Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Resources of the South Atlantic; Trip Limit Reduction for Gag Grouper, 62501 [2015-26396]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 200 / Friday, October 16, 2015 / Rules and Regulations PART 660—FISHERIES OFF WEST COAST STATES 7. The authority citation for part 660 continues to read as follows: ■ Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., and 16 U.S.C. 7001 et seq. 8. In § 660.2, add paragraph (c) to read as follows: ■ § 660.2 Relation to other laws. * * * * * (c) Fishing activities on the high seas are governed by regulations of the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act set forth in 50 CFR part 300, subparts A and Q. § 660.708 [Amended] 9. In § 660.708, remove paragraph (a)(1)(iii) and redesignate paragraph (a)(1)(iv) as paragraph (a)(1)(iii). ■ PART 665—FISHERIES IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC 10. The authority citation for part 665 continues to read as follows: ■ Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 11. In § 665.1, revise paragraph (b) to read as follows: ■ § 665.1 Purpose and scope. * * * * * (b) General regulations governing fishing by all vessels of the United States and by fishing vessels other than vessels of the United States are contained in 50 CFR parts 300 and 600. * * * * * [FR Doc. 2015–26398 Filed 10–15–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 622 [Docket No. 130403320–4891–02] RIN 0648–XE245 asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with RULES Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; SnapperGrouper Resources of the South Atlantic; Trip Limit Reduction for Gag Grouper National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; trip limit reduction. AGENCY: NMFS reduces the commercial trip limit for gag grouper SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:45 Oct 15, 2015 Jkt 238001 (gag) in or from the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic to 500 lb (227 kg), gutted weight. This trip limit reduction is necessary to protect the South Atlantic gag resource. DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, October 18, 2015, until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2016. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Vara, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, telephone: 727–824–5305, email: mary.vara@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery in the South Atlantic includes gag 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 commercial ACL (commercial quota) for gag in the South Atlantic during the 2015 fishing year is 295,459 lb (134,018 kg), gutted weight, 348,642 lb (158,141 kg), round weight, as specified in 50 CFR 622.190(a)(7)(i). Under 50 CFR 622.191(a)(7)(ii), NMFS is required to reduce the commercial trip limit for gag from 1,000 lb (454 kg), gutted weight, 1,180 lb (535 kg), round weight, to 500 lb (227 kg), gutted weight, 590 lb (268 kg), round weight, when 75 percent of the quota is reached or is projected to be reached, by filing a notification to that effect with the Office of the Federal Register, as implemented by the final rule for Regulatory Amendment 14 to the FMP (79 FR 66316, November 7, 2014). Based on current data, NMFS has determined that 75 percent of the available gag commercial quota will be reached by October 18, 2015. Accordingly, NMFS is reducing the commercial trip limit for gag to 500 lb (227 kg), gutted weight, 590 lb (268 kg), round weight, in or from the South Atlantic EEZ at 12:01 a.m., local time, on October 18, 2015. This 500-lb (227-kg), gutted weight, 590-lb (268-kg), round weight, trip limit will remain in effect until either the commercial sector reaches its quota and the sector closes, or through the end of the current fishing year on December 31, 2015, whichever occurs first. is consistent with the MagnusonStevens Act and other applicable laws. This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.191(a)(7) 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 commercial trip limit reduction 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), because prior notice and opportunity for public comment on this temporary rule is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such procedures are unnecessary, because the rule establishing the trip limit reduction has already been subject to notice and comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the reduced trip limit. The procedures are contrary to the public interest, because there is a need to immediately implement this action to protect the gag resource since the capacity of the fishing fleet allows for rapid harvest of the quota. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment on this action would require time and would increase the probability that the commercial sector could exceed the 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: October 13, 2015. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015–26396 Filed 10–13–15; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P Classification The Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, has determined this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and management of South Atlantic gag and PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 62501 E:\FR\FM\16OCR1.SGM 16OCR1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 200 (Friday, October 16, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 62501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26396]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 130403320-4891-02]
RIN 0648-XE245


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Snapper-Grouper Resources of the South Atlantic; Trip Limit Reduction 
for Gag Grouper

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; trip limit reduction.

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SUMMARY: NMFS reduces the commercial trip limit for gag grouper (gag) 
in or from the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic to 
500 lb (227 kg), gutted weight. This trip limit reduction is necessary 
to protect the South Atlantic gag resource.

DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, October 18, 2015, 
until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Vara, NMFS Southeast Regional 
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: mary.vara@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery in the South 
Atlantic includes gag 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 commercial ACL (commercial quota) for gag in the South Atlantic 
during the 2015 fishing year is 295,459 lb (134,018 kg), gutted weight, 
348,642 lb (158,141 kg), round weight, as specified in 50 CFR 
622.190(a)(7)(i).
    Under 50 CFR 622.191(a)(7)(ii), NMFS is required to reduce the 
commercial trip limit for gag from 1,000 lb (454 kg), gutted weight, 
1,180 lb (535 kg), round weight, to 500 lb (227 kg), gutted weight, 590 
lb (268 kg), round weight, when 75 percent of the quota is reached or 
is projected to be reached, by filing a notification to that effect 
with the Office of the Federal Register, as implemented by the final 
rule for Regulatory Amendment 14 to the FMP (79 FR 66316, November 7, 
2014). Based on current data, NMFS has determined that 75 percent of 
the available gag commercial quota will be reached by October 18, 2015. 
Accordingly, NMFS is reducing the commercial trip limit for gag to 500 
lb (227 kg), gutted weight, 590 lb (268 kg), round weight, in or from 
the South Atlantic EEZ at 12:01 a.m., local time, on October 18, 2015. 
This 500-lb (227-kg), gutted weight, 590-lb (268-kg), round weight, 
trip limit will remain in effect until either the commercial sector 
reaches its quota and the sector closes, or through the end of the 
current fishing year on December 31, 2015, whichever occurs first.

Classification

    The Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, has determined 
this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and management of 
South Atlantic gag and is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and 
other applicable laws.
    This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.191(a)(7) 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 commercial trip limit reduction 
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), because prior notice and opportunity for 
public comment on this temporary rule is unnecessary and contrary to 
the public interest. Such procedures are unnecessary, because the rule 
establishing the trip limit reduction has already been subject to 
notice and comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the 
reduced trip limit. The procedures are contrary to the public interest, 
because there is a need to immediately implement this action to protect 
the gag resource since the capacity of the fishing fleet allows for 
rapid harvest of the quota. Prior notice and opportunity for public 
comment on this action would require time and would increase the 
probability that the commercial sector could exceed the 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: October 13, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-26396 Filed 10-13-15; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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