82 FR 37359 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery; Adjustment to the Northern Red Hake Inseason Possession Limit

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 153 (August 10, 2017)

Page Range		37359-37359
FR Document		2017-16850

We announce the reduction of the commercial per-trip possession limit for northern red hake for the remainder of the 2017 fishing year. This action is required to prevent the northern red hake total allowable landing limit from being exceeded. This announcement informs the public that the northern red hake possession limit is reduced from 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) to 400 lb (181 kg).

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 153 (Thursday, August 10, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 153 (Thursday, August 10, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 37359]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16850]



[[Page 37359]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 120109034-2171-01]
RIN 0648-XF471


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Small-Mesh 
Multispecies Fishery; Adjustment to the Northern Red Hake Inseason 
Possession Limit

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.

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SUMMARY: We announce the reduction of the commercial per-trip 
possession limit for northern red hake for the remainder of the 2017 
fishing year. This action is required to prevent the northern red hake 
total allowable landing limit from being exceeded. This announcement 
informs the public that the northern red hake possession limit is 
reduced from 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) to 400 lb (181 kg).

DATES: Effective August 7, 2017, through April 30, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-675-9112.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Regulations governing the red hake fishery are found at 50 CFR part 
648. The small-mesh multispecies fishery is managed primarily through a 
series of exemptions from the Northeast Multispecies Fisheries 
Management Plan. The regulations describing the process to adjust 
inseason commercial possession limits of northern red hake are 
described in Sec.  648.86(d)(4) and (5). These regulations require the 
NMFS Regional Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region, to reduce the 
northern red hake possession limit from 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) to 400 lb 
(181 kg) when landings have been projected to reach or exceed 37.9 
percent of the total allowable landings (TAL), unless such a reduction 
would be expected to prevent the TAL from being reached. The final rule 
implementing the small-mesh multispecies specifications for 2016-2017 
(81 FR 41866; June 28, 2015) set the northern red hake inseason 
adjustment thresholds. Those thresholds were revised in the final rule 
implementing the 2017 northern red hake accountability measures (82 FR 
21477; May 9, 2017), which reduce the inseason possession limit 
reduction threshold from 62.5 percent to 37.9 percent of the TAL and 
removed an additional threshold at 45 percent. This trip limit 
adjustment threshold is an accountability measure implemented because 
the annual catch limits (ACL) for northern red hake were exceeded in 
fishing year 2015.

Inseason Action

    Using commercial landings data reported through August 3, 2017, the 
northern red hake fishery is projected to reach 37.9 percent of the TAL 
on August 7, 2017. Based on this projection, we are required to reduce 
the commercial northern red hake possession limit from 3,000 lb (1,361 
kg) to 400 lb (181 kg) to prevent the TAL from being exceeded. On the 
effective date of this action, no person may possess on board or land 
more than 400 lb (181 kg) of northern red hake per trip for the 
remainder of the fishing year (i.e., through April 30, 2018).

Classification

    This action is taken under 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: August 4, 2017.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-16850 Filed 8-7-17; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

$Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 153 / Thursday, August 10, 2017 / Rules and Regulations 37359 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: trip limit adjustment threshold is an accountability measure implemented National Oceanic and Atmospheric Background because the annual catch limits (ACL) Administration Regulations governing the red hake for northern red hake were exceeded in fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. fishing year 2015. 50 CFR Part 648 The small-mesh multispecies fishery is managed primarily through a series of Inseason Action [Docket No. 120109034–2171–01] exemptions from the Northeast Using commercial landings data RIN 0648–XF471 Multispecies Fisheries Management reported through August 3, 2017, the Plan. The regulations describing the northern red hake fishery is projected to Fisheries of the Northeastern United process to adjust inseason commercial States; Small-Mesh Multispecies reach 37.9 percent of the TAL on August possession limits of northern red hake 7, 2017. Based on this projection, we are Fishery; Adjustment to the Northern are described in § 648.86(d)(4) and (5). Red Hake Inseason Possession Limit required to reduce the commercial These regulations require the NMFS northern red hake possession limit from AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Regional Administrator, Greater Atlantic 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) to 400 lb (181 kg) to Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Region, to reduce the northern red hake prevent the TAL from being exceeded. Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), possession limit from 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) On the effective date of this action, no Commerce. to 400 lb (181 kg) when landings have person may possess on board or land ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason been projected to reach or exceed 37.9 more than 400 lb (181 kg) of northern adjustment. percent of the total allowable landings red hake per trip for the remainder of (TAL), unless such a reduction would the fishing year (i.e., through April 30, SUMMARY: We announce the reduction of be expected to prevent the TAL from the commercial per-trip possession limit 2018). being reached. The final rule for northern red hake for the remainder implementing the small-mesh Classification of the 2017 fishing year. This action is multispecies specifications for 2016– required to prevent the northern red 2017 (81 FR 41866; June 28, 2015) set This action is taken under 50 CFR hake total allowable landing limit from the northern red hake inseason part 648 and is exempt from review being exceeded. This announcement adjustment thresholds. Those thresholds under Executive Order 12866. informs the public that the northern red were revised in the final rule Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. hake possession limit is reduced from implementing the 2017 northern red 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) to 400 lb (181 kg). Dated: August 4, 2017. hake accountability measures (82 FR DATES: Effective August 7, 2017, through 21477; May 9, 2017), which reduce the Emily H. Menashes, April 30, 2018. inseason possession limit reduction Acting Director, Office of Sustainable FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid threshold from 62.5 percent to 37.9 Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. Lichwell, Fishery Management percent of the TAL and removed an [FR Doc. 2017–16850 Filed 8–7–17; 4:15 pm] Specialist, 978–675–9112. additional threshold at 45 percent. This BILLING CODE 3510–22–P mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with RULES VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:09 Aug 09, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\10AUR1.SGM 10AUR1$

Document Created: 2017-08-10 01:01:21
Document Modified: 2017-08-10 01:01:21

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 August 7, 2017, through April 30, 2018.
Contact		Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management Specialist, 978-675-9112.
FR Citation		82 FR 37359
RIN Number		0648-XF47

82 FR 37359 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery; Adjustment to the Northern Red Hake Inseason Possession Limit

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 153 (August 10, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration