Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region; 2024-2025 Closure of Commercial Run-Around Gillnet Fishery for King Mackerel, 13098-13099 [2025-04783]
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 53 / Thursday, March 20, 2025 / Rules and Regulations
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TABLE 2 TO PARAGRAPH (b)(3)(ii)—AREAS EXCLUDED FROM THE ETHANOL 1.0 psi WAIVER
State
Counties
Illinois ......................................
Iowa .........................................
Minnesota ................................
Missouri ...................................
Nebraska .................................
Ohio .........................................
South Dakota ..........................
All ...........................................................................................................................................
All ...........................................................................................................................................
All ...........................................................................................................................................
All ...........................................................................................................................................
All ...........................................................................................................................................
All ...........................................................................................................................................
All except Butte, Custer, Fall River, Harding, Lawrence, Meade, Oglala Lakota, Pennington, and Perkins.
Butte, Custer, Fall River, Harding, Lawrence, Meade, Oglala Lakota, Pennington, and
Perkins.
All ...........................................................................................................................................
South Dakota ..........................
Wisconsin ................................
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[FR Doc. 2025–04751 Filed 3–19–25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160426363–7275–02; RTID
0648–XE727 ]
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources
of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic
Region; 2024–2025 Closure of
Commercial Run-Around Gillnet
Fishery for King Mackerel
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS closes commercial
harvest of king mackerel using runaround gillnet gear in the southern zone
of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive
economic zone (EEZ). NMFS has
determined that the commercial
landings of king mackerel harvested by
run-around gillnet gear in the southern
zone have reached the annual catch
limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS
implements an accountability measure
(AM) and closes the southern zone to
commercial king mackerel fishing using
run-around gillnet gear in the Gulf EEZ.
This closure is necessary to protect the
Gulf king mackerel resource.
DATES: The closure is effective from 12
p.m. local time on March 20, 2025, until
6 a.m. local time on January 20, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Daniel Luers, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727–824–5305, email:
daniel.luers@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
fishery for coastal migratory pelagic fish
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:41 Mar 19, 2025
Jkt 265001
Effective date
in the Gulf includes king mackerel,
Spanish mackerel, and cobia, and is
managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Coastal
Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf
of Mexico and Atlantic Region (FMP).
The FMP was prepared by the Gulf of
Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery
Management Councils and approved by
the Secretary of Commerce. NMFS
implements the FMP under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by
regulations at 50 CFR part 622. All
weights for the Gulf migratory group of
king mackerel (Gulf king mackerel)
apply as either round or gutted weight.
On January 20, 2025, President Trump
issued Executive Order 14172 to rename
the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of
America. However, the MagnusonStevens Act contains several references
to the Gulf of Mexico, including a
provision at 16 U.S.C. 1852(a)(1)(E) that
establishes the ‘‘Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council’’ and specifies
responsibilities vis-a-vis ‘‘fisheries in
the Gulf of Mexico seaward of’’
specified States. In this action, NMFS is
using terminology consistent with
wording in the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
The commercial fishery for Gulf king
mackerel is divided into western,
northern, and southern zones. The
southern zone for Gulf king mackerel
encompasses an area of the Gulf EEZ off
Collier and Monroe Counties in south
Florida, south of a line extending due
west from the boundary of Lee and
Collier Counties on the Florida west
coast, and south of a line extending due
east from the boundary of Monroe and
Miami-Dade Counties on the Florida
east coast (50 CFR 622.369(a)(1)(iii)).
For an illustration of the king mackerel
zones, see Figure 1 in Appendix G to
part 622 at https://www.ecfr.gov/
current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622/
appendix-Appendix%20G%20to%20
Part%20622.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
April
April
April
April
April
April
April
28,
28,
28,
28,
28,
28,
28,
2025.
2025.
2025.
2025.
2025.
2026.
2025.
April 28, 2026.
April 28, 2025.
