Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2015 Commercial Accountability Measure and Closure for South Atlantic Greater Amberjack, 3031-3032 [2016-00907]
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3031
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 12 / Wednesday, January 20, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
Species 1
Common name
Scientific name
Description of listed entity
*
Cardinalfish, Banggai
*
*
Pterapogon kauderni ........
*
Entire species ..................
*
*
*
*
Citation(s) for listing
determination(s)
Critical
habitat
*
*
January 20, 2016 [Insert
NA ...............
Federal Register citation].
*
*
ESA rules
*
NA.
*
1 Species
includes taxonomic species, subspecies, distinct population segments (DPSs) (for a policy statement, see 61 FR 4722, February 7,
1996), and evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) (for a policy statement, see 56 FR 58612, November 20, 1991).
*
*
*
*
*
[FR Doc. 2016–00943 Filed 1–19–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 100812345–2142–03]
RIN 0648–XE397
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2015
Commercial Accountability Measure
and Closure for South Atlantic Greater
Amberjack
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS implements
accountability measures (AMs) for
commercial greater amberjack in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the
South Atlantic. NMFS projects
commercial landings of greater
amberjack will reach the commercial
annual catch limit (ACL) (equivalent to
the commercial quota) by January 21,
2016. Therefore, NMFS closes the
commercial sector for greater amberjack
in the South Atlantic EEZ on January
21, 2016, and it will remain closed until
the start of the next fishing year on
March 1, 2016. This closure is necessary
to protect the greater amberjack
resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m.,
local time, January 21, 2016, until 12:01
a.m., local time, March 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 of the South
Atlantic includes greater amberjack and
is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Snapper-
rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:15 Jan 19, 2016
Jkt 238001
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 quota (equivalent to
the commercial ACL) for greater
amberjack in the South Atlantic is
769,388 lb (348,989 kg), gutted weight,
as specified in 50 CFR 622.190(a)(3).
Under 50 CFR 622.193(k)(1), NMFS is
required to close the commercial sector
for greater amberjack 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 greater amberjack will
reach the commercial ACL by January
21, 2016. Accordingly, the commercial
sector for South Atlantic greater
amberjack is closed effective 12:01 a.m.,
local time, January 21, 2016, until 12:01
a.m., local time, March 1, 2016.
The operator of a vessel with a valid
commercial vessel permit for South
Atlantic snapper-grouper with greater
amberjack on board must have landed
and bartered, traded, or sold such
greater amberjack prior to 12:01 a.m.,
local time, January 21, 2016. During the
commercial closure, harvest and
possession of greater amberjack in or
from the South Atlantic EEZ is limited
to the bag and possession limits, as
specified in § 622.187(b)(1) and (c)(1).
Also during the commercial closure, the
sale or purchase of greater amberjack
taken from the South Atlantic EEZ is
prohibited. The prohibition on sale or
purchase does not apply to the sale or
purchase of greater amberjack that were
harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior
to 12:01 a.m., local time, January 21,
2016, and were held in cold storage by
a dealer or processor, as specified in
§ 622.190(c)(1)(i).
For a person on board a vessel for
which a Federal commercial or charter
vessel/headboat permit for the South
PO 00000
Frm 00065
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery has
been issued, the bag and possession
limits and the sale and purchase
provisions of the commercial closure for
greater amberjack would 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 greater amberjack 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(k)(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 greater
amberjack 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 greater amberjack 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).
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 12 / Wednesday, January 20, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
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: January 13, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–00907 Filed 1–15–16; 11:15 am]
rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with RULES
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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15:15 Jan 19, 2016
Jkt 238001
PO 00000
Frm 00066
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
E:\FR\FM\20JAR1.SGM
20JAR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 20, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3031-3032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00907]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 100812345-2142-03]
RIN 0648-XE397
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
2015 Commercial Accountability Measure and Closure for South Atlantic
Greater Amberjack
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
greater amberjack in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South
Atlantic. NMFS projects commercial landings of greater amberjack will
reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) (equivalent to the
commercial quota) by January 21, 2016. Therefore, NMFS closes the
commercial sector for greater amberjack in the South Atlantic EEZ on
January 21, 2016, and it will remain closed until the start of the next
fishing year on March 1, 2016. This closure is necessary to protect the
greater amberjack resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, January 21, 2016,
until 12:01 a.m., local time, March 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 of the South
Atlantic includes greater amberjack 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 quota (equivalent to the commercial ACL) for greater
amberjack in the South Atlantic is 769,388 lb (348,989 kg), gutted
weight, as specified in 50 CFR 622.190(a)(3).
Under 50 CFR 622.193(k)(1), NMFS is required to close the
commercial sector for greater amberjack 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 greater
amberjack will reach the commercial ACL by January 21, 2016.
Accordingly, the commercial sector for South Atlantic greater amberjack
is closed effective 12:01 a.m., local time, January 21, 2016, until
12:01 a.m., local time, March 1, 2016.
The operator of a vessel with a valid commercial vessel permit for
South Atlantic snapper-grouper with greater amberjack on board must
have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such greater amberjack prior
to 12:01 a.m., local time, January 21, 2016. During the commercial
closure, harvest and possession of greater amberjack in or from the
South Atlantic EEZ is limited to the bag and possession limits, as
specified in Sec. 622.187(b)(1) and (c)(1). Also during the commercial
closure, the sale or purchase of greater amberjack taken from the South
Atlantic EEZ is prohibited. The prohibition on sale or purchase does
not apply to the sale or purchase of greater amberjack that were
harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m., local time,
January 21, 2016, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or
processor, as specified in Sec. 622.190(c)(1)(i).
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 greater amberjack
would 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
greater amberjack 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(k)(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 greater amberjack 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 greater amberjack 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).
[[Page 3032]]
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: January 13, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-00907 Filed 1-15-16; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
