82 FR 13562 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Adjustment of Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Yellowtail Flounder Annual Catch Limits
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 48 (March 14, 2017)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 48 (March 14, 2017)
| Page Range | 13562-13563 | |
| FR Document | 2017-04959 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 14, 2017)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 13562-13563] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-04959] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 170207156-7225-01] RIN 0648-XF219 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Adjustment of Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Yellowtail Flounder Annual Catch Limits AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; adjustment of annual catch limits. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This action transfers unused quota of Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder from the Atlantic scallop fishery to the Northeast multispecies fishery for the remainder of the 2016 fishing year, which ends on April 30, 2017. This quota transfer is justified when the scallop fishery is not expected to catch its entire allocations of yellowtail flounder. The quota transfer is intended to provide additional fishing opportunities for groundfish vessels to help achieve the optimum yield for these stocks while ensuring sufficient amounts of yellowtail flounder are available for the scallop fishery. DATES: Effective March 13, 2017, through April 30, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Keiley, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281-9116. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS is required to estimate the total amount of yellowtail flounder catch from the scallop fishery on or around January 15 each year. If the scallop fishery is expected to catch less than 90 percent of its Georges Bank (GB) or Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) yellowtail flounder sub-ACL, the Regional Administrator (RA) has the authority to reduce the scallop fishery sub- annual catch limit (sub-ACL) for these stocks to the amount projected to be caught, and increase the groundfish fishery sub-ACL for these stocks up to the amount reduced from the scallop fishery. This adjustment is intended to help achieve optimum yield for these stocks, while not threatening an overage of the ACLs for the stocks by the groundfish and scallop fisheries. Based on the most current available data, we project that the scallop fishery will have unused quota in the 2016 fishing year. The scallop fishery is projected to catch approximately 2 mt of GB yellowtail flounder, or 5 percent of its 2016 fishing year sub-ACL, and approximately 17 mt of SNE/MA yellowtail flounder, or 53 percent of its 2016 fishing year sub-ACL. Because the scallop fishery is not expected to catch its entire allocation of GB and SNE/MA yellowtail flounder, this rule reduces the scallop sub-ACL for both stocks to the upper limit projected to be caught, and increases the groundfish sub-ACLs for these stocks by the same amount, effective March 13, 2017, through April 30, 2017. This transfer is based on the upper limit of expected yellowtail flounder catch by the scallop fishery, which is expected to minimize any risk of an ACL overage by the scallop fishery while still providing additional fishing opportunities for groundfish vessels. Table 1 summarizes the revisions to the 2016 fishing year sub-ACLs, and Table 2 shows the revised allocations for the groundfish fishery as allocated between the sectors and common pool based on final sector membership for fishing year 2016. [[Page 13563]] Table 1--Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Yellowtail Flounder Sub-ACLs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Initial sub- Revised sub- Percent Stock Fishery ACL (mt) ACL (mt) Change (mt) change ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GB Yellowtail Flounder........ Groundfish...... 211 250.8 +39.8 +19 Scallop......... 42 2.2 -39.8 -95 SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder.... Groundfish...... 189 204.2 +15.2 +8 Scallop......... 32 16.8 -15.2 -48 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table 2--Allocations for Sectors and the Common Pool [In pounds] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GB yellowtail flounder SNE/MA yellowtail flounder Sector name --------------------------------------------------------------- Revised Original Revised Original ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fixed Gear Sector/FGS........................... 78 66 1,664 1,540 Maine Coast Community Sector.................... 20 17 3,460 3,203 Maine Permit Bank............................... 76 64 143 132 Northeast Coastal Communities Sector............ 4,620 3,887 3,238 2,997 North East Fishery Sector (NEFS) 1.............. .............. .............. .............. .............. NEFS 2.......................................... 10,312 8,675 7,779 7,200 NEFS 3.......................................... 248 209 300 277 NEFS 4.......................................... 11,951 10,055 10,569 9,783 NEFS 5.......................................... 7,443 6,262 104,801 97,000 NEFS 6.......................................... 14,943 12,571 23,697 21,933 NEFS 7.......................................... 18,865 15,872 11,114 10,287 NEFS 8.......................................... 58,817 49,483 23,468 21,722 NEFS 9.......................................... 139,287 117,183 39,219 36,300 NEFS 10......................................... 