80 FR 74997 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 230 (December 1, 2015)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 230 (December 1, 2015)
| Page Range | 74997-74999 | |
| FR Document | 2015-30464 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 230 (Tuesday, December 1, 2015)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 74997-74999] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-30464] [[Page 74997]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 635 [Docket No. 150121066-5717-02] RIN 0648-XE335 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason General category bluefin tuna quota transfer and retention limit adjustment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS is transferring 80 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the Reserve category to the General category for the remainder of the 2015 fishing year. This transfer results in an adjusted 2015 General category quota of 646.7 mt. NMFS also is adjusting the Atlantic tunas General category BFT daily retention limit from four large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip to three large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip for the remainder of the 2015 fishing year. This action is based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments and applies to Atlantic tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat category permitted vessels when fishing commercially for BFT. DATES: Effective November 25, 2015 through December 31, 2015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah McLaughlin or Brad McHale, 978- 281-9260. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implemented under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA; 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson- Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) governing the harvest of BFT by persons and vessels subject to U.S. jurisdiction are found at 50 CFR part 635. Section 635.27 subdivides the U.S. BFT quota recommended by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) among the various domestic fishing categories, per the allocations established in the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (2006 Consolidated HMS FMP) (71 FR 58058, October 2, 2006), as amended by Amendment 7 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP (Amendment 7) (79 FR 71510, December 2, 2014). NMFS is required under ATCA and the Magnuson-Stevens Act to provide U.S. fishing vessels with a reasonable opportunity to harvest the ICCAT-recommended quota. Earlier this year, NMFS implemented a final rule that increased the U.S. BFT quota and subquotas per ICCAT Recommendation 14-05 (80 FR 52198, August 28, 2015). The base quota for the General category is 466.7 mt. See Sec. 635.27(a). Each of the General category time periods (January, June through August, September, October through November, and December) is allocated a portion of the annual General category quota. Although it is called the ``January'' subquota, the regulations allow the General category fishery under this quota to continue until the subquota is reached or March 31, whichever comes first. Based on the General category base quota of 466.7 mt, the subquotas for each time period are as follows: 24.7 mt for January; 233.3 mt for June through August; 123.7 mt for September; 60.7 mt for October through November; and 24.3 mt for December. Any unused General category quota rolls forward within the fishing year, which coincides with the calendar year, from one time period to the next, and is available for use in subsequent time periods. To date this year, NMFS has published four inseason quota transfers that have adjusted and distributed the available 2015 Reserve category quota among other quota categories (80 FR 7547, February 22, 2015; 80 FR 45098, July 29, 2015; 80 FR 46516, August 5, 2015; and 80 FR 68265, November 4, 2015). The Reserve category balance currently is 82.1 mt. The adjusted General category quota, following the four inseason actions, is 566.7 mt. Quota Transfer The 2015 General category fishery was open January 1, 2015, through March 31, 2015, reopened June 1, 2015, and remains open until December 31, 2015, or until the General category quota is reached, whichever comes first. Under Sec. 635.27(a)(9), NMFS has the authority to transfer quota among fishing categories or subcategories, after considering determination criteria provided under Sec. 635.27(a)(8), including five new criteria recently added in Amendment 7. The determination criteria are: The usefulness of information obtained from catches in the particular category for biological sampling and monitoring of the status of the stock; the catches of the particular category quota to date and the likelihood of closure of that segment of the fishery if no adjustment is made; the projected ability of the vessels fishing under the particular category quota to harvest the additional amount of BFT before the end of the fishing year; the estimated amounts by which quotas for other gear categories of the fishery might be exceeded; effects of the adjustment on BFT rebuilding and overfishing; effects of the adjustment on accomplishing the objectives of the fishery management plan; variations in seasonal distribution, abundance, or migration patterns of BFT; effects of catch rates in one area precluding vessels in another area from having a reasonable opportunity