[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 179 (Wednesday, September 16, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55561-55562]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23277]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 150105004-5355-01]
RIN 0648-XE155
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast
Multispecies Fishery; Trip Limit Adjustment for the Common Pool Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This action increases the trip limit for Gulf of Maine cod for
Northeast multispecies common pool vessels for the remainder of the
2015 fishing year. The regulations authorize the Regional Administrator
to adjust the trip limits for common pool vessels in order to
facilitate harvest of, or prevent exceeding, the pertinent common pool
quotas during the fishing year. Increasing the trip limit is intended
to provide additional fishing opportunities and help allow the common
pool fishery to catch its allowable quota for this stock.
DATES: The trip limit increase is effective September 16, 2015, through
April 30, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Liz Sullivan, Fishery Management
Specialist, 978-282-8493.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations at Sec. 648.86(o) authorize
the Regional Administrator (RA) to adjust the possession limits for
common pool vessels in order to prevent the
[[Page 55562]]
overharvest or underharvest of the common pool quotas. On June 15,
2015, we adjusted the possession and trip limit for Gulf of Maine (GOM)
cod to zero for the remainder of the fishing year, out of an abundance
of caution, to reduce the effort that had been directed on cod, to
prevent the common pool from exceeding its Trimester 1 quota for the
stock, and to avoid triggering the closure of portions of the Gulf of
Maine, which is mandatory if 90 percent of the trimester quota is
reached. Although the zero possession limit was set for the remainder
of the fishing year, this does not prevent the RA from subsequently
increasing it to prevent underharvest of the stock.
As of August 25, 2015, the common pool had caught approximately 31
percent of its sub-annual catch limit (ACL) of GOM cod. To allow the
common pool fishery to catch more of its quota for this stock,
effective September 16, 2015, the trip limit of GOM cod for all common
pool vessels is increased from 0 lb per trip, to 25 lb (11.3 kg) per
trip. Allowing landings of incidentally caught GOM cod up to 25 lb
(11.3 kg) is projected to prevent overharvest while reducing discards.
Weekly quota monitoring reports for the common pool fishery can be
found on our Web site at: http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/ro/fso/MultiMonReports.htm. We
will continue to monitor common pool catch through vessel trip reports,
dealer-reported landings, vessel monitoring system catch reports, and
other available information and, if necessary, we will make additional
adjustments to common pool management measures.
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) and 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive prior
notice and the opportunity for public comment and the 30-day delayed
effectiveness period because it would be impracticable and contrary to
the public interest.
The regulations at Sec. 648.86(o) authorize the RA to adjust the
Northeast multispecies possession and trip limits for common pool
vessels in order to prevent the overharvest or underharvest of the
pertinent common pool sub-ACLs. The catch data used to justify
increasing the possession and trip limit for GOM cod only recently
became available. The possession and trip limit increase implemented
through this action allows for increased harvest of GOM cod, to help
ensure that the fishery may achieve the optimum yield (OY) for this
stock. As a result, the time necessary to provide for prior notice and
comment, and a 30-day delay in effectiveness, would prevent us from
increasing the possession and trip limit for GOM cod in a timely
manner, which could prevent the fishery from achieving the OY. This
would undermine management objectives of the Northeast Multispecies
Fishery Management Plan and cause unnecessary negative economic impacts
to the common pool fishery. There is additional good cause to waive the
delayed effective period because this action relieves restrictions on
fishing vessels by increasing a trip limit.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 11, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-23277 Filed 9-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P