6 5 2,388 2,210 NEFS 11......................................... 8 7 79 73 NEFS 12......................................... 2 2 47 44 NEFS 13......................................... 190,714 160,449 94,545 87,507 New Hampshire Permit Bank....................... 0 0 0 0 Sustainable Harvest Sector 1.................... 6,702 5,639 2,691 2,491 Sustainable Harvest Sector 2.................... 12,216 10,278 10,095 9,344 Sustainable Harvest Sector 3.................... 68,558 57,678 33,573 31,074 Common Pool..................................... 8,053 6,775 77,312 71,558 Sector Total.................................... 544,866 458,400 372,871 345,116 Groundfish Total................................ 552,919 465,175 450,184 416,674 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Classification Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that the management measures implemented in this final rule are necessary for the conservation and management of the Northeast multispecies fishery and consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the opportunity for public comment for these adjustments because notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest. NMFS is required to project GB and SNE/MA yellowtail flounder catch in the scallop fishery on or around January 15 of each year so that projected unused quota can be transferred to the groundfish fishery. The data did not become available until February 8, 2017. There is insufficient time to allow for prior public notice and comment for the transfer of quota for these yellowtail flounder if the transfer is to be of benefit to the groundfish fishery. The Northeast multispecies fishing year ends on April 30, 2017. If NMFS allowed for the time necessary to provide for prior notice and comment, it would be unlikely that the transfer would occur in time to allow groundfish vessels to harvest the additional quota of these stocks before the end of the fishing year. As a result, groundfish fishermen would not receive additional allocation that is intended to offset their current negative economic circumstances due to the severe decreases in ACLs of several important groundfish stocks. Giving effect to this rule as soon as possible will help relieve fishermen from more restrictive ACLs for the yellowtail stocks and help achieve optimum yield in the fishery. For these same reasons, the NMFS Assistant Administrator also finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness for this action. Further, there is no need to allow the industry additional time to adjust to this rule because it does not require any compliance or other action on the part of individual scallop or groundfish fishermen. Because notice and opportunity for comment are not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not required and one has not been prepared. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: March 9, 2017. Alan D. Risenhoover, Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2017-04959 Filed 3-13-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![13562 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 48 / Tuesday, March 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
two hours by the following rates for the charge search fees (or in the case of a help achieve the optimum yield for
staff conducting the search: requester described under paragraph these stocks while ensuring sufficient
(i) $7.00 per quarter hour for clerical (l)(1) of this section, duplication fees) if amounts of yellowtail flounder are
staff; the agency has provided a timely available for the scallop fishery.
(ii) $10.00 per quarter hour for written notice to the requester in DATES: Effective March 13, 2017,
professional staff; and accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B) through April 30, 2017.
(iii) $14.00 per quarter hour for and the agency has discussed with the
managerial personnel. requester via written mail, electronic FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
(3) Only fees in excess of $10.00 will mail, or telephone (or made not less Emily Keiley, Fishery Management
be assessed. This means that the total than 3 good-faith attempts to do so) how Specialist, (978) 281–9116.
cost must be greater than $10.00, either the requester could effectively limit the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS is
for the cost of the search (for time in scope of the request in accordance with required to estimate the total amount of
excess of two hours), for the cost of 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B)(ii). yellowtail flounder catch from the
duplication (for pages in excess of 100), (3) If a court has determined that scallop fishery on or around January 15
or for both costs combined. exceptional circumstances exist (as that each year. If the scallop fishery is
(j) Searches for electronic records. The term is defined in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(C)), expected to catch less than 90 percent
Agency shall charge for actual direct a failure described in 5 U.S.C. of its Georges Bank (GB) or Southern
cost of the search, including computer 552(a)(6)(B) shall be excused for the New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA)
search time, runs, and the operator’s length of time provided by the court yellowtail flounder sub-ACL, the
salary. The fee for computer output order. Regional Administrator (RA) has the
shall be actual direct costs. For authority to reduce the scallop fishery
Dated: January 18, 2017.
requesters in the ‘‘all other’’ category, sub-annual catch limit (sub-ACL) for
Nancy M. Ware,
when the cost of the search (including these stocks to the amount projected to
the operator time and the cost of Director.