The commercial ACL for Gulf king
mackerel is divided into separate ACLs
for hook-and-line and run-around
gillnet gear. The use of run-around
gillnets for king mackerel is restricted to
the Gulf southern zone. For the 2024–
2025 fishing year, the king mackerel
commercial gillnet quota (equivalent to
the commercial gillnet ACL) is 671,328
pounds (304,509 kilograms) (50 CFR
622.384(b)(1)(iii)(B)). The fishing year
for the harvest of Gulf king mackerel in
the southern zone is from July 1 through
June 30 (50 CFR 622.7(b)(1)(i)).
Regulations at 50 CFR 622.388(a)(1)
require NMFS to close any component
of the king mackerel commercial sector
when NMFS projects that commercial
landings have reached or are projected
to reach the applicable quota by filing
a notification to that effect with the
Office of the Federal Register. NMFS has
determined that for the 2024–2025
fishing year, landings have reached the
commercial quota for Gulf king
mackerel harvested by vessels using
run-around gillnet gear in the southern
zone. Accordingly, commercial fishing
using such gear in the southern zone is
closed at 12 p.m. local time on March
20, 2025. Vessel operators issued a
Federal commercial permit to harvest
Gulf king mackerel using run-around
gillnet gear in the southern zone must
have landed ashore and bartered,
traded, or sold such king mackerel prior
to 12 p.m. local time on March 20, 2025.
Persons on a vessel using hook-andline gear in the southern zone for which
a Federal commercial permit for Gulf
king mackerel has been issued, except
persons on such a vessel also issued a
Federal commercial permit to harvest
Gulf king mackerel using run-around
gillnet gear, may fish for or retain Gulf
king mackerel unless the southern zone
commercial quota for hook-and-line gear
has been met and the hook-and-line
component of the commercial sector has
been closed. In addition, as long as the
recreational sector for Gulf king
E:\FR\FM\20MRR1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 53 / Thursday, March 20, 2025 / Rules and Regulations
mackerel is open (50 CFR 622.384(e)(1)),
a person on a vessel that has a valid
Federal commercial gillnet permit for
king mackerel may continue to retain
king mackerel under the recreational
bag and possession limits set forth in 50
CFR 622.382(a)(1)(ii) and (a)(2).
During the commercial closure, Gulf
king mackerel harvested using runaround gillnet gear in the southern zone
may not be purchased or sold. This
prohibition does not apply to Gulf king
mackerel harvested using run-around
gillnet gear in the southern zone that
were harvested, landed ashore, and sold
prior to the closure and were held in
cold storage by a dealer or processor (50
CFR 622.384(e)(2)).
Classification
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1
NMFS issues this action pursuant to
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. This action is required by 50 CFR
622.388(a)(1), which was issued
pursuant to section 304(b) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is exempt
from review under Executive Order
12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there
is good cause to waive prior notice and
an opportunity for public comment on
this action, as notice and comment is
unnecessary and contrary to the public
interest. Such procedure is unnecessary
because the regulations associated with
the commercial quota and associated
AM for Gulf king mackerel have already
been subject to notice and public
comment, and all that remains is to
notify the public of the closure. Prior
notice and opportunity for public
comment on this action is contrary to
the public interest because of the need
to immediately implement the closure
to protect the Gulf king mackerel
resource. The capacity of the
commercial fishing fleet allows for rapid
harvest of the commercial quota, and
any delay in the closure could result in
the commercial quota being exceeded.
Prior notice and opportunity for public
comment would require time and would
potentially result in a harvest that
exceeds the commercial quota.
For the reasons just stated, there is
good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to
waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness
of this action.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 17, 2025.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025–04783 Filed 3–17–25; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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17:41 Mar 19, 2025
Jkt 265001
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 231101–0256; RTID 0648–
XE647]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2025
Recreational Season Announcement
and Closure for Golden Tilefish in the
South Atlantic
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces the 2025
recreational fishing season for golden
tilefish in the exclusive economic zone
(EEZ) of the South Atlantic.
