Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region; Reopening of Commercial Hook-and-Line for King Mackerel in the Gulf of Mexico Southern Zone, 17751-17752 [2021-07094]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 6, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160426363–7275–02]
RTID 0648–XA985
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources
of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic
Region; Reopening of Commercial
Hook-and-Line for King Mackerel in the
Gulf of Mexico Southern Zone
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reopening.
AGENCY:
NMFS is temporarily
reopening the commercial hook-andline component for king mackerel in the
Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) southern zone.
The most recent commercial landings
data for king mackerel in the Gulf
southern zone indicate the commercial
hook-and-line quota for the 2020–2021
fishing year has not yet been reached.
The commercial hook-and-line
component will reopen for 5 days to
allow harvest of remaining king
mackerel commercial quota. NMFS
intends this action to maximize the
economic benefits to commercial
fishermen while continuing to protect
the Gulf king mackerel resource within
the established commercial quota.
DATES: This temporary rule is effective
from 12:01 a.m., local time, on April 4,
2021, through April 8, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kelli O’Donnell, NMFS Southeast
Regional Office, telephone: 727–824–
5305, email: kelli.odonnell@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
fishery for coastal migratory pelagic fish
in the Gulf includes king mackerel and
is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Coastal
Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf
of Mexico and Atlantic Region (FMP).
The Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic
Fishery Management Councils prepared
the FMP. NMFS implements the FMP
under the authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens
Act) through regulations at 50 CFR part
622. All weights for Gulf migratory
group king mackerel (Gulf king
mackerel) in this temporary rule apply
as either round or gutted weight.
The commercial sector for Gulf king
mackerel is divided into western,
northern, and southern zones. The
southern zone for Gulf king mackerel
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:01 Apr 05, 2021
Jkt 253001
encompasses an area of the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ) south of a line
extending due west from the boundary
of Lee and Collier Counties on the
Florida west coast, and south of a line
extending due east from the boundary of
Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties on
the Florida east coast, and includes the
EEZ off Collier and Monroe Counties in
south Florida (50 CFR 622.369(a)(1)(iii)).
Under 50 CFR 622.388(a)(1), NMFS is
required to close the king mackerel
commercial sector for the applicable
zone or gear type during the remainder
of the fishing year if landings reach, or
are projected to reach, the applicable
commercial quota by filing a
notification to that effect with the Office
of the Federal Register. The fishing year
for the harvest of Gulf king mackerel
with hook-and-line gear in the southern
zone is July 1 through June 30. On
February 22, 2021, NMFS projected that
commercial fishermen would reach the
commercial hook-and-line quota for
Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone
and published a temporary rule in the
Federal Register to close the zone to
commercial harvest using such gear
through June 30, 2021 (86 FR 10183,
February 19, 2021).
However, the most recent landings
data for king mackerel in the Gulf
southern zone indicate the commercial
hook-and-line quota for the 2020–2021
fishing year has not yet been reached.
The commercial hook-and-line quota for
Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone
is 575,400 lb (260,997 kg) for the 2020–
2021 fishing year (50 CFR
622.384(b)(1)(iii)(A)). Approximately
50,562 lb (22,934 kg) of the commercial
hook-and-line quota remain, and NMFS
projects that this amount will be
harvested in 5 days.
Therefore, in accordance with 50 CFR
622.8(c), NMFS reopens the commercial
hook-and-line component for king
mackerel in the Gulf southern zone for
5 days to allow the commercial quota to
be caught. Following the 5-day
reopening period, the hook-and-line
component of the commercial sector for
Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone
is closed again from April 9, 2021,
through the end of the fishing year on
June 30, 2021. The commercial hookand-line component for Gulf king
mackerel in the southern zone reopens
on July 1, 2021.
NMFS has also previously determined
that the Gulf king mackerel commercial
quota for vessels using run-around
gillnet gear in the southern zone was
reached on January 28, 2021, and
therefore on that date, NMFS closed the
southern zone to commercial king
mackerel fishing using such gear (86 FR
7815, February 2, 2021). Accordingly,
PO 00000
Frm 00061
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
17751
all commercial fishing for Gulf king
mackerel in the southern zone is closed
from April 9, 2021, through June 30,
2021. The commercial run-around
gillnet component for Gulf king
mackerel in the southern zone will
reopen at 6 a.m. local time on January
18, 2022.
A person aboard a vessel that has a
valid Federal commercial permit for
king mackerel may continue to retain
king mackerel 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 is open (50 CFR
622.384(e)(1)).