to harvest a portion of the category's quota; review of dealer reports, daily landing trends, and the availability of the BFT on the fishing grounds; optimizing fishing opportunity; accounting for dead discards, facilitating quota monitoring, supporting other fishing monitoring programs through quota allocations and/or generation of revenue; and support of research through quota allocations and/or generation of revenue. NMFS has considered the determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments and their applicability to the General category fishery for the end of 2015, including, but not limited to, the following: Regarding the usefulness of information obtained from catches in the particular category for biological sampling and monitoring of the status of the stock, biological samples collected from BFT landed by General category fishermen and provided by tuna dealers continue to provide NMFS with valuable parts and data for ongoing scientific studies of BFT age and growth, migration, and reproductive status. Additional opportunity to land BFT would support the collection of a broad range of data for these studies and for stock monitoring purposes. NMFS also considered the catches of the General category quota to date and the likelihood of closure of that segment of the fishery if no adjustment is made; the projected ability of the vessels fishing under the particular category quota to harvest the additional amount of bluefin tuna before the end of the fishing year; and the estimated amounts by which quotas for other gear categories of the fishery might be exceeded. General category landings in the winter BFT fishery, which typically begins in December or January each year, are highly variable and depend on availability of commercial-sized BFT to participants. Commercial-sized BFT [[Page 74998]] continue to be landed by General category vessels. Without a quota transfer at this time, NMFS would have to close the 2015 General category fishery as the currently available General category quota would be reached shortly. As of November 20, 2015, the General category has landed approximately 550 mt, or 97 percent of its available 2015 quota of 566.7 mt. Overall, approximately 79 percent of the total of the commercial BFT subquotas for 2015 has been harvested. NMFS will need to account for 2015 landings and dead discards within the adjusted U.S. quota, consistent with ICCAT recommendations, and anticipates having sufficient quota to do that even with this transfer. This quota transfer would provide additional opportunities to harvest the U.S. bluefin quota without exceeding it, while preserving the opportunity for General category fishermen to participate in the winter BFT fishery. Another principal consideration is the objective of providing opportunities to harvest the full annual U.S. BFT quota without exceeding it based on the goals of the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and Amendment 7, including to achieve optimum yield on a continuing basis and to optimize the ability of all permit categories to harvest their full BFT quota allocations. This transfer would be consistent with the quotas recently established and analyzed in the Atlantic bluefin tuna quota final rule (80 FR 52198, August 28, 2015) and with objectives of the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and amendments, and is not expected to negatively impact stock health or to affect the stock in ways not already analyzed in those documents. Based on the considerations above, NMFS is transferring 80 mt of Reserve category quota to the General category for the remainder of 2015, resulting in adjusted General and Reserve category quotas for 2015 of 646.7 mt and 2.1 mt, respectively. NMFS will close the 2015 General category fishery when the adjusted General category quota of 646.7 mt has been reached, or it will close automatically on December 31, 2015. Adjustment of General Category Daily Retention Limit Under Sec. 635.23(a)(4), NMFS may increase or decrease the daily retention limit of large medium and giant BFT over a range of zero to a maximum of five per vessel based on consideration of the relevant criteria provided under Sec. 635.27(a)(8), and listed above. For the 2015 fishing year, NMFS adjusted the daily retention limit from the default level of one large medium or giant BFT to three large medium or giant BFT for the January subquota period (79 FR 77943, December 29, 2014), which closed March 31, 2015; and four large medium or giant BFT for the June through August period (80 FR 27863, May 15, 2015) as well as the September, October through November, and December periods (80 FR 51959, August 27, 2015). NMFS has considered the relevant criteria and their applicability to the General category BFT retention limit for the remainder of the fishing year. These considerations include, but are not limited to, the following: Regarding the usefulness of information obtained from catches in the particular category for biological sampling and monitoring of the status of the stock, additional opportunity to land bluefin tuna would support the collection of a broad range of data for the biological studies and for stock monitoring purposes. Regarding the effects of the adjustment on BFT rebuilding and overfishing and the effects of the adjustment on accomplishing the objectives of the fishery management plan, this action would be taken consistent with the