Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Resources of the South Atlantic; 2020 Red Snapper Commercial and Recreational Fishing Seasons, 36165-36166 [2020-12093]
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36165
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 115 / Monday, June 15, 2020 / Rules and Regulations
restricted area, which is 28°45.8′ N,
89°29.5′ W.
Classification
The Regional Administrator,
Southeast Region, NMFS has
determined that this correcting
amendment is necessary for the
conservation and management of Gulf
reef fish resources and is consistent
with the framework action, the FMP, the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act, and
other applicable law.
This correcting amendment has been
determined to be not significant under
Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA, finds good cause to waive prior
notice and opportunity for additional
public comment because it would be
unnecessary and contrary to the public
interest. This correcting amendment
corrects a waypoint for the longline and
buoy gear restricted area. Providing
prior notice and opportunity for public
comment is unnecessary and contrary to
the public interest because this is a nonsubstantive change and retaining the
incorrect waypoint will cause confusion
among the affected fishers and law
enforcement. The current waypoint
error results in an inshore boundary of
the federally-managed restricted that is
inconsistent with the provisions of the
2016 and 2017 Appropriations Acts.
For the same reasons, the Assistant
Administrator also finds good cause,
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d), to waive the
30-day delay in effective date for this
correcting amendment. This nonsubstantive correction will prevent
confusion about the location of the
boundary for the longline and buoy gear
restricted area.
Because prior notice and opportunity
for public comment are not required for
this rule by 5 U.S.C. 553, or any other
law, the analytical requirements of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601
et seq., are inapplicable. Accordingly,
no Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is
required and none has been prepared.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 622
Boundary, Commercial, Coordinates,
Fisheries, Fishing, Greater amberjack,
Gulf of Mexico, Reef fish, Trip limits.
Dated: May 27, 2020.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs National Marine
Fisheries Service.
Accordingly, 50 CFR part 622 is
corrected by making the following
correcting amendment:
PART 622—FISHERIES OF THE
CARIBBEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND
SOUTH ATLANTIC
1. The authority citation for part 622
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
2. In appendix B to part 622, in table
1, revise the coordinates of point 19 to
read as follows:
■
Appendix B to Part 622—Gulf Areas
TABLE 1 OF APPENDIX B TO PART 622—SEAWARD COORDINATES OF THE LONGLINE AND BUOY GEAR RESTRICTED AREA
Point number and reference location 1
North lat.
West long.
*
*
*
*
*
19 South of Southwest Pass of Mississippi River .......................................................................................
*
28°45.8′
*
89°29.5′
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
[FR Doc. 2020–11739 Filed 6–12–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 1710319998630–02; RTID 0648–
XS029]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; SnapperGrouper Resources of the South
Atlantic; 2020 Red Snapper
Commercial and Recreational Fishing
Seasons
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; 2020 fishing
seasons notice.
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with RULES
AGENCY:
NMFS announces the limited
opening of commercial and recreational
red snapper in the exclusive economic
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:05 Jun 12, 2020
Jkt 250001
*
*
zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic for the
2020 fishing year. This notice
announces the red snapper commercial
season opening date and the opening
and closing dates for the red snapper
recreational season, according to the
accountability measures (AMs). This
season announcement for South
Atlantic red snapper allows fishers to
maximize their opportunity to harvest
the commercial and recreational annual
catch limits (ACLs) while also managing
harvest to protect the red snapper
resource.
The 2020 commercial red
snapper season opens at 12:01 a.m.,
local time, July 13, 2020. The 2020
recreational red snapper season opens at
12:01 a.m., local time, on July 10, 2020,
and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on
July 13, 2020; then reopens at 12:01
a.m., local time, on July 17, 2020, and
closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July
18, 2020, unless changed by subsequent
notification in the Federal Register.
DATES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727–824–5305, email:
frank.helies@noaa.gov.
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
The South
Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery
includes red snapper and is managed
under the Fishery Management Plan for
the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the
South Atlantic Region (FMP). The South
Atlantic Fishery Management Council
(Council) prepared the FMP, and the
FMP 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 final rule implementing
Amendment 43 to the FMP (83 FR
35428; July 26, 2018) describes red
snapper management measures
including the specific timing for red
snapper commercial and recreational
fishing seasons. The final rule also
revised the commercial and recreational
ACLs for red snapper. The commercial
AM requires the sector to close when
commercial landings reach or are
projected to reach the commercial ACL.