During the commercial closure, king
mackerel caught with hook-and-line
gear from the closed zone may not be
purchased or sold, including those
harvested under the recreational bag
and possession limits. This prohibition
does not apply to king mackerel caught
with hook-and-line gear 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
NMFS issues this action pursuant to
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. This action is taken under 50 CFR
622.8(c), which was issued pursuant to
section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there
is good cause to waive prior notice and
an opportunity for public comment on
this action, as notice and comment is
unnecessary and contrary to the public
interest. Such procedures are
unnecessary because the regulation at
50 CFR 622.8(c) has already has already
been subject to notice and public
comment, and all that remains is to
notify the public that additional harvest
is available under the established
commercial quota, and therefore, the
commercial hook-and-line component
for Gulf king mackerel in the southern
zone will reopen. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment on this
action is contrary to the public interest
because these fish are migratory and
reopening quickly is necessary to
provide fishermen the best opportunity
to harvest the fish before they leave the
area. NMFS expects reopening quickly
to help achieve optimum yield by
making additional king mackerel
available to consumers and resulting in
revenue increases to commercial
fishermen.
For the aforementioned reasons, there
is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3)
E:\FR\FM\06APR1.SGM
06APR1
17752
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 64 / Tuesday, April 6, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness of this action.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 1, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–07094 Filed 4–1–21; 4:40 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 210217–0022]
RTID 0648–XA986
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of
Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
AGENCY:
NMFS is reallocating the
projected unused amounts of the
Community Development Quota (CDQ)
and Aleut Corporation pollock directed
fishing allowance (DFA) from the
Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering
Sea subarea. This action is necessary to
SUMMARY:
provide opportunity for harvest of the
2021 total allowable catch of pollock,
consistent with the goals and objectives
of the Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area
(BSAI).
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), April 6, 2021 through
2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Whitney, 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 (Council)
under authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens
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.
In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the
portion of the 2021 pollock total
allowable catch (TAC) allocated to CDQ
groups is 1,900 mt and the Aleut
Corporation DFA is 14,600 mt as
established by the final 2021 and 2022
harvest specifications for groundfish in
the BSAI (86 FR 11449, February 25,
2021).
As of March 26, 2021, the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator) has
determined that 1,900 mt of CDQ
pollock and 12,600 mt of the Aleut
Corporation pollock DFA in the
Aleutian Islands subarea will not be
harvested. Therefore, in accordance
with § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS
reallocates 1,900 mt of CDQ pollock and
12,600 mt of the Aleut Corporation
pollock DFA from the Aleutian Islands
subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. The
1,900 mt of 2021 Aleutian Islands CDQ
pollock is added to the 2021 Bering Sea
CDQ pollock. The 12,600 mt of 2021
Aleutians Islands Aleut Corporation
pollock DFA is added to the 2021 Bering
Sea pollock DFA. The 2021 Bering Sea
subarea pollock incidental catch
allowance remains at 49,500 mt. As a
result, the 2021 harvest specifications
for pollock in the Aleutian Islands
subarea included in the final 2021 and
2022 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (86 FR 11449,
February 25, 2021) are revised as
follows: 0 mt for AI CDQ pollock and
2,000 mt for the Aleut Corporation
pollock DFA. Furthermore, pursuant to
§ 679.20(a)(5), Table 4 of the final 2021
and 2022 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (86 FR 11449,
February 25, 2021), is revised to make
2021 pollock allocations consistent with
this reallocation. This reallocation
results in an adjustment to the 2021
CDQ and Aleut Corporation pollock
allocations established at § 679.20(a)(5).
TABLE 4—FINAL 2021 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2021 A season 1
Area and sector
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES
A season DFA
Bering Sea subarea TAC 1 ......................................................
CDQ DFA .................................................................................
ICA 1 .........................................................................................
Total Bering Sea non-CDQ DFA .............................................
AFA Inshore .............................................................................
AFA Catcher/Processors 3 .......................................................
Catch by CPs ...........................................................................
Catch by CVs 3 ........................................................................
Unlisted CP Limit 4 ...................................................................
AFA Motherships .....................................................................
Excessive Harvesting Limit 5 ....................................................
Excessive Processing Limit 6 ...................................................
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC .................................................
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC 1 ...............................................
CDQ DFA .................................................................................
ICA ...........................................................................................
Aleut Corporation .....................................................................
Area harvest limit 7 ...................................................................
541 ...........................................................................................
542 ...........................................................................................
543 ...........................................................................................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:01 Apr 05, 2021
Jkt 253001
2021 B season 1
2021 Allocations
PO 00000
Frm 00062
1,389,500
139,400
49,500
1,200,600
600,300
480,240
439,420
40,820
2,401
120,060
210,105
360,180
51,241
4,500
..............................
2,500
2,000
n/a
15,372
7,686
2,562
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
SCA harvest limit 2
n/a
62,730
n/a
540,270
270,135
216,108
197,739
18,369
1,081
54,027
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
..............................
1,250
2,000
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
E:\FR\FM\06APR1.SGM
n/a
39,032
n/a
336,168
168,084
134,467
n/a
n/a
n/a
33,617
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
06APR1
B season DFA
n/a
76,670
n/a
660,330
330,165
264,132
241,681
22,451
1,321
66,033
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
..............................
1,250
..............................
