International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; 2017 Bigeye Tuna Longline Fishery Closure in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, 41562-41563 [2017-18577]
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41562
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 169 / Friday, September 1, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, and 307(e),
unless otherwise noted.
18. Section 87.303 is amended by
revising paragraph (d)(1) and adding
paragraph (d)(4) to read as follows:
■
§ 87.303
Frequencies.
*
*
*
*
*
(d) * * *
(1) Frequencies in the 1435–1525
MHz and 2360–2395 MHz bands are
assigned in the mobile service primarily
for aeronautical telemetry and
associated telecommand operations for
flight testing of aircraft and missiles, or
their major components. Until January
1, 2020, the 2345–2360 MHz band is
also available to licensees holding a
valid authorization on April 23, 2015 for
these purposes on a secondary basis.
Permissible uses of these bands include
telemetry and associated telecommand
operations associated with the
launching and reentry into the Earth’s
atmosphere, as well as any incidental
orbiting prior to reentry, of objects
undergoing flight tests. In the 1435–
1525 MHz band, the following
frequencies are shared on a co-equal
basis with flight telemetering mobile
stations: 1444.5, 1453.5, 1501.5, 1515.5,
and 1524.5 MHz. In the 2360–2395 MHz
band, the following frequencies may be
assigned for telemetry and associated
telecommand operations of expendable
and re-usable launch vehicles, whether
or not such operations involve flight
testing: 2364.5, 2370.5 and 2382.5 MHz.
All other mobile telemetry uses of the
2360–2395 MHz band shall be on a noninterfering and unprotected basis to the
above uses.
*
*
*
*
*
(4) Frequencies in the bands 1435–
1525 MHz are also available for low
power auxiliary station use on a
secondary basis.
*
*
*
*
*
PART 90—PRIVATE LAND MOBILE
RADIO SERVICES
19. The authority citation for part 90
continues to read as follows:
■
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
Authority: Sections 4(i), 11, 303(g), 303(r),
and 332(c)(7) of the Communications Act of
1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 161,
303(g), 303(r), and 332(c)(7), and Title VI of
the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation
Act of 2012, Pub. L. 112–96, 126 Stat. 156.
20. Section 90.265 is amended by
revising paragraph (b) introductory text
and paragraph (b)(1) to read as follows:
■
§ 90.265 Assignment and use of
frequencies in the bands allocated for
Federal use.
*
*
*
VerDate Sep<11>2014
*
*
16:20 Aug 31, 2017
Jkt 241001
(b) The following frequencies are
available for wireless microphone
operations to eligibles in this part,
subject to the provisions of this
paragraph:
Frequencies (MHz)
169.445
169.505
169.545
169.575
169.605
169.995
170.025
170.055
170.245
170.305
171.045
171.075
171.105
171.845
171.875
171.905
(1) On center frequencies 169.575
MHz, 170.025 MHz, 171.075 MHz, and
171.875 MHz, the emission bandwidth
shall not exceed 200 kHz. On the other
center frequencies listed in this
paragraph (b), the emission bandwidth
shall not exceed 54 kHz.
*
*
*
*
*
[FR Doc. 2017–17442 Filed 8–31–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 300
[Docket No. 170223197–7311–01]
RIN 0648–XF605
International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna
Fisheries; 2017 Bigeye Tuna Longline
Fishery Closure in the Eastern Pacific
Ocean
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is temporarily closing
the U.S. pelagic longline fishery for
bigeye tuna for vessels over 24 meters in
overall length in the eastern Pacific
Ocean (EPO) through December 31,
2017, because the 2017 catch limit of
500 metric tons is expected to be
reached. This action is necessary to
prevent the fishery from exceeding the
applicable catch limit established by the
Inter-American Tropical Tuna
Commission (IATTC) in Resolution C–
17–01 (Conservation of Tuna in the
Eastern Pacific Ocean during 2017).
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00062
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
The rule is effective 12:00 a.m.
local time September 8, 2017, through
11:59 p.m. local time December 31,
2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Taylor Debevec, NMFS West Coast
Region, 562–980–4066.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
United States is a member of the IATTC,
which was established under the
Convention for the Establishment of an
Inter-American Tropical Tuna
Commission signed in 1949
(Convention). The Convention provides
an international agreement to ensure the
effective international conservation and
management of highly migratory species
of fish in the IATTC Convention Area.