previously implemented and analyzed quotas, and it is not expected to negatively impact stock health or otherwise affect the stock in ways not previously analyzed. It is also supported by the Environmental Analysis for the 2011 final rule regarding General and Harpoon category management measures, which established the current range over which NMFS may set the General category daily retention limit (i.e., from zero to five fish (76 FR 74003, November 30, 2011)). As described above, a principal consideration is the objective of providing opportunities to harvest the full annual U.S. BFT quota without exceeding it based on the goals of the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and Amendment 7. Based on these considerations, NMFS has determined that a three- fish General category retention limit is warranted for the remainder of the year. It would provide a reasonable opportunity to harvest the U.S. quota of BFT without exceeding it, while maintaining an equitable distribution of fishing opportunities, help optimize the ability of the General category to harvest its available quota, allow collection of a broad range of data for stock monitoring purposes, and be consistent with the objectives of the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and amendments. Therefore, NMFS adjusts the General category retention limit from four to three large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip, effective November 25, 2015 through December 31, 2015. Regardless of the duration of a fishing trip, the daily retention limit applies upon landing. For example (and specific to the limit that will apply through the end of the year), whether a vessel fishing under the General category limit takes a two-day trip or makes two trips in one day, the day/trip limit of three fish applies and may not be exceeded upon landing. This General category retention limit is effective in all areas, except for the Gulf of Mexico, where NMFS prohibits targeted fishing for BFT, and applies to those vessels permitted in the General category, as well as to those HMS Charter/ Headboat permitted vessels fishing commercially for BFT. Monitoring and Reporting NMFS will continue to monitor the BFT fishery closely. Dealers are required to submit landing reports within 24 hours of a dealer receiving BFT. General, HMS Charter/Headboat, Harpoon, and Angling category vessel owners are required to report the catch of all BFT retained or discarded dead, within 24 hours of the landing(s) or end of each trip, by accessing hmspermits.noaa.gov. Depending on the level of fishing effort and catch rates of BFT, NMFS may determine that additional adjustment or closure is necessary to ensure available quota is not exceeded or to enhance scientific data collection from, and fishing opportunities in, all geographic areas. If needed, subsequent adjustments will be published in the Federal Register. In addition, fishermen may call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (978) 281- 9260, or access hmspermits.noaa.gov, for updates on quota monitoring and inseason adjustments. Classification The Assistant Administrator for NMFS (AA) finds that it is impracticable and contrary to the public interest to provide prior notice of, and an opportunity for public comment on, this action for the following reasons: The regulations implementing the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and amendments provide for inseason retention limit adjustments to respond to the unpredictable nature of BFT availability on the fishing grounds, the migratory nature of this species, and the regional variations in the BFT fishery. Affording prior notice and opportunity for public comment to implement the quota transfer and daily retention limit for the remainder of the year is impracticable as NMFS is reacting as quickly as possible to updated data and information that then requires [[Page 74999]] immediate action to be effective on the fishing grounds. NMFS could not effectively react to this data if, in implementing the retention limit, it allowed a public comment period, which, as it relates to quota transfers, would preclude fishermen from harvesting BFT that are legally available consistent with all of the regulatory criteria. Delays in adjusting the retention limit may result in the available quota being met or exceeded and NMFS needing to close the fishery earlier than otherwise would be necessary under a lower limit. This could adversely affect those General and HMS Charter/Headboat category vessels that would otherwise have an opportunity to harvest BFT under retention limits set in response to the most recent data available. Limited opportunities to harvest the respective quotas may have negative social and economic impacts for U.S. fishermen that depend upon catching the available quota within the designated time periods. Adjustment of the retention limit needs to be effective as soon as possible, to extend fishing opportunities for fishermen in geographic areas with access to the fishery only during this time period. Therefore, the AA finds good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the opportunity for public comment. For these reasons, there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d) to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness. This action is being taken under Sec. Sec. 635.23(a)(4) and 635.27(a)(9), and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 et seq. Dated: November 25, 2015. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015-30464 Filed 11-25-15; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 230 / Tuesday, December 1, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 74997
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE HMS FMP) (71 FR 58058, October 2, category quota to date and the
2006), as amended by Amendment 7 to likelihood of closure of that segment of
National Oceanic and Atmospheric the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP the fishery if no adjustment is made; the
Administration (Amendment 7) (79 FR 71510, December projected ability of the vessels fishing
2, 2014). NMFS is required under ATCA under the particular category quota to
50 CFR Part 635 and the Magnuson-Stevens Act to harvest the additional amount of BFT
provide U.S. fishing vessels with a before the end of the fishing year; the
[Docket No. 150121066–5717–02]
reasonable opportunity to harvest the estimated amounts by which quotas for
RIN 0648–XE335 ICCAT-recommended quota. other gear categories of the fishery might
Earlier this year, NMFS implemented be exceeded; effects of the adjustment
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; a final rule that increased the U.S. BFT on BFT rebuilding and overfishing;
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries quota and subquotas per ICCAT effects of the adjustment on
Recommendation 14–05 (80 FR 52198, accomplishing the objectives of the
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries August 28, 2015). The base quota for the fishery management plan; variations in
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and General category is 466.7 mt. See seasonal distribution, abundance, or
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), § 635.27(a). Each of the General category migration patterns of BFT; effects of
Commerce. time periods (January, June through catch rates in one area precluding
ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason August, September, October through vessels in another area from having a
General category bluefin tuna quota November, and December) is allocated a reasonable opportunity to harvest a
transfer and retention limit adjustment. portion of the annual General category portion of the category’s quota; review
quota. Although it is called the of dealer reports, daily landing trends,
SUMMARY: NMFS is transferring 80 ‘‘January’’ subquota, the regulations
metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna and the availability of the BFT on the
allow the General category fishery under fishing grounds; optimizing fishing
(BFT) quota from the Reserve category this quota to continue until the
to the General category for the opportunity; accounting for dead
subquota is reached or March 31, discards, facilitating quota monitoring,
remainder of the 2015 fishing year. This whichever comes first. Based on the
transfer results in an adjusted 2015 supporting other fishing monitoring
General category base quota of 466.7 mt, programs through quota allocations and/
General category quota of 646.7 mt. the subquotas for each time period are
NMFS also is adjusting the Atlantic or generation of revenue; and support of
as follows: 24.7 mt for January; 233.3 mt research through quota allocations and/
tunas General category BFT daily for June through August; 123.7 mt for
retention limit from four large medium or generation of revenue.
September; 60.7 mt for October through
or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip to NMFS has considered the
November; and 24.3 mt for December.
three large medium or giant BFT per determination criteria regarding
Any unused General category quota
vessel per day/trip for the remainder of inseason adjustments and their
rolls forward within the fishing year,
the 2015 fishing year. This action is applicability to the General category
which coincides with the calendar year,
based on consideration of the regulatory fishery for the end of 2015, including,
from one time period to the next, and
determination criteria regarding but not limited to, the following:
is available for use in subsequent time
inseason adjustments and applies to Regarding the usefulness of information
periods. To date this year, NMFS has
Atlantic tunas General category obtained from catches in the particular
published four inseason quota transfers
(commercial) permitted vessels and that have adjusted and distributed the category for biological sampling and
Highly Migratory Species (HMS) available 2015 Reserve category quota monitoring of the status of the stock,
Charter/Headboat category permitted among other quota categories (80 FR biological samples collected from BFT
vessels when fishing commercially for 7547, February 22, 2015; 80 FR 45098, landed by General category fishermen
BFT. July 29, 2015; 80 FR 46516, August 5, and provided by tuna dealers continue
2015; and 80 FR 68265, November 4, to provide NMFS with valuable parts
DATES: Effective November 25, 2015 and data for ongoing scientific studies of
through December 31, 2015. 2015). The Reserve category balance
currently is 82.1 mt. The adjusted BFT age and growth, migration, and
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: reproductive status. Additional
General category quota, following the
Sarah McLaughlin or Brad McHale, opportunity to land BFT would support
four inseason actions, is 566.7 mt.
978–281–9260. the collection of a broad range of data
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Quota Transfer for these studies and for stock
Regulations implemented under the The 2015 General category fishery monitoring purposes.
authority of the Atlantic Tunas was open January 1, 2015, through NMFS also considered the catches of
Convention Act (ATCA; 16 U.S.C. 971 et March 31, 2015, reopened June 1, 2015, the General category quota to date and
seq.) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery and remains open until December 31, the likelihood of closure of that segment
Conservation and Management Act 2015, or until the General category of the fishery if no adjustment is made;
(Magnuson-Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C. 1801 quota is reached, whichever comes first. the projected ability of the vessels
et seq.) governing the harvest of BFT by Under § 635.27(a)(9), NMFS has the fishing under the particular category
persons and vessels subject to U.S. authority to transfer quota among quota to harvest the additional amount
jurisdiction are found at 50 CFR part fishing categories or subcategories, after of bluefin tuna before the end of the
635. Section 635.27 subdivides the U.S. considering determination criteria fishing year; and the estimated amounts
BFT quota recommended by the provided under § 635.27(a)(8), including by which quotas for other gear
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
International Commission for the five new criteria recently added in categories of the fishery might be
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Amendment 7. The determination exceeded. General category landings in
among the various domestic fishing criteria are: The usefulness of the winter BFT fishery, which typically
categories, per the allocations information obtained from catches in begins in December or January each
established in the 2006 Consolidated the particular category for biological year, are highly variable and depend on
Highly Migratory Species Fishery sampling and monitoring of the status of availability of commercial-sized BFT to
Management Plan (2006 Consolidated the stock; the catches of the particular participants. Commercial-sized BFT
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![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 230 / Tuesday, December 1, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 74999
immediate action to be effective on the Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), management measures such as flexible
fishing grounds. NMFS could not Commerce. opening dates for the fishing season and
effectively react to this data if, in ACTION: Final rule; fishing season inseason adjustments to shark trip
implementing the retention limit, it notification. limits, which provide management
allowed a public comment period, flexibility in furtherance of equitable
which, as it relates to quota transfers, SUMMARY: This final rule establishes an fishing opportunities, to the extent
would preclude fishermen from opening date of January 1, 2016, for all practicable, for commercial shark
harvesting BFT that are legally available Atlantic shark fisheries, including the fishermen in all regions and areas.
consistent with all of the regulatory fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. This On August 18, 2015 (80 FR 49974),
criteria. final rule also establishes the quotas for NMFS published a rule proposing the
Delays in adjusting the retention limit the 2016 fishing season based on over- 2016 opening dates for the Atlantic
may result in the available quota being and/or underharvests experienced commercial shark fisheries and quotas,
met or exceeded and NMFS needing to during 2015 and previous fishing based on shark landings information
close the fishery earlier than otherwise seasons. The large coastal shark (LCS) reported as of July 15, 2015. The August
would be necessary under a lower limit. retention limit for directed shark limited 2015 proposed rule contains details that
This could adversely affect those access permit holders will start at 45 are not repeated here. The comment
General and HMS Charter/Headboat LCS other than sandbar sharks per trip period on the proposed rule ended on
category vessels that would otherwise in the Gulf of Mexico region and at 36 September 17, 2015.
have an opportunity to harvest BFT LCS other than sandbar sharks per trip During the comment period, NMFS
under retention limits set in response to in the Atlantic region. These retention received several written and oral
the most recent data available. Limited limits for directed shark limited access comments on the proposed rule. Those
opportunities to harvest the respective permit holders may decrease or increase comments, along with the Agency’s
quotas may have negative social and during the year to provide, to the extent responses, are summarized below. As
economic impacts for U.S. fishermen practicable, fishing opportunities for further detailed in the Response to
that depend upon catching the available commercial shark fishermen in all Comments section, after considering all
quota within the designated time regions and areas. NMFS anticipates the comments, NMFS is opening the
periods. Adjustment of the retention that the retention limit in the Atlantic fishing seasons for all shark
limit needs to be effective as soon as region will likely increase to the default management groups on January 1, 2016,
possible, to extend fishing opportunities limit of 45 LCS other than sandbar as proposed in the August 18, 2015,
for fishermen in geographic areas with sharks per trip around July 15, 2016, proposed rule. For directed shark
access to the fishery only during this subject to NMFS’ evaluation of the limited access permit holders, the Gulf
time period. Therefore, the AA finds inseason trip limit adjustment criteria. of Mexico blacktip, aggregated LCS, and
These actions could affect fishing hammerhead management groups will
good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to
opportunities for commercial shark start the fishing season with a retention
waive prior notice and the opportunity
fishermen in the northwestern Atlantic limit of 45 LCS other than sandbar
for public comment. For these reasons,
Ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico sharks per vessel per trip. The
there is good cause under 5 U.S.C.
and Caribbean Sea. aggregated LCS and hammerhead shark
553(d) to waive the 30-day delay in
management groups in the Atlantic
effectiveness. DATES: This rule is effective on January
region will start the fishing season with
This action is being taken under 1, 2016. The 2016 Atlantic commercial
a retention limit of 36 LCS other than
§§ 635.23(a)(4) and 635.27(a)(9), and is shark fishing season opening dates and
sandbar sharks per vessel per trip for
exempt from review under Executive quotas are provided in Table 1 under
directed shark limited access permit
Order 12866. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
holders, which is a change from the
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 ADDRESSES: Highly Migratory Species proposed rule. Also, some of the quotas
et seq. Management Division, 1315 East-West have changed since the proposed rule,
Dated: November 25, 2015.
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. based on updated landings information
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Guý as of October 16, 2015. The retention
Emily H. Menashes,
DuBeck or Karyl Brewster-Geisz at 301– limit for incidental shark limited access
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 427–8503. permit holders has not changed and
[FR Doc. 2015–30464 Filed 11–25–15; 4:15 pm] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: remains at 3 LCS other than sandbar
sharks per trip and a combined total of
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P Background
16 small coastal sharks (SCS) and
The Atlantic commercial shark pelagic sharks, combined, per trip,
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE fisheries are managed under the consistent with § 635.24(a)(3) and (4).
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens This final rule serves as notification of
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Fishery Conservation and Management the 2016 opening dates of the Atlantic
Administration Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The 2006 commercial shark fisheries and 2016
Consolidated Highly Migratory Species quotas, based on shark landings updated
50 CFR Part 635 (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) as of October 16, 2015, pursuant to the
and its amendments are implemented ‘‘opening commercial fishing season’’
[Docket No. 150413357–5999–02] by regulations at 50 CFR part 635. For criteria at § 635.27(b)(3)(i) through (vii).
the Atlantic commercial shark fisheries, This action does not change the annual
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
RIN 0648–XD898 the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and base commercial quotas established
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; its amendments established, among under the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP
2016 Atlantic Shark Commercial other things, commercial shark retention and its amendments for any shark
Fishing Season limits, commercial quotas for species management group. Any such changes
and management groups, accounting would be performed through a separate
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries measures for under- and overharvests action. Rather, this action adjusts the
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and for the shark fisheries, and adaptive annual base commercial quotas for 2016
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Document Created: 2018-03-02 09:10:35
Document Modified: 2018-03-02 09:10:35
| 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 General category bluefin tuna quota transfer and retention limit adjustment. | |
| Dates | Effective November 25, 2015 through December 31, 2015. | |
| Contact | Sarah McLaughlin or Brad McHale, 978- 281-9260. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 74997 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XE33 |
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