Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2023-2024 Biennial Specifications and Management Measures; Inseason Adjustments, 59681-59689 [2024-16134]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 141 / Tuesday, July 23, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 648
Fisheries, Fishing, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
Dated: July 17, 2024.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–16111 Filed 7–22–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 221206–0261]
RIN 0648–BN16
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;
Fisheries Off West Coast States;
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery;
2023–2024 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
management measures in commercial
groundfish fisheries. This action is
intended to allow commercial fishing
vessels to access more abundant
groundfish stocks while protecting
overfished and depleted stocks.
DATES: This final rule is effective July
23, 2024.
ADDRESSES:
SUMMARY:
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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/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Abbie Moyer, phone: 206–305–9601 or
email: abbie.moyer@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery
Management Plan (PCGFMP) and its
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implementing regulations at title 50 in
the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),
part 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 2-year periods (i.e., a
biennium). NMFS published the final
rule to implement harvest specifications
and management measures for the
2023–2024 biennium for most species
managed under the PCGFMP on
December 16, 2022 (87 FR 77007). 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 June 2024 meeting, the Council
recommended inseason adjustments to
commercial non-trawl trip limits for
sablefish north of 36° N lat., widow
rockfish north of 40°10′ N lat., and
yellowtail rockfish north 40°10′ N lat.
These adjustments are expected to
improve attainment of these stocks in
the non-trawl fishery. Pacific Coast
groundfish fisheries are managed using
harvest specifications or limits (e.g.,
overfishing limits [OFL], acceptable
biological catch [ABC], annual catch
limits [ACL] and harvest guidelines
[HG]) recommended biennially by the
Council and based on the best scientific
information available at that time (50
CFR 660.60(b)). During development of
the harvest specifications, the Council
also recommends management measures
(e.g., trip limits, area closures, and bag
limits) that are meant to mitigate catch
so as not to exceed the harvest
specifications. The harvest
specifications and mitigation measures
developed for the 2023–2024 biennium
used data collected through the 2021
fishing year. Each of the adjustments to
mitigation measures discussed below
are based on updated fisheries
information that was unavailable when
the analysis for the current harvest
specifications was completed. As new
fisheries data becomes available,
adjustments to mitigation measures are
projected so as to help harvesters
achieve but not exceed the harvest
limits.
Sablefish is an important commercial
species on the U.S. West Coast with
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59681
vessels targeting sablefish with both
trawl and fixed gear (longlines and pots/
traps). Sablefish is managed with a
coast-wide OFL and ABC and ACLs that
are apportioned north and south of 36°
N lat. In 2024, the ACL for sablefish
north of 36° N lat. is 7,730 metric tons
(mt) with a fishery HG of 6,919 mt. The
fishery HG north of 36° N lat. is further
divided between the LE and OA sectors
with 90.6 percent, or 6,269 mt, going to
the LE sector and 9.4 percent, or 650 mt,
going to the OA sector. From the 6,269
mt LE allocation, 395 mt is allocated to
the LE fixed gear (LEFG) trip limit
fishery.
At the June 2024 Council meeting, the
Council’s Groundfish Management
Team (GMT) received requests from
industry members and members of the
Council’s Groundfish Advisory
Subpanel (GAP) to examine the
potential to increase sablefish trips
limits for the LEFG and OA fisheries
north of 36° N lat. The intent of
increasing trip limits would be to
increase harvest opportunities for
vessels targeting sablefish. Discussion
with GAP and GMT members indicated
that sablefish markets continue to be
less lucrative than they were prior to
2020 and, consequently, that prices per
pound may be a stronger predictor of
participation than before, as some
vessels opt to target other species
instead. Therefore, for both of the
northern sablefish sectors, the GMT
provided data on 2024 sablefish prices
to date, alongside calculated prices, to
predict participation for the remainder
of the year. This information can help
interpret the fleetwide landings
projections under each of the low,
average, and high price scenarios.
Predicted prices for the remainder of the
year were calculated using prices in
each respective period of recent year(s).
Tables 1 and 2 show projected 2024
landings and attainment under the three
modeled price scenarios for status quo
and for the new Council recommended
trip limits for the LEFG (table 1) and OA
(table 2) sectors north of 36° N lat. LEFG
landings for the full year are projected
to be 55–70 percent of the 2024 landings
target under status quo trip limits. So far
this year, five LEFG vessels have
attained more than 90 percent of the
status quo bimonthly limit, indicating
that at least some vessels in the fleet
would benefit from a trip limit increase.
Therefore, the Council recommended
Option 1, which projects fleetwide
landings at 75–97 percent of the 2024
landings target.
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 141 / Tuesday, July 23, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 1—OPTIONS FOR SABLEFISH TRIP LIMIT INCREASES IN THE LEFG SECTOR NORTH OF 36° N LAT.
Projected landings (rd. wt. mt)
under three price scenarios
Option
Trip limit
Low
SQ .............................................
Council Recommendation .........
a Landings
4,500 lbs. (2,041.2 kg)/week not to exceed
9,000 lbs. (4,082.3 kg)/2 months.
7,000 lbs. (3,175.2 kg)/week not to exceed
14,000 lbs. (6,350.3 kg)/2 months.
Average
Target
(mt)
High
Attainment under three
price scenarios
Low
(%)
Average
(%)
High
(%)
209
237
265
a 380
55
62
70
284
326
367
................
75
86
97
target is calculated after deducting an amount of assumed discard mortality.
OA landings north of 36° N lat. for the
full year are projected to be 79–90
percent of the 2024 landings target
under status quo trip limits. So far this
year, three OA vessels have attained
more than 90 percent of the status quo
bimonthly limit, indicating that at least
some vessels in the fleet would benefit
from a trip limit increase. Therefore, the
Council recommended Option 1, which
projects fleetwide landings at 88–101
percent of the 2024 landings target.
TABLE 2—OPTIONS FOR SABLEFISH TRIP LIMIT INCREASES IN THE OA SECTOR NORTH OF 36° N LAT.
Projected landings (rd. wt. mt)
under three price scenarios
Option
Trip limit
Low
SQ .............................................
Council Recommendation .........
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a Landings
3,000 lbs. (1,360.8 kg)/week not to exceed
6,000 lbs. (2,721.6 kg)/2 months.
3,500 lbs. (1,587.6 kg)/week not to exceed
7,000 lbs. (3,175.2 kg)/2 months.
Average
Target
(mt)
High
Attainment under three
price scenarios
Low
(%)
Average
(%)
High
(%)
492
527
563
a 626
79
85
90
551
592
632
................
88
95
101
target is calculated after deducting an amount of assumed discard mortality.
Trip limit increases for sablefish are
intended to increase attainment of the
non-trawl HG. The proposed trip limit
increases do not change projected
impacts to co-occurring overfished
species, compared to the impacts
anticipated in the 2023–2024 harvest
specifications, because the projected
impacts to those species assume that the
entire sablefish ACL is harvested.
Therefore, the Council recommended
and NMFS is implementing the
proposed trip limit increases, by
modifying table 2 (North) and table 2
(South) to part 660, subpart E, to reflect
trip limit changes for the LEFG fishery
north of 36° N lat. and increase the
limits from ‘‘4,500 lb (2,041 kg) per
week, not to exceed 9,000 lb (4,082 kg)
per two months’’ to ‘‘7,000 lb (3,175 kg)
per week, not to exceed 14,000 lb (6,350
kg) per two months’’. NMFS is also
implementing, by modifying table 3
(North) and table 3 (South) to part 660,
subpart F, to reflect trip limit changes
for the OA sablefish fishery north of 36°
N lat. and increase the limits from
‘‘3,000 lb (1,361 kg) per week, not to
exceed 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) per two
months’’ to ‘‘3,500 lb (1,588 kg) per
week, not to exceed 7,000 lb (3,175 kg)
per two. These changes will be in effect
until further revised.
The GMT also received a request from
industry members at the June 2024
Council meeting to increase the
yellowtail rockfish and widow rockfish
OA and LEFG trip limits for the
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remainder of the year. Industry
members stated that the abnormally
challenging weather conditions have
prevented fishing effort that would have
typically already occurred this year and,
therefore, an increase in trip limits
could help make up for lost fishing
opportunity once the weather improves.
Currently, between 42° and 40°10′ N
lat., the non-trawl fleet in Federal
waters is only permitted to use nonbottom contact gear within the NonTrawl Rockfish Conservation Area
(RCA) to access midwater shelf species
due to actions taken in September
(October 2, 2023, 88 FR 67656) and
November (November 29, 2023, 88 FR
83354) of 2023 to mitigate California
quillback rockfish encounters. The only
current nearshore opportunity off
northern California to target midwater
rockfish (including yellowtail and
widow rockfishes) stocks is with
approved non-bottom contact hook-andline gear configurations. As area
closures and gear restrictions have
required the fleet to fish offshore, where
weather conditions can have a larger
impact on smaller vessels typically
prosecuting these trip limits, higher trip
limits may allow those vessels to land
larger volumes across fewer trips,
thereby promoting safety at-sea and
potentially reducing fuel and
operational costs associated with
traveling farther offshore.
Widow rockfish is managed with a
coast-wide ACL. In 2024, the ACL for
widow rockfish is 11,482 mt with a
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fishery HG of 11,243.7 mt. The fishery
HG is further apportioned between the
trawl and non-trawl sectors with
10,843.7 mt going to the trawl sector
and 400 mt going to the non-trawl
sector. Yellowtail rockfish are managed
with stock-specific harvest
specifications north of 40°10′ N lat. and
within the Minor Shelf Rockfish
complex south of 40°10′ N lat. In 2024,
the ACL for yellowtail rockfish north of
40°10′ N lat. is 5,291 mt with a fishery
HG of 4,263.3 mt. The fishery HG is
further apportioned between the trawl
and non-trawl sectors with 88 percent
(3,751.7 mt) going to the trawl sector
and 12 percent (511.6 mt) going to nontrawl.
LEFG and OA vessels currently land
less than 0.1 percent of the non-trawl
allocations of yellowtail and widow
rockfishes. The trip limit increases may
help facilitate the attainment of the
National Standard 1 objective to attain
but not exceed optimum yield, while
posing very limited risk to co-occurring
stocks. For example, canary rockfish are
a co-occurring species of concern but
are being attained well under their nontrawl commercial allocation. Therefore,
the increase of yellowtail and widow
rockfish trip limits would unlikely
jeopardize their allocation nor create
regulatory discards.
Table 3 below shows status quo and
new Council recommend trip limits for
widow rockfish north of 40°10′ N lat.,
and table 4 shows the GMT projected
landings for 2024 under those limits. To
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date, fewer than three vessels operating
in the LEFG sector have landed widow
rockfish north of 40°10′ N lat. in 2024.
None of these vessels have come within
50 percent of the trip limit in 2024.
Therefore, the projection for the LEFG
sector in table 4 does not change under
status quo or the Council
Recommendation. In the OA sector,
there are 12 vessels operating that have
landed widow rockfish to date in 2024.
Fewer than 3 of these vessels have come
within 50 percent of the trip limit.
There would be no conservation risk
to the stock if the trip limits increase
since it is expected that not many
fishery participants would take
advantage of the Council’s
recommended higher trip limits and
under both options the sectors would
remain well under one percent of the
non-trawl allocation of 400 mt.
Therefore, the Council recommended
and NMFS is implementing higher trip
limits, by modifying table 2 (North) to
part 660, subpart E, and table 3 (North)
to part 660, subpart F, for LEFG and OA
widow rockfish north of 40°10′ N lat. as
shown in table 3 below. This will allow
fishery participants an opportunity to
harvest a greater amount in fewer trips,
when the weather permits, so as to
promote safety at sea and improve
attainment of the stock in the non-trawl
fishery. These changes will be in effect
until further revised.
TABLE 3—STATUS QUO AND COUNCIL RECOMMENDED TRIP LIMITS FOR LEFG/OA WIDOW ROCKFISH NORTH OF 40°10′
N LAT.
Option
Sector
Status Quo ................................
Council Recommendation .........
Area
Jan–Feb
I
Mar–Apr
I
May–Jun
Jul–Aug
I
Sep–Oct
I
Nov–Dec
LE
N of 40°10′ N lat .......................
4,000 lbs. (1,814.4 kg)/2 months.
OA
N of 40°10′ N lat .......................
2,000 lbs. (907.2 kg)/2 months.
LE
N of 40°10′ N lat .......................
4,000 lbs. (1,814.4 kg)/2 months.
6,000 lbs. (2,721.6 kg)/2 months.
OA
N of 40°10′ N lat .......................
2,000 lbs. (907.2 kg)/2 months.
3,000 lbs. (1,360.8 kg)/2 months.
TABLE 4—GMT PROJECTED COASTWIDE WIDOW ROCKFISH LANDINGS FOR 2024
Option
Projected
landings
(mt)
N of 40°10′ N lat.
Sector
Projected
landings
(mt)
S of 40°10′ N lat.
Coastwide
non-trawl
allocation
(mt)
%
Attainment
Status Quo ............................................................................
LE
OA
1.0
5.2
0.1
1.5
400
<0.1
Council Recommendation .....................................................
LE
OA
1.0
7.1
0.1
1.5
400
<0.1
Table 5 below shows status quo and
new Council recommended trip limits
for yellowtail rockfish north of 40°10′ N
lat. and table 6 shows the projected
landings under those limits. To date in
2024, only three vessels operating in the
LEFG sector have landed yellowtail
rockfish north of 40°10′ N lat. None of
these vessels have come within 50
percent of the trip limit. Therefore, the
projection of 2.3 mt in landings in the
LEFG in 2024 does not change. In the
OA sector, there are 44 vessels operating
that have landed yellowtail rockfish to
date in 2024, but similarly, none of the
vessels have come within 50 percent of
the trip limit. Therefore, it is not
expected they would attain the limit, as
they are still projected at 2.0 mt.
regardless of the increase in trip limits.
In 2023, fewer than three vessels
reached or exceeded their trip limits.
There would be no conservation risk to
the stock if trip limits increase since it
is expected that both sectors would
remain under one percent of the non-
trawl allocation. Therefore, the Council
recommended and NMFS is
implementing, higher trip limits by
modifying table 2 (North) to part 660,
subpart E, and table 3 (North) to part
660, subpart F, to reflect trip limit
changes for LEFG and OA yellowtail
rockfish north of 40°10′ N lat., as shown
in table 5 below, in order to promote
safety at sea and increase opportunity
for the fishery to achieve its 2024 catch
limits. These changes will be in effect
until further revised.
TABLE 5—STATUS QUO AND ALTERNATIVE TRIP LIMIT OPTIONS FOR LE/OA YELLOWTAIL ROCKFISH NORTH OF 40°10′ N
LAT.
Option
Status Quo ................................
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Council Recommendation .........
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Sector
Area
Jan–Feb
I
Mar–Apr
I
May–Jun
Jul–Aug
I
Sep–Oct
I
Nov–Dec
LE
N of 40°10′ N lat .......................
3,000 lbs. (1,360.8 kg)/month.
OA
N of 40°10′ N lat .......................
1,500 lbs. (680.4 kg)/month.
LE
N of 40°10′ N lat .......................
3,000 lbs. (1,360.8 kg)/month.
4,500 lbs. (2,041.2 kg)/month.
OA
N of 40°10′ N lat .......................
1,500 lbs. (680.4 kg)/month.
2,500 lbs. (1,134 kg)/month.
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TABLE 6—PROJECTED YELLOWTAIL ROCKFISH NORTH OF 40°10′ N LAT. LANDINGS FOR 2024
Option
Projected
landings
(mt)
Non-trawl
allocation
(mt)
%
Attainment
Status Quo ....................................................................................................................
LE
OA
2.3
2.0
512
<0.1
Council Recommendation .............................................................................................
LE
OA
2.3
2.0
512
<0.1
Classification
This final rule makes routine inseason
adjustments to groundfish fishery
management measures, based on the
best scientific information available,
consistent with the PCGFMP and its
implementing regulations.
This action is taken under the
authority of 50 CFR 660.60(c) and is
exempt from review under Executive
Order 12866.
The aggregate data upon which these
actions are based are available for public
inspection by contacting the NMFS
West Coast Region (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT, above), or view at
the NMFS West Coast Groundfish
website: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
region/west-coast.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b), NMFS
finds good cause to waive prior public
notice and an opportunity for public
comment on this action, as notice and
comment would be impracticable and
contrary to the public interest. The
adjustments to management measures in
this document modify restrictive trip
limits to fisheries in Washington,
Oregon, and California, which were
developed to keep catch within
allocations established by the 2023–
2024 harvest specifications.
Management measures set at the start of
a biennial cycle are intended to help the
fishery attain, but not exceed, the catch
limits for each stock. The adjustments to
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Sector
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commercial non-trawl trip limits for
sablefish north of 36° N lat., widow
rockfish north of 40°10′ N lat., and
yellowtail rockfish north 40°10′ N lat.
implemented through this action will
improve attainment of these stocks
without exceeding their 2023–2024
catch limits. No aspect of this action is
controversial, and changes of this nature
were anticipated in the final rule for the
2023–2024 harvest specifications and
management measures, which
published on December 16, 2022 (87 FR
77007).
Delaying implementation to allow for
public comment would likely reduce
the economic benefits of this action to
the commercial fishing industry and the
businesses that rely on that industry,
because it would be unlikely that the
new regulations would publish and
could be implemented before the end of
the 2024 calendar year. Therefore,
providing a comment period for this
action could significantly limit the
economic benefits to the fishery, and
would hamper the potential to achieve
optimum yield from the affected
fisheries.
Therefore, the NMFS finds reason to
waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1) so that
this final rule may become effective
upon publication in the Federal
Register. The adjustments to
management measures in this document
affect commercial fisheries by
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increasing opportunity and relieving
participants of the more restrictive trip
limits. These adjustments were
requested by the Council’s advisory
bodies, as well as members of industry
during the Council’s June 2024 meeting,
and are recommended by the Council.
No aspect of this action is controversial,
and changes of this nature were
anticipated in the biennial harvest
specifications and management
measures established through a notice
and comment rulemaking for 2023–2024
(December 16, 2022, 87 FR 77007).
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 660
Fisheries, Fishing, Indian fisheries.
Dated: July 18, 2024.
Lindsay Fullenkamp,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
For the reasons set out in the
preamble, NMFS amends 50 CFR part
660 as follows:
PART 660—FISHERIES OFF WEST
COAST STATES
1. The authority citation for part 660
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 16
U.S.C. 773 et seq., and 16 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.
2. Revise table 2 (North) to part 660,
subpart E, to read as follows:
■
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jTable 2 (North) to Part 660, Subpart E -- Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Areas and Trip Limits for Limited Entry Fixed Gear North of 40°10' N lat.
-~--·---I
I ·--·--· ! ·-··--T·---·--,-TOthe·r limits and reauir8ments a,;.nh, -- Read &&660.10 throuah 660.399 before usina this table
!
7/1/2024
JAN-FEB
MAR-APR
MAY-JUN
JUL-AUG
SEP-OCT
NOV-DEC
I
I
I
I
I
~..
11
L Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA} :
i
1 North of 46°16' N lat.
Shoreward EEZ - 100 fm line 11
2 46°16' N lat. - 42°00' N lat.
30 fm line 11 - 75 fm line 11
3 42°00' N lat. - 40°10' N lat.
Shoreward EEZ - 75 fm line 11
L4
'
See §§660.60 and 660.230 for additional gear, trip limit and conservation area requirements and restrictions. See §§660.70-660.74 and §§660.76-660.79 for
conservation area descriptions and coordinates (including RCAs, YRCAs, Farallon Islands, Cordell Bank, and EFHCAs).
Minor Slope Rockfish 21 & Darkblotched
rockfish
Pacific ocean perch
Sablefish
Longspine thomyhead
Shortspine thomyhead
3
4
I
5
6
7
-
8,000 lb/ 2 months
3,600 lb/ 2 months
4,500 lb/ "'8ek, notto exceed 9,000 lb /2 months
7,000 lb/"'8ek, not to exceed 14,000 lb/2 months
10,000 lb/ 2 months
2,000 lb/ 2 months
2,500 lb/ 2 months
I
North of 42°00' N lat.
42°00' N lat. -40°10' N lat.
11
I
i
i
!
I
i
!
22
0 lb/ 2 months
23
42°00' N lat. -40°10' N lat.
Black Rockfish
O lb/ 2 months
26
North of 42°00' N lat.
42°00' N lat. -40°10' N lat.
27 Pacific cod
I
29 Lonanose skate
30 Other Fish&
31 Cabezon in California
!
t
!---
~.!
1
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:::r
1--
,--·
~·
·-,
--·-
I
7
L
_i
in th_e trip limits for Minor Slope Rockfish.
I
_ _ ____ _ _ _ _ ___
__
i
1--i
----1-i
--
--1--~
I j
! 3/ "Other flatfish" are defined at § 660.11 and include butter sole, curlfin sole, flathead sole, Pacific sanddab, rex sole, rock sole, and sand sole.
14/ For black rockfish north of Cape Aiava (48°09.50' N lat.), and between Destruction Is. (47°40' N lat.) and Leadbetter Pnt. (46°38.17' N lat.), there is an additional limit
~ l,Jof 100 lb or 30 percent by weight of all fish on board_ whichever Is greater, per vessel, per fIshIng trip ____ ~---
VerDate Sep<11>2014
I
--u
6
...0
·trarsiting. LEFG vessels may be allowed to fish inside groundfish corservation areas using non-bottom contact hook and line only.
I-..i5/ The minimum size limit for hngcod Is 22 inches (56 cm) total length North of 42° N lat ard 22 inches (56 cm) total length South of 42° N lat __ ___
i 16/ "other Fish'' are defined at§ 660.11 and include kelp greenling off California and leopard shark.
;----i------··
i
-z
a
H
_ _ ---··- _________
-------·---···--·-·-
--~--+;
____ j__J
1
!To convert pounds to kilograms, divide by 2.20462, the number of pounds in one kilogram.
19:10 Jul 22, 2024
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!
N
I
~r-··
.230 (d) of the regulations for more information.
r·-121Minor S~elf ~--~~peR~kfish C?mplexes .;~·d;f~·;tf660.11~ Bo?acc;;;:cti1Peppe~ a~~~~--~!~~~-~.~_ili~~-~E""f~r-M1~or She1fRockf1~F_§elli~~~-':_0:?~1sh IS included -- -- ~
m
·_Jor hnes.spec1f1~ally_def1~~d by latitude a~._long1tude_coord!n~~es set out at§§ 660.71-660:7~- Th1s_RC_~_1s not_def1ned by depth co~o.urs_(with the exception of the 20-fm ··-~··~--~-----···---~ ....
1depth contour boundary south of 42° N lat.), and the boundary lines that define the RCA may close areas that are deeper or shallower
I ,
~n the depth contour. \/Elssels· that -are subject to-RCA restrictiorlS may not fish in the RCA, or operate in the RCA for any purpose-~----- -----·--·--- - --- ----------~--·-·-· ------··--·-----:-
+I
I
CD
r-
32 Oregon Cabezon/Kelp Greenling
33 Bia skate
1/ The Rockfish Corservation Area is an area closed to fishing by particular gear types, bounded by the EEZ (exclusive economic zone, i.e., federal waters from 3-200 nautical miles from shore)
r
,
11,000 lb/ 2 months
2,000 lb/ 2 months seaward of the non-trawl RCA; 0 lb/ 2 months inside the non-trawl RCA
1,000 lb/ 2 months
150,000 lb/ 2
200,000 lb/ 2 months
100,000 lb/ 2 months
months
Unlimited
Unlimited
O lb/ 2 months
Unlimited
Unlimited
I
28 Spiny dogfish
)> I.=
I
i
10,000 lb/ month
10,000 lb/ month seaward of the non--tra\M RCA; 0 lb/month inside the non--tra\M RCA
10,000 lb/ trio
800 lb/ month
4,000 lb/ 2 months
I
6,000 lb/ 2 months
3,000 lb/ month
I
4,500 lb/ month
3,000 lb/ 2 months
CLOSED
42°00' N lat. -40°10' N lat.
Minor Nearshore Rockfish
24 Linacod 61
25
•--11--
Whitina
Minor Shelf Rockfish 21
Widow rockfish
Yellowtail rockfish
Canarv rockfish
Yelloweye rockfish
Quillback rockfish
O lb/ 2 months
42°00' N lat. -40°10' N lat.
20 Minor Nearshore Rockfish Oreaon black/blue/deacon rockfish & black rockfish 41
5,000 lb/ 2 months, no more than 1,200 lb of which may be species other than black rockfish or blue/deacon
21
North of 42°00' N lat.
rockfish 31
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
~
•··-
10,000 lb/ month
!
9 Other Flatfish 31
10
~!
I
Dover sole, arrowtooth flounder, petrale sole,
English sole, starry flounder
8
··-
~
59686
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 141 / Tuesday, July 23, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
3. Revise table 2 (South) to part 660,
subpart E, to read as follows:
■
:-Tr~~l~-2l~~~h-jt~.-p;rt ~-6--0-,- s--u--b-p_a__rl_E_______N
___o___n_-_T_ra
___w_l_R_o__c_kf
__ i_sh co.nservation J:\.~as and Tr!P Lin:,its f~r Lin:,ited ~ntry i:=i~ed.Gear South l:)f 40°10'.N lat.
l__ I IOther limits and requir'ements aoolv -- Read §§660.10 through 660.399 before Using this table
~
JAN-FEB
I
I
MAR-APR
L Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) 11 :
I 1 40°1 0' N lat. - 37°07' N lat.
•
MAY-JUN
I
•
JUL-AUG
• l
i
I
-
SEP-OCT
!
I
---- --,-,
I
7/1 fL:U:L4
NOV-DEC
Shoreward EEZ 11 - 75 fm line 11
2 37°07' N lat. - 34°27' N lat.
3 South of 34 °27' N lat.
100 fm
line 11 -150
50 fm line 11 - 75 fm line 11
fm line 11 (also applies around islands and banks)
See §§660.60 and 660.230 for additional gear, trip limit and conservation area requirements and restrictions. See §§660.70-660.74 and §§660.76-660.79 for
conservation area descriptions and coordinates (including RCAs, YRCAs, Farallon Islands, Cordell Bank, and EFHCAs).
4 Minor Slope rockfish 21 & Darkblotched
rockfish
5 Splitnose rockfish
6 Sablefish
40,000 lb/ 2 months, of which no more than 6,000 lb may be blackgill rockfish
40,000 lb/ 2 months
40°10' N lat. - 36°00' N lat.
8
South of 36 •00' N lat.
9 Longspine thornyhead
10 Shortspine thornvhead
11
40°10' N lat. - 34°27' N lat.
12
South of 34°27' N lat.
i
4,500 lb/ v.eek, not to exceed 9,000 lb /2 months
I 7,000 lb/ v.eek, not to exceed 14,000 lb /2 months
2,500 lb/ week
10,000 lb/ 2 months
I
2,000 lb/ 2 months
l.- 13 Dover sole, arrowtooth flounder, petrale sole,
:_
2,500 lb/ 2 months
3,000 lb/ 2 months
10 ,000 lb/ month
English sole, starry flounder
t:::::
14 Otherflatfish 31
i
I
I
i
I
l
i
I
I
,H-15~====~--l-40-·-10-,-N-l-at-.--3-7-0 0_7_'_N_la-t+_--~--1-0~,0-0-0-lb/-m~o-nt_h_s-ea-=~rn-of-t-he~n-o-~-t-ra-~~R-C_A_;_O_l~b/-mo_nt_h-in~si_d_e-th_e_n~o-~-tr-a~-R~C-A--~-----1~~
16
I
South of 37°07' N lat.
10,000 lb/ month
,f--1-1-71-Wh-it-in-,a---~---------+----------------~1~0~,0~0~0~lb~/tr~i-p---------------H
)> ,__ _
DJ
r
n
n
~=
i,_--1_18--+cM=i=no~r~S=h~•=lf~R~o~c=kf;-ci~sh~~-----------------------------------------------1
19
I
40°1 0' N lat. - 37°07' N lat.
6,000 lb/ 2 months, of which no more than 500 lb mav be vermilion/sunset
i----i-20-+------~I_3_7_0_7~'_N_la~t._-~3~4~2~7~'N=la_t.+-------8~,0_0_0_lb_/_2_m_o_nt_h~
pIer_io_d~,o_f_wh_ic_h_n_o_m_o_re_th_a_n_5_0_0_Ib_ma~•v~b_e_v_e_rm_i_lio_n_/s_u_ns_e_t_ _ _ _ _H mN
21
South of 34°27' N lat.
5,000 lb/ 2 months, of \M'lich no more than 3,000 lb may be vermilion/sunset
22 Widow rockfish
23
I
40°10' N lat. - 34°27' N lat.
10,000 lb/ 2 months
H~~-+-----~-~-'--'=s~ou=t~h~of~3~4~0 2~7~'~N~la=t.+---------------~8~,70 0~0=1~b/~2~m~o=n~th=s~-----------------I-~-~
0
0
tJ
1_ 4_25-+C_h_il~ip_e~p~pe_r_ro_ck_f_is_h_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _- + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - H (/)
l---l~26=+-------~l_4_0_0_10~·-N~l~at_.-~3~4~0 2~7~'~N~la~t+.--------------~1~0,~00~0~l_b.~/~2_m_o_n~th_s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _H o o-H-2_71--_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
S_ou_t_h_of_3_4_0 2_7_'_N_la_t.+-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _8~,0_0_0_lb_._/2_mo_nt_hs_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _----lC , __
,~~28±C~a~n_a~~r_oc_k_f~i•~h~Li'_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _+----------------3~,_50~0~l~b/~2=m=o~n_th_s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _----1,.t-29 Yelloweve rockfish
CLOSED
,---t~30-+cQ~u_il_lb_a~c_k_ro_c_kf_i_s_h_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _+-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _0_lb/=2~m=o=n~th_s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _H _ 1-··1
31 Cowcod
CLOSED
1-1
I 32 Bronzespotted rockfish
CLOSED
33 Bocaccio
8,000 lb/ 2 months
34 Minor Nearshore Rockfish
:::r
Ii
rH~
35
36
40°1 0' N lat. - 36° N lat. Shallow nearshore41
37
40°1 0' N lat. - 36° N lat. Deeper nearshore~
South of 36° N lat. Shallow nearshore41
i
!
38
South of 36° N lat. Deeper nearshore51
39 California Scorpionfish
40 Lingcod 61
41
I
40°1 0' N lat. - 37°07' N lat.
42
South of 37°07' N lat.
43 Pacific cod
I
44 Spiny dogfish
45 Longnose skate
46 Other Fish 71
47 Cabezon in California
48
49
~
o lb/ 2 months
2,000 lb/ 2 months
0 lb/ 2 months
2,000 lb/ 2 months, of \M'lich no more than 75 lb may be copper rockfish
3,500 lb/ 2 months
1,600 lb/ 2 months seaward of the Non-Tra\M RCA; 0 lb/ 2 months inside the non-trawl RCA
1,600 lb/ 2 months
1,000 lb/ 2 months
150,000 lb/ 2
200,000 lb/ 2 months
100,000 lb/ 2 months
months
Unlimited
0 lb/2 months
I
40°10' N lat.-36° N lat.
South of 36° N lat.
I
0 lb/2 months
Unlimited
Unlimited
50 Big Skate
7
~..,Y The Rockfish Corservation Area is an area closed to fishing ~y particular gear ty~=•·~b=o=und=•=d~b~y~line=••~pe=c=if~ic=a'~'y=d•='i=ned=b~y=la=tit=ud=•-------------------1! J
( _J -~ :ard long~ude coordinates set out at§§ 660.~1-660.74. This RCf'.1s not defined. by depth contours (w1ththe exception of the 20:fm _ ~---"·-~---------~-_, __ __j. _,
Li
l_T _J~~~~t::~-~;~(~~~f
µ_
I
1
ldepth contour boundary south of 42° N lat.), and the boundary lines that define the RCA may close areas that are deeper or shallower
L_ i _ _!than the depth contour. Vessels that are subject to RCA restrictiors may not fish in the RCA, or operate in the RCA for any purpose_
--~---·J __ [
-~
~~: !:r:1:~!~~i:~~ i~id~ groundfish c.orservation .areas L1Sing non-bottom co:::~~~~-~~~~:~~~~·=:=~-~~~·---·-·~··-----------_---_--_--_--_ _ _·-··-·----··-- __l_7
~~=?e~:I:~~
0
121 Minor Shelf and Slope Rockfish complexes are defined at§ 660.11. Pacific ocean perch is included in the trip limits for Minor Slope Rockfish. Blackgill rockfi~•h~h=av~•~a~--------+'
iSpecies specific trip sub-limit within the Minor Slope Rockfish cumulative limit. Yellowtail rockfish are included in the trip limits for Minor Shelf Rockfish. Bronzespotted
I
L._L-1.~~fish_~~--~~~~_:>~~~!.r:!e.J!~~;_________ . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
lJ~
::~~:~~~l~::~h~~.~:;::r~d6~0~1~~~{1i~~~:;
.~~~~~n~~~~'c(~;:ii~(~~;~· /!~thead sole,_ Pa~ific sanddab, rex sole, rock sole·~-~:~.~~.-~:~~~:~~- _---~--=-:=~-.=~=~=·~=-=-~-----·-·-------
+-7
-~-~t·;
!~!5/ "Deeper Nearshore" are defined at§ 660.11 under "Gr~~_fis_h'~'(~7)~(i)~(B~)(~2~l-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-----t:_J
L61 The commercial mimimum size limit for lirgcod is 22 inches (56 cm) total length South of 42° N lat.
r--17f,-;Qthei-- Fish'' are defined at§ 660.11 and iri.clude kelp g~re_e_nli~ng~o_ff_C_a_lifo_r_nia_a_nd_le~op=a=rd=•=ha=r=k·==========================================----------!
!
VerDate Sep<11>2014
iTo convert pounds to kilograms, divide by 2.20462, the ~~mber of pounds in one k i l o g r a = m = · - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
19:10 Jul 22, 2024
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i.
59687
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 141 / Tuesday, July 23, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
4. Revise table 3 (North) to part 660,
subpart F, to read as follows:
■
·1
···--·
F -- Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Areas and Trip Limits for Open Access Gears North of 40°1 O' N lat.
jother
Rockfish Conservation Area tRCAl 11 :
1 North of46°16' N lat
JAN-FEB
I
MAR-APR
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
3 142°00' N lat-40°10'N lat
·····1
;
1,1,?n ••
MAY-JUN
I
JUL-AUG
I
SEP-OCT
I
NOV-DEC
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
·-·
-·
·--
Shoreward EEZ - 1oo fm line 11
30 fm line 11 - 75 fm line 11
Shoreward EEZ- 75 fm line 11
2 146°16' N lat -42°00' N lat
·--
i
and requirements apply-- Read §§660.10 through 660.399 before using this table j
--·-·
····--
See §§660.60, 660.330 and 660.333 for additional gear, trip limit and conservation area requirements and restrictions. See §§660.70-660.74 and §§660.76-660.79
for conservation area descriptions and coordinates (including RCAs, YRCAs, Farallon Islands, Cordell Bank, and EFHCAs).
4 Minor Slope Rockfish 21
& Darkblotched rockfish
··--·
_J
2,000 lb/ month
5 Pacific ocean perch
6 Sablefish
7 Shortoine thornvheads
8 Lonasoine thornvheads
- - - 9 Dover sole, arrowtooth flounder, petrale sole,
·-·--·English sole, starryflounder 71
10 Other Flatfish 31
11
North of 42°00' N lat.
12
42°00' N lat - 40°1 0' N lat
13 Whiting
100 lb/ month
3,000 lb/week, not to exceed 6,000 lb/2 roonths
3,500 lb/week, not to exceed 7,000 lb/ 2 months
I
50 lb/ month
50 lb/ month
·-
--·-·
·-
----·
5,000 lb/ month
I
I
!
I
i
--·--
I
'
---·
--
i
--···-
5,000 lb/ month
5,000 lb/ month seaward of the non-trawl RCA; 0 lb/month inside the non-trawl RCA
=~1
300 lb/ month
14 Minor Shelf Rockfish 21
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
North of 42°00' N lat.
42°00' N lat - 40°1 0' N lat
Widow rockfish
Yellowtail rockfish
Canarv rockfish
Yelloweye rockfish
Quillback rockfish
BOO lb/ month
600 lb/month
I
2,000 lb/ 2 months
1,500 lb/month
I
:~J
r
1 ,000 lb/ 2 months
CLOSED
o 11:Y 2 months
42°00' N lat. - 40°1 0' N lat.
Minor Nearshore Rockfish, Oregon black/blue/deacon rockfish, & black rockfish
24
-i~J
3,000 lb/ 2 months
2,500 lb/month
m ----i
North of 42°00' N lat 5,000 lb/ 2 months, no more than 1,200 lb of which may be species other than black rockfish or blue/deacon rockfish41
25
42°00' N lat - 40°1 0' N lat
Minor Nearshore Rockfish
0 11:Y 2 months
26
42°00' N lat. - 40°1 0' N lat.
Black rockfish
o 11:Y 2 months
-z
-~
...0
27 Linacod 51
28
North of 42·00• N lat
29
42°00' N lat-40.10' N lat
5,500 lb/ month
31 Spiny dogfish
32
33
34
35
:::r
1,000 lb/ month seaward of the non-trawl RCA; 0 lb/ month inside the non-trawl RCA
30 Pacific cod
200,000 lb/ 2 months
Longnose skate
Bia skate
Other Fish61
Cabezon in California
I
1,000 11:Y 2 months
150,000 lb/2
roonths
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
I
c.,=1
;;~
100,000 lb/ 2 months
o 11:Y 2 months
36 Oregon Cabezon/Kelp Greenling
Unlimited
37 SALMON TROLL (subject to RCAs when retaining all species of groundfish, except for yellowtail rockfish and lingcod, as described below)
Salmon trollers may retain and land upto 500 lb ofyellowtail rockfish per month as long as salmon is on board, both
within and outside of the RCA. Salmon trollers may retain and land up to 1 lingcod per 2 Chinook per trip, plus 1 lingcod
per trip, upto a trip limit of 10 lingcod, on a trip where any fishing occurs within the RCA. The lingcod limit only applies
38 North
during times when lingcod retention is allowed, and is not "CLOSED." Theses limits are within the per month limits
described in the table above, and not in addition to those limits. All groundfish species are subject to the open access
limits, seasons, size limits and RCA restrictions listed in the table above, unless otherwise stated here.
=~
---
39 PINK SHRIMP NON-GROUNDFISH TRAWL (not subject to RCAs)
--i
Effective April 1 - October31: Groundfish: 500 lb/day, multiplied by the nurrtier of days of the trip, not to exceed 1,500
IMrip. The following sublimits also apply and are counted toward the overall 500 lb/day and 1,500 IMrip groundfish
limits: lingcod 300 lb/month (minimum 24 inch size limit); sablefish 2,000 lb/month; canary, thornyheads and yelloweye
rockfish are PROHIBITED. All other groundfish species taken are managed under the overall 500 lb/day and 1,500
IMrip groundfish limits. Landings of these species count toward the per day and per trip groundfish limits and do not
have species-specific limits. The amount of groundfish landed may not exceed the aroount of pink shrimp landed.
40 North
0----JY The ~ockfish ~~nservation Area is_ an area close_d to fisting_ by particular gear types, bounded by ti:-e EEZ ~exclusive economic zone, i.e., fed~ral waters fr~m 3-200 nautical miles from shore)
l-·~·-·--·L_J or _!1~es specifically defined by lat1t.ude a~_ longitude coordinates set out _at §§_ 66~. 71-660.74. Ttis R~A 1s n?t defined by depth contou~ (with the except1_on <:if t.~h•~2~0-~fm~---
i
!
!
i
i ..
_. __
f---------L~~..EE...~C?~-boundary south of 42° N lat.), and the boundary lines that define the RCA may close areas that are deeper or shallower
____
. _
----f----i
L...~---- I J!_han the depth contour. Vessels that_ are_su~ject to RCA restricti_o~s rn_ay ~ot f!sh in the R_CJ\ ~r_ ~perate in the RCA for any purpose-~-·-·····-·--·---·--·--·------···______ ____ 4 ____ ·-<
i iother than transiting. O~_access vessels may be allowed to fish inside groundfish conservation areas usi"!;!,~h~oo~k~•"~d~lin~•~o~ny~.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ j - - - i
j See§ 660.330 (d) of!~."':~~-1:':~ulations for more information.
__________________
,
L---i---+:-
~.~~~ ~:~~Ii~~::~~~:~~!~:~~:~~~-::_~~~-==~-.~~-~·
· =~=~~t=~:
f~~~~~12/·T:c~hsEl:i=~~c~~~=-i~i-~~i: ~::~=~~=r~:~:dR~c1~h~.11. Bo_caccio,_~~ilipe:::__:_~~-:~~:o:~~~~:..
131 "other flatfish'' are defined at§ 660.11 and include butter sole, curlfin sole, flathead s~~El-•P_a_cifi_1c_s_aa_dd_a~b,_re_x_so_le~,_ro_ck_s_ol-e,_aa_d_s_aa_d_so_le_.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - - ,
141 For_bla_ck rockfish north of Cape Aiava (48°09.50' N lat.), and between Destruction Is. (47°40' N lat.) and Leadbetter Pnt. J~•"~•~3a~.1~7'~N=lat=·~),- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + · t___,
is an additional limit of _100 lbs or _30 percent by weight__ of all fish _on board, w,llichever is greater, per vessel, per fi~hi~. trip. ··-------------·- -··--·----...--.~~==-~~-=--,', ___ ... i,
f-
i
!··----Tftfe~;
i -·---t: ~~;::~::~.:r~z=e~~·:J: 1;:~~1i~ ~~:~~~s:e~pm~!~~~:i:n:~~:i~=r~a~~d~~:~a~~~~!r~hes (56 c.m) South of 42" N lat.
________ ----~--.,-··-·--· ---~---···---~
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ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
I
17/ Open access vessels may be allowed to fish inside groundfish conservation areas using hook and line only. See§ 660.330 (d) of the_r•~•~u_ati_ors_fo_r_mo_re_i_m_or_m_ati.o_a_.- - - - - - - - - - e - - - - ,
r-----]To '?.On~t pounds tc;, kilograr:ns, divi~e by 2.~2, the number of .pounds in_ on~ kilogr~m. ... -~------------ -~---____ ·-·-···----·-- _ -- -··-·-·--------·-~-·-·--··· _ ----------···-·-L-.... 1
59688
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 141 / Tuesday, July 23, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
5. Revise table 3 (South) to part 660,
subpart F, to read as follows:
■
--------------·~---
·
-
1 ...
•
1
,-
-
I
-
·
r
·
i
1 ...
-
!
~1·---------,~------
1Table
liSoutl!} to Part 660 SubP.!!rt F - Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Areas and Trip Limits for Open Access Gears
South
of 40°10' N lat
-·-----------I
l.-~-~-=~j--iother linilts an·crreau1rerreL:nts.a~;;~~~ Read §§660.10 throuah 660.399 before uSina this-table
7/1/2024
JAN-FEB
i
I MAR-APR I MAY-JUN
I JUL-AUG
I SEP-OCT
I NOV-DEC
11
I
Rockfish Conservation Area tRCAl :
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
1 40°1 0' N lat. - 37°07' N lat.
Shoreward EEZ 11 - 75 fm line 11
2 37°07' N lat. - 34°27' N lat.
50 fm line 11 - 75 fm line 11
3 ISouth of 34 °27' N lat.
100 fm line 11 - 150 fm line 11 (also amilies around islands and banks)
See §§660.60 and 660.230 for additional gear, trip limit and conservation area requirements and restrictions. See §§660.70-660.74 and §§660.76-660.79 for
conservation area descriptions and coordinates (including RCAs, YRCAs, Farallon Islands, Cordell Bank, and EFHCAs).
4 Minor Slope Rockfish 21 & Darkblotched rockfish
200 lb/ month
6 Sablefish
7
140°10' N lat. - 36°00' N lat.
3,000 lb/week, not to exceed 6,000 lb/2 roonths
Isouth 0136°00' N lat.
9 Shortpine thornyheads
10
I
40°10' N lat.- 34°27' N lat.
11 Lonaspine thornvheads
12
I
40°10' N lat.- 34°27' N lat.
13 Shortpine thornyheads and longspine
thornyheads
14
Isouth of34°27' N lat.
8
t==--=
50 lb/month
50 lb/month
40°10' N lat.- 37°07' N lat.