The IATTC Convention Area, as
amended by the Antigua Convention,
includes the waters of the EPO bounded
by the coast of the Americas, the 50° N.
and 50° S. parallels, and the 150° W.
meridian.
Pelagic longline fishing in the EPO is
managed, in part, under the Tuna
Conventions Act as amended (Act), 16
U.S.C. 951–962. Under the Act, NMFS
must publish regulations to carry out
recommendations of the IATTC that
have been approved by the Department
of State (DOS). Regulations governing
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance
with the Act appear at 50 CFR part 300,
subpart C. These regulations implement
IATTC recommendations for the
conservation and management of highly
migratory fish resources in the EPO.
In 2017, the IATTC adopted
Resolution C–17–01, which establishes
an annual catch limit of bigeye tuna for
longline vessels over 24 meters. For
calendar year 2017, the catch of bigeye
tuna by longline gear in the IATTC
Convention Area by fishing vessels of
the United States that are over 24 meters
in overall length is limited to 500 metric
tons per year. With the approval of the
DOS, NMFS implemented this catch
limit by notice-and-comment
rulemaking under the Act (82 FR 17382,
April 11, 2017, and codified at 50 CFR
300.25).
NMFS, through monitoring the
retained catches of bigeye tuna using
logbook data submitted by vessel
captains and other available information
from the longline fisheries in the IATTC
Convention Area, has determined that
the 2017 catch limit is expected to be
reached by September 8, 2017. In
accordance with 50 CFR 300.25(a), this
Federal Register notice announces that
the U.S. longline fishery for bigeye tuna
in the IATTC Convention Area will be
closed for vessels over 24 meters in
overall length starting on September 8,
2017, through the end of the 2017
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\01SER1.SGM
01SER1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 169 / Friday, September 1, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
calendar year. The 2018 fishing year is
scheduled to open on January 1, 2018;
the bigeye tuna catch limit for longline
vessels over 24 meters in overall length
has yet to be established through
domestic rulemaking, though, the
IATTC agreed to a U.S. limit of 750 mt
in a new resolution (C–17–02) at the
92nd Meeting in July 2017.
During the closure, a U.S. fishing
vessel over 24 meters in overall length
may not be used to retain on board,
transship, or land bigeye tuna captured
by longline gear in the IATTC
Convention Area, except as follows:
• Any bigeye tuna already on board a
fishing vessel on September 8, 2017,
may be retained on board, transshipped,
and/or landed, to the extent authorized
by applicable laws and regulations,
provided all bigeye tuna are landed
within 14 days after the effective date of
this rule, that is, no later than
September 22, 2017.
• The 14-day limit is waived in the
case of a U.S. fishing vessel that has
already declared to NMFS, pursuant to
50 CFR 665.803(a), that the current trip
type is shallow-setting. However, the
number of bigeye tuna retained on
board, transshipped, or landed must not
exceed the number on board the vessel
on September 22, 2017, as recorded by
the NMFS observer on board the vessel.
Other prohibitions during the closure
include the following:
• Bigeye tuna caught by a United
States vessel over 24 meters in overall
length with longline gear in the IATTC
Convention Area may not be
transshipped to a fishing vessel unless
that fishing vessel is operated in
compliance with a valid permit issued
under 50 CFR 660.707 or 665.801.
• A fishing vessel of the United States
over 24 meters in overall length may not
be used to fish in the Pacific Ocean
using longline gear both inside and
outside the Convention Area during the
same fishing trip. The only exceptions
are: a fishing trip during which the
closure date was announced, and a trip
for which a declaration has been made
to NMFS, pursuant to 50 CFR
665.803(a), that the current trip is
shallow-setting.
• If a fishing vessel of the United
States over 24 meters in overall length
is used to fish in the Pacific Ocean using
longline gear outside the Convention
Area and the vessel enters the
Convention Area at any time after
September 8, 2017, on the same fishing
trip, the longline gear on the fishing
vessel must be stowed in a manner so
as not to be readily available for fishing.
Specifically, the hooks, branch or
dropper lines, and floats used to buoy
the mainline must be stowed and not
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:20 Aug 31, 2017
Jkt 241001
available for immediate use, and any
power-operated mainline hauler on
deck must be covered in such a manner
that it is not readily available for use.
This provision does not apply to trips in
which vessels have made a declaration
to NMFS, pursuant to 50 CFR
665.803(a), that the trip type is shallowsetting.
Classification
NMFS has determined there is good
cause to waive prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B). This
action is based on the best available
information and is necessary for the
conservation and management of bigeye
tuna. Compliance with the notice and
comment requirement would be
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest because NMFS would be unable
to ensure that the 2017 bigeye tuna
catch limit applicable to longline
vessels over 24 meters is not exceeded.
The annual catch limit is an important
mechanism to ensure that the United
States complies with its international
obligations in preventing overfishing
and managing the fishery at optimum
yield. For the same reasons, NMFS has
also determined there is good cause to
waive the requirement for a 30-day
delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3).
This action is required by § 300.25(a)
and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 951 et seq.
Dated: August 29, 2017.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–18577 Filed 8–29–17; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 101206604–1758–02]
RIN 0648–XF652
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2017
Commercial Accountability Measures
and Closure for Atlantic Migratory
Group Cobia
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
PO 00000
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
41563
NMFS implements
accountability measures (AMs) for
Atlantic migratory group cobia that are
sold (commercial) and harvested from
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of
the Atlantic. NMFS projects that
commercial landings of Atlantic
migratory group cobia have reached the
commercial quota. Therefore, NMFS
closes the commercial sector for
Atlantic migratory group cobia in the
EEZ on September 5, 2017, and it will
remain closed until the next fishing year
that begins on January 1, 2018. This
closure is necessary to protect the
resource of Atlantic migratory group
cobia.
DATES: This rule is effective from 12:01
a.m., local time, September 5, 2017,
until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1,
2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727–824–5305, email:
frank.helies@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
fishery for coastal migratory pelagic fish
includes king mackerel, Spanish
mackerel, and cobia, and is managed
under the Fishery Management Plan for
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources in
the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region
(FMP). The FMP was prepared by the
Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic
Fishery Management Councils 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.
Separate migratory groups of cobia
were established in Amendment 18 to
the FMP (76 FR 82058, December 29,
2011), and then revised in Amendment
20B to the FMP (80 FR 4216, January 27,
2015). The southern boundary for
Atlantic migratory group cobia occurs at
a line that extends due east of the
Florida and Georgia state border at
30°42′45.6″ N. lat. The northern
boundary for Atlantic migratory group
cobia is the jurisdictional boundary
between the Mid-Atlantic and New
England Fishery Management Councils,
as specified in 50 CFR 600.105(a).
Atlantic migratory group cobia are
unique among federally managed
species in the southeast region, because
no commercial permit is required to
harvest and sell them. The distinction
between commercial and recreational
sectors is not as clear as other federally
managed species in the southeast
region. For example, regulations at 50
CFR part 622 specify quotas, annual
catch limits, and AMs for cobia that are
sold and cobia that are not sold.
However, for purposes of this temporary
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\01SER1.SGM
01SER1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 169 (Friday, September 1, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 41562-41563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18577]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 300
[Docket No. 170223197-7311-01]
RIN 0648-XF605
International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; 2017 Bigeye Tuna
Longline Fishery Closure in the Eastern Pacific Ocean
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is temporarily closing the U.S. pelagic longline fishery
for bigeye tuna for vessels over 24 meters in overall length in the
eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) through December 31, 2017, because the 2017
catch limit of 500 metric tons is expected to be reached. This action
is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding the applicable catch
limit established by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
(IATTC) in Resolution C-17-01 (Conservation of Tuna in the Eastern
Pacific Ocean during 2017).
DATES: The rule is effective 12:00 a.m. local time September 8, 2017,
through 11:59 p.m. local time December 31, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Taylor Debevec, NMFS West Coast
Region, 562-980-4066.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States is a member of the IATTC,
which was established under the Convention for the Establishment of an
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission signed in 1949 (Convention).
The Convention provides an international agreement to ensure the
effective international conservation and management of highly migratory
species of fish in the IATTC Convention Area. The IATTC Convention
Area, as amended by the Antigua Convention, includes the waters of the
EPO bounded by the coast of the Americas, the 50[deg] N. and 50[deg] S.
parallels, and the 150[deg] W. meridian.
Pelagic longline fishing in the EPO is managed, in part, under the
Tuna Conventions Act as amended (Act), 16 U.S.C. 951-962. Under the
Act, NMFS must publish regulations to carry out recommendations of the
IATTC that have been approved by the Department of State (DOS).
Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the
Act appear at 50 CFR part 300, subpart C. These regulations implement
IATTC recommendations for the conservation and management of highly
migratory fish resources in the EPO.
In 2017, the IATTC adopted Resolution C-17-01, which establishes an
annual catch limit of bigeye tuna for longline vessels over 24 meters.
For calendar year 2017, the catch of bigeye tuna by longline gear in
the IATTC Convention Area by fishing vessels of the United States that
are over 24 meters in overall length is limited to 500 metric tons per
year. With the approval of the DOS, NMFS implemented this catch limit
by notice-and-comment rulemaking under the Act (82 FR 17382, April 11,
2017, and codified at 50 CFR 300.25).
NMFS, through monitoring the retained catches of bigeye tuna using
logbook data submitted by vessel captains and other available
information from the longline fisheries in the IATTC Convention Area,
has determined that the 2017 catch limit is expected to be reached by
September 8, 2017. In accordance with 50 CFR 300.25(a), this Federal
Register notice announces that the U.S. longline fishery for bigeye
tuna in the IATTC Convention Area will be closed for vessels over 24
meters in overall length starting on September 8, 2017, through the end
of the 2017
[[Page 41563]]
calendar year. The 2018 fishing year is scheduled to open on January 1,
2018; the bigeye tuna catch limit for longline vessels over 24 meters
in overall length has yet to be established through domestic
rulemaking, though, the IATTC agreed to a U.S. limit of 750 mt in a new
resolution (C-17-02) at the 92nd Meeting in July 2017.
During the closure, a U.S. fishing vessel over 24 meters in overall
length may not be used to retain on board, transship, or land bigeye
tuna captured by longline gear in the IATTC Convention Area, except as
follows:
Any bigeye tuna already on board a fishing vessel on
September 8, 2017, may be retained on board, transshipped, and/or
landed, to the extent authorized by applicable laws and regulations,
provided all bigeye tuna are landed within 14 days after the effective
date of this rule, that is, no later than September 22, 2017.
The 14-day limit is waived in the case of a U.S. fishing
vessel that has already declared to NMFS, pursuant to 50 CFR
665.803(a), that the current trip type is shallow-setting. However, the
number of bigeye tuna retained on board, transshipped, or landed must
not exceed the number on board the vessel on September 22, 2017, as
recorded by the NMFS observer on board the vessel.
Other prohibitions during the closure include the following:
Bigeye tuna caught by a United States vessel over 24
meters in overall length with longline gear in the IATTC Convention
Area may not be transshipped to a fishing vessel unless that fishing
vessel is operated in compliance with a valid permit issued under 50
CFR 660.707 or 665.801.
A fishing vessel of the United States over 24 meters in
overall length may not be used to fish in the Pacific Ocean using
longline gear both inside and outside the Convention Area during the
same fishing trip. The only exceptions are: a fishing trip during which
the closure date was announced, and a trip for which a declaration has
been made to NMFS, pursuant to 50 CFR 665.803(a), that the current trip
is shallow-setting.
If a fishing vessel of the United States over 24 meters in
overall length is used to fish in the Pacific Ocean using longline gear
outside the Convention Area and the vessel enters the Convention Area
at any time after September 8, 2017, on the same fishing trip, the
longline gear on the fishing vessel must be stowed in a manner so as
not to be readily available for fishing. Specifically, the hooks,
branch or dropper lines, and floats used to buoy the mainline must be
stowed and not available for immediate use, and any power-operated
mainline hauler on deck must be covered in such a manner that it is not
readily available for use. This provision does not apply to trips in
which vessels have made a declaration to NMFS, pursuant to 50 CFR
665.803(a), that the trip type is shallow-setting.
Classification
NMFS has determined there is good cause to waive prior notice and
opportunity for public comment pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B). This
action is based on the best available information and is necessary for
the conservation and management of bigeye tuna. Compliance with the
notice and comment requirement would be impracticable and contrary to
the public interest because NMFS would be unable to ensure that the
2017 bigeye tuna catch limit applicable to longline vessels over 24
meters is not exceeded. The annual catch limit is an important
mechanism to ensure that the United States complies with its
international obligations in preventing overfishing and managing the
fishery at optimum yield. For the same reasons, NMFS has also
determined there is good cause to waive the requirement for a 30-day
delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
This action is required by Sec. 300.25(a) and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 951 et seq.
Dated: August 29, 2017.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-18577 Filed 8-29-17; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