The recreational AM is the length of the
recreational season, with NMFS
projecting the season length based on
catch rate estimates from previous years.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\15JNR1.SGM
15JNR1
36166
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 115 / Monday, June 15, 2020 / Rules and Regulations
The commercial ACL is 124,815 lb
(56,615 kg), and this ACL was not
exceeded in 2019. The recreational ACL
is 29,656 fish, and preliminary landings
information show this ACL was
exceeded in the 5-day fishing season in
2019. For 2020, NMFS has determined
that the landings from the recreational
sector are expected to reach the
recreational ACL in 4 days.
At the March 2020 Council meeting,
NMFS presented estimates showing a
possible 3-day recreational red snapper
season for 2020. Subsequent to that
meeting, NMFS determined that a 4-day
recreational red snapper season was
appropriate.
For South Atlantic red snapper, the
commercial season begins each year on
the second Monday in July and closes
when the commercial ACL is reached or
is projected to be reached. Accordingly,
the 2020 commercial season opens on
July 13, 2020. The commercial season
will remain open until 12:01 a.m., local
time, on January 1, 2021, unless the
commercial ACL is reached or projected
to be reached prior to this date. During
the commercial fishing season, the
commercial trip limit is 75 lb (34 kg),
gutted weight. NMFS will monitor
commercial landings during the open
season, and if commercial landings
reach or are projected to reach the
commercial ACL, then NMFS will file a
notification with the Office of the
Federal Register to close the commercial
sector for red snapper for the remainder
of the fishing year.
The recreational season begins on the
second Friday in July. Accordingly, the
2020 recreational red snapper season
opens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July
10, 2020, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local
time, on July 13, 2020; then reopens at
12:01 a.m., local time, on July 17, 2020,
and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on
July 18, 2020. During the recreational
season, the recreational bag limit is one
red snapper per person, per day. After
the recreational sector closure, the bag
and possession limits for red snapper
are zero.
Additionally, during both the
commercial and recreational open
seasons, there is not a red snapper
minimum or maximum size limit for
either sector.
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with RULES
The Regional Administrator,
Southeast Region, NMFS, has
determined this temporary rule is
necessary for the conservation and
management of South Atlantic red
snapper and is consistent with the FMP,
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other
applicable laws.
16:05 Jun 12, 2020
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 1, 2020.
He´le`ne M.N. Scalliet,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–12093 Filed 6–10–20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 200528–0150]
RIN 0648–BI81
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; SnapperGrouper Fishery Off the Southern
Atlantic Region; Regulatory
Amendment 29
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
Classification
VerDate Sep<11>2014
This action is taken under 50 CFR
622.183(b)(5)(i) and 622.193(y) 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 Fisheries,
NOAA (AA), finds that the need to
implement the notice of the dates for the
red snapper fishing seasons 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),
because prior notice and opportunity for
public comment on this temporary rule
is unnecessary. Such procedures are
unnecessary because the rule
establishing the red snapper ACLs and
AMs has already been subject to notice
and comment, and all that remains is to
notify the public of the respective
commercial and recreational fishing
seasons. Additionally, announcing the
fishing seasons now allows each sector
to prepare for the upcoming harvest and
provides opportunity to for-hire fishing
vessels to book trips that could increase
their revenues and profits.
Jkt 250001
NMFS issues regulations to
implement Regulatory Amendment 29
to the Fishery Management Plan for the
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
Atlantic Region (FMP) (Regulatory
Amendment 29), as prepared and
submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council (Council). This
final rule requires descending devices to
be on board vessels and requires the use
of specific fish hook types while fishing
for or possessing snapper-grouper
species. This rule also allows the use of
powerheads in Federal waters off South
Carolina to harvest snapper-grouper
species. The purpose of this rule is to
modify fishing gear requirements to
promote best fishing practices and to
ensure consistent regulations for the
dive component of the snapper-grouper
fishery.
DATES: This final rule is effective on July
15, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of
Regulatory Amendment 29 may be
obtained from www.regulations.gov or
the NMFS Southeast Regional Office
website at https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/
regulatory-amendment-29-gearrequirements-south-atlantic-snappergrouper-species. Regulatory
Amendment 29 includes an
environmental assessment, a Regulatory
Flexibility Act (RFA) analysis, and a
regulatory impact review.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727–824–5305, or
email: frank.helies@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS and
the Council manage the snapper-grouper
fishery under the FMP. The FMP was
prepared by the Council and is
implemented by NMFS through
regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) (16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq.).
On April 21, 2020, NMFS published
a proposed rule for Regulatory
Amendment 29 in the Federal Register
and requested public comment (85 FR
22118, April 21, 2020). The proposed
rule and Regulatory Amendment 29
outline the rationale for the actions
contained in this final rule. A summary
of the management measures described
in Regulatory Amendment 29 and
implemented by this final rule is
provided below.
