Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Individual Bluefin Quota Program; Inseason Transfers; Correction, 9530 [2017-02462]

Download as PDF 9530 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 24 / Tuesday, February 7, 2017 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 635 [Docket No. 160527473–6999–02] RIN 0648–BG09 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Individual Bluefin Quota Program; Inseason Transfers; Correction National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Stay of final rule; correction. AGENCY: NMFS published a ‘‘Stay of final rule’’ on January 31, 2017—in accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ‘‘Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,’’ published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2017 (the Memorandum)— to delay the effective date of the final rule NMFS published on December 29, 2016. This notification corrects the effectiveness date from ‘‘March 21, 2017’’ to ‘‘February 10, 2017.’’ For consistency and clarity, the complete new DATES section has been set out below in its entirety. DATES: Effective February 7, 2017, the final rule amending 50 CFR part 635, that published on December 29, 2016, at 81 FR 95903, is stayed until February 10, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Warren or Sarah McLaughlin, 978–281–9260; Carrie Soltanoff, 301– 427–8503. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES SUMMARY: Background On December 29, 2016, NMFS published this final rule modifying the Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) regulations regarding the distribution of inseason Atlantic bluefin tuna quota transfers to the Longline category. This final rule provides NMFS the ability to distribute quota inseason either to all qualified Individual Bluefin Quota (IBQ) share recipients (i.e., share recipients who have associated their permit with a vessel) or only to permitted Atlantic Tunas Longline vessels with recent fishing activity, whether or not they are associated with IBQ shares. This action is necessary to optimize fishing opportunity in the directed pelagic longline fishery for target species such as tuna and swordfish and to improve the functioning of the IBQ Program and its leasing provisions consistent with VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:06 Feb 06, 2017 Jkt 241001 the objectives of Amendment 7 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan. On January 20, 2017, the White House issued a memo instructing Federal agencies to temporarily postpone the effective date for 60 days after January 20, 2017, of any regulations or guidance documents that have published in the Federal Register but not yet taken effect, for the purpose of ‘‘reviewing questions of fact, law, and policy they raise.’’ Because its effective date has already passed, we enacted a stay of the rule published on December 29, 2016, at 81 FR 95903 (see DATES above) until March 21, 2017, in a ‘‘Stay of final rule’’ document published on January 31, 2017 (82 FR 8821). Need for Correction After the ‘‘Stay of final rule’’ published on January 31, 2017, NMFS is correcting the effective date of ‘‘March 21, 2017’’ to ‘‘February 10, 2017’’ to better align with current fisheries management goals. NMFS publishes this notification to correct the stay of effective date. Corrections In the Federal Register of January 31, 2017, in FR Doc. 2017–02043, ‘‘March 21, 2017’’ is corrected to read ‘‘February 10, 2017’’ in the following places: 1. In the DATES section on page 8821 in the first column, which is also set out in its entirety above for clarity and consistency; 2. On page 8821, second column, first paragraph, last sentence; and 3. On page 8821, in amendatory instruction 2. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: February 2, 2017. Alan D. Risenhoover, Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017–02462 Filed 2–6–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 150916863–6211–02] RIN 0648–XF204 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Less Than 60 Feet (18.3 Meters) Length Overall Using Hook-and-Line or Pot Gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. AGENCY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2017 Pacific cod total allowable catch allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hookand-line or pot gear in the BSAI. DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 2, 2017, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh Keaton, 907–586–7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management 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 2017 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI is 5,959 metric tons (mt) as established by the final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (81 FR 14773, March 18, 2016), inseason adjustment (82 FR 2916, January 10, 2017), and reallocation (82 FR 8905, February 1, 2017). In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\07FER1.SGM 07FER1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 7, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 9530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02462]



[[Page 9530]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

[Docket No. 160527473-6999-02]
RIN 0648-BG09


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Individual Bluefin Quota 
Program; Inseason Transfers; Correction

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

ACTION: Stay of final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: NMFS published a ``Stay of final rule'' on January 31, 2017--
in accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from the 
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled ``Regulatory 
Freeze Pending Review,'' published in the Federal Register on January 
24, 2017 (the Memorandum)--to delay the effective date of the final 
rule NMFS published on December 29, 2016. This notification corrects 
the effectiveness date from ``March 21, 2017'' to ``February 10, 
2017.'' For consistency and clarity, the complete new DATES section has 
been set out below in its entirety.

DATES: Effective February 7, 2017, the final rule amending 50 CFR part 
635, that published on December 29, 2016, at 81 FR 95903, is stayed 
until February 10, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Warren or Sarah McLaughlin, 
978-281-9260; Carrie Soltanoff, 301-427-8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On December 29, 2016, NMFS published this final rule modifying the 
Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) regulations regarding the 
distribution of inseason Atlantic bluefin tuna quota transfers to the 
Longline category. This final rule provides NMFS the ability to 
distribute quota inseason either to all qualified Individual Bluefin 
Quota (IBQ) share recipients (i.e., share recipients who have 
associated their permit with a vessel) or only to permitted Atlantic 
Tunas Longline vessels with recent fishing activity, whether or not 
they are associated with IBQ shares. This action is necessary to 
optimize fishing opportunity in the directed pelagic longline fishery 
for target species such as tuna and swordfish and to improve the 
functioning of the IBQ Program and its leasing provisions consistent 
with the objectives of Amendment 7 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery 
Management Plan.
    On January 20, 2017, the White House issued a memo instructing 
Federal agencies to temporarily postpone the effective date for 60 days 
after January 20, 2017, of any regulations or guidance documents that 
have published in the Federal Register but not yet taken effect, for 
the purpose of ``reviewing questions of fact, law, and policy they 
raise.'' Because its effective date has already passed, we enacted a 
stay of the rule published on December 29, 2016, at 81 FR 95903 (see 
DATES above) until March 21, 2017, in a ``Stay of final rule'' document 
published on January 31, 2017 (82 FR 8821).

Need for Correction

    After the ``Stay of final rule'' published on January 31, 2017, 
NMFS is correcting the effective date of ``March 21, 2017'' to 
``February 10, 2017'' to better align with current fisheries management 
goals. NMFS publishes this notification to correct the stay of 
effective date.

Corrections

    In the Federal Register of January 31, 2017, in FR Doc. 2017-02043, 
``March 21, 2017'' is corrected to read ``February 10, 2017'' in the 
following places:
    1. In the DATES section on page 8821 in the first column, which is 
also set out in its entirety above for clarity and consistency;
    2. On page 8821, second column, first paragraph, last sentence; and
    3. On page 8821, in amendatory instruction 2.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: February 2, 2017.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-02462 Filed 2-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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