[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 104 (Thursday, June 1, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 25205-25206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11310]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 100812345-2142-03]
RIN 0648-XF465
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2017 Commercial
Accountability Measure and Closure for South Atlantic Yellowtail
Snapper
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the
commercial sector for yellowtail snapper in the South Atlantic
exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS projects that commercial landings
of yellowtail snapper will reach the commercial annual catch limit
(ACL) for the August 2016 through July 2017 fishing year by June 3,
2017. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for yellowtail
snapper in the South Atlantic EEZ on June 3, 2017, and it will remain
closed until August 1, 2017, the start of the August 2017 through July
2018 fishing year. This closure is necessary to protect the South
Atlantic yellowtail snapper resource.
DATES: This rule is effective at 12:01 a.m., local time, June 3, 2017,
until 12:01 a.m., local time, August 1, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Vara, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic includes yellowtail snapper and is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council 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.
The yellowtail snapper commercial ACL is 1,596,510 lb (724,165 kg),
round
[[Page 25206]]
weight, as specified in 50 CFR 622.193(n)(1)(i). Under 50 CFR
622.193(n)(1)(i), NMFS is required to close the yellowtail snapper
commercial sector when the commercial ACL has been reached, or is
projected to be reached, by filing a notification to that effect with
the Office of the Federal Register. NMFS has projected that the
yellowtail snapper commercial sector will reach its ACL on June 3,
2017. Therefore, this temporary rule implements an AM to close the
yellowtail snapper commercial sector in the South Atlantic EEZ,
effective from 12:01 a.m., local time, June 3, 2017, until August 1,
2017, the start of the 2017-2018 fishing year.
In 2016, Regulatory Amendment 25 to the FMP revised the fishing
year for the yellowtail snapper commercial and recreational sectors
from January 1 through December 31 to August 1 through July 31 (81 FR
45245, July 13, 2016). Therefore, the 2017-2018 fishing year for
yellowtail snapper will begin on August 1, 2017.
The operator of a vessel with a valid commercial vessel permit for
South Atlantic snapper-grouper having yellowtail snapper on board must
have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such species prior to June 3,
2017. During the commercial closure, all sale or purchase of yellowtail
snapper from the South Atlantic EEZ is prohibited. The harvest or
possession of yellowtail snapper in or from the South Atlantic EEZ is
limited to the bag limit specified in 50 CFR 622.187(b)(4) and the
possession limits specified in 50 CFR 622.187(c). These bag and
possession limits apply on board a vessel for which a valid Federal
commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic
snapper-grouper has been issued, regardless of whether such species
were harvested in state or Federal waters.
Classification
The Regional Administrator for the NMFS Southeast Region has
determined this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and
management of South Atlantic yellowtail snapper and is consistent with
the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable laws.
This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.193(n)(1)(i) and is exempt
from review under Executive Order 12866.
These measures are exempt from the procedures of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act because the temporary rule is issued without
opportunity for prior notice and comment.
This action responds to the best scientific information available.
The Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries (AA) finds that the need
to immediately implement this action to close the yellowtail snapper
commercial sector constitutes good cause to waive the requirements to
provide prior notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the
authority set forth in 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), as such procedures are
unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such procedures are
unnecessary because the rule implementing the AM has been subject to
notice and comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the
closure. Such procedures are contrary to the public interest because
there is a need to immediately implement this action to protect the
yellowtail snapper resource, as the capacity of the fishing fleet
allows for rapid harvest of the commercial ACL. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment would require time and could result in a
harvest well in excess of the established commercial ACL.
For the aforementioned reasons, the AA also finds 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: May 26, 2017.
Margo B. Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-11310 Filed 5-26-17; 4:15 pm]
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