Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries, 53010-53011 [2021-20799]

Download as PDF 53010 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 183 / Friday, September 24, 2021 / Rules and Regulations subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13. In addition, therefore, it does not contain any proposed information collection burden ‘‘for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees,’’ pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107–198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4). Provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 5 U.S.C. 601– 612, do not apply to this proceeding. The Commission will send a copy of this Report and Order in a report to be sent to Congress and the Government Accountability Office pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A). List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73 Federal Communications Commission. Thomas Horan, Chief of Staff, Media Bureau. Final Rule For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications Commission amends 47 CFR part 73 as follows: PART 73—RADIO BROADCAST SERVICE 1. The authority citation for part 73 continues to read as follows: ■ Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 155, 301, 303, 307, 309, 310, 334, 336, 339. 2. In § 73.622, in paragraph (i), amend the Post-Transition Table of DTV Allotments, under Oklahoma, by revising the entry for ‘‘Tulsa’’ to read as follows: ■ § 73.622 Digital television table of allotments. * * (i) * * * * * Community * Channel No. * * * * OKLAHOMA * * Tulsa ............. * * * * 8, * 11, 14, 22, 45, 47, 49. * * * [FR Doc. 2021–20635 Filed 9–23–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712–01–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 635 [Docket No. 180117042–8884–02] RTID 0648–XB417 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; closure of the Atlantic bluefin tuna General category September fishery for 2021. AGENCY: NMFS closes the General category fishery for large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the September subquota time period until the General category reopens on October 1, 2021. Given that the General category September subquota will be closed by this action through the end of September, NMFS is also waiving previously-designated restricted-fishing days (RFDs) for the rest of September. The fishery will reopen on October 1, 2021, and the previously-designated RFDs will resume on October 1, 2021. This action applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and HMS Charter/ Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT. DATES: Effective 11:30 p.m., local time, September 23, 2021, through September 30, 2021. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Redd, Jr., 301–427–8503, Nicholas Velseboer, 978–281–9260, or Lauren Latchford, 301–427–8503. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Atlantic HMS fisheries, including BFT fisheries, are managed 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.). The 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and its amendments are implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 635. Section 635.27 divides the U.S. BFT quota recommended by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and as implemented by the United States among the various domestic fishing categories, per the allocations SUMMARY: Television. * DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 16:01 Sep 23, 2021 Jkt 253001 * PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 established in the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and its amendments. NMFS is required under the Magnuson-Stevens Act to provide U.S. fishing vessels with a reasonable opportunity to harvest quotas under relevant international fishery agreements such as the ICCAT Convention, which is implemented domestically pursuant to ATCA. Under § 635.28(a)(1), NMFS files a closure action with the Office of the Federal Register for publication when a BFT quota (or subquota) is reached or is projected to be reached. Retaining, possessing, or landing BFT under that quota category is prohibited on or after the effective date and time of a closure notice for that category until the opening of the relevant subsequent quota period or until such date as specified. Closure of the September 2021 General Category Fishery The 2021 baseline quota for the General category is 555.7 mt. The General category baseline subquota for the September time period is 147.3 mt. NMFS recently increased the September subquota to 207.3 mt through an inseason quota transfer (86 FR 51016, September 14, 2021). This transfer provided additional quota for the September time period and also addressed an 53.8 mt overharvest from previous time-period subquotas. As of September 21, 2021, reported landings for the General category September subquota time-period total approximately 161.6 mt. Based on these landings data, as well as average catch rates and anticipated fishing conditions, NMFS projects the adjusted September 2021 subquota of 207.3 mt will be reached shortly. Therefore, retaining, possessing, or landing large medium or giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater) BFT by persons aboard vessels permitted in the Atlantic Tunas General category and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels (while fishing commercially) must cease at 11:30 p.m. local time on September 23, 2021. The General category will automatically reopen October 1, 2021, for the October through November 2021 subquota time-period. This action applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and HMS Charter/ Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT, and is taken consistent with the regulations at § 635.28(a)(1). The intent of this closure is to prevent overharvest of the available September subquota. E:\FR\FM\24SER1.SGM 24SER1 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 183 / Friday, September 24, 2021 / Rules and Regulations Adjustment of Daily Retention Limit for Selected Dates quota monitoring and inseason adjustments. On August 9, 2021 (86 FR 43421), NMFS published a final rule implementing RFDs every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday through November 30, 2021. Because the fishery will be closed for the remainder of September, NMFS has decided to waive the previously-scheduled RFDs for the rest of September. RFDs will resume on October 1, 2021. With the RFDs waived during the closure, consistent with § 635.23(a)(4), fishermen aboard General category permitted vessels and HMS Charter/ Headboat permitted vessels may tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of the catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs at § 635.26. All BFT that are released must be handled in a manner that will maximize their 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/. Classification NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is taken pursuant to 50 CFR part 635, which was issued pursuant to section 304(c), and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. The Assistant Administrator for NMFS (AA) finds that pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior notice of, and an opportunity for public comment on, this action for the following reasons: The regulations implementing the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and amendments provide for inseason retention limit adjustments to respond to the unpredictable nature of BFT availability on the fishing grounds, the migratory nature of this species, and the regional variations in the BFT fishery. This fishery is currently underway and delaying this action would be contrary to the public interest as it could result in BFT landings exceeding the adjusted September 2021 General category quota. For all of the above reasons, there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d) to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness. Monitoring and Reporting Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 et seq. NMFS will continue to monitor the BFT fisheries closely. Dealers are required to submit landing reports within 24 hours of a dealer receiving BFT. Late reporting by dealers compromises NMFS’ ability to timely implement actions such as quota and retention limit adjustment, as well as closures, and may result in enforcement actions. Additionally, and separate from the dealer reporting requirement, General and HMS Charter/Headboat 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, using the HMS Catch Reporting app, or calling (888) 872–8862 (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.). After the fishery re-opens on October 1, depending on the level of fishing effort and catch rates of BFT, NMFS may determine that additional adjustments are necessary to ensure available subquotas are not exceeded or to enhance scientific data collection from, and fishing opportunities in, all geographic areas. If needed, subsequent adjustments will be published in the Federal Register. In addition, fishermen may call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (978) 281–9260, or access hmspermits.noaa.gov, for updates on VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:01 Sep 23, 2021 Jkt 253001 Dated: September 21, 2021. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2021–20799 Filed 9–21–21; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 200420–0118; RTID 0648– XB432] Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Scup Fishery; Adjustment to the 2021 Winter II Quota National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; in-season adjustment. AGENCY: NMFS adjusts the 2021 Winter II commercial scup quota and per-trip Federal landing limit. This action is necessary to comply with Framework Adjustment 3 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 53011 Bass Fishery Management Plan that established the rollover of unused commercial scup quota from the Winter I to Winter II period. This notification is intended to inform the public of this quota and trip limit change. DATES: Effective October 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Hansen, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9225; or Laura.Hansen@noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS published a final rule for Framework Adjustment 3 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan in the Federal Register on November 3, 2003 (68 FR 62250), implementing a process to roll over unused Winter I commercial scup quota (January 1 through April 30) to be added to the Winter II period quota (October 1 through December 31) (50 CFR 648.122(d)). The framework also allows adjustment of the commercial possession limit for the Winter II period dependent on the amount of quota rolled over from the Winter I period. The Winter II period start date was changed from November 1 to October 1 as part of Framework Adjustment 12 (83 FR 17314; April 19, 2018). For 2021, the initial Winter II quota is 3,267,825 lb (1,482,260 kg). The best available landings information indicates that 3,415,629 lb (1,549,303 kg) remain of the 9,247,904 lb (4,194,779 kg) Winter I quota. Consistent with Framework 3, the full amount of unused 2021 Winter I quota is being transferred to Winter II, resulting in a revised 2021 Winter II quota of 6,683,454 lb (3,031,563 kg). Because the amount transferred is between 3.0 and 3.5 million lb (1,587,573 and 1,814,369 kg), the Federal per trip possession limit will increase from 12,000 lb (5,443 kg) to 21,000 lb (9,525 kg), as outlined in the final rule that established the possession limit and quota rollover procedures for this year, published on December 21, 2020 (85 FR 82946). The new possession limit would be effective October 1 through December 31, 2021. The possession limit will revert back to 12,000 lb (5,443 kg) at the start of the next fishing year that begins January 1, 2022. Classification NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 648.122(d), which was issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempted from review under Executive Order 12866. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior notice and E:\FR\FM\24SER1.SGM 24SER1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 183 (Friday, September 24, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 53010-53011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20799]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

[Docket No. 180117042-8884-02]
RTID 0648-XB417


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna 
Fisheries

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure of the Atlantic bluefin tuna General 
category September fishery for 2021.

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SUMMARY: NMFS closes the General category fishery for large medium and 
giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or 
greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the September subquota time 
period until the General category reopens on October 1, 2021. Given 
that the General category September subquota will be closed by this 
action through the end of September, NMFS is also waiving previously-
designated restricted-fishing days (RFDs) for the rest of September. 
The fishery will reopen on October 1, 2021, and the previously-
designated RFDs will resume on October 1, 2021. This action applies to 
Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and HMS 
Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement 
when fishing commercially for BFT.

DATES: Effective 11:30 p.m., local time, September 23, 2021, through 
September 30, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Redd, Jr., 301-427-8503, 
Nicholas Velseboer, 978-281-9260, or Lauren Latchford, 301-427-8503.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Atlantic HMS fisheries, including BFT 
fisheries, are managed 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.). The 2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP) and its amendments are implemented by regulations 
at 50 CFR part 635. Section 635.27 divides the U.S. BFT quota 
recommended by the International Commission for the Conservation of 
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and as implemented by the United States among 
the various domestic fishing categories, per the allocations 
established in the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and its amendments. NMFS 
is required under the Magnuson-Stevens Act to provide U.S. fishing 
vessels with a reasonable opportunity to harvest quotas under relevant 
international fishery agreements such as the ICCAT Convention, which is 
implemented domestically pursuant to ATCA.
    Under Sec.  635.28(a)(1), NMFS files a closure action with the 
Office of the Federal Register for publication when a BFT quota (or 
subquota) is reached or is projected to be reached. Retaining, 
possessing, or landing BFT under that quota category is prohibited on 
or after the effective date and time of a closure notice for that 
category until the opening of the relevant subsequent quota period or 
until such date as specified.

Closure of the September 2021 General Category Fishery

    The 2021 baseline quota for the General category is 555.7 mt. The 
General category baseline subquota for the September time period is 
147.3 mt. NMFS recently increased the September subquota to 207.3 mt 
through an inseason quota transfer (86 FR 51016, September 14, 2021). 
This transfer provided additional quota for the September time period 
and also addressed an 53.8 mt overharvest from previous time-period 
subquotas.
    As of September 21, 2021, reported landings for the General 
category September subquota time-period total approximately 161.6 mt. 
Based on these landings data, as well as average catch rates and 
anticipated fishing conditions, NMFS projects the adjusted September 
2021 subquota of 207.3 mt will be reached shortly. Therefore, 
retaining, possessing, or landing large medium or giant (i.e., 
measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length or greater) BFT by 
persons aboard vessels permitted in the Atlantic Tunas General category 
and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels (while fishing commercially) 
must cease at 11:30 p.m. local time on September 23, 2021. The General 
category will automatically reopen October 1, 2021, for the October 
through November 2021 subquota time-period. This action applies to 
Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and HMS 
Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement 
when fishing commercially for BFT, and is taken consistent with the 
regulations at Sec.  635.28(a)(1). The intent of this closure is to 
prevent overharvest of the available September subquota.

[[Page 53011]]

Adjustment of Daily Retention Limit for Selected Dates

    On August 9, 2021 (86 FR 43421), NMFS published a final rule 
implementing RFDs every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday through November 
30, 2021. Because the fishery will be closed for the remainder of 
September, NMFS has decided to waive the previously-scheduled RFDs for 
the rest of September. RFDs will resume on October 1, 2021.
    With the RFDs waived during the closure, consistent with Sec.  
635.23(a)(4), fishermen aboard General category permitted vessels and 
HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may tag and release BFT of all 
sizes, subject to the requirements of the catch-and-release and tag-
and-release programs at Sec.  635.26. All BFT that are released must be 
handled in a manner that will maximize their survival, and without 
removing the fish from the water, consistent with requirements at Sec.  
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-catch-and-release-brochure/.

Monitoring and Reporting

    NMFS will continue to monitor the BFT fisheries closely. Dealers 
are required to submit landing reports within 24 hours of a dealer 
receiving BFT. Late reporting by dealers compromises NMFS' ability to 
timely implement actions such as quota and retention limit adjustment, 
as well as closures, and may result in enforcement actions. 
Additionally, and separate from the dealer reporting requirement, 
General and HMS Charter/Headboat 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, using the HMS Catch Reporting app, or calling 
(888) 872-8862 (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.).
    After the fishery re-opens on October 1, depending on the level of 
fishing effort and catch rates of BFT, NMFS may determine that 
additional adjustments are necessary to ensure available subquotas are 
not exceeded or to enhance scientific data collection from, and fishing 
opportunities in, all geographic areas. If needed, subsequent 
adjustments will be published in the Federal Register. In addition, 
fishermen may call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (978) 281-
9260, or access hmspermits.noaa.gov, for updates on quota monitoring 
and inseason adjustments.

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is taken pursuant to 50 CFR part 635, which 
was issued pursuant to section 304(c), and is exempt from review under 
Executive Order 12866.
    The Assistant Administrator for NMFS (AA) finds that pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior notice of, and an 
opportunity for public comment on, this action for the following 
reasons:
    The regulations implementing the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and 
amendments provide for inseason retention limit adjustments to respond 
to the unpredictable nature of BFT availability on the fishing grounds, 
the migratory nature of this species, and the regional variations in 
the BFT fishery. This fishery is currently underway and delaying this 
action would be contrary to the public interest as it could result in 
BFT landings exceeding the adjusted September 2021 General category 
quota. For all of the above reasons, there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 
553(d) to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 et seq.

    Dated: September 21, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-20799 Filed 9-21-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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