders agree, as a condition of
the permit, not to land bluefish or
summer flounder in any state that the
Regional Administrator has determined
no longer has commercial quota
available. Therefore, vessels holding
Federal commercial permits are
prohibited from landing summer
flounder, effective 0001 hours,
September 17, 2015 and/or bluefish,
effective 0001 hours, September 19,
2015 for the remainder of the 2015
calendar year, unless additional quota
becomes available through a transfer
and is announced in the Federal
Register. Federally permitted dealers are
also notified that they may not purchase
summer flounder, effective 0001 hours,
September 17, 2015 and/or bluefish,
effective 0001 hours, September 19,
2015 from federally permitted vessels
that land in Massachusetts for the
remainder of the calendar year, or until
additional quota becomes available
through a transfer from another state.
E:\FR\FM\21SER1.SGM
21SER1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 182 (Monday, September 21, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56932-56933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23604]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 0907271173-0629-03]
RIN 0648-XE181
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
2015 Commercial Accountability Measure and Closure for South Atlantic
Snowy Grouper
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for commercial
snowy grouper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South
Atlantic. NMFS projects commercial landings for snowy grouper will
reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) (equivalent to the
commercial quota) by September 22, 2015. Therefore, NMFS closes the
commercial sector for snowy grouper in the South Atlantic EEZ on
September 22, 2015, and it will remain closed until the start of the
next fishing season on January 1, 2016. This closure is necessary to
protect the snowy grouper resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, September 22,
2015, until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Britni LaVine, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: britni.lavine@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic includes snowy grouper 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 by NMFS under the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
The final rule implementing Regulatory Amendment 20 to the FMP
recently revised the commercial quota (equivalent to the commercial
ACL) for snowy grouper in the South Atlantic to 115,451 lb (52,368 kg),
gutted weight; 136,233 lb (61,794 kg), round weight, for the remainder
of the current fishing year, ending December 31, 2015, as specified in
50 CFR 622.190(a)(1) (80 FR 43033, July 21, 2015).
Under 50 CFR 622.193(b)(1), NMFS is required to close the
commercial sector for snowy grouper when the commercial quota
(commercial ACL) is reached, or is projected to be reached, by filing a
notification to that effect with the Office of the Federal Register.
NMFS projects that commercial landings of South Atlantic snowy grouper
will reach the commercial ACL by September 22, 2015. Accordingly, the
commercial sector for South Atlantic snowy grouper is closed effective
12:01 a.m., local time, September 22, 2015, until 12:01 a.m., local
time, January 1, 2016.
The operator of a vessel with a valid commercial vessel permit for
South Atlantic snapper-grouper with snowy grouper on board must have
landed and bartered, traded, or sold such snowy grouper prior to 12:01
a.m., local time, September 22, 2015. During the commercial closure,
harvest and possession of snowy grouper in or from the South Atlantic
EEZ is limited to the bag and possession limits, as specified in Sec.
622.187(b)(2)(ii) and (c)(1). Also during the commercial closure, the
sale or purchase of snowy grouper taken from the South Atlantic EEZ is
prohibited. The prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to the
sale or purchase of snowy grouper that were harvested, landed ashore,
and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time, September 22, 2015, 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 bag and possession limits and the sale and
purchase provisions of the commercial closure for snowy grouper would
apply regardless of whether the fish are harvested in state
[[Page 56933]]
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
snowy grouper and 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(b)(1) 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.
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds that the
need to immediately implement this action to close the commercial
sector for snowy grouper 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 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. Such procedures are contrary to the public
interest because of the need to immediately implement this action to
protect snowy grouper since the capacity of the fishing fleet allows
for rapid harvest of the commercial ACL (commercial quota). Prior
notice and opportunity for public comment would require time and would
potentially 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: September 16, 2015.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-23604 Filed 9-16-15; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
