Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region; Amendment 51, 32717-32720 [2023-10721]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 98 / Monday, May 22, 2023 / Proposed Rules
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[FR Doc. 2023–10760 Filed 5–19–23; 8:45 am]
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
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50 CFR Part 622
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; SnapperGrouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region; Amendment 51
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
AGENCY:
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*
*
*
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
Announcement of availability of
fishery management plan amendment;
request for comments.
ACTION:
The South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council (Council)
submitted Amendment 51 to the Fishery
Management Plan for the SnapperGrouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP) for review, approval, and
implementation by NMFS. If approved
by the Secretary of Commerce,
Amendment 51 to the FMP would revise
the catch limits for snowy grouper and
SUMMARY:
RIN 0648–BM03
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 98 / Monday, May 22, 2023 / Proposed Rules
the associated sector harvest allocations.
In addition, Amendment 51 would
revise the commercial seasonal quotas,
recreational fishing season, and
recreational accountability measures
(AMs). The purpose of Amendment 51
is to end overfishing of snowy grouper,
rebuild the stock, and achieve optimum
yield (OY) while minimizing, to the
extent practicable, adverse social and
economic effects.
DATES: Written comments must be
received by July 21, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on Amendment 51, identified by
‘‘NOAA–NMFS–2023–0026,’’ by either
of the following methods:
• Electronic Submission: Submit all
electronic public comments via the
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov and enter ‘‘NOAA–
NMFS–2023–0026’’ in the Search box.
Click the ‘‘Comment’’ icon, complete
the required fields, and enter or attach
your comments.
• Mail: Submit all written comments
to Rick DeVictor, NMFS Southeast
Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue
South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Instructions: Comments sent by any
other method, to any other address or
individual, or received after the end of
the comment period may not be
considered by NMFS. All comments
received are a part of the public record
and will generally be posted for public
viewing on www.regulations.gov
without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address),
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive information
submitted voluntarily by the sender will
be publicly accessible. NMFS will
accept anonymous comments—enter
‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish
to remain anonymous.
An electronic copy of Amendment 51,
which includes a fishery impact
statement and a regulatory impact
review, may be obtained from the
Southeast Regional Office website at
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/node/
151366.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick
DeVictor, telephone: 727–824–5305, or
email: rick.devictor@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires each
regional fishery management council to
submit any FMP or FMP amendment to
the Secretary of Commerce (the
Secretary) for review and approval,
partial approval, or disapproval. The
Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires
that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP or
amendment, publish an announcement
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in the Federal Register notifying the
public that the FMP or amendment is
available for review and comment.
The Council prepared the FMP that is
being revised by Amendment 51. If
approved, Amendment 51 would be
implemented by NMFS through
regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Background
The Council manages the snappergrouper fishery, including snowy
grouper, in Federal waters from North
Carolina south to the Florida Keys in the
South Atlantic under the FMP. The
Magnuson-Stevens Act requires NMFS
and regional fishery management
councils to prevent overfishing and
achieve, on a continuing basis, the OY
from federally managed fish stocks.
These mandates are intended to ensure
that fishery resources are managed for
the greatest overall benefit to the Nation,
particularly with respect to providing
food production and recreational
opportunities and protecting marine
ecosystems.
All weights described in this
notification are in gutted weight.
In 2004, a stock assessment for snowy
grouper was completed through the
Southeast Data, Assessment, and
Review (SEDAR) process (SEDAR 4),
and it was determined that the stock
was subject to overfishing and
overfished. As a result of that stock
status, Amendment 13C to the FMP
established management measures to
end overfishing (71 FR 55096,
September 21, 2006) and Amendment
15A to the FMP established a rebuilding
plan for snowy grouper (73 FR 14942,
March 20, 2008). The rebuilding plan
year started in 2006 with a target time
to rebuild snowy grouper of 34 years.
The snowy grouper stock was
assessed again in 2013 through SEDAR
36 and was determined to not be
undergoing overfishing, although the
stock was overfished but rebuilding. In
response to the assessment and a
subsequent acceptable biological catch
(ABC) recommendation by the Council’s
Scientific and Statistical Committee
(SSC), the Council and NMFS
implemented management actions
through the final rule for Regulatory
Amendment 20 to the FMP (80 FR
43033, July 21, 2015). Regulatory
Amendment 20 and its implementing
final rule modified the annual catch
limit (ACL) by setting it equal to the
ABC and OY, increased the commercial
trip limit to 200 lb (91 kg), and modified
the recreational fishing season from the
calendar year to May through August.
The most recent SEDAR stock
assessment for South Atlantic snowy
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grouper (SEDAR 36 Update) was
completed in 2021 and included data
through 2018. The assessment used
revised estimates for recreational catch
from the Marine Recreational
Information Program (MRIP) based on
the Fishing Effort Survey (FES). In 2018,
the MRIP fully transitioned its
estimation of recreational effort to the
mail-based FES. Previous estimates of
recreational catch for snowy grouper
were made using MRIP’s Coastal
Household Telephone Survey (CHTS)
phone call-based methodology. As
explained in Amendment 51, total
recreational fishing effort estimates
generated from the MRIP FES are
different than those from the MRIP
CHTS and earlier survey methods. This
difference in estimates is because MRIP
FES is designed to more accurately
measure fishing activity, not because
there was a sudden change in fishing
effort. The MRIP FES is considered a
more reliable estimate of recreational
effort by the Council’s SSC, the Council,
and NMFS, and more robust compared
to the MRIP CHTS method. The SSC
reviewed the SEDAR 36 Update and
found that the assessment was
conducted using the best scientific
information available, and was adequate
for determining stock status and
supporting fishing level
recommendations. The findings of the
assessment indicated that the South
Atlantic snowy grouper stock remains
overfished and is undergoing
overfishing.
Following a notification from NMFS
to a fishery management council that a
stock is undergoing overfishing and is
overfished, the Magnuson-Stevens Act
requires the fishery management
council to develop an FMP amendment
with actions that immediately end
overfishing and rebuild the affected
stock. In a letter dated June 10, 2021,
NMFS notified the Council that the
snowy grouper stock is overfished and
undergoing overfishing but continues to
rebuild, and the Council subsequently
developed Amendment 51 in response
to the results of SEDAR 36 Update.
In addition to the proposed revisions
to the sector ACLs and seasonal
commercial quotas, the Council
determined that further modifications to
snowy grouper management measures
are needed to help constrain
recreational harvest to the proposed
fishing levels in Amendment 51.
Amendment 51 would reduce the length
of the recreational fishing season and
would also adjust the recreational AMs
to ensure they are effective at keeping
recreational landings from exceeding
the proposed recreational ACL and
correct for ACL overages if they occur.
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 98 / Monday, May 22, 2023 / Proposed Rules
The Council decided not to revise the
current commercial trip limit or AMs,
finding that those measures sufficiently
ensured that the commercial harvest of
snowy grouper is constrained to the
ACL.
The Council determined that the
actions in Amendment 51 would end
overfishing of South Atlantic snowy
grouper, rebuild the stock, and achieve
OY while minimizing, to the extent
practicable, adverse social and
economic effects. The Council would
also revise the overfishing limit (OFL)
for snowy grouper, set the ACL equal to
the ABC, and update other biological
reference points in this FMP
amendment.
Actions Contained in Amendment 51
Amendment 51 would revise the
catch levels for snowy grouper,
including the OFL, ABC, and ACL.
Actions in this amendment would also
revise the sector ACLs, seasonal
commercial quotas, recreational fishing
season, and recreational AMs.
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OFL, ABC, and Annual OY
The current ABC for snowy grouper
was approved in Regulatory
Amendment 20, based upon a stock
assessment (SEDAR 36) and
recommendations from the Council’s
SSC.
Based on the SEDAR 36 Update, the
Council’s SSC recommended to the
Council new OFL and ABC levels, with
the ABC reduced from the OFL. The
assessment and associated OFL and
ABC recommendations for snowy
grouper incorporated the revised
estimates for recreational catch and
effort from the MRIP FES. The SSC
determined that the new OFL and ABC
recommendations within Amendment
51 also represent the best scientific
information available.
The Council chose to specify OY for
snowy grouper on an annual basis and
set it equal to the ABC and total ACL,
in accordance with the guidance
provided in the Magnuson-Stevens Act
National Standard 1 Guidelines at 50
CFR 600.310(f)(4)(iv).
Total ACLs
As implemented through Regulatory
Amendment 20, the current total ACL
and annual OY for snowy grouper are
equal to the current ABC of 185,464 lb
(84,125 kg). In Amendment 51, the
Council would revise the ABC and keep
the ABC, ACL, and annual OY equal to
each other.
