Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2023 Recreational Harvest Closure of Hogfish Off Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina in the South Atlantic, 65627 [2023-20705]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 184 / Monday, September 25, 2023 / Rules and Regulations
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
[FR Doc. 2023–20715 Filed 9–20–23; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160906822–7547–02; RTID
0648–XD370]
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South
Atlantic; 2023 Recreational Harvest
Closure of Hogfish Off Georgia, South
Carolina, and North Carolina in the
South Atlantic
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS implements an
accountability measure (AM) for the
recreational harvest of hogfish off
Georgia, South Carolina, and North
Carolina in the South Atlantic exclusive
economic zone (EEZ). NMFS estimates
that recreational landings of hogfish
harvested off Georgia through North
Carolina have exceeded the recreational
annual catch limit (ACL). Therefore,
NMFS closes the recreational sector for
hogfish in the EEZ off Georgia through
North Carolina to protect the hogfish
resource.
DATES: This temporary rule is effective
from September 26, 2023, through
December 31, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727–824–5305, email:
frank.helies@noaa.gov.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:08 Sep 22, 2023
Jkt 259001
The
snapper-grouper fishery in the South
Atlantic EEZ includes hogfish and is
managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the SnapperGrouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The South Atlantic
Fishery Management Council and
NMFS prepared the FMP, and NMFS
implements the FMP under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by
regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
In the South Atlantic EEZ, hogfish are
managed as two separate stocks: one
stock that exists off Georgia, South
Carolina, and North Carolina (GeorgiaNorth Carolina), and another stock that
exists off the Florida Keys and east
Florida. This temporary rule applies
only to the recreational harvest of
hogfish in the EEZ off Georgia-North
Carolina.
The recreational ACL for hogfish off
Georgia-North Carolina is 988 fish (50
CFR 622.193(u)(1)(iii)(B)). The AMs for
hogfish off Georgia-North Carolina
require NMFS to close the recreational
harvest for the remainder of the fishing
year if landings reach or are projected to
reach the recreational ACL (50 CFR
622.193(u)(1)(ii)(A)). The NMFS
Southeast Fisheries Science Center
estimates that recreational landings of
hogfish harvested from the EEZ off
Georgia-North Carolina have reached
and likely exceeded the recreational
ACL. Therefore, this temporary rule
implements the AM to close the
recreational harvest of hogfish in the
EEZ off Georgia-North Carolina for the
remainder of the fishing year, which
continues through December 31, 2023.
During this recreational closure, the
recreational bag and possession limits
for hogfish off Georgia-North Carolina in
or from South Atlantic EEZ are zero
fish.
The recreational harvest for hogfish
off Georgia-North Carolina for the 2024
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: September 20, 2023.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
PO 00000
Frm 00047
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
65627
fishing year will open again on January
1.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. This action is required by 50 CFR
622.193(u)(1)(ii)(A), 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 are
unnecessary and contrary to the public
interest. Such procedures are
unnecessary because the rule that
established the recreational ACL and
AMs for hogfish was already subject to
notice and comment, and all that
remains is to notify the public of the
closure. Such procedures are contrary to
the public interest because of the need
to immediately implement this action to
protect hogfish off Georgia-North
Carolina. The recreational ACL for
hogfish off Georgia-North Carolina in
the South Atlantic has been reached and
likely exceeded, and prior notice and
opportunity for public comment would
require more time and result in further
recreational harvest in excess of the
established ACL.
For the reasons just stated, there is
also good cause to waive the 30-day
delay in the effectiveness of this action
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 20, 2023.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–20705 Filed 9–20–23; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\25SER1.SGM
25SER1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 184 (Monday, September 25, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 65627]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20705]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160906822-7547-02; RTID 0648-XD370]
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2023 Recreational
Harvest Closure of Hogfish Off Georgia, South Carolina, and North
Carolina in the South Atlantic
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the
recreational harvest of hogfish off Georgia, South Carolina, and North
Carolina in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS
estimates that recreational landings of hogfish harvested off Georgia
through North Carolina have exceeded the recreational annual catch
limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for hogfish
in the EEZ off Georgia through North Carolina to protect the hogfish
resource.
DATES: This temporary rule is effective from September 26, 2023,
through December 31, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery in the South
Atlantic EEZ includes hogfish and is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and NMFS
prepared the FMP, and NMFS implements the FMP under the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
In the South Atlantic EEZ, hogfish are managed as two separate
stocks: one stock that exists off Georgia, South Carolina, and North
Carolina (Georgia-North Carolina), and another stock that exists off
the Florida Keys and east Florida. This temporary rule applies only to
the recreational harvest of hogfish in the EEZ off Georgia-North
Carolina.
The recreational ACL for hogfish off Georgia-North Carolina is 988
fish (50 CFR 622.193(u)(1)(iii)(B)). The AMs for hogfish off Georgia-
North Carolina require NMFS to close the recreational harvest for the
remainder of the fishing year if landings reach or are projected to
reach the recreational ACL (50 CFR 622.193(u)(1)(ii)(A)). The NMFS
Southeast Fisheries Science Center estimates that recreational landings
of hogfish harvested from the EEZ off Georgia-North Carolina have
reached and likely exceeded the recreational ACL. Therefore, this
temporary rule implements the AM to close the recreational harvest of
hogfish in the EEZ off Georgia-North Carolina for the remainder of the
fishing year, which continues through December 31, 2023. During this
recreational closure, the recreational bag and possession limits for
hogfish off Georgia-North Carolina in or from South Atlantic EEZ are
zero fish.
The recreational harvest for hogfish off Georgia-North Carolina for
the 2024 fishing year will open again on January 1.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.193(u)(1)(ii)(A),
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 are unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such
procedures are unnecessary because the rule that established the
recreational ACL and AMs for hogfish was already subject to notice and
comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the closure.
Such procedures are contrary to the public interest because of the need
to immediately implement this action to protect hogfish off Georgia-
North Carolina. The recreational ACL for hogfish off Georgia-North
Carolina in the South Atlantic has been reached and likely exceeded,
and prior notice and opportunity for public comment would require more
time and result in further recreational harvest in excess of the
established ACL.
For the reasons just stated, there is also good cause to waive the
30-day delay in the effectiveness of this action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 20, 2023.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-20705 Filed 9-20-23; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
