Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region; 2017-2018 Commercial Closure for King Mackerel in the Gulf of Mexico Northern Zone, 22601-22602 [2018-10434]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 95 / Wednesday, May 16, 2018 / Rules and Regulations
1999) and Executive Order 13175,
entitled ‘‘Consultation and Coordination
with Indian Tribal Governments’’ (65 FR
67249, November 9, 2000) do not apply
to this action. In addition, this action
does not impose any enforceable duty or
contain any unfunded mandate as
described under Title II of the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) (2 U.S.C.
1501 et seq.).
This action does not involve any
technical standards that would require
Agency consideration of voluntary
consensus standards pursuant to section
12(d) of the National Technology
Transfer and Advancement Act
(NTTAA) (15 U.S.C. 272 note).
VII. Congressional Review Act
nshattuck on DSK9F9SC42PROD with RULES
Pursuant to the Congressional Review
Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), EPA will
submit a report containing this rule and
other required information to the U.S.
Senate, the U.S. House of
Representatives, and the Comptroller
General of the United States prior to
publication of the rule in the Federal
Register. This action is not a ‘‘major
rule’’ as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
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[FR Doc. 2018–10345 Filed 5–15–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160426363–7275–02]
RIN 0648–XF920
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources
of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic
Region; 2017–2018 Commercial
Closure for King Mackerel in the Gulf
of Mexico Northern Zone
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS implements an
accountability measure (AM) for
commercial king mackerel in the
northern zone of the Gulf of Mexico
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 180
(Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
through this temporary rule. NMFS has
Environmental protection,
determined that the commercial quota
Administrative practice and procedure,
for king mackerel in the northern zone
Agricultural commodities, Pesticides
and pests, Reporting and recordkeeping of the Gulf EEZ will be reached by May
15, 2018. Therefore, NMFS closes the
requirements.
northern zone of the Gulf EEZ to
Dated: April 30, 2018.
commercial king mackerel fishing on
Daniel Rosenblatt,
May 15, 2018. This closure is necessary
Acting Director, Registration Division, Office
to protect the Gulf king mackerel
of Pesticide Program.
resource.
Therefore, 40 CFR chapter I is
DATES: The closure is effective at 12:01
amended as follows:
a.m., local time, May 15, 2018, until
12:01 a.m., local time, on October 1,
PART 180—[AMENDED]
2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
■ 1. The authority citation for part 180
Kelli O’Donnell, NMFS Southeast
continues to read as follows:
Regional Office, telephone: 727–824–
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321(q), 346a and 371.
5305, email: kelli.odonnell@noaa.gov.
■ 2. In § 180.474, add alphabetically the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
entries ‘‘Ginseng, dried’’ and ‘‘Ginseng,
fishery for coastal migratory pelagic fish
fresh’’ to the table in paragraph (a)(1) to
includes king mackerel, Spanish
read as follows:
mackerel, and cobia, and is managed
under the Fishery Management Plan for
§ 180.474 Tebuconazole; tolerances for
the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources
residues.
of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic
(a) * * *
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared
(1) * * *
by the Gulf of Mexico and South
Atlantic Fishery Management Councils
Parts per
Commodity
and is implemented by NMFS under the
million
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
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Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by
Ginseng, dried 1 ....................
0.40 regulations at 50 CFR part 622. All
1 ....................
Ginseng, fresh
0.15 weights for Gulf king mackerel below
apply as either round or gutted weight.
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On April 11, 2017, NMFS published
1 There are no U.S. registrations.
a final rule to implement Amendment
VerDate Sep<11>2014
13:12 May 15, 2018
Jkt 244001
SUMMARY:
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22601
26 to the FMP in the Federal Register
(82 FR 17387). That final rule adjusted
the management boundaries, zones, and
annual catch limits for Gulf migratory
group king mackerel (Gulf king
mackerel). The commercial quota for the
Gulf king mackerel in the Gulf northern
zone is 511,200 lb (231,876 kg) for the
current fishing year, October 1, 2017,
through September 30, 2018 (50 CFR
622.384(b)(1)(ii)).
The Gulf king mackerel northern zone
is located in the EEZ between a line at
87°31.6′ W long., which is a line
extending due south of the state
boundary of Alabama and Florida, and
a line at 26°19.48′ N lat., which is a line
extending west from the boundary of
Lee and Collier Counties in southwest
Florida.
Regulations at 50 CFR 622.388(a)(1)(i)
require NMFS to close the commercial
sector for Gulf king mackerel in the
northern zone when the commercial
quota is reached, or is projected to be
reached, by filing a notification to that
effect with the Office of the Federal
Register. NMFS has determined the
commercial quota of 511,200 lb (231,876
kg) for Gulf king mackerel in the
northern zone will be reached by May
15, 2018. Accordingly, the northern
zone is closed to commercial fishing for
Gulf king mackerel effective from 12:01
a.m., local time, on May 15, 2018,
through September 30, 2018, the end of
the current fishing year.
During the closure, a person on board
a vessel that has been issued a valid
Federal commercial or charter vessel/
headboat permit for coastal migratory
pelagic fish may continue to retain the
king mackerel in the northern zone
under the recreational bag and
possession limits specified in 50 CFR
622.382(a)(1)(ii) and (a)(2), as long as
the recreational sector for Gulf king
mackerel in the northern zone is open
(50 CFR 622.384(e)(1)).
Also during the closure, king
mackerel from the closed zone,
including those harvested under the bag
and possession limits, may not be
purchased or sold. This prohibition
does not apply to king mackerel from
the closed zone that were harvested,
landed ashore, and sold prior to the
closure and were held in cold storage by
a dealer or processor (50 CFR
622.384(e)(2)).
Classification
The Regional Administrator for the
NMFS Southeast Region has determined
this temporary rule is necessary for the
conservation and management of Gulf
king mackerel and is consistent with the
Magnuson-Stevens Act and other
applicable laws.
E:\FR\FM\16MYR1.SGM
16MYR1
22602
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 95 / Wednesday, May 16, 2018 / Rules and Regulations
This action is taken under 50 CFR
622.384(e) and 622.388(a)(1)(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
comment.
This action responds to the best
scientific information available. The
Assistant Administrator for NOAA
Fisheries (AA) finds good cause to
waive the requirements 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
procedures are unnecessary and
contrary to the public interest. Such
procedures are unnecessary because the
rule implementing the commercial
quota and the associated AM has
already been subject to notice and
public comment, and all that remains is
to notify the public of the closure.
Additionally, allowing prior notice and
opportunity for public comment is
contrary to the public interest because
of the need to implement immediately
this action to protect the king mackerel
stock, because the capacity of the
fishing fleet allows for rapid harvest of
the commercial quota. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment would
require time and could potentially result
in a harvest well in excess of the
established commercial quota.
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: May 11, 2018.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–10434 Filed 5–11–18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[Docket No. 150121066–5717–02]
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RIN 0648–XG237
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species;
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
13:12 May 15, 2018
Jkt 244001
NMFS closes the Gulf of
Mexico Angling category fishery for
large medium and giant (‘‘trophy’’ (i.e.,
measuring 73 inches curved fork length
or greater)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT).
This action is being taken to prevent
overharvest of the Angling category Gulf
of Mexico trophy BFT subquota.
DATES: Effective 11:30 p.m., local time,
May 13, 2018, through December 31,
2018.
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sarah McLaughlin or Brad McHale,
978–281–9260.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations implemented under the
authority of the Atlantic Tunas
Convention Act (ATCA; 16 U.S.C. 971 et
seq.) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C. 1801
et seq.) governing the harvest of BFT by
persons and vessels subject to U.S.
jurisdiction are found at 50 CFR part
635. Section 635.27 subdivides the U.S.
BFT quota recommended by the
International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
among the various domestic fishing
categories, per the allocations
established in the 2006 Consolidated
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species
Fishery Management Plan (2006
Consolidated HMS FMP) (71 FR 58058,
October 2, 2006) and amendments.
NMFS is required, under
§ 635.28(a)(1), to file a closure notice
with the Office of the Federal Register
for publication when a BFT quota is
reached or is projected to be reached.
On and after the effective date and time
of such notification, for the remainder of
the fishing year or for a specified period
as indicated in the notification,
retaining, possessing, or landing BFT
under that quota category is prohibited
until the opening of the subsequent
quota period or until such date as
specified in the notice.
Angling Category Large Medium and
Giant Gulf of Mexico ‘‘Trophy’’ Fishery
Closure
50 CFR Part 635
AGENCY:
Temporary rule; closure of
Angling category Gulf of Mexico trophy
fishery.
ACTION:
The 2018 BFT fishing year, which is
managed on a calendar-year basis and
subject to an annual calendar-year
quota, began January 1, 2018. The
Angling category season opened January
1, 2018, and continues through
December 31, 2018. The currently
codified Angling category quota is 195.2
metric tons (mt), of which 4.5 mt is
allocated for the harvest of large
medium and giant (trophy) BFT by
PO 00000
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
vessels fishing under the Angling
category quota, with 1.5 mt allocated for
each of the following areas: North of
39°18′ N lat. (off Great Egg Inlet, NJ);
south of 39°18′ N lat. and outside the
Gulf of Mexico (the ‘‘southern area’’);
and in the Gulf of Mexico. Trophy BFT
measure 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork
length or greater.
Based on reported landings from the
NMFS Automated Catch Reporting
System, NMFS has determined that the
codified Angling category Gulf of
Mexico trophy BFT subquota has been
reached and exceeded and that a closure
of the Gulf of Mexico trophy BFT
fishery is warranted. Therefore,
retaining, possessing, or landing large
medium or giant BFT in the Gulf of
Mexico by persons aboard vessels
permitted in the HMS Angling category
and the HMS Charter/Headboat category
(when fishing recreationally) must cease
at 11:30 p.m. local time on May 13,
2018. This closure will remain effective
through December 31, 2018. This action
is intended to prevent further
overharvest of the Angling category Gulf
of Mexico trophy BFT subquota, and is
taken consistent with the regulations at
§ 635.28(a)(1).
If needed, subsequent Angling
category adjustments will be published
in the Federal Register. Information
regarding the Angling category fishery
for Atlantic tunas, including daily
retention limits for BFT measuring 27
inches (68.5 cm) to less than 73 inches
and any further Angling category
adjustments, is available at
hmspermits.noaa.gov or by calling (978)
281–9260. HMS Angling and HMS
Charter/Headboat category permit
holders may catch and release (or tag
and release) BFT of all sizes, subject to
the requirements of the catch-andrelease and tag-and-release programs at
§ 635.26. Anglers are also reminded that
all BFT that are released must be
handled in a manner that will maximize
survival, and without removing the fish
from the water, consistent with
requirements at § 635.21(a)(1). For
additional information on safe handling,
see the ‘‘Careful Catch and Release’’
brochure available at https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/
outreach-and-education/careful-catchand-release-brochure.
HMS Charter/Headboat and Angling
category vessel owners are required to
report the catch of all BFT retained or
discarded dead, within 24 hours of the
landing(s) or end of each trip, by
accessing hmspermits.noaa.gov or by
using the HMS Catch Reporting App.
E:\FR\FM\16MYR1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 16, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 22601-22602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-10434]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160426363-7275-02]
RIN 0648-XF920
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and
Atlantic Region; 2017-2018 Commercial Closure for King Mackerel in the
Gulf of Mexico Northern Zone
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 commercial
king mackerel in the northern zone of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf)
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) through this temporary rule. NMFS has
determined that the commercial quota for king mackerel in the northern
zone of the Gulf EEZ will be reached by May 15, 2018. Therefore, NMFS
closes the northern zone of the Gulf EEZ to commercial king mackerel
fishing on May 15, 2018. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf
king mackerel resource.
DATES: The closure is effective at 12:01 a.m., local time, May 15,
2018, until 12:01 a.m., local time, on October 1, 2018.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelli O'Donnell, NMFS Southeast
Regional Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email:
[email protected].
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 the Coastal Migratory
Pelagic Resources of 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. All weights for Gulf
king mackerel below apply as either round or gutted weight.
On April 11, 2017, NMFS published a final rule to implement
Amendment 26 to the FMP in the Federal Register (82 FR 17387). That
final rule adjusted the management boundaries, zones, and annual catch
limits for Gulf migratory group king mackerel (Gulf king mackerel). The
commercial quota for the Gulf king mackerel in the Gulf northern zone
is 511,200 lb (231,876 kg) for the current fishing year, October 1,
2017, through September 30, 2018 (50 CFR 622.384(b)(1)(ii)).
The Gulf king mackerel northern zone is located in the EEZ between
a line at 87[deg]31.6' W long., which is a line extending due south of
the state boundary of Alabama and Florida, and a line at 26[deg]19.48'
N lat., which is a line extending west from the boundary of Lee and
Collier Counties in southwest Florida.
Regulations at 50 CFR 622.388(a)(1)(i) require NMFS to close the
commercial sector for Gulf king mackerel in the northern zone when the
commercial quota is reached, or is projected to be reached, by filing a
notification to that effect with the Office of the Federal Register.
NMFS has determined the commercial quota of 511,200 lb (231,876 kg) for
Gulf king mackerel in the northern zone will be reached by May 15,
2018. Accordingly, the northern zone is closed to commercial fishing
for Gulf king mackerel effective from 12:01 a.m., local time, on May
15, 2018, through September 30, 2018, the end of the current fishing
year.
During the closure, a person on board a vessel that has been issued
a valid Federal commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for
coastal migratory pelagic fish may continue to retain the king mackerel
in the northern zone under the recreational bag and possession limits
specified in 50 CFR 622.382(a)(1)(ii) and (a)(2), as long as the
recreational sector for Gulf king mackerel in the northern zone is open
(50 CFR 622.384(e)(1)).
Also during the closure, king mackerel from the closed zone,
including those harvested under the bag and possession limits, may not
be purchased or sold. This prohibition does not apply to king mackerel
from the closed zone that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior
to the closure and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor
(50 CFR 622.384(e)(2)).
Classification
The Regional Administrator for the NMFS Southeast Region has
determined this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and
management of Gulf king mackerel and is consistent with the Magnuson-
Stevens Act and other applicable laws.
[[Page 22602]]
This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.384(e) and 622.388(a)(1)(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 comment.
This action responds to the best scientific information available.
The Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries (AA) finds good cause to
waive the requirements 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 procedures are unnecessary and contrary to the public
interest. Such procedures are unnecessary because the rule implementing
the commercial quota and the associated AM has already been subject to
notice and public comment, and all that remains is to notify the public
of the closure. Additionally, allowing prior notice and opportunity for
public comment is contrary to the public interest because of the need
to implement immediately this action to protect the king mackerel
stock, because the capacity of the fishing fleet allows for rapid
harvest of the commercial quota. Prior notice and opportunity for
public comment would require time and could potentially result in a
harvest well in excess of the established commercial quota.
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: May 11, 2018.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-10434 Filed 5-11-18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P