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 6, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17751-17752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07094]
[[Page 17751]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160426363-7275-02]
RTID 0648-XA985
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and
Atlantic Region; Reopening of Commercial Hook-and-Line for King
Mackerel in the Gulf of Mexico Southern Zone
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reopening.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is temporarily reopening the commercial hook-and-line
component for king mackerel in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) southern zone.
The most recent commercial landings data for king mackerel in the Gulf
southern zone indicate the commercial hook-and-line quota for the 2020-
2021 fishing year has not yet been reached. The commercial hook-and-
line component will reopen for 5 days to allow harvest of remaining
king mackerel commercial quota. NMFS intends this action to maximize
the economic benefits to commercial fishermen while continuing to
protect the Gulf king mackerel resource within the established
commercial quota.
DATES: This temporary rule is effective from 12:01 a.m., local time, on
April 4, 2021, through April 8, 2021.
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 in the Gulf includes king mackerel and is managed under the
Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of
the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (FMP). The Gulf of Mexico and
South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils prepared the FMP. NMFS
implements the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) through
regulations at 50 CFR part 622. All weights for Gulf migratory group
king mackerel (Gulf king mackerel) in this temporary rule apply as
either round or gutted weight.
The commercial sector for Gulf king mackerel is divided into
western, northern, and southern zones. The southern zone for Gulf king
mackerel encompasses an area of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) south
of a line extending due west from the boundary of Lee and Collier
Counties on the Florida west coast, and south of a line extending due
east from the boundary of Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties on the Florida
east coast, and includes the EEZ off Collier and Monroe Counties in
south Florida (50 CFR 622.369(a)(1)(iii)).
Under 50 CFR 622.388(a)(1), NMFS is required to close the king
mackerel commercial sector for the applicable zone or gear type during
the remainder of the fishing year if landings reach, or are projected
to reach, the applicable commercial quota by filing a notification to
that effect with the Office of the Federal Register. The fishing year
for the harvest of Gulf king mackerel with hook-and-line gear in the
southern zone is July 1 through June 30. On February 22, 2021, NMFS
projected that commercial fishermen would reach the commercial hook-
and-line quota for Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone and
published a temporary rule in the Federal Register to close the zone to
commercial harvest using such gear through June 30, 2021 (86 FR 10183,
February 19, 2021).
However, the most recent landings data for king mackerel in the
Gulf southern zone indicate the commercial hook-and-line quota for the
2020-2021 fishing year has not yet been reached. The commercial hook-
and-line quota for Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone is 575,400
lb (260,997 kg) for the 2020-2021 fishing year (50 CFR
622.384(b)(1)(iii)(A)). Approximately 50,562 lb (22,934 kg) of the
commercial hook-and-line quota remain, and NMFS projects that this
amount will be harvested in 5 days.
Therefore, in accordance with 50 CFR 622.8(c), NMFS reopens the
commercial hook-and-line component for king mackerel in the Gulf
southern zone for 5 days to allow the commercial quota to be caught.
Following the 5-day reopening period, the hook-and-line component of
the commercial sector for Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone is
closed again from April 9, 2021, through the end of the fishing year on
June 30, 2021. The commercial hook-and-line component for Gulf king
mackerel in the southern zone reopens on July 1, 2021.
NMFS has also previously determined that the Gulf king mackerel
commercial quota for vessels using run-around gillnet gear in the
southern zone was reached on January 28, 2021, and therefore on that
date, NMFS closed the southern zone to commercial king mackerel fishing
using such gear (86 FR 7815, February 2, 2021). Accordingly, all
commercial fishing for Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone is
closed from April 9, 2021, through June 30, 2021. The commercial run-
around gillnet component for Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone
will reopen at 6 a.m. local time on January 18, 2022.
A person aboard a vessel that has a valid Federal commercial permit
for king mackerel may continue to retain king mackerel 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 is open (50 CFR 622.384(e)(1)).
During the commercial closure, king mackerel caught with hook-and-
line gear from the closed zone may not be purchased or sold, including
those harvested under the recreational bag and possession limits. This
prohibition does not apply to king mackerel caught with hook-and-line
gear 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
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.8(c), which was
issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice
and comment is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such
procedures are unnecessary because the regulation at 50 CFR 622.8(c)
has already has already been subject to notice and public comment, and
all that remains is to notify the public that additional harvest is
available under the established commercial quota, and therefore, the
commercial hook-and-line component for Gulf king mackerel in the
southern zone will reopen. Prior notice and opportunity for public
comment on this action is contrary to the public interest because these
fish are migratory and reopening quickly is necessary to provide
fishermen the best opportunity to harvest the fish before they leave
the area. NMFS expects reopening quickly to help achieve optimum yield
by making additional king mackerel available to consumers and resulting
in revenue increases to commercial fishermen.
For the aforementioned reasons, there is good cause under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3)
[[Page 17752]]
to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness of this action.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 1, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-07094 Filed 4-1-21; 4:40 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
