81_FR_46752 81 FR 46615 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Georges Bank Cod Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery

81 FR 46615 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Georges Bank Cod Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 137 (July 18, 2016)

Page Range46615-46615
FR Document2016-16891

This action closes the Georges Bank Cod Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area to Northeast multispecies common pool vessels fishing with trawl gear, sink gillnet gear, and longline/hook gear for the remainder of Trimester 1, through August 31, 2016. The closure is required by regulation because the common pool fishery has caught 90 percent of its Trimester 1 quota for Georges Bank cod. This closure is intended to prevent an overage of the common pool's quota for this stock.This action is effective July 13, 2016, through August 31, 2016.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 137 (Monday, July 18, 2016) 
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 137 (Monday, July 18, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 46615]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16891]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 151211999-6343-02]
RIN 0648-XE720


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery; Georges Bank Cod Trimester Total Allowable Catch 
Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; area closure.

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SUMMARY: This action closes the Georges Bank Cod Trimester Total 
Allowable Catch Area to Northeast multispecies common pool vessels 
fishing with trawl gear, sink gillnet gear, and longline/hook gear for 
the remainder of Trimester 1, through August 31, 2016. The closure is 
required by regulation because the common pool fishery has caught 90 
percent of its Trimester 1 quota for Georges Bank cod. This closure is 
intended to prevent an overage of the common pool's quota for this 
stock.This action is effective July 13, 2016, through August 31, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Liz Sullivan, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 282-8493.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal regulations at Sec.  
648.82(n)(2)(ii) require the Regional Administrator to close a common 
pool Trimester Total Allowable Catch (TAC) Area for a stock when 90 
percent of the Trimester TAC is projected to be caught. The closure 
applies to all common pool vessels fishing with gear capable of 
catching that stock for the remainder of the trimester.
    As of July 11, 2016, the common pool fishery caught between 79 and 
89 percent of the Trimester 1 TAC (3.3 mt) for Georges Bank (GB) cod. 
We project that 90 percent of the Trimester 1 TAC will be caught within 
a few days. The fishing year 2016 common pool sub-annual catch limit 
(sub-ACL) for GB cod is 13.2 mt.
    Effective July 13, 2016, the GB Cod Trimester TAC Area is closed 
for the remainder of Trimester 1, through August 31, 2016, to all 
common pool vessels fishing with trawl gear, sink gillnet gear, and 
longline/hook gear. The GB Cod Trimester TAC Area consists of 
statistical areas 521, 522, 525, and 561. The area reopens at the 
beginning of Trimester 2 on September 1, 2016.
    If a vessel declared its trip through the Vessel Monitoring System 
(VMS) or the interactive voice response system, and crossed the VMS 
demarcation line prior to July 13, 2016, it may complete its trip 
within the Trimester TAC Area.
    Any overage of the Trimester 1 or 2 TACs must be deducted from the 
Trimester 3 TAC. If the common pool fishery exceeds its sub-ACL for the 
2016 fishing year, the overage must be deducted from the common pool's 
sub-ACL for fishing year 2017. Any uncaught portion of the Trimester 1 
and Trimester 2 TACs is carried over into the next trimester. However, 
any uncaught portion of the common pool's sub-ACL may not be carried 
over into the following fishing year.
    Weekly quota monitoring reports for the common pool fishery are on 
our Web site at: http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/ro/fso/MultiMonReports.htm. We will continue to monitor common pool catch 
through vessel trip reports, dealer-reported landings, VMS catch 
reports, and other available information, and, if necessary, we will 
make additional adjustments to common pool management measures.

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, finds good cause 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive prior 
notice and the opportunity for public comment and the 30-day delayed 
effectiveness period because it would be impracticable and contrary to 
the public interest.
    Regulations require the Regional Administrator to close a trimester 
TAC area to the common pool fishery when 90 percent of the Trimester 
TAC for a stock has been caught. Updated catch information only 
recently became available indicating that the common pool fishery will 
catch 90 percent of its Trimester 1 TAC for GB cod in the week of July 
11, 2016. The time necessary to provide for prior notice and comment, 
and a 30-day delay in effectiveness, prevents the immediate closure of 
the GB Cod Trimester 1 TAC Area. Delaying the effective date of a 
closure increases the likelihood that the common pool fishery will 
exceed its quota of GB cod to the detriment of this stock, which could 
undermine management objectives of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery 
Management Plan. Additionally, an overage of the common pool quota 
could cause negative economic impacts to the common pool fishery as a 
result of overage paybacks in a future trimester or fishing year.

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

    Dated: July 13, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-16891 Filed 7-13-16; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 137 / Monday, July 18, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 46615 and managing the fishery at optimum intended to prevent an overage of the Web site at: http://www.greateratlantic yield. Moreover, NMFS previously common pool’s quota for this stock.This .fisheries.noaa.gov/ro/fso/ solicited, and considered, public action is effective July 13, 2016, through MultiMonReports.htm. We will continue comments on the rule that established August 31, 2016. to monitor common pool catch through the catch limit (79 FR 19487, April 9, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Liz vessel trip reports, dealer-reported 2014), including a provision for issuing Sullivan, Fishery Management landings, VMS catch reports, and other a notice to close the fishery, if Specialist, (978) 282–8493. available information, and, if necessary, necessary, to prevent exceeding the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal we will make additional adjustments to catch limit. For the same reasons, NMFS regulations at § 648.82(n)(2)(ii) require common pool management measures. has also determined there is good cause the Regional Administrator to close a Classification to waive the requirement for a 30-day common pool Trimester Total delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. Allowable Catch (TAC) Area for a stock This action is required by 50 CFR part 553(d)(3). when 90 percent of the Trimester TAC 648 and is exempt from review under This action is required by § 300.25(b) is projected to be caught. The closure Executive Order 12866. and is exempt from review under applies to all common pool vessels The Assistant Administrator for Executive Order 12866. fishing with gear capable of catching Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause Authority: 16 U.S.C. 951 et seq. that stock for the remainder of the pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 5 trimester. U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive prior notice Dated: July 13, 2016. As of July 11, 2016, the common pool Emily H. Menashes, and the opportunity for public comment fishery caught between 79 and 89 Acting Director, Office of Sustainable and the 30-day delayed effectiveness percent of the Trimester 1 TAC (3.3 mt) Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. period because it would be for Georges Bank (GB) cod. We project [FR Doc. 2016–16893 Filed 7–13–16; 4:15 pm] impracticable and contrary to the public that 90 percent of the Trimester 1 TAC interest. BILLING CODE 3510–22–P will be caught within a few days. The fishing year 2016 common pool sub- Regulations require the Regional annual catch limit (sub-ACL) for GB cod Administrator to close a trimester TAC DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE is 13.2 mt. area to the common pool fishery when Effective July 13, 2016, the GB Cod 90 percent of the Trimester TAC for a National Oceanic and Atmospheric stock has been caught. Updated catch Trimester TAC Area is closed for the Administration information only recently became remainder of Trimester 1, through August 31, 2016, to all common pool available indicating that the common 50 CFR Part 648 pool fishery will catch 90 percent of its vessels fishing with trawl gear, sink [Docket No. 151211999–6343–02] gillnet gear, and longline/hook gear. The Trimester 1 TAC for GB cod in the week GB Cod Trimester TAC Area consists of of July 11, 2016. The time necessary to RIN 0648–XE720 statistical areas 521, 522, 525, and 561. provide for prior notice and comment, Fisheries of the Northeastern United The area reopens at the beginning of and a 30-day delay in effectiveness, States; Northeast Multispecies Trimester 2 on September 1, 2016. prevents the immediate closure of the Fishery; Georges Bank Cod Trimester If a vessel declared its trip through the GB Cod Trimester 1 TAC Area. Delaying Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) or the the effective date of a closure increases the Common Pool Fishery interactive voice response system, and the likelihood that the common pool crossed the VMS demarcation line prior fishery will exceed its quota of GB cod AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries to July 13, 2016, it may complete its trip to the detriment of this stock, which Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and within the Trimester TAC Area. could undermine management Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Any overage of the Trimester 1 or 2 objectives of the Northeast Multispecies Commerce. TACs must be deducted from the Fishery Management Plan. Additionally, ACTION: Temporary rule; area closure. Trimester 3 TAC. If the common pool an overage of the common pool quota fishery exceeds its sub-ACL for the 2016 could cause negative economic impacts SUMMARY: This action closes the Georges fishing year, the overage must be to the common pool fishery as a result Bank Cod Trimester Total Allowable deducted from the common pool’s sub- of overage paybacks in a future trimester Catch Area to Northeast multispecies ACL for fishing year 2017. Any or fishing year. common pool vessels fishing with trawl uncaught portion of the Trimester 1 and Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. gear, sink gillnet gear, and longline/ Trimester 2 TACs is carried over into hook gear for the remainder of Trimester the next trimester. However, any Dated: July 13, 2016. 1, through August 31, 2016. The closure uncaught portion of the common pool’s Emily H. Menashes, is required by regulation because the sub-ACL may not be carried over into Acting Director, Office of Sustainable common pool fishery has caught 90 the following fishing year. Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. percent of its Trimester 1 quota for Weekly quota monitoring reports for [FR Doc. 2016–16891 Filed 7–13–16; 4:15 pm] Georges Bank cod. This closure is the common pool fishery are on our BILLING CODE 3510–22–P asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:07 Jul 15, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\18JYR1.SGM 18JYR1


Document Created: 2016-07-16 02:28:29
Document Modified: 2016-07-16 02:28:29
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; area closure.
ContactLiz Sullivan, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 282-8493.
FR Citation81 FR 46615 
RIN Number0648-XE72
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