Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2021 Commercial Hook-and-Line Closure for South Atlantic Golden Tilefish, 29209-29210 [2021-11492]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 103 / Tuesday, June 1, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
requirements, and imposes no
additional requirements beyond those
imposed by state law, and there are no
anticipated significant adverse human
health or environmental effects, the rule
is not subject to Executive Order 12898.
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801 et seq., as added by the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement
Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides
that before a rule may take effect, the
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submit a rule report, which includes a
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Congress and to the Comptroller General
of the United States. The EPA will
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House of Representatives, and the
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States prior to publication of the final
rule correction in the Federal Register.
A major rule cannot take effect until 60
days after it is published in the Federal
Register. This correction is not a ‘‘major
rule’’ as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
Authority: This action is issued under the
authority of sections 2002(a), 3006, and
7004(b) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act as
amended, 42 U.S.C. 6912(a), 6926, and
6974(b).
Dated: May 24, 2021.
Deborah Jordan,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.
[FR Doc. 2021–11394 Filed 5–28–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 120404257–3325–02; RTID
0648–XB110]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2021
Commercial Hook-and-Line Closure for
South Atlantic Golden Tilefish
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS implements an
accountability measure for the
commercial hook-and-line component
of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic
exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS
projects that commercial hook-and-line
landings for golden tilefish will reach
the commercial quota for the hook-andline component by June 1, 2021.
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:41 May 28, 2021
Jkt 253001
Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial
hook-and-line component for golden
tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ on
June 1, 2021. This closure is necessary
to protect the golden tilefish resource.
DATES: This temporary rule is effective
at 12:01 a.m., Eastern Time, on June 1,
2021, until 12:01 a.m., Eastern Time, on
January 1, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Vara, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727–824–5305, email:
mary.vara@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic includes golden tilefish and is
managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the SnapperGrouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared
by the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council and NMFS, 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 in this temporary rule are given
in gutted weight.
The commercial sector for golden
tilefish has two components, each with
its own quota: The hook-and-line and
longline components (50 CFR
622.190(a)(2)). The golden tilefish
commercial annual catch limit (ACL) is
allocated 25 percent to the hook-andline component and 75 percent to the
longline component. The total
commercial ACL (equivalent to the
commercial quota) for golden tilefish is
331,740 lb (150,475 kg), and the hookand-line component ACL is 82,935 lb
(37,619 kg).
Under 50 CFR 622.193(a)(1)(i), NMFS
is required to close the commercial
hook-and-line component for golden
tilefish when its commercial ACL has
been reached, or is projected to be
reached, by filing such a notification
with the Office of the Federal Register.
NMFS has determined that the
commercial ACL for the golden tilefish
hook-and-line component in the South
Atlantic will be reached by June 1, 2021.
Accordingly, the commercial hook-andline component of South Atlantic
golden tilefish is closed effective at
12:01 a.m., Eastern Time, on June 1,
2021.
The commercial longline component
for South Atlantic golden tilefish also
closed on March 31, 2021, and will
remain closed for the remainder of the
current fishing year, through December
31, 2021 (86 FR 14549; March 17, 2021).
Therefore, because the commercial
longline component is already closed,
and NMFS is closing the commercial
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
29209
hook-and-line component through this
temporary rule, all harvest of South
Atlantic golden tilefish in the EEZ is
limited to the recreational bag and
possession limits specified in 50 CFR
622.187(b)(2)(iii) and (c)(1) as long as
the recreational sector is open.
The operator of a vessel with a valid
Federal commercial vessel permit for
South Atlantic snapper-grouper having
golden tilefish on board harvested by
hook-and-line must have landed and
bartered, traded, or sold such golden
tilefish prior to 12:01 a.m., Eastern
Time, on June 1, 2021. During the
closure, the sale or purchase of golden
tilefish taken from the EEZ is
prohibited. The prohibition on sale or
purchase does not apply to the sale or
purchase of golden tilefish that were
harvested by hook-and-line, landed
ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m.,
Eastern Time, on June 1, 2021, and were
held in cold storage by a dealer or
processor. For a person on board a
vessel for which a Federal commercial
or charter vessel/headboat permit for the
South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery
has been issued, the recreational bag
and possession limits and the sale and
purchase prohibitions during the
commercial closure for golden tilefish
apply regardless of whether the fish are
harvested in state or Federal waters, as
specified in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1)(ii).
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. This action is required by 50 CFR
622.193(a)(1), 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 regulations
associated with the commercial closure
of the golden tilefish hook-and-line
component have already been subject to
notice and public comment, and all that
remains is to notify the public of the
closure. Such procedures are also
contrary to the public interest because
of the need to immediately implement
the closure to protect the golden tilefish
resource and minimize the risk of
exceeding the sector’s ACL. Prior notice
and opportunity for public comment
would require time and would result in
exceeding the sector’s ACL.
For the aforementioned reasons, the
Acting Assistant Administrator also
finds good cause to waive the 30-day
E:\FR\FM\01JNR1.SGM
01JNR1
29210
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 103 / Tuesday, June 1, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
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 26, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–11492 Filed 5–27–21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 201204–0325]
RIN 0648–BK53
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;
Fisheries Off West Coast States;
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery;
2021–2022 Biennial Specifications and
Management Measures; Inseason
Adjustments
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; inseason adjustments
to biennial groundfish management
measures.
AGENCY:
This final rule announces
routine inseason adjustments to the
harvest limits for incidental Pacific
halibut retention in the sablefish
primary fishery. The Pacific Fishery
Management Council recommended,
and NMFS is implementing, a decrease
to the incidental Pacific halibut catch
limit to ensure equitable harvest
opportunities without exceeding the
harvest limit.
DATES: This final rule is effective June
1, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Abbie Moyer, phone: 206–305–9601 or
email: abbie.moyer@noaa.gov.
SUMMARY:
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with RULES
Electronic Access
This rule is accessible via the internet
at the Office of the Federal Register
website at https://
www.federalregister.gov. Background
information and documents are
available at the Pacific Fishery
Management Council’s website at https://
www.pcouncil.org/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery
Management Plan (PCGFMP), and its
implementing regulations at 50 CFR part
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:41 May 28, 2021
Jkt 253001
660, subparts C through G, regulate
fishing for over 90 species of groundfish
off the coasts of Washington, Oregon,
and California. The Pacific Fishery
Management Council (Council)
develops groundfish harvest
specifications and management
measures for two-year periods (i.e., a
biennium). NMFS published the final
rule to implement harvest specifications
and management measures for the
2021–2022 biennium for most species
managed under the PCGFMP on
December 11, 2020, (85 FR 79880).
NMFS also published a correction (85
FR 86853, December 31, 2020), and a
correcting amendment (86 FR 14379,
March 16, 2021) to implement the
Council’s recommendations for the
2021–2022 harvest specifications and
management measures.
In general, the management measures
set at the start of the biennial harvest
specifications cycle help the various
sectors of the fishery attain, but not
exceed, the catch limits for each stock.
The Council, in coordination with
Pacific Coast Treaty Indian Tribes and
the states of Washington, Oregon, and
California, recommends adjustments to
the management measures during the
fishing year to achieve this goal. At its
March 2–5 and 8–11, 2021, meeting, the
Council recommended decreasing the
amount of Pacific halibut that vessels in
the sablefish primary fishery north of
Point Chehalis, WA, may take
incidentally to ensure that catch of
Pacific halibut stays within the
allocated amount.
Pacific halibut is generally a
prohibited species for vessels fishing in
Pacific coast groundfish fisheries, unless
explicitly allowed in groundfish
regulations. The Council developed a
Catch Sharing Plan for the International
Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC)
Regulatory Area 2A, as provided for in
the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982
(16 U.S.C. 773–773k), to allocate the
Area 2A annual total allowable catch
(TAC) for Pacific halibut among
fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and
California.
Under the Catch Sharing Plan, the
sablefish primary fishery north of Point
Chehalis, WA (46°53.30′ N lat.) is
allocated a portion of the Washington
recreational allocation, which varies via
a TAC-dependent formula, as described
in the Catch Sharing Plan.
The sablefish primary fishery season
is open from April 1 to October 31,
though the fishery may close for
individual participants prior to October
31 once they reach the cumulative limit
associated with their tier assignment(s).
Regulations at § 660.231(b)(3)(iv) allow
vessels fishing in the sablefish primary
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Frm 00038
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
fishery with a permit from the IPHC to
retain Pacific halibut up to a set landing
limit, which may be reviewed and
modified throughout the sablefish
primary fishery season to allow for
attainment, but not exceedance of the
Pacific halibut allocation. The objectives
for the annual landing restrictions are to
allow incidental Pacific halibut catch to
attain the Pacific halibut allocation at
about the same time the sablefish
primary season ends (October 31), and
to ensure an equitable sharing of the
Pacific halibut landings among the
fishers.
On March 9, 2021, NMFS
implemented a 2021 Area 2A TAC of
1,510,000 pound (lb) (684.9 metric tons
(mt)) (86 FR 13475). As specified by the
Catch Sharing Plan, since the 2021 Area
2A catch limit is greater than 1.5 million
pounds (680.4 mt), the incidental
halibut limit for the sablefish primary
fishery’s allocation is 70,000 lb (31.8 mt)
(86 FR 13475, March 9, 2021), the same
limit as was in place in 2020. In 2020,
due to the COVID–19 pandemic
affecting vessel participation, harvest
during the regular sablefish primary
fishery season was lower than
predicted. As a result, at the September
2020 Council meeting, the Council
recommended, and NMFS
implemented, an emergency rule to
extend the sablefish primary season,
normally scheduled to end on October
31, until December 31, 2020 (85 FR
68001, October 27, 2020). Also, as part
of that emergency rule, the incidental
Pacific halibut retention allowance
continued until the close of the Pacific
halibut season on November 15, 2020.