Management Measures Contained in
This Final Rule
This final rule requires: Descending
devices be on board all commercial,
charter vessels and headboats (for-hire),
and private recreational vessels while
fishing for or possessing snappergrouper species; the use of non-offset,
non-stainless steel circle hooks when
E:\FR\FM\15JNR1.SGM
15JNR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 115 (Monday, June 15, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36165-36166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12093]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 1710319998630-02; RTID 0648-XS029]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Snapper-Grouper Resources of the South Atlantic; 2020 Red Snapper
Commercial and Recreational Fishing Seasons
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; 2020 fishing seasons notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces the limited opening of commercial and
recreational red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the
South Atlantic for the 2020 fishing year. This notice announces the red
snapper commercial season opening date and the opening and closing
dates for the red snapper recreational season, according to the
accountability measures (AMs). This season announcement for South
Atlantic red snapper allows fishers to maximize their opportunity to
harvest the commercial and recreational annual catch limits (ACLs)
while also managing harvest to protect the red snapper resource.
DATES: The 2020 commercial red snapper season opens at 12:01 a.m.,
local time, July 13, 2020. The 2020 recreational red snapper season
opens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 10, 2020, and closes at 12:01
a.m., local time, on July 13, 2020; then reopens at 12:01 a.m., local
time, on July 17, 2020, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July
18, 2020, unless changed by subsequent notification in the Federal
Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery
includes red snapper and is managed under the Fishery Management Plan
for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP). The
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) prepared the FMP,
and the FMP 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 final rule implementing Amendment 43 to the FMP (83 FR 35428;
July 26, 2018) describes red snapper management measures including the
specific timing for red snapper commercial and recreational fishing
seasons. The final rule also revised the commercial and recreational
ACLs for red snapper. The commercial AM requires the sector to close
when commercial landings reach or are projected to reach the commercial
ACL. The recreational AM is the length of the recreational season, with
NMFS projecting the season length based on catch rate estimates from
previous years.
[[Page 36166]]
The commercial ACL is 124,815 lb (56,615 kg), and this ACL was not
exceeded in 2019. The recreational ACL is 29,656 fish, and preliminary
landings information show this ACL was exceeded in the 5-day fishing
season in 2019. For 2020, NMFS has determined that the landings from
the recreational sector are expected to reach the recreational ACL in 4
days.
At the March 2020 Council meeting, NMFS presented estimates showing
a possible 3-day recreational red snapper season for 2020. Subsequent
to that meeting, NMFS determined that a 4-day recreational red snapper
season was appropriate.
For South Atlantic red snapper, the commercial season begins each
year on the second Monday in July and closes when the commercial ACL is
reached or is projected to be reached. Accordingly, the 2020 commercial
season opens on July 13, 2020. The commercial season will remain open
until 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2021, unless the commercial
ACL is reached or projected to be reached prior to this date. During
the commercial fishing season, the commercial trip limit is 75 lb (34
kg), gutted weight. NMFS will monitor commercial landings during the
open season, and if commercial landings reach or are projected to reach
the commercial ACL, then NMFS will file a notification with the Office
of the Federal Register to close the commercial sector for red snapper
for the remainder of the fishing year.
The recreational season begins on the second Friday in July.
Accordingly, the 2020 recreational red snapper season opens at 12:01
a.m., local time, on July 10, 2020, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local
time, on July 13, 2020; then reopens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July
17, 2020, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 18, 2020.
During the recreational season, the recreational bag limit is one red
snapper per person, per day. After the recreational sector closure, the
bag and possession limits for red snapper are zero.
Additionally, during both the commercial and recreational open
seasons, there is not a red snapper minimum or maximum size limit for
either sector.
Classification
The Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, has determined
this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and management of
South Atlantic red snapper and is consistent with the FMP, the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable laws.
This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.183(b)(5)(i) and 622.193(y)
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 Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds that the
need to implement the notice of the dates for the red snapper fishing
seasons 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), because prior notice and
opportunity for public comment on this temporary rule is unnecessary.
Such procedures are unnecessary because the rule establishing the red
snapper ACLs and AMs has already been subject to notice and comment,
and all that remains is to notify the public of the respective
commercial and recreational fishing seasons. Additionally, announcing
the fishing seasons now allows each sector to prepare for the upcoming
harvest and provides opportunity to for-hire fishing vessels to book
trips that could increase their revenues and profits.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 1, 2020.
H[eacute]l[egrave]ne M.N. Scalliet,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-12093 Filed 6-10-20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P