[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 154 (Monday, August 11, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46718-46719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18855]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 130903775-4276-02]
RIN 0648-XD378
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel,
Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Closure of the 2014 Trimester 2
Directed Longfin Squid Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the 2014 Trimester 2 longfin squid fishery
is closed. Vessels issued a commercial Federal moratorium longfin squid
permit may not possess or land more than an incidental amount of
longfin squid for the remainder of Trimester 2. This action is
necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding its Trimester 2 quota
and to allow for effective management of the stock. Regulations
governing the longfin squid fishery require publication of this
notification to advise permit holders that the fishery is closed.
DATES: Effective 0001 hours, August 11, 2014, through 2400 hours,
August 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Christopher, Supervisory Fishery
Policy Analyst, 978-281-9288, Fax 978-281-9135.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the longfin squid
fisheries are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require
specifications for maximum sustainable yield, initial optimum yield,
allowable biological catch (ABC), domestic annual harvest (DAH),
domestic annual processing, joint venture processing, and total
allowable levels of foreign fishing for the species managed under the
Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
The procedures for setting the annual initial specifications are
described in Sec. 648.22.
The longfin squid DAH for the 2014 fishing year (FY) is 21,810 mt,
and is allocated into three trimesters: Trimester 1 (January 1-April
30) is allocated 43 percent of the quota (9,378 mt); Trimester 2 (May
1-August 31) is allocated 17 percent of the quota (3,708 mt); and
Trimester 3 (September 1-December 31) is allocated 40 percent of the
quota (8,724 mt) (79 FR 18834, April 4, 2014).
Due to an underharvest of quota in Trimester 1, NMFS adjusted the
Trimester 2 quota from the initial quota of 3,708 mt to a new quota of
5,562 mt. Section 648.24 requires NMFS to close the directed longfin
squid fishery in the EEZ, and reduce the possession limit for
moratorium longfin squid permit holders, when 90 percent of the
Trimester 2 quota (5,006 mt) is projected to be harvested. NMFS is
required to notify the Executive Directors of the Mid-Atlantic, New
England, and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils; mail
notification of the directed closure and subsequent possession limit
[[Page 46719]]
reduction to all moratorium longfin permit holders at least 72 hr
before the effective date of the closure; provide adequate notice of
the closure to recreational participants in the fishery; and publish
notification of the closure in the Federal Register.
The Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, based on dealer
reports and other available information, has determined that 90 percent
of the Trimester 2 longfin quota for the 2014 fishing year will be
harvested on August 11, 2014. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, August
11, 2014, the Trimester 2 directed longfin fishery is closed and
vessels issued Federal moratorium permits for longfin are prohibited
from possessing or landing more than 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) of longfin
through August 31, 2014. The Trimester 3 longfin fishery will open at
0001 hours, September 1, 2014.
There is one exception for the 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) possession
limit: A vessel with a longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permit that
is on a directed Illex squid fishing trip (i.e., possesses more than
10,000 lb (4,536 kg) of Illex squid) and is seaward of the coordinates
specified at Sec. 648.23(a)(3) may possess up to 15,000 lb (6,804 kg)
of longfin squid during the directed longfin squid fishery closure.
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, 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 closes the directed longfin fishery until
September 1, 2014, under current regulations. The regulations at Sec.
648.24 require such action to ensure that longfin vessels do not exceed
the 2014 Trimester 2 quota. Data indicating the longfin fleet will have
landed at least 90 percent of the 2014 Trimester 2 quota have only
recently become available. If implementation of this closure is delayed
to solicit prior public comment, the quota for Trimester 2 will be
exceeded, thereby undermining the conservation objectives of the FMP.
The Assistant Administrator further finds, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3), good cause to waive the 30-day delayed effectiveness period
for the reasons stated above.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 5, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-18855 Filed 8-7-14; 8:45 am]
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