Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2024 Tribal Fishery Allocations for Pacific Whiting; Reapportionment Between Tribal and Non-Tribal Sectors, 84302-84303 [2024-24361]
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84302
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 204 / Tuesday, October 22, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
Table J (Soul/I} Continued
other timils and reauirements annlv
Read &<RM 10 throuoh 660 399 before usioo this table
JAN-FEB
I
I
MAR-APR
tt/112024
MAY✓UN
I
JUL-AUG
I
SEP-OCT
I
NOV-DEC
Rocldlsh Conservation Area (RCA}fl:
1 40°10' N lat - 36°00' N lat.
Shoreward EEZ11 - 75 fm line11
36°00' N lat. - 34°27' N lat.
50 fm tine11 - 75 fin line11
1flfl frn jjn,:,i,11 - 1 ~ fin finP- 11 tak,n. <>nnli~ amunrl ;c,1.,n,4., Rnrl h.,:,,nl,-ce'\
South of 34°27' N lat
See §§660.60 and &60.230 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, Fandlon Islands, Cordell Bank, and EFHCAs}.
59 SALMON 1ROLL ..(~IJject to RCAs when "!.!~!!'!!!!!J-~!(~~'!!:~..'!.(.fl!!!.'!!!~!!t~,.-~~-~--'E.~.X~Jlowta,J rockfish, as elf!.~-~!~~} ......................................................................................................
2
3
Salmon !rollers may retain and land up to 1 lb of yellowlail rocklish for every 2 lb of Chinook salmon landed, wtth a
cumulatilielimtt of 200 lb/month, bolh within and outside of the RCA This timtt is within the 4,000 lb per 2 month timtt for
South of 40°11Y N lat. minor shelf rockftsh between 40"10" and 34°27" N lat., and not in addition to that limit. All groundf!Sh species are
subject to the open access limits, seasons, size limits and RCA restrictions listed in the table above, unless otherwise
stated here.
60
01 RIDGEBACK PRAWN AND, SOUTH OF 38°57.50' N lat., CA HALIBUT AND SEA CUCUMBER NON--GROUNDASH TRAWL
62 NON--GROUNDASH TRAWL Rocldlsh Conservation Area (RCA} for CA Halibut, Sea Cucumber & Ridgebacl[ Prawn:
63
40°10' N lat. - 38°00' N lat.
64
38°00' N lat. - 34°27' N lat.
South of 34°27' N lat.
65
100 fm line 11 200fmline 11
.. _____
"
100 fm line 11 - 150 fm fine 11
I
I
100 fmline v 200fmfine 11
100 fm line 11 - 150 fm line 11
100 fm line 11 - 150 fm line 11
-I
)>
m
r-
m
w
-...
u,
0
C
Groundfish: 300 lb/trip. Species-specific limits described in the table above also apply and are counted toward the 300 :::,I> groundfish per trip limit. The amount of grnundf1Sh landed may not exceed the amount of the target species landed, i except tllal the amount of spiny dogfish landed may exceed the amount of target species landed. Spiny dogfish are
fimited by the 300 lb/trip overaU groundfish timit. The daily trip limits for sablelish coastwide and thomyheads south of
0
pt Conception and the overall groundfish pertrip" limrt may not be multiplied by the number of days of the trip.
0
Vessels participating in the Galifomia hatibut f1Shery south of 38°57.50' N lat. are lo (I) land up to 100 lb/day of
groundfish without the ratio requirement, provided that at least one Galilomia hafibut is landed and (2) land up to 3,000 ::I
lb/month of flattish, 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 subiect to the trip limits and
::I
closures in 1ine 29).
0
66
...-·
C
67 PINK SHRIMP NON--GROUNDASH TRAWL GEAR (not subject lo RCAsJ
South
69
fl)
Effective April 1 - October 31: Groundfish: 500 lb/day, multiplied by the number of days of the trip, no1 to exceed 1,500
lb/trip. 1he folowing subfimits 8'so apply and are counted toward the rnieral 500 lb/ day and 1,500 lb/ trip groundfish
timils: lingcod 300 lb/ month (minimum 24 inch size limtt); sablefish 2,000 lb/ month; canary rockflSh, thomyheads and
yeloweye rockfish are PROHIBITED. AR other groundfish species taken am managed under the overall 500 lb/day and
1,500 lb/ trip groundf,sh limits. Landings of al groundflSh species count toward the per day, per trip or other speciesspecific subtimils described here and the species-specific timits described in the table above do not apply. The amount
of groundf,sh landed may not exceed the amount of pink shrimp landed.
C.
1/ Tile Rockffsh Conservation Area iS an area closed to f1Shlng by particular-gear types, bounded by Hnes specffically defined by latitude
and longitude coordinates set out at§§ 660.71-660.74. This RCA is not defined by depth contoms (with the exception of the 20-fm
depth contour boundary south of 42° N fat}., arid the boundary lines tllat define the RCA may close areas tllat are deeper or shallower
than the depth contour. Vessels that are subject to RCA restrictions may not fish in the RCA, or operate in tfle RCA for any purpose
othertllan transiting. Open access vessels may be allowed to fish inside groundflSh conservation areas using hook and Hne only.
See§ 660.330 (d) of the regulations for more infonnatlon.
2/ Minar Shelf and Slope Rotknsh complexes are defined at§ 660.11. Pacific ocean perch is included in the trip limits tor minor s!Ope rockfiSll. Blackgut rockffSll have
a species spec me trip sUb-limlt Wittlin the mmorslOpe rockf!Sh c1m1u1attve llmlts. Yelk>Wtall r-ockfiStl IS inCIUde<f In tire trtp Hmlts tor mlnOrstlelf rockflSh. Bronzespotte<em rockfiSfl
have a species specmc trip llmlL
3/""0ttlerflaffish" are define<! at§ 660.11 aoo lnelll<fe butter SOie, curmn sole. flatheact SOie, Pacific sancklab. rex SOie, rock sole. and saoo sore
41 "Shallow Nea1Sl1ore" are defined at§ 660.11 under "GroundftSh" (7)(l)(B)(f )51 "Deeper Nearshore" are defined at§ 660.11 under "Groundfish" (7)(i)(B)(2 ).
61 The commercial mimimum size Hrnit for lingcod is 22 inches (fiS cm) South of 42" N lat.
7/ "0ttlerfrsh" are defiiled at§ 660.11 and includes kelp greenling off califomia and leopaftl shart.
81 Open access vessels may be allowed to ftsh inside groundfish conservation areas using hook and line only. See§ 660.330 (d} of the regulations for more .informatton.
To convert pounds to kilograms, divide by 2.20482, the number of pounds in one kilogram.
BILLING CODE 3510–22–C
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 660
The reapportionment of Pacific
whiting went into effect at 4:30 p.m.
(16:30) local time, September 26, 2024,
and is effective through December 31,
2024. Comments will be accepted
through November 6, 2024.
DATES:
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
[RTID 0648–XE360]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;
Fisheries Off West Coast States;
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2024
Tribal Fishery Allocations for Pacific
Whiting; Reapportionment Between
Tribal and Non-Tribal Sectors
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason reapportionment of
tribal Pacific whiting allocation.
AGENCY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:12 Oct 21, 2024
Jkt 265001
You may submit comments,
identified by NOAA–NMFS–2024–0120
by the following method:
Electronic Submission: Submit all
electronic public comments via the
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and enter
NOAA–NMFS–2024–0120 in the Search
box. Click on the ‘‘Comment’’ icon,
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
Frm 00048
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
complete the required fields, and enter
or attach your comments.
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.
All personal identifying information
(e.g., name, address, etc.), 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). Attachments to electronic
comments will be accepted in Microsoft
Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats
only.
Electronic Access
This notice is accessible online at the
Office of the Federal Register’s website
at https://www.federalregister.gov.
Background information and documents
E:\FR\FM\22OCR1.SGM
22OCR1
ER22OC24.002</GPH>
This document announces the
reapportionment of 45,000 metric tons
of Pacific whiting from the tribal
allocation to the non-tribal commercial
fishery sectors via automatic action on
September 26, 2024. This
reapportionment is to allow full
utilization of the Pacific whiting
resource.
SUMMARY:
[FR Doc. 2024–24400 Filed 10–21–24; 8:45 am]
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 204 / Tuesday, October 22, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
are available at the NMFS West Coast
Region website at https://www.
fisheries.noaa.gov/region/west-coast.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Colin Sayre, West Coast Region, NMFS,
(206) 526–4656, Colin.Sayre@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
Pacific Whiting
Pacific whiting (Merluccius
productus) is a very productive species
with highly variable recruitment (the
biomass of fish that mature and enter
the fishery each year) and a relatively
short life span compared to other
groundfish species. Pacific whiting has
the largest annual allowable harvest
levels (by volume) of the more than 90
groundfish species managed under the
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery
Management Plan (FMP), which governs
the groundfish fishery off Washington,
Oregon, and California. The coastwide
Pacific whiting stock is managed jointly
by the United States and Canada, and
mature Pacific whiting are commonly
available to vessels operating in U.S.
waters from April through December.
