Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; 2015 Management Area 1A Seasonal Annual Catch Limit Harvested, 67664 [2015-27997]
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67664
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 212 / Tuesday, November 3, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 130919816–4205–02]
RIN 0648–XE292
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; 2015
Management Area 1A Seasonal Annual
Catch Limit Harvested
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is implementing a
2,000 lb possession limit for Atlantic
herring in or from management Area 1A,
based on the projection that 92 percent
of the 2015 annual seasonal catch limit
for that area will have been harvested by
the effective date. Federally permitted
vessels may not fish for, possess,
transfer, receive, land, or sell more than
2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring in
or from Area 1A for the remainder of the
fishing year, and federally permitted
dealers may not purchase more than
2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring from
federally permitted vessels for the
duration of this action. This action is
necessary to comply with the
regulations implementing the Atlantic
Herring Fishery Management Plan and
is intended to prevent over harvest in
Area 1A.
DATES: Effective 1200 hr local time,
November 2, 2015, through December
31, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 282–8456.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations governing the Atlantic
herring fishery can be found at 50 CFR
part 648, including requirements for
setting annual catch allocations. NMFS
set the 2015 Area 1A sub-annual catch
limit (ACL) at 30,585 mt, based on an
initial 2015 sub-ACL allocation of
31,200 mt, minus a deduction of 936 mt
for research set-aside catch, plus an
increase of 321 mt to account for
unharvested 2013 catch. NMFS
established these values in the 2013
through 2015 specifications (78 FR
61828, October 1, 2013) and a final rule
implementing sub-ACL adjustments for
2015 (80 FR 7808, February 12, 2015).
For management Area 1A, NMFS
restricts herring catch to the seasonal
period from June 1 through December
31. NMFS prohibits vessels from
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:38 Nov 02, 2015
Jkt 238001
catching herring during the seasonal
period from January 1 through May 31.
The Administrator, Greater Atlantic
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator),
monitors the herring fishery catch in
each of the management areas based on
dealer reports, state data, and other
available information. The regulations at
§ 648.201 require that when Regional
Administrator projects that herring
catch will reach 92 percent of the subACL allocated in any of the four
management areas designated in the
Atlantic herring Fishery Management
Plan (FMP), NMFS must prohibit,
through notification in the Federal
Register, herring vessel permit holders
from fishing for, possessing,
transferring, receiving, landing, or
selling more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of
herring per trip or calendar day in or
from the specified management area for
the remainder of the fishing year.
The Regional Administrator has
determined, based on dealer reports,
state data, and other available
information, that the herring fleet will
have caught 92 percent of the total
herring sub-ACL allocated to Area 1A by
November 2, 2015. Therefore, effective
1200 hr local time, November 2, 2015,
federally permitted vessels may not fish
for, catch, possess, transfer, land, or sell
more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring
per trip or calendar day, in or from Area
1A through December 31, 2015, except
that vessels that have entered port
before 1200 hr on November 2, 2015,
may land and sell more than 2,000 lb
(907.2 kg) of herring from Area 1A from
that trip. In addition, due to state
landing restrictions, all herring vessels
must land in accordance with state
regulations. A vessel may transit
through Area 1A with more than 2,000
lb (907.2 kg) of herring on board,
provided all herring was caught outside
of Area 1A and all fishing gear is stowed
and not available for immediate use as
defined by § 648.2. Effective 1200 hr on
November 2, 2015, federally permitted
dealers may not receive herring from
federally permitted herring vessels that
harvest more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of
herring from Area 1A through 2400 hr
local time, December 31, 2015, unless it
is from a trip landed by a vessel that
entered port before 1200 hr on
November 2, 2015, and that catch is
landed in accordance with state
regulations.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part
648 and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
NMFS finds good cause pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice
and the opportunity for public comment
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
because it would be contrary to the
public interest and impracticable. This
action severely restricts the catch of
herring in Area 1A for the remainder of
the fishing year. Data indicating the
herring fleet will have landed at least 92
percent of the 2015 sub-ACL allocated
to Area 1A have only recently become
available. Once these data become
available, NMFS is required by Federal
regulation to implement a 2,000-lb
(907.2-kg) possession limit for Area 1A
through December 31, 2015. The
regulations at § 648.201(a)(1)(i) require
such action to ensure that herring
vessels do not exceed the 2015 sub-ACL
allocated to Area 1A. If implementation
of this closure is delayed to solicit prior
public comment, the sub-ACL for Area
1A for this fishing year will likely be
exceeded, thereby undermining the
conservation objectives of the FMP. If
sub-ACLs are exceeded, the excess must
also be deducted from a future sub-ACL
and would reduce future fishing
opportunities. NMFS further finds,
pursuant to 5 U.S.C 553(d)(3), good
cause to waive the 30-day delayed
effectiveness period for the reasons
stated above.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 29, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–27997 Filed 10–29–15; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 140904754–5188–02]
RIN 0648–BF44
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;
Fisheries Off West Coast States;
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery;
2015–2016 Biennial Specifications and
Management Measures; Inseason
Adjustments
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; inseason adjustments
to biennial groundfish management
measures.
AGENCY:
This final rule announces
inseason changes to management
measures in the Pacific Coast groundfish
fisheries. This action, which is
authorized by the Pacific Coast
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\03NOR1.SGM
03NOR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 212 (Tuesday, November 3, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 67664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27997]
[[Page 67664]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 130919816-4205-02]
RIN 0648-XE292
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring
Fishery; 2015 Management Area 1A Seasonal Annual Catch Limit Harvested
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is implementing a 2,000 lb possession limit for Atlantic
herring in or from management Area 1A, based on the projection that 92
percent of the 2015 annual seasonal catch limit for that area will have
been harvested by the effective date. Federally permitted vessels may
not fish for, possess, transfer, receive, land, or sell more than 2,000
lb (907.2 kg) of Atlantic herring in or from Area 1A for the remainder
of the fishing year, and federally permitted dealers may not purchase
more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring from federally permitted
vessels for the duration of this action. This action is necessary to
comply with the regulations implementing the Atlantic Herring Fishery
Management Plan and is intended to prevent over harvest in Area 1A.
DATES: Effective 1200 hr local time, November 2, 2015, through December
31, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 282-8456.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic herring
fishery can be found at 50 CFR part 648, including requirements for
setting annual catch allocations. NMFS set the 2015 Area 1A sub-annual
catch limit (ACL) at 30,585 mt, based on an initial 2015 sub-ACL
allocation of 31,200 mt, minus a deduction of 936 mt for research set-
aside catch, plus an increase of 321 mt to account for unharvested 2013
catch. NMFS established these values in the 2013 through 2015
specifications (78 FR 61828, October 1, 2013) and a final rule
implementing sub-ACL adjustments for 2015 (80 FR 7808, February 12,
2015). For management Area 1A, NMFS restricts herring catch to the
seasonal period from June 1 through December 31. NMFS prohibits vessels
from catching herring during the seasonal period from January 1 through
May 31.
The Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS (Regional
Administrator), monitors the herring fishery catch in each of the
management areas based on dealer reports, state data, and other
available information. The regulations at Sec. 648.201 require that
when Regional Administrator projects that herring catch will reach 92
percent of the sub-ACL allocated in any of the four management areas
designated in the Atlantic herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP), NMFS
must prohibit, through notification in the Federal Register, herring
vessel permit holders from fishing for, possessing, transferring,
receiving, landing, or selling more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring
per trip or calendar day in or from the specified management area for
the remainder of the fishing year.
The Regional Administrator has determined, based on dealer reports,
state data, and other available information, that the herring fleet
will have caught 92 percent of the total herring sub-ACL allocated to
Area 1A by November 2, 2015. Therefore, effective 1200 hr local time,
November 2, 2015, federally permitted vessels may not fish for, catch,
possess, transfer, land, or sell more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of
herring per trip or calendar day, in or from Area 1A through December
31, 2015, except that vessels that have entered port before 1200 hr on
November 2, 2015, may land and sell more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of
herring from Area 1A from that trip. In addition, due to state landing
restrictions, all herring vessels must land in accordance with state
regulations. A vessel may transit through Area 1A with more than 2,000
lb (907.2 kg) of herring on board, provided all herring was caught
outside of Area 1A and all fishing gear is stowed and not available for
immediate use as defined by Sec. 648.2. Effective 1200 hr on November
2, 2015, federally permitted dealers may not receive herring from
federally permitted herring vessels that harvest more than 2,000 lb
(907.2 kg) of herring from Area 1A through 2400 hr local time, December
31, 2015, unless it is from a trip landed by a vessel that entered port
before 1200 hr on November 2, 2015, and that catch is landed in
accordance with state regulations.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
NMFS finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior
notice and the opportunity for public comment because it would be
contrary to the public interest and impracticable. This action severely
restricts the catch of herring in Area 1A for the remainder of the
fishing year. Data indicating the herring fleet will have landed at
least 92 percent of the 2015 sub-ACL allocated to Area 1A have only
recently become available. Once these data become available, NMFS is
required by Federal regulation to implement a 2,000-lb (907.2-kg)
possession limit for Area 1A through December 31, 2015. The regulations
at Sec. 648.201(a)(1)(i) require such action to ensure that herring
vessels do not exceed the 2015 sub-ACL allocated to Area 1A. If
implementation of this closure is delayed to solicit prior public
comment, the sub-ACL for Area 1A for this fishing year will likely be
exceeded, thereby undermining the conservation objectives of the FMP.
If sub-ACLs are exceeded, the excess must also be deducted from a
future sub-ACL and would reduce future fishing opportunities. NMFS
further finds, pursuant to 5 U.S.C 553(d)(3), good cause to waive the
30-day delayed effectiveness period for the reasons stated above.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 29, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-27997 Filed 10-29-15; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P