80_FR_23005 80 FR 22926 - Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Closure

80 FR 22926 - Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Closure

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 79 (April 24, 2015)

Page Range22926-22926
FR Document2015-09562

Through this action NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific sardine off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. This action is necessary because the adjusted non-tribal directed harvest allocation of approximately 5084 metric tons (mt) for the third harvest allocation period from January 1, 2015, through June 30, 2015, is projected to be reached by the date of closure. From the effective date of this rule through June 30, 2015, Pacific sardine may be harvested only as part of either the live bait or tribal fishery or incidental to other fisheries; the incidental harvest of Pacific sardine is limited to 45-percent by weight of all fish per trip. Fishing vessels must cease fishing (be at shore and in the process of offloading) at or before the effective date of this closure.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 79 (Friday, April 24, 2015) 
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 79 (Friday, April 24, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 22926]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09562]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 140417346-4575-02]
RIN 0648-XD916


Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species 
Fisheries; Closure

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: Through this action NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for 
Pacific sardine off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. 
This action is necessary because the adjusted non-tribal directed 
harvest allocation of approximately 5084 metric tons (mt) for the third 
harvest allocation period from January 1, 2015, through June 30, 2015, 
is projected to be reached by the date of closure. From the effective 
date of this rule through June 30, 2015, Pacific sardine may be 
harvested only as part of either the live bait or tribal fishery or 
incidental to other fisheries; the incidental harvest of Pacific 
sardine is limited to 45-percent by weight of all fish per trip. 
Fishing vessels must cease fishing (be at shore and in the process of 
offloading) at or before the effective date of this closure.

DATES: Effective 12:01 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) April 28, 2015, 
through 11:59 p.m., June 30, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua Lindsay, West Coast Region, 
NMFS, (562) 980-4034.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that--based on the 
best available information recently obtained on the status of the 
fishery and information on past fishing effort--the adjusted non-tribal 
directed fishing harvest allocation for the third harvest allocation 
period from January 1, through June 30, 2015, of 5,084 mt will be 
reached and therefore directed fishing for Pacific sardine is being 
closed per the final rule establishing the 2014-2015 Pacific sardine 
fishing season (July 25, 2014, 79 FR 43269). In accordance with that 
rule, the initial directed harvest allocation for the third period of 
6,252 mt was adjusted to 5,084 mt to account for excess harvest in the 
second harvest allocation period. Fishing vessels must cease fishing 
(be at shore and in the process of offloading) at or before the 
effective date of this closure. From the effectiveness of this closure, 
through June 30, 2015, Pacific sardine may be harvested only as part of 
either the live bait or tribal fishery or incidental to other 
fisheries, with the incidental harvest of Pacific sardine limited to 
45-percent by weight of all fish caught during a trip.
    NMFS manages the Pacific sardine fishery in the U.S. exclusive 
economic zone (EEZ) off the Pacific coast (California, Oregon, and 
Washington) in accordance with the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Annual specifications published in the 
Federal Register establish the allowable harvest levels (i.e. annual 
catch limit (ACL)/harvest guideline (HG)) for each Pacific sardine 
fishing season. If during any of the seasonal allocation periods the 
applicable directed harvest allocation is projected to be taken, and 
the fishery is closed, only incidental harvest is allowed. For the 
remainder of the period, any incidental Pacific sardine landings will 
be counted against that period's incidental set aside. In the event 
that an incidental set-aside is projected to be attained, all fisheries 
will be closed to the retention of Pacific sardine for the remainder of 
the period via appropriate rulemaking.
    Under 50 CFR 660.509, if the total allocation or any specific 
apportionment levels for Pacific sardine are reached at any time, NMFS 
is required to close the Pacific sardine fishery via appropriate 
rulemaking and the fishery remains closed until it re-opens either per 
the allocation scheme or the beginning of the next fishing season. In 
accordance with Sec.  660.509, the Regional Administrator shall publish 
a notice in the Federal Register announcing the date of the closure of 
the directed fishery for Pacific sardine.
    The above in-season harvest restrictions are not intended to affect 
the prosecution of the live bait or tribal portions of the Pacific 
sardine fishery.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR 660.509 and is exempt from Office 
of Management and Budget review under Executive Order 12866.
    NMFS finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior 
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set 
forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) for the closure of the directed harvest of 
Pacific sardine. For the reasons set forth below, notice and comment 
procedures are impracticable and contrary to the public interest. For 
the same reasons, NMFS also finds good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) 
to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness for this action. This 
measure responds to the best available information and is necessary for 
the conservation and management of the Pacific sardine resource. A 
delay in effectiveness would cause the fishery to exceed the allocation 
for the directed fishery during the 2014-2015 fishing season, which is 
an important mechanism to prevent fishing in excess of the 2014-2105 
annual catch limit. These seasonal harvest levels are important 
mechanisms in preventing overfishing and managing the fishery at 
optimum yield. The established directed and incidental harvest 
allocations are designed to allow fair and equitable opportunity to the 
resource by all sectors of the Pacific sardine fishery and to allow 
access to other profitable CPS fisheries, such as squid and Pacific 
mackerel. Many of the same fishermen who harvest Pacific sardine rely 
on these other fisheries for a significant portion of their income.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: April 21, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-09562 Filed 4-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

22926 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 79 / Friday, April 24, 2015 / Rules and Regulations PART 73—RADIO BROADCAST SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This with § 660.509, the Regional SERVICES document announces that—based on the Administrator shall publish a notice in best available information recently the Federal Register announcing the ■ 1. The authority citation for part 73 obtained on the status of the fishery and date of the closure of the directed continues to read as follows: information on past fishing effort—the fishery for Pacific sardine. Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 334, 336, adjusted non-tribal directed fishing The above in-season harvest and 339. harvest allocation for the third harvest allocation period from January 1, restrictions are not intended to affect the § 73.202 [Amended] through June 30, 2015, of 5,084 mt will prosecution of the live bait or tribal be reached and therefore directed portions of the Pacific sardine fishery. ■2. Section 73.202(b), the Table of FM Allotments under New York, is fishing for Pacific sardine is being Classification amended by adding Sagaponack, closed per the final rule establishing the Channel 233A. 2014–2015 Pacific sardine fishing This action is required by 50 CFR season (July 25, 2014, 79 FR 43269). In 660.509 and is exempt from Office of [FR Doc. 2015–09568 Filed 4–23–15; 8:45 am] accordance with that rule, the initial Management and Budget review under BILLING CODE 6712–01–P directed harvest allocation for the third Executive Order 12866. period of 6,252 mt was adjusted to 5,084 NMFS finds good cause to waive the mt to account for excess harvest in the DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE second harvest allocation period. requirement to provide prior notice and Fishing vessels must cease fishing (be at opportunity for public comment National Oceanic and Atmospheric shore and in the process of offloading) pursuant to the authority set forth at 5 Administration at or before the effective date of this U.S.C. 553(b)(B) for the closure of the closure. From the effectiveness of this directed harvest of Pacific sardine. For 50 CFR Part 660 closure, through June 30, 2015, Pacific the reasons set forth below, notice and [Docket No. 140417346–4575–02] sardine may be harvested only as part of comment procedures are impracticable either the live bait or tribal fishery or and contrary to the public interest. For RIN 0648–XD916 incidental to other fisheries, with the the same reasons, NMFS also finds good Fisheries Off West Coast States; incidental harvest of Pacific sardine cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; limited to 45-percent by weight of all the 30-day delay in effectiveness for this Closure fish caught during a trip. action. This measure responds to the NMFS manages the Pacific sardine best available information and is AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries fishery in the U.S. exclusive economic necessary for the conservation and Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and zone (EEZ) off the Pacific coast management of the Pacific sardine Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), (California, Oregon, and Washington) in resource. A delay in effectiveness would Commerce. accordance with the Coastal Pelagic cause the fishery to exceed the ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan allocation for the directed fishery during (FMP). Annual specifications published SUMMARY: Through this action NMFS is the 2014–2015 fishing season, which is in the Federal Register establish the prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific allowable harvest levels (i.e. annual an important mechanism to prevent sardine off the coasts of Washington, catch limit (ACL)/harvest guideline fishing in excess of the 2014–2105 Oregon and California. This action is (HG)) for each Pacific sardine fishing annual catch limit. These seasonal necessary because the adjusted non- season. If during any of the seasonal harvest levels are important tribal directed harvest allocation of allocation periods the applicable mechanisms in preventing overfishing approximately 5084 metric tons (mt) for directed harvest allocation is projected and managing the fishery at optimum the third harvest allocation period from to be taken, and the fishery is closed, yield. The established directed and January 1, 2015, through June 30, 2015, only incidental harvest is allowed. For incidental harvest allocations are is projected to be reached by the date of the remainder of the period, any designed to allow fair and equitable closure. From the effective date of this incidental Pacific sardine landings will opportunity to the resource by all rule through June 30, 2015, Pacific be counted against that period’s sectors of the Pacific sardine fishery and sardine may be harvested only as part of incidental set aside. In the event that an to allow access to other profitable CPS either the live bait or tribal fishery or incidental set-aside is projected to be incidental to other fisheries; the fisheries, such as squid and Pacific attained, all fisheries will be closed to mackerel. Many of the same fishermen incidental harvest of Pacific sardine is the retention of Pacific sardine for the limited to 45-percent by weight of all who harvest Pacific sardine rely on remainder of the period via appropriate these other fisheries for a significant fish per trip. Fishing vessels must cease rulemaking. fishing (be at shore and in the process portion of their income. Under 50 CFR 660.509, if the total of offloading) at or before the effective allocation or any specific apportionment Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. date of this closure. levels for Pacific sardine are reached at Dated: April 21, 2015. DATES: Effective 12:01 a.m. Pacific any time, NMFS is required to close the Emily H. Menashes, Daylight Time (PDT) April 28, 2015, Pacific sardine fishery via appropriate through 11:59 p.m., June 30, 2015. rulemaking and the fishery remains Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: closed until it re-opens either per the Joshua Lindsay, West Coast Region, allocation scheme or the beginning of [FR Doc. 2015–09562 Filed 4–23–15; 8:45 am] tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES NMFS, (562) 980–4034. the next fishing season. In accordance BILLING CODE 3510–22–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:47 Apr 23, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\24APR1.SGM 24APR1


Document Created: 2015-12-16 08:42:42
Document Modified: 2015-12-16 08:42:42
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionTemporary rule; closure.
DatesEffective 12:01 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) April 28, 2015, through 11:59 p.m., June 30, 2015.
ContactJoshua Lindsay, West Coast Region, NMFS, (562) 980-4034.
FR Citation80 FR 22926 
RIN Number0648-XD91
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