The amendment would revise the
total ACL and annual OY equal to the
recommended ABC of 119,654 lb
(54,274 kg) for 2023; 121,272 lb (55,008
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kg) for 2024; 122,889 lb (55,741 kg) for
2025; and 122,889 lb (55,741 kg), for
2026 and subsequent fishing years.
Sector Allocations and ACLs
The Council would revise the
commercial and recreational allocations
of the total ACL for snowy grouper in
Amendment 51. The current sector
ACLs for snowy grouper are based on
the commercial and recreational
allocations of 83 percent and 17 percent,
respectively, that were revised in
Regulatory Amendment 20. These
allocations were determined using
average commercial and recreational
landings from 1986 to 2005, which
included estimates of recreational catch
from the MRIP CHTS method.
In Amendment 51, the Council would
determine allocations using the average
commercial and recreational landings
from 1986 to 2005, but include the
estimates of recreational catch during
those years using the MRIP FES method
from the SEDAR 36 Update. The
Council would specify new commercial
and recreational allocations of 87.55
percent and 12.45 percent, respectively,
which results in a shift of allocation of
4.55 percent from the recreational sector
to the commercial sector. The Council
reasoned that using average landings
from 1986 to 2005 was more appropriate
because it would exclude the more
recent years that had depth and area
closures that may affect the allocation
calculations, and would strike the most
appropriate balance between the needs
of both sectors. The Council
acknowledged that because the snowy
grouper portion of the snapper-grouper
fishery operates primarily in deeper
water and is therefore more difficult to
access for recreational fishermen, when
compared to snapper-grouper species
found in shallower water closer to
shore, the allocations between sectors
have historically and consistently been
much higher for the commercial sector.
The Council considers this allocation to
be fair and equitable to fishery
participants in both the commercial and
recreational sectors, and would be
carried out in such a manner that no
particular individual, corporation, or
other entity would acquire an excessive
share. The Council determined that this
allocation is also reasonably calculated
to promote conservation and is a wise
use of the resource, since it would
remain within the boundaries of a total
ACL that is based upon an ABC
recommendation from their SSC that
incorporates the best scientific
information available. The Council
acknowledged that the commercial
sector would benefit with additional
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32719
allocation, but that the economic shifts
were relatively minor.
The commercial ACLs would be
104,757 lb (47,517 kg) for 2023; 106,174
lb (48,160 kg) for 2024; 107,589 lb
(48,802 kg) for 2025; and 107,589 lb
(48,802 kg) for 2026 and subsequent
years.
The recreational ACLs would be 1,668
fish for 2023; 1,691 fish for 2024; 1,713
fish for 2025; and 1,713 fish for 2026
and subsequent years.
The commercial quota for snowy
grouper is equivalent to the commercial
ACL. Regulatory Amendment 27 to the
FMP established two commercial
fishing seasons for snowy grouper and
divided the commercial quota between
the seasons (85 FR 4588, January 27,
2020). The Council allocated 70 percent
of the commercial quota to Season 1
from January through June, and 30
percent of the quota to Season 2 from
July through December. Any remaining
commercial quota from Season 1 is
added to the commercial quota in
Season 2, but any remaining quota from
Season 2 is not be carried forward into
the next fishing year. Amendment 51
would not alter the current commercial
fishing seasons or commercial season
ACL allocations.
Under Amendment 51, the
commercial quotas in 2023 for Season 1
would be 73,330 lb (33,262 kg) and for
Season 2 would be 31,427 lb (14,255
kg); in 2024, Season 1 would be 74,322
lb (33,712 kg) and Season 2 would be
31,852 lb (14,448 kg); in 2025, Season 1
would be 75,312 lb (34,161 kg) and
Season 2 would be 32,277 lb (14,641
kg); and for 2026 and subsequent years,
Season 1 would be 75,312 lb (34,161 kg)
and Season 2 would be 32,277 lb
(14,641 kg).
Recreational Fishing Season
Recreational harvest of snowy grouper
is currently allowed May 1 through
August 31. Amendment 51 would revise
the recreational fishing season for
snowy grouper where harvest would be
allowed only from May 1 through June
30. The recreational sector would be
closed annually from January 1 through
April 30, and from July 1 through
December 31. During the proposed
seasonal closures, the recreational bag
and possession limits for snowy grouper
would be zero. Shortening the time
recreational fishing is allowed would
help to reduce the risk that recreational
harvest would exceed the proposed
reduction to its sector ACL, while still
allowing for retention of snowy grouper
when recreational fishermen target cooccurring species, such as blueline
tilefish, in some areas.