South of 37°07' N lat.
19 Whiting
20 Minor Shelf Rockfish 21
21
I
22
I 37°07' N lat. - 34°27' N lat.
23
I
24 Widow rockfish
25
40°10' N lat.- 34°27' N lat.
I
26
South of 34°27' N lat.
I
27 Chilipepper rockfish
28
I
40°10' N lat.- 34°27' N lat.
29
I
South of 34 °27' N lat.
30 Canary rockfish
31 Yelloweye rockfish
32 Cowcod
33 Bronzespotted rockfish
34 Quillback rockfish
35 Bocaccio
I
36 Minor Nearshore Rockfish
37
38
39
40
-------
41
42
43
44
45
40°1 0' N lat. - 36°00' N lat. Shallow nearshore4'
South of 36°00' N lat. Shallow nearshore41
40°1 O' N lat. - 36°00' N lat. Deeoer nearshore51
South of 36°00' N lat. Deeper nearshore51
California Scorpionfish
Linacod 61
I 40°10' N lat.- 37°07' N lat.
South of 37°07' N lat.
Pacific cod
46 Spiny dogfish
47
48
49
50
----
52
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VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:10 Jul 22, 2024
Jkt 262001
m~=
--------·
c.1----
--1
~=--1
C: -------
:::r-
-
-----
=1
700 lb/ month seaward of the non-trawl RCA; o lb/ month inside the non-trawl RCA
700 lb/ month
1,000 lb/ 2 months
150,000 lb/2
200,000 lb/ 2 months
100,000 lb/ 2 months
months
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
~3
I
-----
--·
----------
0 lb/month
Unlimited
Frm 00098
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E:\FR\FM\23JYR1.SGM
I
23JYR1
--------------
-
o 11:Y 2 months
2,000 lb/ 2 months
o 11:Y 2 months
2,000 lb/ 2 months, of which no more than 75 lb may be copper rockfish
3,500 lb/ 2 months
i
PO 00000
,---
6,000 lb/ 2 months
4,000 lb/ 2 months
1,500 lb/ 2 months
CLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED
O lb/ 2 months
6,000 lb/ 2 months
40°1 O' N lat. - 36°00' N lat.
South of 36°00' N lat.
I
)> ---
m--
6,000 lb/ 2 months
4,000 lb/ 2 months
I
Longnose skate
Big skate
Other Fish71
Cabezon in California
51
------
3,000 lb/ 2 months, of which no roore than 300 lb mav be vermilion/sunset
4,000 lb/ 2 month, of which no more than 300 lb mav be vermilion/sunset
3,000 lb/ 2 months, of which no more than 900 lb may be vermilion/sunset
South of 34 °27' N lat.
I
-I--
I
I
I
i
I
I
I
I
I
5,000 lb/ month seaward of the Non-Trawl RCA; o lb/month inside the Non-Trawl RCA
5,000 lb/ month
300 lb/ month
40°1 0' N lat. - 37°07' N lat.
·-7
-I
---
100 11:Y day, no more than 1,000 lb/ 2 months
I
I
I
-·--•-I
-------------
5,000 lb/ month
16 Other Flatfish 31
18
3,500 lb/week, not to exceed 7,000 lb/ 2 months
2,000 lb/week, not to exceed 6,000 lb/2 months
15 Dover sole, arrowtooth flounder, petrale sole,
English sole, starryflounder3"81
17
I
---~
___ )
~
10,000 lb/2 months, of which no more than 2,500 lb may be blackgill rockfish
5 Solitnose rockfish
L
: ---!
I
I
ER23JY24.004</GPH>
~----1
L
59689
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 141 / Tuesday, July 23, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
ITable 3 (South) Continued
!Other limits and reauirements annh, -- Read 66660.10 throuah 660.399 before usino this table
JAN-FEB
MAR-APR
I
I
i
I
Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) 11 :
I
I
1 140°10' N lat.- 36°00' N lat.
c-
i
MAY-JUN
I
I
:
Shoreward EEZ 1'
JUL-AUG
I
-
I
I
I
SEP-OCT
I
i 7/1/2024
NOV-DEC
i
Salmon trailers may retain and land up to 1 lb of yellowtail rockfish for every 2 lb of Chinook salmon landed, with a
cumulative limit of 200 lb/month, both within and outside of the RCA This limit is within the 4,000 lb per 2 month limit for
South of 40°1 O' N lat. minor shelf rockfish between 40°1 O' and 34°27' N lat., and not in addition to that limit. All groundfish species are subject
to the open access limits, seasons, size limits and RCA restrictions listed in the table above, unless otherwise stated
here.
60
-~'
:
_.._....Jl
75 fm line 11
50 fm line 11 - 75 fm line 11
2 36°00' N lat. - 34°27' N lat.
3 I South of 34 °27' N lat.
100 fm line 1' - 150 fm line 11 talso annlies around islands and banks)
See §§660.60 and 660.230 for additional gear, trip limit and conservation area requirements and restrictions. See §§660.70-660.74 and §§660.76-660.79 for
conservation area descriptions and coordinates (including RCAs, YRCAs, Farallon Islands, Cordell Bank, and EFHCAs).
~~ :si"-• MlJN TROLL (subject to RCAs when retaining all species of groundfish, except for yellowtail rockfish, as described below)
c--
I
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··----~
--
I
---·{
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-I ~~~i
)> ·---
Ill
rm
-7
w ~-~
- - - - 61 RIDGEBACK PRAWN AND, SOUTH OF 38°57.50' N lat., CA HALIBUT AND SEA CUCUMBER NON-GROUNDFISH TRAWL
NON-GROUNDFISH TRAWL Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) for CA Halibut, Sea Cucumber & Ridaeback Prawn:
63
I
64
I
65
i
40°1 0' N lat. - 38°00' N lat.
100 fm line 11 - 150 fm line 11
100 fm line 11 - 150 fm line 11
--rn
I
---~
0
--
C: ---~
I
:::r
iI
C')
0
:J
-·
:J
C:
(1)
----i
Effective April 1 - October 31: Groundfish: 500 lb/day, rrultiplied by the number of days of the trip, not to exceed 1,500 C.
I
69
South
i
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l
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--
[FR Doc. 2024–16134 Filed 7–22–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–C
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 240227–0061; RTID 0648–
XE015]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by
Vessels Using Jig Gear 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; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using
jig gear in the Central Regulatory Area
of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action
is necessary to prevent exceeding the
SUMMARY:
17:25 Jul 22, 2024
i
lb/trip. The following sublimits also apply and are counted toward the overall 500 lb/ day and 1,500 lb/ trip groundfish
limits: lingcod 300 lb/ month (minimum 24 inch size limit); sablefish 2,000 lb/ month; canary rockfish, thornyheads and
yelloweye rockfish are PROHIBITED. All othergroundfish species taken are managed under the overall 500 lb/day and
1,500 lb/ trip groundfish lirrits. Landings of all groundfish species count toward the per day, per trip or other speciesspecific sublimits described here and the species-specific limits described in the table above do not apply. The amount
of groundfish landed may not exceed the amount of pink shrimp landed.
L_
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
100 fm line 11 200 fm line 11
._67_ PINK SHRIMP NON-G_ROUNDFISH TRAWL GEAR (not subject to RCAs)
I
VerDate Sep<11>2014
I
Groundfish: 300 lb/trip. Species-specific limits described in the table above also apply and are counted toward the 300
lb groundfish per trip limit. The amount of groundfish landed may not exceed the amount of the target species landed,
except that the amount of spiny dogfish landed may exceed the amount of target species landed. Spiny dogfish are
limited by the 300 lb/trip overall groundfish limit. The daily trip limits for sablefish coastwide and thomyheads south of Pt.
Conception and the overall groundfish "per trip" limit may not be multiplied by the number of days of the trip. Vessels
participating in the California halibut fishery south of 38°57.50' N lat. are allowed to (1) land upto 100 HJ/day of
groundfish without the ratio requirement, provided that at least one California halibut is landed and (2) land up to 3,000
lb/month of flatfish, no more than 300 lb of which may be species other than Pacific sanddabs, sand sole, starry
flounder, rock sole, curtfin sole, or California scorpionfish (California scorpionfish is also subject to the trip limits and
closures in line 29).
I
I
I
I
100 fm line 11 - 150 fm line 11
I
38°00' N lat. - 34°27' N lat.
South of 34°27' N lat.
66
~--
100 fm line 11 200 fm line 11
___J
Jkt 262001
2024 total allowable catch (TAC) of
Pacific cod by vessels using jig gear in
the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), July 19, 2024, through
2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Adam Zaleski, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone
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 MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens
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 2024 Pacific cod TAC
apportioned to vessels using jig gear in
the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA
is 309 metric tons (mt) as established by
the final 2024 and 2025 harvest
PO 00000
Frm 00099
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
·-i
specifications for groundfish in the GOA
(89 FR 15484, March 4, 2024).
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii),
the Regional Administrator has
determined that the 2024 Pacific cod
TAC apportioned to vessels using jig
gear in the Central Regulatory Area of
the GOA has been reached.
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing for Pacific cod by
vessels using jig gear in the Central
Regulatory Area of the GOA.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. This action is required by 50 CFR
part 679, which was issued pursuant to
section 304(b), 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
would be impracticable and contrary to
the public interest, as it would prevent
NMFS from responding to the most
recent fisheries data in a timely fashion,
E:\FR\FM\23JYR1.SGM
23JYR1
ER23JY24.005</GPH>
~
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 23, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 59681-59689]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16134]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 221206-0261]
RIN 0648-BN16
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States;
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2023-2024 Biennial Specifications and
Management Measures; Inseason Adjustments
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; inseason adjustments to biennial groundfish
management measures.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This final rule announces routine inseason adjustments to
management measures in commercial groundfish fisheries. This action is
intended to allow commercial fishing vessels to access more abundant
groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.
DATES: This final rule is effective July 23, 2024.
ADDRESSES:
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/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abbie Moyer, phone: 206-305-9601 or
email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (PCGFMP) and
its implementing regulations at title 50 in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), part 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 2-year
periods (i.e., a biennium). NMFS published the final rule to implement
harvest specifications and management measures for the 2023-2024
biennium for most species managed under the PCGFMP on December 16, 2022
(87 FR 77007). 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 June 2024 meeting, the Council recommended inseason
adjustments to commercial non-trawl trip limits for sablefish north of
36[deg] N lat., widow rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N lat., and
yellowtail rockfish north 40[deg]10' N lat. These adjustments are
expected to improve attainment of these stocks in the non-trawl
fishery. Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries are managed using harvest
specifications or limits (e.g., overfishing limits [OFL], acceptable
biological catch [ABC], annual catch limits [ACL] and harvest
guidelines [HG]) recommended biennially by the Council and based on the
best scientific information available at that time (50 CFR 660.60(b)).
During development of the harvest specifications, the Council also
recommends management measures (e.g., trip limits, area closures, and
bag limits) that are meant to mitigate catch so as not to exceed the
harvest specifications. The harvest specifications and mitigation
measures developed for the 2023-2024 biennium used data collected
through the 2021 fishing year. Each of the adjustments to mitigation
measures discussed below are based on updated fisheries information
that was unavailable when the analysis for the current harvest
specifications was completed. As new fisheries data becomes available,
adjustments to mitigation measures are projected so as to help
harvesters achieve but not exceed the harvest limits.
Sablefish is an important commercial species on the U.S. West Coast
with vessels targeting sablefish with both trawl and fixed gear
(longlines and pots/traps). Sablefish is managed with a coast-wide OFL
and ABC and ACLs that are apportioned north and south of 36[deg] N lat.
In 2024, the ACL for sablefish north of 36[deg] N lat. is 7,730 metric
tons (mt) with a fishery HG of 6,919 mt. The fishery HG north of
36[deg] N lat. is further divided between the LE and OA sectors with
90.6 percent, or 6,269 mt, going to the LE sector and 9.4 percent, or
650 mt, going to the OA sector. From the 6,269 mt LE allocation, 395 mt
is allocated to the LE fixed gear (LEFG) trip limit fishery.
At the June 2024 Council meeting, the Council's Groundfish
Management Team (GMT) received requests from industry members and
members of the Council's Groundfish Advisory Subpanel (GAP) to examine
the potential to increase sablefish trips limits for the LEFG and OA
fisheries north of 36[deg] N lat. The intent of increasing trip limits
would be to increase harvest opportunities for vessels targeting
sablefish. Discussion with GAP and GMT members indicated that sablefish
markets continue to be less lucrative than they were prior to 2020 and,
consequently, that prices per pound may be a stronger predictor of
participation than before, as some vessels opt to target other species
instead. Therefore, for both of the northern sablefish sectors, the GMT
provided data on 2024 sablefish prices to date, alongside calculated
prices, to predict participation for the remainder of the year. This
information can help interpret the fleetwide landings projections under
each of the low, average, and high price scenarios. Predicted prices
for the remainder of the year were calculated using prices in each
respective period of recent year(s).
Tables 1 and 2 show projected 2024 landings and attainment under
the three modeled price scenarios for status quo and for the new
Council recommended trip limits for the LEFG (table 1) and OA (table 2)
sectors north of 36[deg] N lat. LEFG landings for the full year are
projected to be 55-70 percent of the 2024 landings target under status
quo trip limits. So far this year, five LEFG vessels have attained more
than 90 percent of the status quo bimonthly limit, indicating that at
least some vessels in the fleet would benefit from a trip limit
increase. Therefore, the Council recommended Option 1, which projects
fleetwide landings at 75-97 percent of the 2024 landings target.
[[Page 59682]]
Table 1--Options for Sablefish Trip Limit Increases in the LEFG Sector North of 36[deg] N lat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Projected landings (rd. wt. mt) Attainment under three price
under three price scenarios scenarios
Option Trip limit --------------------------------- Target --------------------------------
(mt) Average
Low Average High Low (%) (%) High (%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SQ............................................ 4,500 lbs. (2,041.2 kg)/ 209 237 265 \a\ 380 55 62 70
week not to exceed 9,000
lbs. (4,082.3 kg)/2 months.
Council Recommendation........................ 7,000 lbs. (3,175.2 kg)/ 284 326 367 ......... 75 86 97
week not to exceed 14,000
lbs. (6,350.3 kg)/2 months.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\a\ Landings target is calculated after deducting an amount of assumed discard mortality.
OA landings north of 36[deg] N lat. for the full year are projected
to be 79-90 percent of the 2024 landings target under status quo trip
limits. So far this year, three OA vessels have attained more than 90
percent of the status quo bimonthly limit, indicating that at least
some vessels in the fleet would benefit from a trip limit increase.
Therefore, the Council recommended Option 1, which projects fleetwide
landings at 88-101 percent of the 2024 landings target.
Table 2--Options for Sablefish Trip Limit Increases in the OA Sector North of 36[deg] N Lat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Projected landings (rd. wt. mt) Attainment under three price
under three price scenarios scenarios
Option Trip limit --------------------------------- Target --------------------------------
(mt) Average
Low Average High Low (%) (%) High (%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SQ............................................ 3,000 lbs. (1,360.8 kg)/ 492 527 563 \a\ 626 79 85 90
week not to exceed 6,000
lbs. (2,721.6 kg)/2 months.
Council Recommendation........................ 3,500 lbs. (1,587.6 kg)/ 551 592 632 ......... 88 95 101
week not to exceed 7,000
lbs. (3,175.2 kg)/2 months.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\a\ Landings target is calculated after deducting an amount of assumed discard mortality.
Trip limit increases for sablefish are intended to increase
attainment of the non-trawl HG. The proposed trip limit increases do
not change projected impacts to co-occurring overfished species,
compared to the impacts anticipated in the 2023-2024 harvest
specifications, because the projected impacts to those species assume
that the entire sablefish ACL is harvested. Therefore, the Council
recommended and NMFS is implementing the proposed trip limit increases,
by modifying table 2 (North) and table 2 (South) to part 660, subpart
E, to reflect trip limit changes for the LEFG fishery north of 36[deg]
N lat. and increase the limits from ``4,500 lb (2,041 kg) per week, not
to exceed 9,000 lb (4,082 kg) per two months'' to ``7,000 lb (3,175 kg)
per week, not to exceed 14,000 lb (6,350 kg) per two months''. NMFS is
also implementing, by modifying table 3 (North) and table 3 (South) to
part 660, subpart F, to reflect trip limit changes for the OA sablefish
fishery north of 36[deg] N lat. and increase the limits from ``3,000 lb
(1,361 kg) per week, not to exceed 6,000 lb (2,722 kg) per two months''
to ``3,500 lb (1,588 kg) per week, not to exceed 7,000 lb (3,175 kg)
per two. These changes will be in effect until further revised.
The GMT also received a request from industry members at the June
2024 Council meeting to increase the yellowtail rockfish and widow
rockfish OA and LEFG trip limits for the remainder of the year.
Industry members stated that the abnormally challenging weather
conditions have prevented fishing effort that would have typically
already occurred this year and, therefore, an increase in trip limits
could help make up for lost fishing opportunity once the weather
improves.
Currently, between 42[deg] and 40[deg]10' N lat., the non-trawl
fleet in Federal waters is only permitted to use non-bottom contact
gear within the Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) to access
midwater shelf species due to actions taken in September (October 2,
2023, 88 FR 67656) and November (November 29, 2023, 88 FR 83354) of
2023 to mitigate California quillback rockfish encounters. The only
current nearshore opportunity off northern California to target
midwater rockfish (including yellowtail and widow rockfishes) stocks is
with approved non-bottom contact hook-and-line gear configurations. As
area closures and gear restrictions have required the fleet to fish
offshore, where weather conditions can have a larger impact on smaller
vessels typically prosecuting these trip limits, higher trip limits may
allow those vessels to land larger volumes across fewer trips, thereby
promoting safety at-sea and potentially reducing fuel and operational
costs associated with traveling farther offshore.
Widow rockfish is managed with a coast-wide ACL. In 2024, the ACL
for widow rockfish is 11,482 mt with a fishery HG of 11,243.7 mt. The
fishery HG is further apportioned between the trawl and non-trawl
sectors with 10,843.7 mt going to the trawl sector and 400 mt going to
the non-trawl sector. Yellowtail rockfish are managed with stock-
specific harvest specifications north of 40[deg]10' N lat. and within
the Minor Shelf Rockfish complex south of 40[deg]10' N lat. In 2024,
the ACL for yellowtail rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N lat. is 5,291 mt
with a fishery HG of 4,263.3 mt. The fishery HG is further apportioned
between the trawl and non-trawl sectors with 88 percent (3,751.7 mt)
going to the trawl sector and 12 percent (511.6 mt) going to non-trawl.
LEFG and OA vessels currently land less than 0.1 percent of the
non-trawl allocations of yellowtail and widow rockfishes. The trip
limit increases may help facilitate the attainment of the National
Standard 1 objective to attain but not exceed optimum yield, while
posing very limited risk to co-occurring stocks. For example, canary
rockfish are a co-occurring species of concern but are being attained
well under their non-trawl commercial allocation. Therefore, the
increase of yellowtail and widow rockfish trip limits would unlikely
jeopardize their allocation nor create regulatory discards.
Table 3 below shows status quo and new Council recommend trip
limits for widow rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N lat., and table 4 shows
the GMT projected landings for 2024 under those limits. To
[[Page 59683]]
date, fewer than three vessels operating in the LEFG sector have landed
widow rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N lat. in 2024. None of these
vessels have come within 50 percent of the trip limit in 2024.
Therefore, the projection for the LEFG sector in table 4 does not
change under status quo or the Council Recommendation. In the OA
sector, there are 12 vessels operating that have landed widow rockfish
to date in 2024. Fewer than 3 of these vessels have come within 50
percent of the trip limit.
There would be no conservation risk to the stock if the trip limits
increase since it is expected that not many fishery participants would
take advantage of the Council's recommended higher trip limits and
under both options the sectors would remain well under one percent of
the non-trawl allocation of 400 mt. Therefore, the Council recommended
and NMFS is implementing higher trip limits, by modifying table 2
(North) to part 660, subpart E, and table 3 (North) to part 660,
subpart F, for LEFG and OA widow rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N lat. as
shown in table 3 below. This will allow fishery participants an
opportunity to harvest a greater amount in fewer trips, when the
weather permits, so as to promote safety at sea and improve attainment
of the stock in the non-trawl fishery. These changes will be in effect
until further revised.
Table 3--Status Quo and Council Recommended Trip Limits for LEFG/OA Widow Rockfish North of 40[deg]10' N Lat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Option Sector Area Jan-Feb Mar-Apr May-Jun Jul-Aug Sep-Oct Nov-Dec
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Status Quo............................ LE N of 40[deg]10' N 4,000 lbs. (1,814.4 kg)/2 months.
lat.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OA N of 40[deg]10' N 2,000 lbs. (907.2 kg)/2 months.
lat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Council Recommendation................ LE N of 40[deg]10' N 4,000 lbs. (1,814.4 kg)/2 months.
lat.
6,000 lbs. (2,721.6 kg)/2 months.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OA N of 40[deg]10' N 2,000 lbs. (907.2 kg)/2 months.
lat.
3,000 lbs. (1,360.8 kg)/2 months.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 4--GMT Projected Coastwide Widow Rockfish Landings for 2024
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastwide
Projected landings Projected landings non-trawl %
Option Sector (mt) N of (mt) S of allocation Attainment
40[deg]10' N lat. 40[deg]10' N lat. (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Status Quo..................... LE 1.0 0.1 400 <0.1
OA 5.2 1.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Council Recommendation......... LE 1.0 0.1 400 <0.1
OA 7.1 1.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 5 below shows status quo and new Council recommended trip
limits for yellowtail rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N lat. and table 6
shows the projected landings under those limits. To date in 2024, only
three vessels operating in the LEFG sector have landed yellowtail
rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N lat. None of these vessels have come
within 50 percent of the trip limit. Therefore, the projection of 2.3
mt in landings in the LEFG in 2024 does not change. In the OA sector,
there are 44 vessels operating that have landed yellowtail rockfish to
date in 2024, but similarly, none of the vessels have come within 50
percent of the trip limit. Therefore, it is not expected they would
attain the limit, as they are still projected at 2.0 mt. regardless of
the increase in trip limits.
In 2023, fewer than three vessels reached or exceeded their trip
limits. There would be no conservation risk to the stock if trip limits
increase since it is expected that both sectors would remain under one
percent of the non-trawl allocation. Therefore, the Council recommended
and NMFS is implementing, higher trip limits by modifying table 2
(North) to part 660, subpart E, and table 3 (North) to part 660,
subpart F, to reflect trip limit changes for LEFG and OA yellowtail
rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N lat., as shown in table 5 below, in
order to promote safety at sea and increase opportunity for the fishery
to achieve its 2024 catch limits. These changes will be in effect until
further revised.
Table 5--Status Quo and Alternative Trip Limit Options for LE/OA Yellowtail Rockfish North of 40[deg]10' N Lat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Option Sector Area Jan-Feb Mar-Apr May-Jun Jul-Aug Sep-Oct Nov-Dec
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Status Quo............................ LE N of 40[deg]10' N 3,000 lbs. (1,360.8 kg)/month.
lat.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OA N of 40[deg]10' N 1,500 lbs. (680.4 kg)/month.
lat.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Council Recommendation................ LE N of 40[deg]10' N 3,000 lbs. (1,360.8 kg)/month.
lat.
4,500 lbs. (2,041.2 kg)/month.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OA N of 40[deg]10' N 1,500 lbs. (680.4 kg)/month.
lat.
2,500 lbs. (1,134 kg)/month.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 59684]]
Table 6--Projected Yellowtail Rockfish North of 40[deg]10' N Lat. Landings for 2024
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-trawl
Option Sector Projected allocation % Attainment
landings (mt) (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Status Quo............................... LE 2.3 512 <0.1
OA 2.0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Council Recommendation................... LE 2.3 512 <0.1
OA 2.0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Classification
This final rule makes routine inseason adjustments to groundfish
fishery management measures, based on the best scientific information
available, consistent with the PCGFMP and its implementing regulations.
This action is taken under the authority of 50 CFR 660.60(c) and is
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
The aggregate data upon which these actions are based are available
for public inspection by contacting the NMFS West Coast Region (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, above), or view at the NMFS West Coast
Groundfish website: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/west-coast.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b), NMFS finds good cause to waive prior
public notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as
notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. The adjustments to management measures in this document
modify restrictive trip limits to fisheries in Washington, Oregon, and
California, which were developed to keep catch within allocations
established by the 2023-2024 harvest specifications. Management
measures set at the start of a biennial cycle are intended to help the
fishery attain, but not exceed, the catch limits for each stock. The
adjustments to commercial non-trawl trip limits for sablefish north of
36[deg] N lat., widow rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N lat., and
yellowtail rockfish north 40[deg]10' N lat. implemented through this
action will improve attainment of these stocks without exceeding their
2023-2024 catch limits. No aspect of this action is controversial, and
changes of this nature were anticipated in the final rule for the 2023-
2024 harvest specifications and management measures, which published on
December 16, 2022 (87 FR 77007).
Delaying implementation to allow for public comment would likely
reduce the economic benefits of this action to the commercial fishing
industry and the businesses that rely on that industry, because it
would be unlikely that the new regulations would publish and could be
implemented before the end of the 2024 calendar year. Therefore,
providing a comment period for this action could significantly limit
the economic benefits to the fishery, and would hamper the potential to
achieve optimum yield from the affected fisheries.
Therefore, the NMFS finds reason to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1) so that this final rule
may become effective upon publication in the Federal Register. The
adjustments to management measures in this document affect commercial
fisheries by increasing opportunity and relieving participants of the
more restrictive trip limits. These adjustments were requested by the
Council's advisory bodies, as well as members of industry during the
Council's June 2024 meeting, and are recommended by the Council. No
aspect of this action is controversial, and changes of this nature were
anticipated in the biennial harvest specifications and management
measures established through a notice and comment rulemaking for 2023-
2024 (December 16, 2022, 87 FR 77007).
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 660
Fisheries, Fishing, Indian fisheries.
Dated: July 18, 2024.
Lindsay Fullenkamp,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, NMFS amends 50 CFR part
660 as follows:
PART 660--FISHERIES OFF WEST COAST STATES
0
1. The authority citation for part 660 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., and
16 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.
0
2. Revise table 2 (North) to part 660, subpart E, to read as follows:
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
[[Page 59685]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR23JY24.001
[[Page 59686]]
0
3. Revise table 2 (South) to part 660, subpart E, to read as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR23JY24.002
[[Page 59687]]
0
4. Revise table 3 (North) to part 660, subpart F, to read as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR23JY24.003
[[Page 59688]]
0
5. Revise table 3 (South) to part 660, subpart F, to read as follows:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR23JY24.004
[[Page 59689]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR23JY24.005
[FR Doc. 2024-16134 Filed 7-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-C
