Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Closure of the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area to General Category Individual Fishing Quota Scallop Vessels, 67142 [2018-28247]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 248 / Friday, December 28, 2018 / Rules and Regulations
553(d) to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness.
This action is being taken under
§ 635.27(a)(9) (Inseason adjustments),
and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801
et seq.
Dated: December 21, 2018.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–28336 Filed 12–21–18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 180202111–8353–02]
RIN 0648–XG690
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery;
Closure of the Mid-Atlantic Scallop
Access Area to General Category
Individual Fishing Quota Scallop
Vessels
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces that the
Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area is
closed to Limited Access General
Category Individual Fishing Quota
scallop vessels for the remainder of the
2018 fishing year. No vessel issued a
Limited Access General Category
Individual Fishing Quota permit may
fish for, possess, or land scallops from
the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area.
Regulations require this action once it is
projected that 100 percent of trips
allocated to the Limited Access General
Category Individual Fishing Quota
scallop vessels for the Mid-Atlantic
Scallop Access Area will be taken.
DATES: Effective 0001 hr local time,
December 24, 2018, through March 31,
2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 282–8456.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Regulations governing fishing activity in
the Sea Scallop Access Areas can be
found in 50 CFR 648.59 and 648.60.
These regulations authorize vessels
issued a valid Limited Access General
Category (LAGC) Individual Fishing
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:02 Dec 27, 2018
Jkt 247001
Quota (IFQ) scallop permit to fish in the
Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area under
specific conditions, including a total of
1,142 trips that may be taken during the
2018 fishing year. Section
648.59(g)(3)(iii) requires the MidAtlantic Scallop Access Area to be
closed to LAGC IFQ permitted vessels
for the remainder of the fishing year
once the NMFS Greater Atlantic
Regional Administrator determines that
the allocated number of trips for fishing
year 2018 are projected to be taken.
Based on trip declarations by LAGC
IFQ scallop vessels fishing in the MidAtlantic Scallop Access Area, analysis
of fishing effort, and other information,
NMFS projects that 1,142 trips will be
taken as of December 24, 2018.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 648.59(g)(3)(iii), NMFS is closing the
Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area to all
LAGC IFQ scallop vessels as of
December 24, 2018. No vessel issued an
LAGC IFQ permit may fish for, possess,
or land scallops in or from the MidAtlantic Scallop Access Area after 0001
local time, December 24, 2018. Any
LAGC IFQ vessel that has declared into
the Mid-Atlantic Access Area scallop
fishery, complied with all trip
notification and observer requirements,
and crossed the VMS demarcation line
on the way to the area before 0001,
December 24, 2018, may complete its
trip without being subject to this
closure. This closure is in effect for the
remainder of the 2018 scallop fishing
year, through March 31, 2019.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part
648 and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866. NMFS finds
good cause under to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B)
to waive prior notice and the
opportunity for public comment
because it would be contrary to the
public interest and impracticable. The
Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area
opened for the 2018 fishing year on
April 19, 2018. The regulations at
§ 648.59(g)(3)(iii) require this closure to
ensure that LAGC IFQ scallop vessels do
not take more than their allocated
number of trips in the area. The
projected date on which the LAGC IFQ
fleet will have taken all of its allocated
trips in an Access Area becomes
apparent only as trips into the area
occur on a real-time basis and as activity
trends begin to appear. As a result,
NMFS can only make an accurate
projection very close in time to when
the fleet has taken all of its trips. To
allow LAGC IFQ scallop vessels to
continue to take trips in the MidAtlantic Scallop Access Area during the
period necessary to publish and receive
PO 00000
Frm 00110
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
comments on a proposed rule would
likely result in the vessels taking much
more than the allowed number of trips
in the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access
Area. Excessive trips and harvest from
the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area
would result in excessive fishing effort
in the area, where effort controls are
critical, thereby undermining
conservation objectives of the Atlantic
Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan
and requiring more restrictive future
management measures. Also, the public
had prior notice and full opportunity to
comment on this closure process when
it was enacted For these same reasons,
NMFS further finds, under to 5 U.S.C
553(d)(3), good cause to waive the 30day delayed effectiveness period.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 21, 2018.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–28247 Filed 12–21–18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 170828822–70999–02]
RIN 0648–XG692
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
States; Summer Flounder Fishery;
2018 Commercial Quota Harvested for
the State of Rhode Island
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces that the
2018 summer flounder commercial
quota allocated to the state of Rhode
Island has been harvested. Vessels
issued a commercial Federal permit for
the summer flounder fishery may not
land summer flounder in Rhode Island
for the remainder of calendar year 2018,
unless additional quota becomes
available through a transfer from
another state. Regulations governing the
summer flounder fishery require
publication of this notice to advise
Rhode Island that the quota has been
harvested, and to advise vessel and
dealer permit holders that no Federal
commercial quota is available to land
summer flounder in Rhode Island.
DATES: Effective 0001 hours, December
29, 2018, through December 31, 2018.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\28DER1.SGM
28DER1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 248 (Friday, December 28, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 67142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-28247]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 180202111-8353-02]
RIN 0648-XG690
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Sea Scallop
Fishery; Closure of the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area to General
Category Individual Fishing Quota Scallop Vessels
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area is
closed to Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota
scallop vessels for the remainder of the 2018 fishing year. No vessel
issued a Limited Access General Category Individual Fishing Quota
permit may fish for, possess, or land scallops from the Mid-Atlantic
Scallop Access Area. Regulations require this action once it is
projected that 100 percent of trips allocated to the Limited Access
General Category Individual Fishing Quota scallop vessels for the Mid-
Atlantic Scallop Access Area will be taken.
DATES: Effective 0001 hr local time, December 24, 2018, through March
31, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannah Jaburek, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 282-8456.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing fishing activity in
the Sea Scallop Access Areas can be found in 50 CFR 648.59 and 648.60.
These regulations authorize vessels issued a valid Limited Access
General Category (LAGC) Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) scallop permit
to fish in the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area under specific
conditions, including a total of 1,142 trips that may be taken during
the 2018 fishing year. Section 648.59(g)(3)(iii) requires the Mid-
Atlantic Scallop Access Area to be closed to LAGC IFQ permitted vessels
for the remainder of the fishing year once the NMFS Greater Atlantic
Regional Administrator determines that the allocated number of trips
for fishing year 2018 are projected to be taken.
Based on trip declarations by LAGC IFQ scallop vessels fishing in
the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area, analysis of fishing effort, and
other information, NMFS projects that 1,142 trips will be taken as of
December 24, 2018. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
648.59(g)(3)(iii), NMFS is closing the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area
to all LAGC IFQ scallop vessels as of December 24, 2018. No vessel
issued an LAGC IFQ permit may fish for, possess, or land scallops in or
from the Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area after 0001 local time,
December 24, 2018. Any LAGC IFQ vessel that has declared into the Mid-
Atlantic Access Area scallop fishery, complied with all trip
notification and observer requirements, and crossed the VMS demarcation
line on the way to the area before 0001, December 24, 2018, may
complete its trip without being subject to this closure. This closure
is in effect for the remainder of the 2018 scallop fishing year,
through March 31, 2019.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866. NMFS finds good cause under to 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the opportunity for public
comment because it would be contrary to the public interest and
impracticable. The Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area opened for the 2018
fishing year on April 19, 2018. The regulations at Sec.
648.59(g)(3)(iii) require this closure to ensure that LAGC IFQ scallop
vessels do not take more than their allocated number of trips in the
area. The projected date on which the LAGC IFQ fleet will have taken
all of its allocated trips in an Access Area becomes apparent only as
trips into the area occur on a real-time basis and as activity trends
begin to appear. As a result, NMFS can only make an accurate projection
very close in time to when the fleet has taken all of its trips. To
allow LAGC IFQ scallop vessels to continue to take trips in the Mid-
Atlantic Scallop Access Area during the period necessary to publish and
receive comments on a proposed rule would likely result in the vessels
taking much more than the allowed number of trips in the Mid-Atlantic
Scallop Access Area. Excessive trips and harvest from the Mid-Atlantic
Scallop Access Area would result in excessive fishing effort in the
area, where effort controls are critical, thereby undermining
conservation objectives of the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management
Plan and requiring more restrictive future management measures. Also,
the public had prior notice and full opportunity to comment on this
closure process when it was enacted For these same reasons, NMFS
further finds, under to 5 U.S.C 553(d)(3), good cause to waive the 30-
day delayed effectiveness period.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 21, 2018.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-28247 Filed 12-21-18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