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Recreational AMs
The current recreational AMs were
established through Amendment 34 to
the FMP (81 FR 3731, January 22, 2016).
The AMs include an in-season closure
for the remainder of the fishing year if
recreational landings reach or are
projected to reach the recreational ACL,
regardless of whether the stock is
overfished. The AMs also include a
post-season adjustment if recreational
landings exceed the recreational ACL,
and then during the following fishing
year recreational landings will be
monitored for a persistence in increased
landings. If the total ACL is exceeded
and snowy grouper are overfished, the
length of the recreational fishing season
and the recreational ACL are reduced by
the amount of the recreational ACL
overage.
The amendment would revise the
recreational AMs for snowy grouper.
Given the proposed 2-month fishing
season, the current in-season closure
and stock status based post-season AM
would be removed. The proposed
recreational AM would be a post-season
AM that would be triggered in the
following fishing year if the recreational
ACL was exceeded in the previous year.
If recreational landings exceed the
recreational ACL, NMFS would reduce
the length of the recreational fishing
season in the following year by the
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amount necessary to prevent the
recreational ACL from being exceeded.
However, the length of the recreational
season would not be reduced if NMFS
determines, using the best scientific
information available, that a reduction
is not necessary.
The Council intends the proposed
recreational AM would avoid an inseason closure of the recreational sector
and would extend maximum fishing
opportunities to the sector during the
proposed 2-month recreational season.
The proposed rule would remove the
current potential duplicate AM
application of a reduction in the
recreational season length and a
payback of the recreational ACL overage
if the total ACL was exceeded. Under
the proposed measure, the AM trigger
would not be tied to the total ACL, but
only to the recreational ACL. The
proposed modification would ensure
that an ACL overage in the recreational
sector does not in turn affect the catch
levels for the commercial sector. Any
reduced recreational season length as a
result of the AM being implemented
would apply to the recreational fishing
season in the year following a
recreational ACL overage.
Proposed Rule for Amendment 51
A proposed rule to implement
Amendment 51 has been drafted. In
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accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, NMFS is evaluating the proposed
rule for Amendment 51 to determine
whether it is consistent with
Amendment 51, the FMP, the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other
applicable law. If that determination is
affirmative, NMFS will publish the
proposed rule in the Federal Register
for public review and comment.
Consideration of Public Comments
The Council has submitted
Amendment 51 for Secretarial review,
approval, and implementation.
Comments on Amendment 51 must be
received by July 21, 2023. Comments
received during the respective comment
periods, whether specifically directed to
Amendment 51 or the proposed rule,
will be considered by NMFS in the
decision to approve, partially approve,
or disapprove Amendment 51. All
comments received by NMFS on the
amendment or the proposed rule during
their respective comment periods will
be addressed in the final rule.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 16, 2023.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–10721 Filed 5–19–23; 8:45 am]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 98 (Monday, May 22, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 32717-32720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10721]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
RIN 0648-BM03
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region; Amendment 51
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Announcement of availability of fishery management plan
amendment; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council)
submitted Amendment 51 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-
Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP) for review,
approval, and implementation by NMFS. If approved by the Secretary of
Commerce, Amendment 51 to the FMP would revise the catch limits for
snowy grouper and
[[Page 32718]]
the associated sector harvest allocations. In addition, Amendment 51
would revise the commercial seasonal quotas, recreational fishing
season, and recreational accountability measures (AMs). The purpose of
Amendment 51 is to end overfishing of snowy grouper, rebuild the stock,
and achieve optimum yield (OY) while minimizing, to the extent
practicable, adverse social and economic effects.
DATES: Written comments must be received by July 21, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on Amendment 51, identified by
``NOAA-NMFS-2023-0026,'' by either of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov
and enter ``NOAA-NMFS-2023-0026'' in the Search box. Click the
``Comment'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach
your comments.
Mail: Submit all written comments to Rick DeVictor, NMFS
Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL
33701.
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address), confidential business information,
or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender
will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments--enter
``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous.
An electronic copy of Amendment 51, which includes a fishery impact
statement and a regulatory impact review, may be obtained from the
Southeast Regional Office website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/node/151366.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick DeVictor, telephone: 727-824-
5305, or email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires each regional
fishery management council to submit any FMP or FMP amendment to the
Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary) for review and approval, partial
approval, or disapproval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that
NMFS, upon receiving an FMP or amendment, publish an announcement in
the Federal Register notifying the public that the FMP or amendment is
available for review and comment.
The Council prepared the FMP that is being revised by Amendment 51.
If approved, Amendment 51 would be implemented by NMFS through
regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act.
Background
The Council manages the snapper-grouper fishery, including snowy
grouper, in Federal waters from North Carolina south to the Florida
Keys in the South Atlantic under the FMP. The Magnuson-Stevens Act
requires NMFS and regional fishery management councils to prevent
overfishing and achieve, on a continuing basis, the OY from federally
managed fish stocks. These mandates are intended to ensure that fishery
resources are managed for the greatest overall benefit to the Nation,
particularly with respect to providing food production and recreational
opportunities and protecting marine ecosystems.
All weights described in this notification are in gutted weight.
In 2004, a stock assessment for snowy grouper was completed through
the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) process (SEDAR 4),
and it was determined that the stock was subject to overfishing and
overfished. As a result of that stock status, Amendment 13C to the FMP
established management measures to end overfishing (71 FR 55096,
September 21, 2006) and Amendment 15A to the FMP established a
rebuilding plan for snowy grouper (73 FR 14942, March 20, 2008). The
rebuilding plan year started in 2006 with a target time to rebuild
snowy grouper of 34 years.
The snowy grouper stock was assessed again in 2013 through SEDAR 36
and was determined to not be undergoing overfishing, although the stock
was overfished but rebuilding. In response to the assessment and a
subsequent acceptable biological catch (ABC) recommendation by the
Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), the Council and
NMFS implemented management actions through the final rule for
Regulatory Amendment 20 to the FMP (80 FR 43033, July 21, 2015).
Regulatory Amendment 20 and its implementing final rule modified the
annual catch limit (ACL) by setting it equal to the ABC and OY,
increased the commercial trip limit to 200 lb (91 kg), and modified the
recreational fishing season from the calendar year to May through
August.
The most recent SEDAR stock assessment for South Atlantic snowy
grouper (SEDAR 36 Update) was completed in 2021 and included data
through 2018. The assessment used revised estimates for recreational
catch from the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) based on
the Fishing Effort Survey (FES). In 2018, the MRIP fully transitioned
its estimation of recreational effort to the mail-based FES. Previous
estimates of recreational catch for snowy grouper were made using
MRIP's Coastal Household Telephone Survey (CHTS) phone call-based
methodology. As explained in Amendment 51, total recreational fishing
effort estimates generated from the MRIP FES are different than those
from the MRIP CHTS and earlier survey methods. This difference in
estimates is because MRIP FES is designed to more accurately measure
fishing activity, not because there was a sudden change in fishing
effort. The MRIP FES is considered a more reliable estimate of
recreational effort by the Council's SSC, the Council, and NMFS, and
more robust compared to the MRIP CHTS method. The SSC reviewed the
SEDAR 36 Update and found that the assessment was conducted using the
best scientific information available, and was adequate for determining
stock status and supporting fishing level recommendations. The findings
of the assessment indicated that the South Atlantic snowy grouper stock
remains overfished and is undergoing overfishing.
Following a notification from NMFS to a fishery management council
that a stock is undergoing overfishing and is overfished, the Magnuson-
Stevens Act requires the fishery management council to develop an FMP
amendment with actions that immediately end overfishing and rebuild the
affected stock. In a letter dated June 10, 2021, NMFS notified the
Council that the snowy grouper stock is overfished and undergoing
overfishing but continues to rebuild, and the Council subsequently
developed Amendment 51 in response to the results of SEDAR 36 Update.
In addition to the proposed revisions to the sector ACLs and
seasonal commercial quotas, the Council determined that further
modifications to snowy grouper management measures are needed to help
constrain recreational harvest to the proposed fishing levels in
Amendment 51. Amendment 51 would reduce the length of the recreational
fishing season and would also adjust the recreational AMs to ensure
they are effective at keeping recreational landings from exceeding the
proposed recreational ACL and correct for ACL overages if they occur.
[[Page 32719]]
The Council decided not to revise the current commercial trip limit or
AMs, finding that those measures sufficiently ensured that the
commercial harvest of snowy grouper is constrained to the ACL.
The Council determined that the actions in Amendment 51 would end
overfishing of South Atlantic snowy grouper, rebuild the stock, and
achieve OY while minimizing, to the extent practicable, adverse social
and economic effects. The Council would also revise the overfishing
limit (OFL) for snowy grouper, set the ACL equal to the ABC, and update
other biological reference points in this FMP amendment.
Actions Contained in Amendment 51
Amendment 51 would revise the catch levels for snowy grouper,
including the OFL, ABC, and ACL. Actions in this amendment would also
revise the sector ACLs, seasonal commercial quotas, recreational
fishing season, and recreational AMs.
OFL, ABC, and Annual OY
The current ABC for snowy grouper was approved in Regulatory
Amendment 20, based upon a stock assessment (SEDAR 36) and
recommendations from the Council's SSC.
Based on the SEDAR 36 Update, the Council's SSC recommended to the
Council new OFL and ABC levels, with the ABC reduced from the OFL. The
assessment and associated OFL and ABC recommendations for snowy grouper
incorporated the revised estimates for recreational catch and effort
from the MRIP FES. The SSC determined that the new OFL and ABC
recommendations within Amendment 51 also represent the best scientific
information available.
The Council chose to specify OY for snowy grouper on an annual
basis and set it equal to the ABC and total ACL, in accordance with the
guidance provided in the Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standard 1
Guidelines at 50 CFR 600.310(f)(4)(iv).
Total ACLs
As implemented through Regulatory Amendment 20, the current total
ACL and annual OY for snowy grouper are equal to the current ABC of
185,464 lb (84,125 kg). In Amendment 51, the Council would revise the
ABC and keep the ABC, ACL, and annual OY equal to each other.
The amendment would revise the total ACL and annual OY equal to the
recommended ABC of 119,654 lb (54,274 kg) for 2023; 121,272 lb (55,008
kg) for 2024; 122,889 lb (55,741 kg) for 2025; and 122,889 lb (55,741
kg), for 2026 and subsequent fishing years.
Sector Allocations and ACLs
The Council would revise the commercial and recreational
allocations of the total ACL for snowy grouper in Amendment 51. The
current sector ACLs for snowy grouper are based on the commercial and
recreational allocations of 83 percent and 17 percent, respectively,
that were revised in Regulatory Amendment 20. These allocations were
determined using average commercial and recreational landings from 1986
to 2005, which included estimates of recreational catch from the MRIP
CHTS method.
In Amendment 51, the Council would determine allocations using the
average commercial and recreational landings from 1986 to 2005, but
include the estimates of recreational catch during those years using
the MRIP FES method from the SEDAR 36 Update. The Council would specify
new commercial and recreational allocations of 87.55 percent and 12.45
percent, respectively, which results in a shift of allocation of 4.55
percent from the recreational sector to the commercial sector. The
Council reasoned that using average landings from 1986 to 2005 was more
appropriate because it would exclude the more recent years that had
depth and area closures that may affect the allocation calculations,
and would strike the most appropriate balance between the needs of both
sectors. The Council acknowledged that because the snowy grouper
portion of the snapper-grouper fishery operates primarily in deeper
water and is therefore more difficult to access for recreational
fishermen, when compared to snapper-grouper species found in shallower
water closer to shore, the allocations between sectors have
historically and consistently been much higher for the commercial
sector. The Council considers this allocation to be fair and equitable
to fishery participants in both the commercial and recreational
sectors, and would be carried out in such a manner that no particular
individual, corporation, or other entity would acquire an excessive
share. The Council determined that this allocation is also reasonably
calculated to promote conservation and is a wise use of the resource,
since it would remain within the boundaries of a total ACL that is
based upon an ABC recommendation from their SSC that incorporates the
best scientific information available. The Council acknowledged that
the commercial sector would benefit with additional allocation, but
that the economic shifts were relatively minor.
The commercial ACLs would be 104,757 lb (47,517 kg) for 2023;
106,174 lb (48,160 kg) for 2024; 107,589 lb (48,802 kg) for 2025; and
107,589 lb (48,802 kg) for 2026 and subsequent years.
The recreational ACLs would be 1,668 fish for 2023; 1,691 fish for
2024; 1,713 fish for 2025; and 1,713 fish for 2026 and subsequent
years.
