81 FR 39016 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico; Recreational Management Measures; Control Date
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 115 (June 15, 2016)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 115 (June 15, 2016)
| Page Range | 39016-39016 | |
| FR Document | 2016-14082 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 15, 2016)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 39016] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-14082] [[Page 39016]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 622 [Docket No. 160502383-6483-01] RIN 0648-BG05 Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico; Recreational Management Measures; Control Date AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Advanced notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice announces the establishment of a control date of December 31, 2015, that the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) may use if it decides to create an allocation-based program for Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) reef fish headboats that participate in the Southeast Region Headboat Survey (SRHS). Vessels that begin participating in the SRHS after the control date may not be able to participate in the proposed program, and landings after the control date may not be used in determining allocations. NMFS invites comments on the establishment of this control date. DATES: Written comments must be received by July 15, 2016. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the proposed rule identified by ``NOAA-NMFS-2016-0056'' by either of the following methods:Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2016-0056, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. Mail: Submit written comments to Susan Gerhart, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Gerhart, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, or email: [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In early 2015, the Council requested the development of Amendment 42 to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (Amendment 42) to address management for the headboat component of the Gulf reef fish fishery recreational sector. Management measures under consideration in Amendment 42 include allocation-based programs. The purpose of the proposed measures in Amendment 42 is to reduce management uncertainty and improve economic conditions for operators and owners of Gulf reef fish headboats, and provide flexibility by increasing fishing opportunities for their angler passengers through a management program for Gulf headboats participating in the SRHS. In the Gulf, there is a Federal charter vessel/headboat permit for reef fish and the permit does not distinguish between headboats and charter vessels. The SRHS collects catch and effort data from headboats in the Southeast Region, thereby producing a catch history for each vessel included in the survey. In addition, for fishery managers, the SRHS continues to be the sole source for effort and landings estimates for the headboat component as a whole. For these reasons, the vessels eligible to participate in the program developed in Amendment 42 are those vessels with Federal charter vessel/headboat permits for reef fish that also have landings in the SRHS. The availability of vessel- specific landings data through the SRHS may allow development of an allocation-based management program for headboats using those landings histories. This notice informs current and potential participants in the headboat component of the Gulf reef fish fishery that the Council intends to consider limiting participation in any allocation-based management program developed through Amendment 42 to only vessels with landings in the SRHS on or before December 31, 2015. Vessels joining the SRHS after this date may not be eligible to participate in an allocation-based program that could be developed as part of Amendment 42, and landings after this control date may not be used in determining possible allocations. An analysis of specific biological, economic, and social effects will be presented in Amendment 42. Publication of the control date of December 31, 2015, in the Federal Register informs reef fish fishery participants of the Council's considerations, and gives notice to anyone entering the reef fish fishery after the control date that they would not be assured of participating in the allocation-based program should the program be implemented using the control date as an eligibility criterion. Implementation of any such program requires preparation of an amendment to the respective fishery management plan and publication of a notice of availability and proposed rule in the Federal Register with public comment periods, and, if approved by the Secretary of Commerce, issuance of a final rule. The establishment of a control date does not commit the Council or NMFS to any particular management decisions. The Council may or may not make use of this control date as part of the requirements for any allocation-based management program developed through Amendment 42. Fishermen are not guaranteed future participation in a possible program, regardless of their entry date into the fishery. The Council may take action that would affect participants who were in the SRHS prior to the control date, or the Council may choose to take no further action to develop an allocation-based management program. This notification also gives the public notice that interested participants should locate and preserve records that substantiate and verify their participation in the headboat component of the Gulf reef fish fishery and the SRHS. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: June 9, 2016. Samuel D. Rauch III, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2016-14082 Filed 6-14-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![39016 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 115 / Wednesday, June 15, 2016 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE submitted voluntarily by the sender will economic, and social effects will be
be publicly accessible. NMFS will presented in Amendment 42.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric accept anonymous comments (enter Publication of the control date of
Administration ‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish December 31, 2015, in the Federal
to remain anonymous). Register informs reef fish fishery
50 CFR Part 622 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: participants of the Council’s
[Docket No. 160502383–6483–01] Susan Gerhart, NMFS Southeast considerations, and gives notice to
Regional Office, telephone: 727–824– anyone entering the reef fish fishery
RIN 0648–BG05 5305, or email: susan.gerhart@noaa.gov. after the control date that they would
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In early not be assured of participating in the
Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish 2015, the Council requested the allocation-based program should the
Resources of the Gulf of Mexico; development of Amendment 42 to the program be implemented using the
Recreational Management Measures; Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish
control date as an eligibility criterion.
Control Date Resources of the Gulf of Mexico
Implementation of any such program
(Amendment 42) to address
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries requires preparation of an amendment
management for the headboat
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and component of the Gulf reef fish fishery to the respective fishery management
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), recreational sector. Management plan and publication of a notice of
Commerce. measures under consideration in availability and proposed rule in the
ACTION: Advanced notice of proposed Amendment 42 include allocation-based Federal Register with public comment
rulemaking; request for comments. programs. The purpose of the proposed periods, and, if approved by the
measures in Amendment 42 is to reduce Secretary of Commerce, issuance of a
SUMMARY: This notice announces the management uncertainty and improve final rule.
establishment of a control date of economic conditions for operators and The establishment of a control date
December 31, 2015, that the Gulf of owners of Gulf reef fish headboats, and does not commit the Council or NMFS
Mexico Fishery Management Council provide flexibility by increasing fishing to any particular management decisions.
(Council) may use if it decides to create opportunities for their angler passengers
an allocation-based program for Gulf of The Council may or may not make use
through a management program for Gulf of this control date as part of the
Mexico (Gulf) reef fish headboats that headboats participating in the SRHS.
participate in the Southeast Region requirements for any allocation-based
In the Gulf, there is a Federal charter management program developed
Headboat Survey (SRHS). Vessels that vessel/headboat permit for reef fish and
begin participating in the SRHS after the through Amendment 42. Fishermen are
the permit does not distinguish between
control date may not be able to not guaranteed future participation in a
headboats and charter vessels. The
participate in the proposed program, SRHS collects catch and effort data from possible program, regardless of their
and landings after the control date may headboats in the Southeast Region, entry date into the fishery. The Council
not be used in determining allocations. thereby producing a catch history for may take action that would affect
NMFS invites comments on the each vessel included in the survey. In participants who were in the SRHS
establishment of this control date. addition, for fishery managers, the prior to the control date, or the Council
DATES: Written comments must be SRHS continues to be the sole source for may choose to take no further action to
received by July 15, 2016. effort and landings estimates for the develop an allocation-based
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments headboat component as a whole. For management program.
on the proposed rule identified by these reasons, the vessels eligible to This notification also gives the public
‘‘NOAA–NMFS–2016–0056’’ by either participate in the program developed in notice that interested participants
of the following methods: Amendment 42 are those vessels with should locate and preserve records that
• Electronic Submission: Submit all Federal charter vessel/headboat permits substantiate and verify their
electronic public comments via the for reef fish that also have landings in participation in the headboat
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to the SRHS. The availability of vessel- component of the Gulf reef fish fishery
www.regulations.gov/ specific landings data through the SRHS and the SRHS.
#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2016- may allow development of an
0056, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, allocation-based management program Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
complete the required fields, and enter for headboats using those landings Dated: June 9, 2016.
or attach your comments. histories. Samuel D. Rauch III,
• Mail: Submit written comments to This notice informs current and
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Susan Gerhart, NMFS Southeast potential participants in the headboat
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue component of the Gulf reef fish fishery Fisheries Service.
South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. that the Council intends to consider
[FR Doc. 2016–14082 Filed 6–14–16; 8:45 am]
Instructions: Comments sent by any limiting participation in any allocation-
other method, to any other address or based management program developed BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
individual, or received after the end of through Amendment 42 to only vessels
the comment period, may not be with landings in the SRHS on or before
considered by NMFS. All comments December 31, 2015. Vessels joining the
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
received are a part of the public record SRHS after this date may not be eligible
and will generally be posted for public to participate in an allocation-based
viewing on www.regulations.gov program that could be developed as part
without change. All personal identifying of Amendment 42, and landings after
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), this control date may not be used in
confidential business information, or determining possible allocations. An
otherwise sensitive information analysis of specific biological,
VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:37 Jun 14, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\15JNP1.SGM 15JNP1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/81_FR_39131/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2016-06-15 02:21:34
Document Modified: 2016-06-15 02:21:34
| 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 | Proposed Rules | |
| Action | Advanced notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comments. | |
| Dates | Written comments must be received by July 15, 2016. | |
| Contact | Susan Gerhart, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, or email: [email protected]gov. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 39016 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-BG05 |
2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR