Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Reopening of the Red Snapper Recreational For-Hire Fishing Season in the Gulf of Mexico, 90625 [2024-26828]
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 222 / Monday, November 18, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 140818679–5356–02; RTID
0648–XE462]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish
Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico;
Reopening of the Red Snapper
Recreational For-Hire Fishing Season
in the Gulf of Mexico
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reopening.
AGENCY:
NMFS is reopening the
recreational fishing season for the
Federal charter vessel/headboat (forhire) component for red snapper in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the
Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) through this
temporary rule. The most recent
landings data for the red snapper forhire component in the Gulf indicates the
component annual catch target (ACT)
for the 2024 fishing year has not yet
been reached. Therefore, the red
snapper recreational for-hire component
in the Gulf EEZ will reopen to allow
harvest of the remaining for-hire
component ACT. NMFS intends this
action to increase benefits to for-hire
fishermen while protecting the Gulf red
snapper resource by continuing to
constrain harvest to the component
quota.
SUMMARY:
This temporary rule is effective
from 12:01 a.m., local time, November
18, 2024, through 12:01 a.m., local time,
on January 1, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727–551–5719, email:
frank.helies@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf
reef fish fishery, which includes red
snapper, is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Reef Fish
Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP).
The FMP was prepared by the Gulf of
Mexico Fishery Management Council,
approved by the Secretary of Commerce,
and is implemented by NMFS under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by
regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
The final rule implementing
Amendment 40 to the FMP established
two components within the recreational
sector fishing for Gulf red snapper: the
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1
DATES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:23 Nov 15, 2024
Jkt 265001
private angling component and the
Federal for-hire component (80 FR
22422, April 22, 2015). Amendment 40
also allocated the red snapper
recreational annual catch limit (ACL;
recreational quota) between the
components and established separate
seasonal closures for the two
components. The Federal for-hire
component’s red snapper ACT is 9
percent below the for-hire component
quota (87 FR 74014, December 2, 2022;
50 CFR 622.41(q)(2)(iii)(B)).
The red snapper for-hire component
seasonal closure is projected using the
component’s ACT to reduce the
likelihood of the harvest exceeding the
component quota and the total
recreational quota. The Federal for-hire
component ACT for red snapper in the
Gulf EEZ is 3,076,322 pounds
(lb)(1,395,396 kilograms (kg)), round
weight (50 CFR 622.41(q)(2)(iii)(B)).
NMFS previously determined that the
2024 Federal Gulf red snapper for-hire
fishing season would be 88 days based
on when landings were expected to
reach the component ACT. NMFS made
this determination based on catch rates
from the 2023 fishing year. For details
about the projection for 2024, see
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
southeast/sustainable-fisheries/gulfmexico-recreational-red-snappermanagement. Based on this projection,
NMFS announced in the Federal
Register that the 2024 recreational
season for the Federal for-hire
component would begin at 12:01 a.m.,
local time, on June 1, 2024, and close at
12:01 a.m., local time, on August 28,
2024 (89 FR 42815, May 16, 2024).
However, the most recent landings
data for the Gulf red snapper for-hire
component indicate that approximately
882,612 lb (400,346 kg), round weight,
of the for-hire component ACT has not
been harvested. NMFS projects that the
remaining ACT will allow for harvest
through the remainder of the current
2024 fishing year.
Therefore, in accordance with 50 CFR
622.8(c), NMFS reopens the Gulf red
snapper Federal for-hire component for
remainder of the 2024 fishing year to
allow for harvest of the component
ACT. The recreational season for the
Federal for-hire component will reopen
at 12:01 a.m., local time, November 18,
2024, and close at 12:01 a.m., local time,
on January 1, 2025. When the for-hire
component closes again on January 1,
2025, the bag and possession limits for
red snapper for Federal for-hire vessels
are zero. When the Federal for-hire
component is closed, these bag and
possession limits apply in the Gulf on
board a vessel for which a valid Federal
for-hire permit for Gulf reef fish has
PO 00000
Frm 00079
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
90625
been issued, without regard to where
such species were harvested, i.e., in
state or Federal waters. In addition, a
person aboard a vessel that has been
issued a charter vessel/headboat permit
for Gulf reef fish any time during the
fishing year may not harvest or possess
red snapper in or from the Gulf EEZ
when the Federal charter vessel/
headboat component is closed.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. This action is taken under 50 CFR
622.8(c), which was issued pursuant to
section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866, and other
applicable laws.
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 is
unnecessary and contrary to the public
interest. Such procedures are
unnecessary because the regulation at
50 CFR 622.8(c) has already been
subject to notice and comment, and all
that remains is to notify the public that
additional harvest is available under the
established Federal for-hire component
ACT, and therefore, the Federal for-hire
component for Gulf red snapper will
reopen. Such procedures are contrary to
the public interest because of need to
immediately implement this action to
allow persons on board Federal for-hire
vessels the opportunity to harvest the
remainder of the Federal for-hire
component ACT. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment would
delay the re-opening and reduce the
number available fishing days.
For the aforementioned reasons, there
is also good cause to waive the 30-day
delay in the effectiveness of this action
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 13, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–26828 Filed 11–13–24; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 222 (Monday, November 18, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 90625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26828]
[[Page 90625]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 140818679-5356-02; RTID 0648-XE462]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Reopening of the Red Snapper
Recreational For-Hire Fishing Season in the Gulf of Mexico
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reopening.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is reopening the recreational fishing season for the
Federal charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) component for red snapper in
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) through
this temporary rule. The most recent landings data for the red snapper
for-hire component in the Gulf indicates the component annual catch
target (ACT) for the 2024 fishing year has not yet been reached.
Therefore, the red snapper recreational for-hire component in the Gulf
EEZ will reopen to allow harvest of the remaining for-hire component
ACT. NMFS intends this action to increase benefits to for-hire
fishermen while protecting the Gulf red snapper resource by continuing
to constrain harvest to the component quota.
DATES: This temporary rule is effective from 12:01 a.m., local time,
November 18, 2024, through 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-551-5719, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf reef fish fishery, which includes
red snapper, is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef
Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, approved by the Secretary of
Commerce, and is implemented by NMFS under the authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
The final rule implementing Amendment 40 to the FMP established two
components within the recreational sector fishing for Gulf red snapper:
the private angling component and the Federal for-hire component (80 FR
22422, April 22, 2015). Amendment 40 also allocated the red snapper
recreational annual catch limit (ACL; recreational quota) between the
components and established separate seasonal closures for the two
components. The Federal for-hire component's red snapper ACT is 9
percent below the for-hire component quota (87 FR 74014, December 2,
2022; 50 CFR 622.41(q)(2)(iii)(B)).
The red snapper for-hire component seasonal closure is projected
using the component's ACT to reduce the likelihood of the harvest
exceeding the component quota and the total recreational quota. The
Federal for-hire component ACT for red snapper in the Gulf EEZ is
3,076,322 pounds (lb)(1,395,396 kilograms (kg)), round weight (50 CFR
622.41(q)(2)(iii)(B)).
NMFS previously determined that the 2024 Federal Gulf red snapper
for-hire fishing season would be 88 days based on when landings were
expected to reach the component ACT. NMFS made this determination based
on catch rates from the 2023 fishing year. For details about the
projection for 2024, see https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/sustainable-fisheries/gulf-mexico-recreational-red-snapper-management.
Based on this projection, NMFS announced in the Federal Register that
the 2024 recreational season for the Federal for-hire component would
begin at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2024, and close at 12:01
a.m., local time, on August 28, 2024 (89 FR 42815, May 16, 2024).
However, the most recent landings data for the Gulf red snapper
for-hire component indicate that approximately 882,612 lb (400,346 kg),
round weight, of the for-hire component ACT has not been harvested.
NMFS projects that the remaining ACT will allow for harvest through the
remainder of the current 2024 fishing year.
Therefore, in accordance with 50 CFR 622.8(c), NMFS reopens the
Gulf red snapper Federal for-hire component for remainder of the 2024
fishing year to allow for harvest of the component ACT. The
recreational season for the Federal for-hire component will reopen at
12:01 a.m., local time, November 18, 2024, and close at 12:01 a.m.,
local time, on January 1, 2025. When the for-hire component closes
again on January 1, 2025, the bag and possession limits for red snapper
for Federal for-hire vessels are zero. When the Federal for-hire
component is closed, these bag and possession limits apply in the Gulf
on board a vessel for which a valid Federal for-hire permit for Gulf
reef fish has been issued, without regard to where such species were
harvested, i.e., in state or Federal waters. In addition, a person
aboard a vessel that has been issued a charter vessel/headboat permit
for Gulf reef fish any time during the fishing year may not harvest or
possess red snapper in or from the Gulf EEZ when the Federal charter
vessel/headboat component is closed.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.8(c), which was
issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866, and other applicable
laws.
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 is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such
procedures are unnecessary because the regulation at 50 CFR 622.8(c)
has already been subject to notice and comment, and all that remains is
to notify the public that additional harvest is available under the
established Federal for-hire component ACT, and therefore, the Federal
for-hire component for Gulf red snapper will reopen. Such procedures
are contrary to the public interest because of need to immediately
implement this action to allow persons on board Federal for-hire
vessels the opportunity to harvest the remainder of the Federal for-
hire component ACT. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment
would delay the re-opening and reduce the number available fishing
days.
For the aforementioned reasons, there is also good cause to waive
the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of this action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 13, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-26828 Filed 11-13-24; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P