[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 65 (Friday, April 4, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 18844-18845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07612]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 130903775-4276-02]
RIN 0648-XD205
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel,
Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Phase 1 Reopening for the Directed
Butterfish Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that phase 1 of the directed butterfish fishery
will be reopened to provide the opportunity for vessels targeting
butterfish to fish with a higher possession limit. Vessels issued a
longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permit may fish for, catch,
possess, or land unlimited amounts of butterfish when using greater
than or equal to 3-inch (76-mm) mesh. The possession limit remains
2,500-lb (1.13 mt) per trip or calendar day for vessels fishing less
than 3-inch (76-mm) mesh. The incidental possession limit also remains
unchanged at 600 lb (0.27 mt).
DATES: Effective April 4, 2014, through December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aja Szumylo, Fishery Policy Analyst,
978-281-9195, Fax 978-281-9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations at 50 CFR part 648 govern the
butterfish fishery. The regulations require specifications for maximum
sustainable yield, initial optimum yield, allowable biological catch,
annual catch limit (ACL), domestic annual harvest (DAH), domestic
annual processing (DAP), joint venture processing, and total allowable
levels of foreign fishing for the species managed under the Atlantic
Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
The procedures for setting the annual initial specifications are
described in Sec. 648.22.
Due to the increase in the butterfish DAH from previous years, the
2013 MSB specifications implemented a 3-phase butterfish management
system to allow for maximum utilization of the butterfish resource
without exceeding the stock-wide ACL. In phase 1, there is no trip
limit for vessels issued longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permits
using mesh greater than or equal to 3 inches (76 mm), a 2,500-lb (1.13-
mt) trip limit for longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permits using
mesh less than 3 inches (76 mm), and a trip limit of 600 lb (0.27 mt)
for vessels issued squid/butterfish incidental catch permits. Once
butterfish harvest reaches the trip hold reduction threshold to move
from phase 1 to phase 2, the trip limit for longfin squid/butterfish
moratorium permit holders will be reduced while in phase 2 to 5,000 lb
(2.27 mt) for vessels using greater than or equal to 3-inch (7.62 cm)
mesh. The limit remains unchanged at 2,500-lb (1.13 mt) per trip or
calendar day for vessels issued a Federal longfin squid/butterfish
moratorium permits and fishing with less than 3-inch (76-mm); and the
incidental limit remains at 600 lb (0.27 mt). When we project
butterfish harvest to reach the trip hold reduction thresholds to move
from phase 2 to phase 3, the trip limit for all longfin squid/
butterfish moratorium permit holders will be reduced while in phase 3
to 500 lb (0.23 mt) to avoid quota overages. For phases 2 and 3, the
quota thresholds to reduce the trip limits will vary bimonthly
throughout the year.
The 2013 MSB specifications set the 2013 butterfish DAH at 2,570 mt
(77 FR 3346, January 16, 2013). The regulations at Sec. 648.22(d)
state that, if annual specifications for the MSB fisheries are not
published in the Federal Register prior to the start of the fishing
year (January 1), the previous year's annual specifications, will
remain in effect. On March 18, 2014 (79 FR 15046), NMFS announced a
trip limit reduction for the butterfish fishery based on the phase 2
trip limit reduction threshold for the 2013 butterfish quota.
The final rule for 2014 MSB specifications and management measures
is published elsewhere in this issue. The 2014 butterfish
specifications were implemented upon publication of that action, and
immediately superseded the 2013 specifications. The 2014 butterfish
specifications increase the butterfish quota by 630 mt. Relative to the
increased 2014 butterfish quota, only 45 percent of the butterfish
quota has been harvested. Because the 2014 March/April phase 2 trip
limit reduction threshold for butterfish is 57 percent, effective April
4, 2014, the butterfish fishery can return to phase 1. Longfin squid/
butterfish moratorium permit holders using mesh sizes greater than 3
inches (76 mm) may fish for,
[[Page 18845]]
catch, possess, or land unlimited amounts of butterfish until the phase
2 trip limit reduction threshold is triggered. The trip limits for
vessels issued longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permits fishing with
mesh less than 3 inches (76 mm) will remain at 2,500 lb (1.13 mt) of
butterfish per trip and the incidental trip limit will remain at 600 lb
(0.27 mt). When butterfish harvest is projected to reach the phase 2
trip limit reduction threshold specified for 2014, butterfish trip
limits for longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permit holders will be
reduced to 5,000 lb (2.27 mt) for vessels fishing with mesh sizes
greater than 3 inches (76 mm), through a subsequent action in the
Federal Register.
Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds good
cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the
opportunity for public comment because it would be contrary to the
public interest. This action reopens the phase 1 of the directed
butterfish fishery until the 2014 phase 2 trip limit reduction
threshold is reached. If implementation of this reopening was delayed
to solicit prior public comment, vessels would be prevented from
fishing with a higher possession limit and may not be able to fully
harvest the 2014 butterfish quota, thereby undermining the conservation
objectives of the FMP. The AA further finds, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3), good cause to waive the 30-day delayed effectiveness period
for the reason stated above.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 1, 2014.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-07612 Filed 4-3-14; 8:45 am]
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