80 FR 56934 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Scup Fishery; Adjustment to the 2015 Winter II Quota

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 182 (September 21, 2015)

Page Range		56934-56934
FR Document		2015-23622

NMFS adjusts the 2015 Winter II commercial scup quota. This action complies with Framework Adjustment 3 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, which established a process to allow the rollover of unused commercial scup quota from the Winter I period to the Winter II period.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 182 (Monday, September 21, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 182 (Monday, September 21, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 56934]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23622]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 140117052-4402-02]
RIN 0648-XE156


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Scup Fishery; 
Adjustment to the 2015 Winter II Quota

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.

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SUMMARY: NMFS adjusts the 2015 Winter II commercial scup quota. This 
action complies with Framework Adjustment 3 to the Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan, which established a 
process to allow the rollover of unused commercial scup quota from the 
Winter I period to the Winter II period.

DATES: Effective November 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9112.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS published a final rule in the Federal 
Register on November 3, 2003 (68 FR 62250), implementing a process to 
roll over unused Winter I commercial scup quota (January 1 through 
April 30) to be added to the Winter II period quota (November 1 through 
December 31). This framework also allows adjustment of the commercial 
possession limit for the Winter II period dependent on the amount of 
quota rolled over from the Winter I period.
    For 2015, the initial Winter II quota is 3,384,470 lb (1,535 mt), 
and the best available landings information indicates that 2,084,256 lb 
(945 mt) of the Winter I quota remains unused. The 2015 Winter I quota 
was 9,578,008 lb (4,344 mt). Consistent with the intent of Framework 3, 
the full amount of unused 2015 Winter I quota is transferred to Winter 
II, resulting in a revised 2015 Winter II quota of 5,468,726 lb (2,481 
mt). Because the amount transferred is greater than 2,000,000 lb (907 
mt), the per trip possession limit will increase from 12,000 lb (5,443 
kg) to 18,000 lb (8,165 kg) during the Winter II quota period, 
consistent with the final rule that increased the Winter II trip limit, 
published on May 22, 2014 (79 FR 29371).

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 (AA), has 
determined good cause exists pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive 
prior notice and the opportunity for public comment on this in-season 
adjustment because it is impracticable and contrary to the public 
interest. The landings data upon which this action is based are not 
available on a real-time basis and, consequently, were compiled only a 
short time before the determination was made that this action is 
warranted. If implementation of this in-season action is delayed to 
solicit prior public comment, the objective of the fishery management 
plan to achieve the optimum yield from the fishery could be 
compromised; deteriorating weather conditions during the latter part of 
the fishing year will reduce fishing effort and could prevent the 
annual quota from being fully harvested. This would conflict with the 
agency's legal obligation under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act to achieve the optimum yield from a 
fishery on a continuing basis, resulting in a negative economic impact 
on vessels permitted to fish in this fishery.

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

    Dated: September 16, 2015.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-23622 Filed 9-18-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

56934 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 182 / Monday, September 21, 2015 / Rules and Regulations

Classification Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Classification
This action is required by 50 CFR part Commerce.
This action is required by 50 CFR part
648 and is exempt from review under ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason
648 and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866. adjustment.
The Assistant Administrator for Executive Order 12866.
Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds good cause SUMMARY: NMFS adjusts the 2015 The Assistant Administrator for
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive Winter II commercial scup quota. This Fisheries, NOAA (AA), has determined
prior notice and the opportunity for action complies with Framework good cause exists pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
public comment because it would be Adjustment 3 to the Summer Flounder, 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the
contrary to the public interest. This Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery opportunity for public comment on this
action closes the bluefish fishery and Management Plan, which established a in-season adjustment because it is
summer flounder fishery for process to allow the rollover of unused impracticable and contrary to the public
Massachusetts until January 1, 2016, commercial scup quota from the Winter interest. The landings data upon which
under current regulations. The I period to the Winter II period.
this action is based are not available on
regulations at § 648.103(b) require such DATES: Effective November 1, 2015, a real-time basis and, consequently,
action to ensure that vessels do not through December 31, 2015. were compiled only a short time before
exceed state quotas. If implementation FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid the determination was made that this
of this closure was delayed to solicit Lichwell, Fishery Management action is warranted. If implementation
prior public comment, the quota for this Specialist, (978) 281–9112.
fishing year would be exceeded, thereby of this in-season action is delayed to
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS solicit prior public comment, the
undermining the conservation
published a final rule in the Federal objective of the fishery management
objectives of the Atlantic Bluefish
Register on November 3, 2003 (68 FR plan to achieve the optimum yield from
Fishery Management Plan and the
62250), implementing a process to roll the fishery could be compromised;
Summer Flounder Fishery Management
over unused Winter I commercial scup deteriorating weather conditions during
Plan. The AA further finds, pursuant to
quota (January 1 through April 30) to be the latter part of the fishing year will
5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), good cause to waive
added to the Winter II period quota reduce fishing effort and could prevent
the thirty (30) day delayed effectiveness
(November 1 through December 31). the annual quota from being fully
period for the reason stated above.
This framework also allows adjustment harvested. This would conflict with the
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. of the commercial possession limit for
agency’s legal obligation under the
Dated: September 15, 2015. the Winter II period dependent on the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Emily H. Menashes, amount of quota rolled over from the
Winter I period. Conservation and Management Act to
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
For 2015, the initial Winter II quota is achieve the optimum yield from a
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
3,384,470 lb (1,535 mt), and the best fishery on a continuing basis, resulting
[FR Doc. 2015–23598 Filed 9–16–15; 4:15 pm]
available landings information indicates in a negative economic impact on
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
that 2,084,256 lb (945 mt) of the Winter vessels permitted to fish in this fishery.
I quota remains unused. The 2015 Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Winter I quota was 9,578,008 lb (4,344
Dated: September 16, 2015.
mt). Consistent with the intent of
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Framework 3, the full amount of unused Alan D. Risenhoover,
Administration 2015 Winter I quota is transferred to Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
Winter II, resulting in a revised 2015 National Marine Fisheries Service.
50 CFR Part 648 Winter II quota of 5,468,726 lb (2,481 [FR Doc. 2015–23622 Filed 9–18–15; 8:45 am]
[Docket No. 140117052–4402–02] mt). Because the amount transferred is BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
greater than 2,000,000 lb (907 mt), the
RIN 0648–XE156 per trip possession limit will increase
from 12,000 lb (5,443 kg) to 18,000 lb
Fisheries of the Northeastern United
(8,165 kg) during the Winter II quota
States; Scup Fishery; Adjustment to
period, consistent with the final rule
the 2015 Winter II Quota
that increased the Winter II trip limit,
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries published on May 22, 2014 (79 FR
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 29371).
rmajette on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with RULES

VerDate Sep<11>2014 13:55 Sep 18, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\21SER1.SGM 21SER1

Document Created: 2015-12-15 09:39:22
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 09:39:22

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Rules and Regulations
Action		Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.
Dates		Effective November 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015.
Contact		Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281-9112.
FR Citation		80 FR 56934
RIN Number		0648-XE15

80 FR 56934 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Scup Fishery; Adjustment to the 2015 Winter II Quota

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 182 (September 21, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration