Pacific Island Fisheries; 2022 U.S. Territorial Longline Bigeye Tuna Catch Limits for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 74991-74992 [2022-26613]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 234 / Wednesday, December 7, 2022 / Rules and Regulations § 622.388 Annual catch limits (ACLs), annual catch targets (ACTs), and accountability measures (AMs). ACTION: * * * * (a) * * * (1) * * * (ii) The commercial ACL for the Gulf migratory group of king mackerel is 2,998,400 lb (1,360,051 kg) for the 2021– 2022 fishing year, 3,110,400 lb (1,410,854 kg) for the 2022–2023 fishing year, and 3,196,800 lb (1,450,044 kg) for the 2023–2024 and subsequent fishing years. The ACL is further divided into a commercial ACL for vessels fishing with hook-and-line and a commercial ACL for vessels fishing with run-around gillnets. The hook-and-line ACL (which applies to the entire Gulf) is 2,368,736 lb (1,074,441 kg) for the 2021–2022 fishing year, 2,457,216 lb (1,114,574 kg) for the 2022–2023 fishing year, and 2,525,472 lb (1,145,535 kg) for the 2023– 2024 and subsequent fishing years. The run-around gillnet ACL (which applies to the southern zone) is 629,664 lb (285,611 kg) for the 2021–2022 fishing year, 653,184 lb (296,279 kg) for the 2022–2023 fishing year, and 671,328 lb (304,509 kg) for the 2023–2024 and subsequent fishing years. * * * * * (2) Recreational sector. If recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, reach or are projected to reach the recreational ACL of 6,371,600 lb (2,890,109 kg) for the 2021–2022 fishing year, 6,609,600 lb (2,998,064 kg) for the 2022–2023 fishing year, and 6,793,200 lb (3,081,344 kg) for the 2023–2024 and subsequent fishing years, the AA will file a notification with the Office of the Federal Register to implement bag and possession limits for Gulf migratory group king mackerel of zero, unless the best scientific information available determines that a bag limit reduction is unnecessary. * * * * * [FR Doc. 2022–26553 Filed 12–6–22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 220126–0034] lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1 RTID 0648–XC581 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfers From NJ to NY and RI National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:18 Dec 06, 2022 Jkt 259001 NMFS announces that the State of New Jersey is transferring a portion of its 2022 commercial bluefish quota to the states of New York and Rhode Island. These quota adjustments are necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial bluefish quotas for New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. SUMMARY: * AGENCY: Notification; quota transfers. Effective December 2, 2022, through December 31, 2022. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Deighan, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9184. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.160 through 648.167. These regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned among the coastal states from Maine through Florida. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state is described in § 648.162, and the final 2022 allocations were published on February 2, 2022 (87 FR 5739). The final rule implementing Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2000 (65 FR 45844), and provided a mechanism for transferring bluefish quota from one state to another. Two or more states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator, can request approval to transfer or combine bluefish commercial quota under § 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii). The Regional Administrator must approve any such transfer based on the criteria in § 648.162(e). In evaluating requests to transfer a quota or combine quotas, the Regional Administrator shall consider whether: the transfer or combinations would preclude the overall annual quota from being fully harvested; the transfer addresses an unforeseen variation or contingency in the fishery; and the transfer is consistent with the objectives of the FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens Act. New Jersey is transferring 42,500 lb (19,278 kg) to New York and 42,500 lb (19,278 kg) to Rhode Island through mutual agreement of the states. These transfers were requested to ensure that New York and Rhode Island would not exceed their 2022 state quotas. The revised bluefish quotas for 2022 are: New Jersey, 434,158 lb (196,931 kg); DATES: PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 74991 New York, 497,193 lb (225,523 kg); and Rhode Island, 382,456 lb (173,479 kg). Classification NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii), which was issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempted from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: December 2, 2022. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2022–26590 Filed 12–2–22; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 665 [RTID 0648–XC197] Pacific Island Fisheries; 2022 U.S. Territorial Longline Bigeye Tuna Catch Limits for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Announcement of a valid specified fishing agreement. AGENCY: NMFS announces a valid specified fishing agreement that allocates up to 1,500 metric tons (t) of the 2022 bigeye tuna limit for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to U.S. longline fishing vessels. The agreement supports the long-term sustainability of fishery resources of the U.S. Pacific Islands and fisheries development in the CNMI. DATES: The specified fishing agreement was valid as of July 21, 2022. The start date for attributing 2022 bigeye tuna catch to the CNMI is November 21, 2022. ADDRESSES: The Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific (FEP) describes specified fishing agreements and is available from the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, telephone: 808–522–8220, fax: 808– 522–8226, or https://www.wpcouncil.org. NMFS prepared environmental analyses that describe the potential impacts on the human environment that would result from the action. The SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\07DER1.SGM 07DER1 lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1 74992 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 234 / Wednesday, December 7, 2022 / Rules and Regulations analyses, identified by NOAA–NMFS– 2021–0076, are available from https:// www.regulations.gov/search/docket? filter=NOAA-NMFS-2021-0076, or from Sarah Malloy, Acting Regional Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Kamikawa, NMFS PIR Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 808–725–5177. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a final rule published on December 29, 2021, NMFS specified a 2022 limit of 2,000 t of longline-caught bigeye tuna for each of the U.S. Pacific Island territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (86 FR 73990). NMFS allows each territory to allocate up to 1,500 t of the 2,000 t limit to U.S. longline fishing vessels identified in a valid specified fishing agreement, but the overall allocation limit among all territories may not exceed 3,000 t. On March 29, 2022, NMFS determined that the U.S. longline fishery exceeded by 196 t the 3,554 t 2021 U.S. bigeye tuna catch limit in the area of application of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) as established in regulations at 50 CFR 300.224. Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) 2021–01, Paragraph 37, states that where the limit has been exceeded, any overage of the limit shall be deducted from the catch limit for the following year. In accordance with U.S. obligations as a WCPFC member, NMFS must reduce the 2022 U.S. bigeye tuna limit by the amount of the overage of 196 t. NMFS has prepared a separate regulatory package that would revise the 2022 U.S. bigeye tuna limit to 3,358 t (87 FR 55768, September 12, 2022). Although the revised limit is not yet effective, NMFS is basing its decisions for attributing bigeye catch under valid specified fishing agreements with U.S. participating territories pursuant to 50 CFR 665.819(c)(9)(i) on this 3,358 t limit to ensure compliance with CMM 2021– 01. On June 24, 2022, the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), through its Executive Director, sent NMFS a specified fishing agreement between American Samoa and Hawaii Longline Association (HLA), dated May 12, 2021. Later that same day, the Council sent NMFS a specified fishing agreement between the CNMI and HLA, dated May 7, 2021. These agreements each include an allocation of 1,500 t of VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:18 Dec 06, 2022 Jkt 259001 bigeye tuna catch to U.S. vessels identified in the agreements for both 2021 and 2022. The 2022 agreement between American Samoa and HLA includes an amendment that provides an initial allocation of 1,300 t followed by a subsequent allocation, upon notification by HLA to American Samoa at a later date, of any unallocated portion of American Samoa’s 1,500 t allocation limit. On July 20, 2022 and July 21, 2022, respectively, NMFS reviewed the American Samoa-HLA agreement and the CNMI–HLA agreement and determined that they are consistent with 50 CFR 665.819(c), the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, implementing regulations, and other applicable laws. Pursuant to regulations at 50 CFR 665.819(c)(9)(i), NMFS began attributing bigeye tuna catches to American Samoa and the American Samoa-HLA agreement on August 25, 2022, 7 days before we projected the annual U.S. WCPO limit would be reached (87 FR 52704, August 29, 2022). We attributed catch first to the American Samoa limit and agreement because that agreement was received first from the Council for the year 2022. Based on logbook data, we now forecast that the fishery will reach the American Samoa 1,300 t initial limit by November 28, 2022. In accordance with regulations at 50 CFR 665.819(c)(9)(ii), NMFS will begin attributing 2022 bigeye tuna catch to the CNMI and the CNMI– HLA agreement on November 21, 2022, 7 days prior to November 28, 2022. If NMFS determines the fishery will reach the 1,500 t allocation limit for the CNMI–HLA agreement, we would restrict retention of bigeye tuna caught by vessels identified in the CNMI agreement. If at that time, HLA and American Samoa seek to resume attribution to American Samoa for up to the total of 1,500 t under their agreement, NMFS will determine if American Samoa’s overall 2022 2,000 t limit can still accommodate any or all of that amount. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: December 2, 2022. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2022–26613 Filed 12–6–22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 220216–0049; RTID 0648– XC594] Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation. AGENCY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from catcher vessels using trawl gear to catcher/processors using trawl gear and from vessels using jig gear to catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 meters (m)) length overall using hook-and-line gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to allow the 2022 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested. DATES: Effective December 6, 2022, through 2400 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), December 31, 2022. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907–586–7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the GOA according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 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. The 2022 Pacific cod TAC specified for catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 6,099 metric tons (mt), as established by the final 2022 and 2023 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA (87 FR 11599, March 2, 2022). The 2022 Pacific cod TAC specified for catcher/processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 616 mt, as established by the final 2022 and 2023 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA (87 FR 11599, March 2, 2022). The 2022 Pacific cod TAC specified for vessels using jig gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 148 mt, as established by the final 2022 and SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\07DER1.SGM 07DER1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 7, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 74991-74992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-26613]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 665

[RTID 0648-XC197]


Pacific Island Fisheries; 2022 U.S. Territorial Longline Bigeye 
Tuna Catch Limits for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

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

ACTION: Announcement of a valid specified fishing agreement.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces a valid specified fishing agreement that 
allocates up to 1,500 metric tons (t) of the 2022 bigeye tuna limit for 
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to U.S. 
longline fishing vessels. The agreement supports the long-term 
sustainability of fishery resources of the U.S. Pacific Islands and 
fisheries development in the CNMI.

DATES: The specified fishing agreement was valid as of July 21, 2022. 
The start date for attributing 2022 bigeye tuna catch to the CNMI is 
November 21, 2022.

ADDRESSES: The Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the 
Western Pacific (FEP) describes specified fishing agreements and is 
available from the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council), 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, telephone: 
808-522-8220, fax: 808-522-8226, or https://www.wpcouncil.org.
    NMFS prepared environmental analyses that describe the potential 
impacts on the human environment that would result from the action. The

[[Page 74992]]

analyses, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2021-0076, are available from https://www.regulations.gov/search/docket?filter=NOAA-NMFS-2021-0076, or from 
Sarah Malloy, Acting Regional Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands 
Region (PIR), 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Kamikawa, NMFS PIR Office of 
Sustainable Fisheries, 808-725-5177.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a final rule published on December 29, 
2021, NMFS specified a 2022 limit of 2,000 t of longline-caught bigeye 
tuna for each of the U.S. Pacific Island territories of American Samoa, 
Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (86 FR 
73990). NMFS allows each territory to allocate up to 1,500 t of the 
2,000 t limit to U.S. longline fishing vessels identified in a valid 
specified fishing agreement, but the overall allocation limit among all 
territories may not exceed 3,000 t.
    On March 29, 2022, NMFS determined that the U.S. longline fishery 
exceeded by 196 t the 3,554 t 2021 U.S. bigeye tuna catch limit in the 
area of application of the Convention on the Conservation and 
Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central 
Pacific Ocean (WCPO) as established in regulations at 50 CFR 300.224. 
Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Conservation 
and Management Measure (CMM) 2021-01, Paragraph 37, states that where 
the limit has been exceeded, any overage of the limit shall be deducted 
from the catch limit for the following year. In accordance with U.S. 
obligations as a WCPFC member, NMFS must reduce the 2022 U.S. bigeye 
tuna limit by the amount of the overage of 196 t. NMFS has prepared a 
separate regulatory package that would revise the 2022 U.S. bigeye tuna 
limit to 3,358 t (87 FR 55768, September 12, 2022). Although the 
revised limit is not yet effective, NMFS is basing its decisions for 
attributing bigeye catch under valid specified fishing agreements with 
U.S. participating territories pursuant to 50 CFR 665.819(c)(9)(i) on 
this 3,358 t limit to ensure compliance with CMM 2021-01.
    On June 24, 2022, the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council), through its Executive Director, sent NMFS a specified 
fishing agreement between American Samoa and Hawaii Longline 
Association (HLA), dated May 12, 2021. Later that same day, the Council 
sent NMFS a specified fishing agreement between the CNMI and HLA, dated 
May 7, 2021. These agreements each include an allocation of 1,500 t of 
bigeye tuna catch to U.S. vessels identified in the agreements for both 
2021 and 2022. The 2022 agreement between American Samoa and HLA 
includes an amendment that provides an initial allocation of 1,300 t 
followed by a subsequent allocation, upon notification by HLA to 
American Samoa at a later date, of any unallocated portion of American 
Samoa's 1,500 t allocation limit. On July 20, 2022 and July 21, 2022, 
respectively, NMFS reviewed the American Samoa-HLA agreement and the 
CNMI-HLA agreement and determined that they are consistent with 50 CFR 
665.819(c), the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the 
Western Pacific, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act, implementing regulations, and other applicable laws.
    Pursuant to regulations at 50 CFR 665.819(c)(9)(i), NMFS began 
attributing bigeye tuna catches to American Samoa and the American 
Samoa-HLA agreement on August 25, 2022, 7 days before we projected the 
annual U.S. WCPO limit would be reached (87 FR 52704, August 29, 2022). 
We attributed catch first to the American Samoa limit and agreement 
because that agreement was received first from the Council for the year 
2022.
    Based on logbook data, we now forecast that the fishery will reach 
the American Samoa 1,300 t initial limit by November 28, 2022. In 
accordance with regulations at 50 CFR 665.819(c)(9)(ii), NMFS will 
begin attributing 2022 bigeye tuna catch to the CNMI and the CNMI-HLA 
agreement on November 21, 2022, 7 days prior to November 28, 2022.
    If NMFS determines the fishery will reach the 1,500 t allocation 
limit for the CNMI-HLA agreement, we would restrict retention of bigeye 
tuna caught by vessels identified in the CNMI agreement. If at that 
time, HLA and American Samoa seek to resume attribution to American 
Samoa for up to the total of 1,500 t under their agreement, NMFS will 
determine if American Samoa's overall 2022 2,000 t limit can still 
accommodate any or all of that amount.

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

    Dated: December 2, 2022.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-26613 Filed 12-6-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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