[FR Doc. 2017–01602 Filed 3–13–17; 8:45 am]
be caught, and increase the groundfish
operating the computer to process a fishery sub-ACL for these stocks up to
request) equals the equivalent dollar BILLING CODE 3129–04–P
the amount reduced from the scallop
amount of two hours of the salary of the fishery. This adjustment is intended to
person performing the search (i.e., the help achieve optimum yield for these
operator), the charge for the computer DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE stocks, while not threatening an overage
search will begin. of the ACLs for the stocks by the
(k) Aggregating requests. When the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration groundfish and scallop fisheries.
Agency reasonably believes that a
requester or group of requesters is Based on the most current available
attempting to break a request down into 50 CFR Part 648 data, we project that the scallop fishery
a series of requests for the purpose of will have unused quota in the 2016
[Docket No. 170207156–7225–01] fishing year. The scallop fishery is
evading the assessment of fees, the
Agency shall aggregate any such RIN 0648–XF219 projected to catch approximately 2 mt of
requests and charge accordingly. GB yellowtail flounder, or 5 percent of
(l) The agency shall not assess any Fisheries of the Northeastern United its 2016 fishing year sub-ACL, and
search fees (or in the case of an States; Northeast Multispecies approximately 17 mt of SNE/MA
educational or noncommercial scientific Fishery; Adjustment of Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, or 53 percent of its
institution, or a representative of the and Southern New England/Mid- 2016 fishing year sub-ACL. Because the
news media—duplication fees) under Atlantic Yellowtail Flounder Annual scallop fishery is not expected to catch
this paragraph (l) if the agency has Catch Limits its entire allocation of GB and SNE/MA
failed to comply with any time limit AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries yellowtail flounder, this rule reduces
under 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6) and Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and the scallop sub-ACL for both stocks to
§ 802.6(b)(1). Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the upper limit projected to be caught,
(1) If an agency has determined that Commerce. and increases the groundfish sub-ACLs
unusual circumstances apply (as the for these stocks by the same amount,
ACTION: Temporary rule; adjustment of
term is defined in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B)) effective March 13, 2017, through April
annual catch limits.
and the agency provided a timely 30, 2017. This transfer is based on the
written notice to the requester in SUMMARY: This action transfers unused upper limit of expected yellowtail
accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B), a quota of Georges Bank and Southern flounder catch by the scallop fishery,
failure described in 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(6)(B) New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail which is expected to minimize any risk
is excused for an additional 10 days. If flounder from the Atlantic scallop of an ACL overage by the scallop fishery
the agency fails to comply with the fishery to the Northeast multispecies while still providing additional fishing
extended time limit, the agency may not fishery for the remainder of the 2016 opportunities for groundfish vessels.
assess any search fees (or in the case of fishing year, which ends on April 30, Table 1 summarizes the revisions to
a requester as described under this 2017. This quota transfer is justified the 2016 fishing year sub-ACLs, and
paragraph (l)(1), duplication fees). when the scallop fishery is not expected Table 2 shows the revised allocations
(2) If an agency has determined that to catch its entire allocations of for the groundfish fishery as allocated
unusual circumstances apply and more yellowtail flounder. The quota transfer between the sectors and common pool
rmajette on DSK30RV082PROD with RULES
than 5,000 pages are necessary to is intended to provide additional fishing based on final sector membership for
respond to the request, an agency may opportunities for groundfish vessels to fishing year 2016.
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![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 48 / Tuesday, March 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations 13563
TABLE 1—GEORGES BANK AND SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND/MID-ATLANTIC YELLOWTAIL FLOUNDER SUB-ACLS
Initial Revised Change Percent
Stock Fishery sub-ACL sub-ACL (mt) change
(mt) (mt)
GB Yellowtail Flounder ......................................... Groundfish .................... 211 250.8 +39.8 +19
Scallop .......................... 42 2.2 ¥39.8 ¥95
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder ................................ Groundfish .................... 189 204.2 +15.2 +8
Scallop .......................... 32 16.8 ¥15.2 ¥48
TABLE 2—ALLOCATIONS FOR SECTORS AND THE COMMON POOL
[In pounds]
GB yellowtail flounder SNE/MA yellowtail flounder
Sector name
Revised Original Revised Original
Fixed Gear Sector/FGS ................................................................................... 78 66 1,664 1,540
Maine Coast Community Sector ...................................................................... 20 17 3,460 3,203
Maine Permit Bank .......................................................................................... 76 64 143 132
Northeast Coastal Communities Sector .......................................................... 4,620 3,887 3,238 2,997
North East Fishery Sector (NEFS) 1 ............................................................... ........................ ........................ ........................ ........................
