[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 13 (Thursday, January 21, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3339-3340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00909]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 150105004-5355-01]
RIN 0648-XE398
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.
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SUMMARY: This action decreases the possession and trip limit for
Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder for Northeast
multispecies common pool vessels for the remainder of the 2015 fishing
year. The most recent catch data indicates that the common pool is
expected to reach its annual quota for this stock before the end of
January. Decreasing the trip limit is intended to prevent the common
pool fishery from exceeding its allocation for the stock in the 2015
fishing year, and from triggering an area closure for portions of
Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic.
DATES: The possession and trip limit decrease is effective January 15,
2016, 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 to adjust the possession and trip limits for
common pool vessels in order to help prevent the overharvest or
underharvest of the common pool quotas.
Based on information and data reported through January 5, 2016, the
common pool fishery has caught approximately 76 percent of its annual
quota for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) yellowtail
flounder. At the current rate of fishing, the common pool fishery is
projected to reach its annual quota by January 26, 2016. Any overage of
the annual quota will be deducted from the next fishing year's annual
quota. Additionally, we project that 90 percent of the common pool's
Trimester 3 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for SNE/MA yellowtail flounder
will be reached by January 24, 2016. If the common pool reaches 90
percent of the Trimester TAC, we are required by regulations at Sec.
648.82(n)(2)(ii) to close the SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder Trimester TAC
Area (defined at Sec. 648.82(n)(2)(ii)(F)) to all common pool vessels
fishing on groundfish trips with trawl and sink gillnet gear.
The current possession and trip limit of SNE/MA yellowtail flounder
is 2,000 lb (907 kg) per day-at-sea (DAS), and up to 6,000 lb (2,722
kg) per trip for common pool vessels. To help prevent the common pool
fishery from exceeding its SNE/MA yellowtail flounder allocation for
the 2015 fishing year, and to help prevent the common pool from
triggering a closure of the SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder Trimester TAC
Area for the remainder of the fishing year by reaching 90 percent of
the Trimester 3 TAC, effective January 15, 2016, the possession and
trip limit of SNE/MA yellowtail flounder for all common pool vessels is
decreased to 50 lb (22.7 kg) per trip.
Common pool groundfish vessels that have declared their trip
through the vessel monitoring system (VMS) or interactive voice
response (IVR) system, and crossed the VMS demarcation line prior to
January 15, 2016, are not subject to the new possession and trip limit
for that trip.
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
[[Page 3340]]
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 Regional
Administrator to adjust the Northeast multispecies possession and trip
limits for common pool vessels in order to help prevent the overharvest
or underharvest of the pertinent common pool quotas. The catch data
used as the basis for this action only recently became available. The
available analysis indicates that if the SNE/MA yellowtail flounder
possession and trip limit are not reduced immediately, the common pool
fishery will likely exceed its 2015 fishing year allocation for this
stock by January 26, 2016. Analysis also indicates that if the
possession and trip limit are not reduced immediately, the common pool
fishery will likely reach 90 percent of its Trimester 3 TAC by January
24, 2016, triggering a closure of the SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder
Trimester TAC Area. This action reduces the probability of the common
pool fishery exceeding its allocation for SNE/MA yellowtail flounder.
Any overages of the common pool quota for this stock would undermine
conservation objectives and trigger the implementation of
accountability measures that would have negative economic impacts on
the common pool vessels. The time necessary to provide for prior notice
and comment, and a 30-day delay in effectiveness, would prevent NMFS
from implementing the necessary possession and trip limit adjustment in
a timely manner, which could undermine conservation objectives of the
Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, and cause negative
economic impacts to the common pool fishery.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: January 13, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-00909 Filed 1-15-16; 8:45 am]
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