Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2016 Recreational Accountability Measure and Closure for the South Atlantic Other Jacks Complex, 52366 [2016-18677]
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52366
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 152 / Monday, August 8, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 120815345–3525–02]
RIN 0648–XE774
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South
Atlantic; 2016 Recreational
Accountability Measure and Closure
for the South Atlantic Other Jacks
Complex
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS implements an
accountability measure (AM) for the
recreational sector for the other jacks
complex (lesser amberjack, almaco jack,
and banded rudderfish) in the South
Atlantic for the 2016 fishing year
through this temporary rule. NMFS
projects that recreational landings of the
other jacks complex will reach their
combined recreational annual catch
limit (ACL) by August 9, 2016.
Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational
sector for this complex on August 9,
2016, through the remainder of the
fishing year in the exclusive economic
zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. This
closure is necessary to protect the lesser
amberjack, almaco jack, and banded
rudderfish resources.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m.,
local time, August 9, 2016, until 12:01
a.m., local time, January 1, 2017.
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 lesser amberjack,
almaco jack, and banded rudderfish,
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 recreational ACL for the other
jacks complex is 267,799 lb (121,472
kg), round weight. Under 50 CFR
622.193(l)(2)(i), NMFS is required to
close the recreational sector for the
other jacks complex when the
rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
13:12 Aug 05, 2016
Jkt 238001
recreational ACL has been reached, or is
projected to be reached, by filing a
notification to that effect with the Office
of the Federal Register. NMFS has
determined that the recreational sector
for this complex is projected to reach its
ACL by August 9, 2016. Therefore, this
temporary rule implements an AM to
close the recreational sector for the
other jacks complex in the South
Atlantic, effective 12:01 a.m., local time,
August 9, 2016, until January 1, 2017,
the start of the next fishing year.
During the recreational closure, the
bag and possession limits for the fish in
the other jacks complex in or from the
South Atlantic EEZ are zero.
Additionally, NMFS closed the
commercial sector for the other jacks
complex effective on August 9, 2016,
upon reaching the commercial ACL.
Therefore, on August 9, 2016, no
commercial or recreational harvest of
fish in the other jacks complex from the
South Atlantic EEZ is permitted for the
remainder of 2016. The commercial
sector for the other jacks complex reopens on January 1, 2017.
Classification
The Regional Administrator,
Southeast Region, NMFS, has
determined this temporary rule is
necessary for the conservation and
management of the fish in the other
jacks complex, a component of 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(l)(2)(i) 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
public comment.
This action responds to the best
scientific information available. The
Assistant Administrator for NOAA
Fisheries (AA) finds that the need to
immediately implement this action to
close the recreational sector for the
other jacks complex 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 implementing the AM 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 the
other jacks complex. Prior notice and
PO 00000
Frm 00042
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
opportunity for public comment would
require time and would potentially
allow the recreational sector to exceed
its ACL.
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: August 2, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–18677 Filed 8–2–16; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 120109034–2171–01]
RIN 0648–XE778
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Small-Mesh Multispecies
Fishery; Adjustment to the Commercial
Northern Red Hake Inseason
Possession Limit
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason
adjustment.
AGENCY:
We announce the reduction of
the commercial possession limit for
northern red hake for the remainder of
the 2016 fishing year. This action is
required to prevent the northern red
hake total allowable landing limit from
being exceeded. This announcement
informs the public that the northern red
hake possession limit is reduced.
DATES: Effective August 8, 2016, through
April 30, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid
Lichwell, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978–675–9112.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The smallmesh multispecies fishery is managed
primarily through a series of exemptions
from the Northeast Multispecies
Fisheries Management Plan. Regulations
governing the red hake fishery are found
at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations
describing the process to adjust
inseason commercial possession limits
of northern red hake are described in
§ 648.86(d)(4) and (5). These regulations
require the Regional Administrator to
reduce the northern red hake possession
limit from 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) to 1,500
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\08AUR1.SGM
08AUR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 152 (Monday, August 8, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 52366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18677]
[[Page 52366]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 120815345-3525-02]
RIN 0648-XE774
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2016 Recreational
Accountability Measure and Closure for the South Atlantic Other Jacks
Complex
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the
recreational sector for the other jacks complex (lesser amberjack,
almaco jack, and banded rudderfish) in the South Atlantic for the 2016
fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS projects that
recreational landings of the other jacks complex will reach their
combined recreational annual catch limit (ACL) by August 9, 2016.
Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for this complex on
August 9, 2016, through the remainder of the fishing year in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. This closure is
necessary to protect the lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded
rudderfish resources.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, August 9, 2016,
until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2017.
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 lesser amberjack, almaco jack, and banded rudderfish,
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 recreational ACL for the other jacks complex is 267,799 lb
(121,472 kg), round weight. Under 50 CFR 622.193(l)(2)(i), NMFS is
required to close the recreational sector for the other jacks complex
when the recreational ACL has been reached, or is projected to be
reached, by filing a notification to that effect with the Office of the
Federal Register. NMFS has determined that the recreational sector for
this complex is projected to reach its ACL by August 9, 2016.
Therefore, this temporary rule implements an AM to close the
recreational sector for the other jacks complex in the South Atlantic,
effective 12:01 a.m., local time, August 9, 2016, until January 1,
2017, the start of the next fishing year.
During the recreational closure, the bag and possession limits for
the fish in the other jacks complex in or from the South Atlantic EEZ
are zero. Additionally, NMFS closed the commercial sector for the other
jacks complex effective on August 9, 2016, upon reaching the commercial
ACL. Therefore, on August 9, 2016, no commercial or recreational
harvest of fish in the other jacks complex from the South Atlantic EEZ
is permitted for the remainder of 2016. The commercial sector for the
other jacks complex re-opens on January 1, 2017.
Classification
The Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, has determined
this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and management of
the fish in the other jacks complex, a component of 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(l)(2)(i) 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 public comment.
This action responds to the best scientific information available.
The Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries (AA) finds that the need
to immediately implement this action to close the recreational sector
for the other jacks complex 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 implementing the AM 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 the other jacks complex. Prior notice and opportunity
for public comment would require time and would potentially allow the
recreational sector to exceed its ACL.
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: August 2, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-18677 Filed 8-2-16; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P