Background on the stock assessment,
and the establishment of the 2024 Total
Allowable Catch (TAC), for Pacific
whiting was provided in the final rule
for the 2024 Pacific whiting harvest
specifications, published June 24, 2024
(89 FR 52398). Pacific whiting is
allocated to the Pacific Coast treaty
tribes (tribal fishery) and to three nontribal commercial sectors: the catcher/
processor cooperative (C/P Co-op), the
mothership cooperative (MS Co-op), and
the Shorebased Individual Fishery
Quota (IFQ) Program.
This notice announces the
reapportionment of 45,000 metric tons
(mt) of Pacific whiting from the tribal
allocation to the non-tribal commercial
sectors. This reapportionment was
effective on September 26, 2024.
Regulations at 50 CFR 660.131(h)
contain provisions that allow the
Regional Administrator to reapportion
Pacific whiting from the tribal
allocation, specified at 50 CFR 660.50,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:12 Oct 21, 2024
Jkt 265001
that will not be harvested by the end of
the fishing year to other sectors.
TABLE 1—2024 PACIFIC WHITING
ALLOCATIONS
Pacific Whiting Reapportionment
For 2024, the Pacific Coast treaty
tribes were allocated 71,755.95 mt of
Pacific whiting. The best available
information on September 15, 2024,
indicated that at least 45,000 mt of the
tribal allocation would not be harvested
by December 31, 2024. As required
under the 2017 Endangered Species Act
section 7(a)(2) biological opinion on the
effects of the Pacific Coast Groundfish
Fishery Management Plan on listed
salmonids, NMFS considered the
number and bycatch rate of Chinook
salmon taken by the Pacific whiting
fishery sectors prior to reapportionment.
Based on the best available information
in September 2024, NMFS determined
there is low risk that the
reapportionment will cause the Pacific
whiting sector fisheries to exceed both
the guideline limit of 11,000 and reserve
of 3,500 Chinook salmon under current
regulations and practices. At the time of
this notice, incidental take of Chinook
salmon by the non-tribal sectors is five
percent of the guideline limit. NMFS
will continue to monitor Chinook
salmon bycatch as part of inseason
management.
To allow for increased utilization of
the resource, on September 26, 2024,
NMFS reapportioned 45,000 mt from
the tribal allocation to the Shorebased
IFQ Program, C/P Co-op, and MS Co-op
in proportion to each sector’s original
allocation. Reapportioning this amount
is expected to allow for greater
attainment of the TAC while not
limiting tribal harvest opportunities for
the remainder of the year. NMFS
provided notice of the reapportionment
on September 26, 2024, via emails sent
directly to fishing businesses and
individuals. Reapportionment was
effective the same day as the notice.
The amounts of Pacific whiting
available for 2024 before and after the
reapportionment are described in table
1 below.
PO 00000
Frm 00049
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
84303
Sector
Tribal .................
C/P Coop ..........
MS Coop ...........
Shorebased IFQ
Program ........
Initial 2024
allocation
(mt)
Final 2024
allocation
(mt)
71,755.95
114,759.53
81,006.73
26,755.95
130,059.53
91,806.73
141,761.78
160,661.78
Classification
NOAA’s Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries (AA) finds that good cause
exists for this notification to be issued
without affording prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), because
such notification would be
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. As previously noted, NMFS
provided actual notice of the
reapportionment to fishery participants
at the time of the action. Prior notice
and opportunity for public comment on
this reapportionment was impracticable
because NMFS had insufficient time to
provide prior notice between the time
the information about the progress of
the fishery needed to make this
determination became available and the
time at which fishery modifications had
to be implemented in order to allow
fishery participants access to the
available fish during the remainder of
the fishing season. For the same reasons,
the AA also finds good cause to waive
the 30-day delay in effectiveness for
these actions, required under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3).
These actions are authorized by 50
CFR 660.55(i), 660.60(d), and 660.131(h)
and are exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. and 16
U.S.C. 7001 et seq.
Dated: October 16, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–24361 Filed 10–21–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\22OCR1.SGM
22OCR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 22, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 84302-84303]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24361]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[RTID 0648-XE360]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States;
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2024 Tribal Fishery Allocations for
Pacific Whiting; Reapportionment Between Tribal and Non-Tribal Sectors
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason reapportionment of tribal Pacific whiting allocation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document announces the reapportionment of 45,000 metric
tons of Pacific whiting from the tribal allocation to the non-tribal
commercial fishery sectors via automatic action on September 26, 2024.
This reapportionment is to allow full utilization of the Pacific
whiting resource.
DATES: The reapportionment of Pacific whiting went into effect at 4:30
p.m. (16:30) local time, September 26, 2024, and is effective through
December 31, 2024. Comments will be accepted through November 6, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2024-0120
by the following method:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and
enter NOAA-NMFS-2024-0120 in the Search box. Click on the ``Comment''
icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
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. All personal identifying information (e.g., name,
address, etc.), 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). Attachments to
electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe
PDF file formats only.