Announcing the length of the
recreational fishing season is the
accountability measure (AM) for the
recreational sector. NMFS estimates that
recreational landings of golden tilefish
will soon reach the recreational annual
catch limit (ACL) for the 2025 fishing
year. Accordingly, NMFS announces the
closure date for the recreational harvest
of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic
EEZ to protect the golden tilefish
resource.
SUMMARY:
This temporary rule is effective
from March 21 through December 31,
2025.
DATES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karla Gore, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727–824–5305, email:
karla.gore@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic includes golden tilefish and is
managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the SnapperGrouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared
by the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council and NMFS,
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.
Regulations at 50 CFR 622.193(a)(2)
specify the 2025 recreational ACL for
golden tilefish of 2,694 fish, and the
recreational AM. The recreational AM
states that NMFS will project the length
of the recreational fishing season for
golden tilefish based on catch rates from
the previous fishing year and announce
the end date of the recreational season
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Frm 00053
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
13099
[50 CFR 622.193(a)(2)]. The fishing year
and season for recreational harvest of
golden tilefish started on January 1,
2025. Data from the NMFS Southeast
Fisheries Science Center informed
NMFS’ projection that recreational
landings will reach the recreational ACL
for 2025 by March 21. Therefore, NMFS
announces that the last day of the
recreational season for golden tilefish is
March 20, 2025. The recreational season
and harvest of golden tilefish in the
South Atlantic EEZ is closed starting on
March 21, 2025, and continues to be
closed through the end of the calendar
year. During the recreational closure,
the bag and possession limits for golden
tilefish in or from the South Atlantic
EEZ are zero. The next recreational
fishing year and season for golden
tilefish begins on January 1, 2026.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act. This action is required by 50 CFR
622.193(a)(2), which was issued
pursuant to section 304(b) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is exempt
from review under Executive Order
12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there
is good cause to waive prior notice and
an opportunity for public comment on
this action, as notice and comment are
unnecessary and contrary to the public
interest. Such procedures are
unnecessary because the rule that
established the recreational ACL and
AM for golden tilefish has already been
subject to notice and comment, and all
that remains is to notify the public of
the end date of the recreational season.
Such procedures are contrary to the
public interest because of the need to
immediately implement this action to
protect the golden tilefish stock. The
recreational ACL will soon be reached
and prior notice and opportunity for
public comment would require
additional time, potentially resulting in
a harvest well in excess of the
established ACL.
For the reasons just stated, there is
also good cause to waive the 30-day
delay in the effectiveness of this action
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 17, 2025.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025–04788 Filed 3–17–25; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\20MRR1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 53 (Thursday, March 20, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13098-13099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-04783]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160426363-7275-02; RTID 0648-XE727 ]
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and
Atlantic Region; 2024-2025 Closure of Commercial Run-Around Gillnet
Fishery for King Mackerel
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS closes commercial harvest of king mackerel using run-
around gillnet gear in the southern zone of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf)
exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS has determined that the commercial
landings of king mackerel harvested by run-around gillnet gear in the
southern zone have reached the annual catch limit (ACL). Therefore,
NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) and closes the southern
zone to commercial king mackerel fishing using run-around gillnet gear
in the Gulf EEZ. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf king
mackerel resource.
DATES: The closure is effective from 12 p.m. local time on March 20,
2025, until 6 a.m. local time on January 20, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Luers, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The fishery for coastal migratory pelagic
fish in the Gulf includes king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and cobia,
and is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal
Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region
(FMP). The FMP was prepared by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic
Fishery Management Councils and approved by the Secretary of Commerce.
NMFS implements the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by
regulations at 50 CFR part 622. All weights for the Gulf migratory
group of king mackerel (Gulf king mackerel) apply as either round or
gutted weight.
On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14172
to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. However, the
Magnuson-Stevens Act contains several references to the Gulf of Mexico,
including a provision at 16 U.S.C. 1852(a)(1)(E) that establishes the
``Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council'' and specifies
responsibilities vis-a-vis ``fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico seaward
of'' specified States. In this action, NMFS is using terminology
consistent with wording in the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
The commercial fishery for Gulf king mackerel is divided into
western, northern, and southern zones. The southern zone for Gulf king
mackerel encompasses an area of the Gulf EEZ off Collier and Monroe
Counties in south Florida, south of a line extending due west from the
boundary of Lee and Collier Counties on the Florida west coast, and
south of a line extending due east from the boundary of Monroe and
Miami-Dade Counties on the Florida east coast (50 CFR
622.369(a)(1)(iii)). For an illustration of the king mackerel zones,
see Figure 1 in Appendix G to part 622 at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-VI/part-622/appendix-Appendix%20G%20to%20Part%20622.
The commercial ACL for Gulf king mackerel is divided into separate
ACLs for hook-and-line and run-around gillnet gear. The use of run-
around gillnets for king mackerel is restricted to the Gulf southern
zone. For the 2024-2025 fishing year, the king mackerel commercial
gillnet quota (equivalent to the commercial gillnet ACL) is 671,328
pounds (304,509 kilograms) (50 CFR 622.384(b)(1)(iii)(B)). The fishing
year for the harvest of Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone is from
July 1 through June 30 (50 CFR 622.7(b)(1)(i)).
Regulations at 50 CFR 622.388(a)(1) require NMFS to close any
component of the king mackerel commercial sector when NMFS projects
that commercial landings have reached or are projected to reach the
applicable quota by filing a notification to that effect with the
Office of the Federal Register. NMFS has determined that for the 2024-
2025 fishing year, landings have reached the commercial quota for Gulf
king mackerel harvested by vessels using run-around gillnet gear in the
southern zone. Accordingly, commercial fishing using such gear in the
southern zone is closed at 12 p.m. local time on March 20, 2025. Vessel
operators issued a Federal commercial permit to harvest Gulf king
mackerel using run-around gillnet gear in the southern zone must have
landed ashore and bartered, traded, or sold such king mackerel prior to
12 p.m. local time on March 20, 2025.
Persons on a vessel using hook-and-line gear in the southern zone
for which a Federal commercial permit for Gulf king mackerel has been
issued, except persons on such a vessel also issued a Federal
commercial permit to harvest Gulf king mackerel using run-around
gillnet gear, may fish for or retain Gulf king mackerel unless the
southern zone commercial quota for hook-and-line gear has been met and
the hook-and-line component of the commercial sector has been closed.
In addition, as long as the recreational sector for Gulf king
[[Page 13099]]
mackerel is open (50 CFR 622.384(e)(1)), a person on a vessel that has
a valid Federal commercial gillnet permit for king mackerel may
continue to retain king mackerel under the recreational bag and
possession limits set forth in 50 CFR 622.382(a)(1)(ii) and (a)(2).
During the commercial closure, Gulf king mackerel harvested using
run-around gillnet gear in the southern zone may not be purchased or
sold. This prohibition does not apply to Gulf king mackerel harvested
using run-around gillnet gear in the southern zone that were harvested,
landed ashore, and sold prior to the closure and were held in cold
storage by a dealer or processor (50 CFR 622.384(e)(2)).
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.388(a)(1), which was
issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice
and comment is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such
procedure is unnecessary because the regulations associated with the
commercial quota and associated AM for Gulf king mackerel have already
been subject to notice and public comment, and all that remains is to
notify the public of the closure. Prior notice and opportunity for
public comment on this action is contrary to the public interest
because of the need to immediately implement the closure to protect the
Gulf king mackerel resource. The capacity of the commercial fishing
fleet allows for rapid harvest of the commercial quota, and any delay
in the closure could result in the commercial quota being exceeded.
Prior notice and opportunity for public comment would require time and
would potentially result in a harvest that exceeds the commercial
quota.
For the reasons just stated, there is good cause under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness of this action.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 17, 2025.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-04783 Filed 3-17-25; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