The 2020 season concluded with 90.5
percent of the 70,000 lb (31.8 mt)
allowance for Pacific halibut landed.
The effects of the COVID–19 pandemic
on sablefish primary fishery harvest are
expected to be lessened in 2021,
compared to 2020. If fishing patterns
return to more typical seasonal efforts in
2021, the incidental Pacific halibut
retention limit in place in 2020 may be
too high, and harvest of Pacific halibut
may accrue too quickly to allow
retention throughout the entire sablefish
primary season, which is expected to
run through October 31, 2021.
Therefore, at the March 2021 virtual
meeting, the Council recommended a
precautionary reduction in Pacific
halibut retention allowance early in the
2021 sablefish primary fishery season to
discourage targeted fishing while
allowing small incidental catches
through the end of the season on
October 31.
The Council recommended, and
NMFS is revising the incidental Pacific
halibut retention regulations at
E:\FR\FM\01JNR1.SGM
01JNR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 103 (Tuesday, June 1, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29209-29210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11492]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 120404257-3325-02; RTID 0648-XB110]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
2021 Commercial Hook-and-Line Closure for South Atlantic Golden
Tilefish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial
hook-and-line component of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic
exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS projects that commercial hook-and-
line landings for golden tilefish will reach the commercial quota for
the hook-and-line component by June 1, 2021. Therefore, NMFS closes the
commercial hook-and-line component for golden tilefish in the South
Atlantic EEZ on June 1, 2021. This closure is necessary to protect the
golden tilefish resource.
DATES: This temporary rule is effective at 12:01 a.m., Eastern Time, on
June 1, 2021, until 12:01 a.m., Eastern Time, on January 1, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Vara, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic includes golden tilefish and is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council and NMFS, 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 in this temporary rule are given in gutted weight.
The commercial sector for golden tilefish has two components, each
with its own quota: The hook-and-line and longline components (50 CFR
622.190(a)(2)). The golden tilefish commercial annual catch limit (ACL)
is allocated 25 percent to the hook-and-line component and 75 percent
to the longline component. The total commercial ACL (equivalent to the
commercial quota) for golden tilefish is 331,740 lb (150,475 kg), and
the hook-and-line component ACL is 82,935 lb (37,619 kg).
Under 50 CFR 622.193(a)(1)(i), NMFS is required to close the
commercial hook-and-line component for golden tilefish when its
commercial ACL has been reached, or is projected to be reached, by
filing such a notification with the Office of the Federal Register.
NMFS has determined that the commercial ACL for the golden tilefish
hook-and-line component in the South Atlantic will be reached by June
1, 2021. Accordingly, the commercial hook-and-line component of South
Atlantic golden tilefish is closed effective at 12:01 a.m., Eastern
Time, on June 1, 2021.
The commercial longline component for South Atlantic golden
tilefish also closed on March 31, 2021, and will remain closed for the
remainder of the current fishing year, through December 31, 2021 (86 FR
14549; March 17, 2021). Therefore, because the commercial longline
component is already closed, and NMFS is closing the commercial hook-
and-line component through this temporary rule, all harvest of South
Atlantic golden tilefish in the EEZ is limited to the recreational bag
and possession limits specified in 50 CFR 622.187(b)(2)(iii) and (c)(1)
as long as the recreational sector is open.
The operator of a vessel with a valid Federal commercial vessel
permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper having golden tilefish on
board harvested by hook-and-line must have landed and bartered, traded,
or sold such golden tilefish prior to 12:01 a.m., Eastern Time, on June
1, 2021. During the closure, the sale or purchase of golden tilefish
taken from the EEZ is prohibited. The prohibition on sale or purchase
does not apply to the sale or purchase of golden tilefish that were
harvested by hook-and-line, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01
a.m., Eastern Time, on June 1, 2021, and were held in cold storage by a
dealer or processor. For a person on board a vessel for which a Federal
commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for the South Atlantic
snapper-grouper fishery has been issued, the recreational bag and
possession limits and the sale and purchase prohibitions during the
commercial closure for golden tilefish apply regardless of whether the
fish are harvested in state or Federal waters, as specified in 50 CFR
622.190(c)(1)(ii).
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.193(a)(1), 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 regulations associated with the
commercial closure of the golden tilefish hook-and-line component have
already been subject to notice and public comment, and all that remains
is to notify the public of the closure. Such procedures are also
contrary to the public interest because of the need to immediately
implement the closure to protect the golden tilefish resource and
minimize the risk of exceeding the sector's ACL. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment would require time and would result in
exceeding the sector's ACL.
For the aforementioned reasons, the Acting Assistant Administrator
also finds good cause to waive the 30-day
[[Page 29210]]
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 26, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-11492 Filed 5-27-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