Electronic Access
This notice is accessible online at the Office of the Federal
Register's website at https://www.federalregister.gov. Background
information and documents
[[Page 84303]]
are available at the NMFS West Coast Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/west-coast.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colin Sayre, West Coast Region, NMFS,
(206) 526-4656, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Pacific Whiting
Pacific whiting (Merluccius productus) is a very productive species
with highly variable recruitment (the biomass of fish that mature and
enter the fishery each year) and a relatively short life span compared
to other groundfish species. Pacific whiting has the largest annual
allowable harvest levels (by volume) of the more than 90 groundfish
species managed under the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management
Plan (FMP), which governs the groundfish fishery off Washington,
Oregon, and California. The coastwide Pacific whiting stock is managed
jointly by the United States and Canada, and mature Pacific whiting are
commonly available to vessels operating in U.S. waters from April
through December. Background on the stock assessment, and the
establishment of the 2024 Total Allowable Catch (TAC), for Pacific
whiting was provided in the final rule for the 2024 Pacific whiting
harvest specifications, published June 24, 2024 (89 FR 52398). Pacific
whiting is allocated to the Pacific Coast treaty tribes (tribal
fishery) and to three non-tribal commercial sectors: the catcher/
processor cooperative (C/P Co-op), the mothership cooperative (MS Co-
op), and the Shorebased Individual Fishery Quota (IFQ) Program.
This notice announces the reapportionment of 45,000 metric tons
(mt) of Pacific whiting from the tribal allocation to the non-tribal
commercial sectors. This reapportionment was effective on September 26,
2024. Regulations at 50 CFR 660.131(h) contain provisions that allow
the Regional Administrator to reapportion Pacific whiting from the
tribal allocation, specified at 50 CFR 660.50, that will not be
harvested by the end of the fishing year to other sectors.
Pacific Whiting Reapportionment
For 2024, the Pacific Coast treaty tribes were allocated 71,755.95
mt of Pacific whiting. The best available information on September 15,
2024, indicated that at least 45,000 mt of the tribal allocation would
not be harvested by December 31, 2024. As required under the 2017
Endangered Species Act section 7(a)(2) biological opinion on the
effects of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan on
listed salmonids, NMFS considered the number and bycatch rate of
Chinook salmon taken by the Pacific whiting fishery sectors prior to
reapportionment. Based on the best available information in September
2024, NMFS determined there is low risk that the reapportionment will
cause the Pacific whiting sector fisheries to exceed both the guideline
limit of 11,000 and reserve of 3,500 Chinook salmon under current
regulations and practices. At the time of this notice, incidental take
of Chinook salmon by the non-tribal sectors is five percent of the
guideline limit. NMFS will continue to monitor Chinook salmon bycatch
as part of inseason management.
To allow for increased utilization of the resource, on September
26, 2024, NMFS reapportioned 45,000 mt from the tribal allocation to
the Shorebased IFQ Program, C/P Co-op, and MS Co-op in proportion to
each sector's original allocation. Reapportioning this amount is
expected to allow for greater attainment of the TAC while not limiting
tribal harvest opportunities for the remainder of the year. NMFS
provided notice of the reapportionment on September 26, 2024, via
emails sent directly to fishing businesses and individuals.
Reapportionment was effective the same day as the notice.
The amounts of Pacific whiting available for 2024 before and after
the reapportionment are described in table 1 below.
Table 1--2024 Pacific Whiting Allocations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial
2024 Final 2024
Sector allocation allocation
(mt) (mt)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tribal........................................ 71,755.95 26,755.95
C/P Coop...................................... 114,759.53 130,059.53
MS Coop....................................... 81,006.73 91,806.73
Shorebased IFQ Program........................ 141,761.78 160,661.78
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Classification
NOAA's Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (AA) finds that good
cause exists for this notification to be issued without affording prior
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(b)(B), because such notification would be impracticable and
contrary to the public interest. As previously noted, NMFS provided
actual notice of the reapportionment to fishery participants at the
time of the action. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment on
this reapportionment was impracticable because NMFS had insufficient
time to provide prior notice between the time the information about the
progress of the fishery needed to make this determination became
available and the time at which fishery modifications had to be
implemented in order to allow fishery participants access to the
available fish during the remainder of the fishing season. For the same
reasons, the AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness for these actions, required under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
These actions are authorized by 50 CFR 660.55(i), 660.60(d), and
660.131(h) and are exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. and 16 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.
Dated: October 16, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-24361 Filed 10-21-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