The commercial quota for snowy grouper is equivalent to the
commercial ACL. Regulatory Amendment 27 to the FMP established two
commercial fishing seasons for snowy grouper and divided the commercial
quota between the seasons (85 FR 4588, January 27, 2020). The Council
allocated 70 percent of the commercial quota to Season 1 from January
through June, and 30 percent of the quota to Season 2 from July through
December. Any remaining commercial quota from Season 1 is added to the
commercial quota in Season 2, but any remaining quota from Season 2 is
not be carried forward into the next fishing year. Amendment 51 would
not alter the current commercial fishing seasons or commercial season
ACL allocations.
Under Amendment 51, the commercial quotas in 2023 for Season 1
would be 73,330 lb (33,262 kg) and for Season 2 would be 31,427 lb
(14,255 kg); in 2024, Season 1 would be 74,322 lb (33,712 kg) and
Season 2 would be 31,852 lb (14,448 kg); in 2025, Season 1 would be
75,312 lb (34,161 kg) and Season 2 would be 32,277 lb (14,641 kg); and
for 2026 and subsequent years, Season 1 would be 75,312 lb (34,161 kg)
and Season 2 would be 32,277 lb (14,641 kg).
Recreational Fishing Season
Recreational harvest of snowy grouper is currently allowed May 1
through August 31. Amendment 51 would revise the recreational fishing
season for snowy grouper where harvest would be allowed only from May 1
through June 30. The recreational sector would be closed annually from
January 1 through April 30, and from July 1 through December 31. During
the proposed seasonal closures, the recreational bag and possession
limits for snowy grouper would be zero. Shortening the time
recreational fishing is allowed would help to reduce the risk that
recreational harvest would exceed the proposed reduction to its sector
ACL, while still allowing for retention of snowy grouper when
recreational fishermen target co-occurring species, such as blueline
tilefish, in some areas.
[[Page 32720]]
Recreational AMs
The current recreational AMs were established through Amendment 34
to the FMP (81 FR 3731, January 22, 2016). The AMs include an in-season
closure for the remainder of the fishing year if recreational landings
reach or are projected to reach the recreational ACL, regardless of
whether the stock is overfished. The AMs also include a post-season
adjustment if recreational landings exceed the recreational ACL, and
then during the following fishing year recreational landings will be
monitored for a persistence in increased landings. If the total ACL is
exceeded and snowy grouper are overfished, the length of the
recreational fishing season and the recreational ACL are reduced by the
amount of the recreational ACL overage.
The amendment would revise the recreational AMs for snowy grouper.
Given the proposed 2-month fishing season, the current in-season
closure and stock status based post-season AM would be removed. The
proposed recreational AM would be a post-season AM that would be
triggered in the following fishing year if the recreational ACL was
exceeded in the previous year. If recreational landings exceed the
recreational ACL, NMFS would reduce the length of the recreational
fishing season in the following year by the amount necessary to prevent
the recreational ACL from being exceeded. However, the length of the
recreational season would not be reduced if NMFS determines, using the
best scientific information available, that a reduction is not
necessary.
The Council intends the proposed recreational AM would avoid an in-
season closure of the recreational sector and would extend maximum
fishing opportunities to the sector during the proposed 2-month
recreational season. The proposed rule would remove the current
potential duplicate AM application of a reduction in the recreational
season length and a payback of the recreational ACL overage if the
total ACL was exceeded. Under the proposed measure, the AM trigger
would not be tied to the total ACL, but only to the recreational ACL.
The proposed modification would ensure that an ACL overage in the
recreational sector does not in turn affect the catch levels for the
commercial sector. Any reduced recreational season length as a result
of the AM being implemented would apply to the recreational fishing
season in the year following a recreational ACL overage.
Proposed Rule for Amendment 51
A proposed rule to implement Amendment 51 has been drafted. In
accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is evaluating the
proposed rule for Amendment 51 to determine whether it is consistent
with Amendment 51, the FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other
applicable law. If that determination is affirmative, NMFS will publish
the proposed rule in the Federal Register for public review and
comment.
Consideration of Public Comments
The Council has submitted Amendment 51 for Secretarial review,
approval, and implementation. Comments on Amendment 51 must be received
by July 21, 2023. Comments received during the respective comment
periods, whether specifically directed to Amendment 51 or the proposed
rule, will be considered by NMFS in the decision to approve, partially
approve, or disapprove Amendment 51. All comments received by NMFS on
the amendment or the proposed rule during their respective comment
periods will be addressed in the final rule.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: May 16, 2023.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-10721 Filed 5-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