NEFS 2 ............................................................................................................ 10,312 8,675 7,779 7,200
NEFS 3 ............................................................................................................ 248 209 300 277
NEFS 4 ............................................................................................................ 11,951 10,055 10,569 9,783
NEFS 5 ............................................................................................................ 7,443 6,262 104,801 97,000
NEFS 6 ............................................................................................................ 14,943 12,571 23,697 21,933
NEFS 7 ............................................................................................................ 18,865 15,872 11,114 10,287
NEFS 8 ............................................................................................................ 58,817 49,483 23,468 21,722
NEFS 9 ............................................................................................................ 139,287 117,183 39,219 36,300
NEFS 10 .......................................................................................................... 6 5 2,388 2,210
NEFS 11 .......................................................................................................... 8 7 79 73
NEFS 12 .......................................................................................................... 2 2 47 44
NEFS 13 .......................................................................................................... 190,714 160,449 94,545 87,507
New Hampshire Permit Bank .......................................................................... 0 0 0 0
Sustainable Harvest Sector 1 .......................................................................... 6,702 5,639 2,691 2,491
Sustainable Harvest Sector 2 .......................................................................... 12,216 10,278 10,095 9,344
Sustainable Harvest Sector 3 .......................................................................... 68,558 57,678 33,573 31,074
Common Pool .................................................................................................. 8,053 6,775 77,312 71,558
Sector Total ..................................................................................................... 544,866 458,400 372,871 345,116
Groundfish Total .............................................................................................. 552,919 465,175 450,184 416,674
Classification become available until February 8, 2017. waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness
Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the There is insufficient time to allow for for this action. Further, there is no need
Magnuson-Stevens Act, the NMFS prior public notice and comment for the to allow the industry additional time to
Assistant Administrator has determined transfer of quota for these yellowtail adjust to this rule because it does not
that the management measures flounder if the transfer is to be of benefit require any compliance or other action
implemented in this final rule are to the groundfish fishery. The Northeast on the part of individual scallop or
necessary for the conservation and multispecies fishing year ends on April groundfish fishermen.
management of the Northeast 30, 2017. If NMFS allowed for the time
Because notice and opportunity for
multispecies fishery and consistent with necessary to provide for prior notice and
comment are not required pursuant to 5
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other comment, it would be unlikely that the
U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the
applicable law. transfer would occur in time to allow
groundfish vessels to harvest the analytical requirements of the
This action is authorized by 50 CFR
additional quota of these stocks before Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601
part 648 and is exempt from review
the end of the fishing year. As a result, et seq.) are inapplicable. Therefore, a
under Executive Order 12866.
The Assistant Administrator for groundfish fishermen would not receive regulatory flexibility analysis is not
Fisheries finds good cause pursuant to additional allocation that is intended to required and one has not been prepared.
5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice offset their current negative economic Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
and the opportunity for public comment circumstances due to the severe Dated: March 9, 2017.
for these adjustments because notice decreases in ACLs of several important
and comment would be impracticable groundfish stocks. Giving effect to this Alan D. Risenhoover,
and contrary to the public interest. rule as soon as possible will help relieve Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for
rmajette on DSK30RV082PROD with RULES
NMFS is required to project GB and fishermen from more restrictive ACLs Regulatory Programs, National Marine
SNE/MA yellowtail flounder catch in for the yellowtail stocks and help Fisheries Service.
the scallop fishery on or around January achieve optimum yield in the fishery. [FR Doc. 2017–04959 Filed 3–13–17; 8:45 am]
15 of each year so that projected unused For these same reasons, the NMFS BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
quota can be transferred to the Assistant Administrator also finds good
groundfish fishery. The data did not cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to
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Document Created: 2017-03-14 02:51:31
Document Modified: 2017-03-14 02:51:31
| 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; adjustment of annual catch limits. | |
| Dates | Effective March 13, 2017, through April 30, 2017. | |
| Contact | Emily Keiley, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281-9116. | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 13562 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XF21 |
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