Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Other Hook-and-Line Fishery by Catcher Vessels in the Gulf of Alaska, 78675-78676 [2015-31759]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 242 / Thursday, December 17, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
2006 to 2015 will be based on NMFS’
logbook records, submitted on or before
February 16, 2016. If NMFS’ logbooks
are not available, state landings records
or data for 2006 to 2015 that were
submitted in compliance with
applicable Federal and state regulations
on or before February 16, 2015, may be
used.
■ 5. In § 622.385, revise paragraph
(a)(2)(ii)(A)(1) to read as follows:
§ 622.385
Commercial trip limits.
*
*
*
*
*
(a) * * *
(2) * * *
(ii) * * *
(A) * * *
(1) In the Florida west coast southern
subzone, king mackerel in or from the
EEZ may be possessed on board or
landed from a vessel for which a
commercial vessel permit for king
mackerel and a king mackerel gillnet
permit have been issued, as required
under § 622.370(a)(2), in amounts not
exceeding 45,000 lb (20,411 kg) per day,
provided the gillnet component for Gulf
migratory group king mackerel is not
closed under § 622.378(a) or § 622.8(b).
*
*
*
*
*
■ 6. In § 622.388:
■ a. Add paragraph (a)(1)(iii); and
■ b. Revise paragraphs (a)(2), (c)(1), and
(e)(1)(i) to read as follows:
[FR Doc. 2015–31708 Filed 12–16–15; 8:45 am]
§ 622.388 Annual catch limits (ACLs),
annual catch targets (ACTs), and
accountability measures (AMs).
Lhorne on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
*
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
*
*
*
*
(a) * * *
(1) * * *
(iii) If commercial landings for Gulf
migratory group king mackerel caught
by run-around gillnet in the Florida
west coast southern subzone, as
estimated by the SRD, exceed the
commercial ACL, the AA will file a
notification with the Office of the
Federal Register to reduce the
commercial ACL for king mackerel
harvested by run-around gillnet in the
Florida west coast southern subzone in
the following fishing year by the amount
of the commercial ACL overage in the
prior fishing year.
(2) Recreational sector. If recreational
landings, as estimated by the SRD, reach
or are projected to reach the recreational
ACL of 8.092 million lb (3.670 million
kg), the AA will file a notification with
the Office of the Federal Register to
implement a bag and possession limit
for Gulf migratory group king mackerel
of zero, unless the best scientific
information available determines that a
bag limit reduction is unnecessary.
*
*
*
*
*
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:06 Dec 16, 2015
Jkt 238001
(c) * * *
(1) If the sum of the commercial and
recreational landings, as estimated by
the SRD, reaches or is projected to reach
the stock ACL, as specified in paragraph
(c)(3) of this section, the AA will file a
notification with the Office of the
Federal Register to close the commercial
and recreational sectors for the
remainder of the fishing year. On and
after the effective date of such a
notification, all sale and purchase of
Gulf migratory group Spanish mackerel
is prohibited and the harvest and
possession limit of this species in or
from the Gulf EEZ is zero.
*
*
*
*
*
(e) * * *
(1) * * *
(i) If the sum of all cobia landings, as
estimated by the SRD, reaches or is
projected to reach the stock quota (stock
ACT), specified in § 622.384(d)(1), the
AA will file a notification with the
Office of the Federal Register to prohibit
the harvest of Gulf migratory group
cobia in the Gulf zone for the remainder
of the fishing year. On and after the
effective date of such a notification, all
sale and purchase of Gulf migratory
group cobia in the Gulf zone is
prohibited and the possession limit of
this species in or from the Gulf EEZ is
zero.
*
*
*
*
*
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 140918791–4999–02]
RIN 0648–XE358
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Other Hook-and-Line
Fishery by Catcher Vessels in the Gulf
of Alaska
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing for groundfish, other than
demersal shelf rockfish, by catcher
vessels (C/Vs) using hook-and-line gear
in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action
is necessary because the Pacific halibut
bycatch allowance specified for the
other hook-and-line fishery by C/Vs in
the GOA has been reached.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00027
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
78675
Effective 1200 hours, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), December 15, 2015,
until 2400 hours A.l.t., December 31,
2015.
DATES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Josh
Keaton, 907–586–7228.
NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council
(Council) under authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act.
Regulations governing fishing by U.S.
vessels in accordance with the FMP
appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600
and 50 CFR part 679.
The Pacific halibut bycatch allowance
specified for the other hook-and-line
fishery by C/Vs in the GOA is 145
metric tons as established by the final
2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for
groundfish of the GOA (80 FR 10250,
February 25, 2015).
In accordance with § 679.21(d)(6)(ii),
the Administrator, Alaska Region,
NMFS, has determined that the Pacific
halibut bycatch allowance specified for
the other hook-and-line fishery by C/Vs
in the GOA has been reached.
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing for groundfish, other
than demersal shelf rockfish, by C/Vs
using hook-and-line gear in the GOA.
After the effective date of this closure
the maximum retainable amounts at
§ 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time
during a trip.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Classification
This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA), finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. This requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries
data in a timely fashion and would
delay closure of other hook-and-line
fishery by C/Vs in the GOA. NMFS was
unable to publish a notice providing
time for public comment because the
most recent, relevant data only became
available as of December 11, 2015.
The AA also finds good cause to
waive the 30-day delay in the effective
date of this action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3). This finding is based upon
E:\FR\FM\17DER1.SGM
17DER1
78676
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 242 / Thursday, December 17, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
the reasons provided above for waiver of
prior notice and opportunity for public
comment.
This action is required by § 679.20
and § 679.21 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 14, 2015.
Galen R. Tromble,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–31759 Filed 12–14–15; 4:15 pm]
Lhorne on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:06 Dec 16, 2015
Jkt 238001
PO 00000
Frm 00028
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
E:\FR\FM\17DER1.SGM
17DER1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 242 (Thursday, December 17, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 78675-78676]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31759]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 140918791-4999-02]
RIN 0648-XE358
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Other Hook-
and-Line Fishery by Catcher Vessels in the Gulf of Alaska
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for groundfish, other
than demersal shelf rockfish, by catcher vessels (C/Vs) using hook-and-
line gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because
the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the other hook-and-
line fishery by C/Vs in the GOA has been reached.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), December 15,
2015, until 2400 hours A.l.t., December 31, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh Keaton, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan
for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) under authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations
governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at
subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the other hook-
and-line fishery by C/Vs in the GOA is 145 metric tons as established
by the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for groundfish of the
GOA (80 FR 10250, February 25, 2015).
In accordance with Sec. 679.21(d)(6)(ii), the Administrator,
Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that the Pacific halibut bycatch
allowance specified for the other hook-and-line fishery by C/Vs in the
GOA has been reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing for groundfish, other than demersal shelf rockfish, by C/Vs
using hook-and-line gear in the GOA.
After the effective date of this closure the maximum retainable
amounts at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip.
Classification
This action responds to the best available information recently
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA (AA), finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set
forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and
would delay closure of other hook-and-line fishery by C/Vs in the GOA.
NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment
because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of
December 11, 2015.
The AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the
effective date of this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This finding is
based upon
[[Page 78676]]
the reasons provided above for waiver of prior notice and opportunity
for public comment.
This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and Sec. 679.21 and is
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 14, 2015.
Galen R. Tromble,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-31759 Filed 12-14-15; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
