82_FR_59766 82 FR 59526 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate Complex; Adjustment to the Skate Wing Inseason Possession Limit

82 FR 59526 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate Complex; Adjustment to the Skate Wing Inseason Possession Limit

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 240 (December 15, 2017)

Page Range59526-59527
FR Document2017-27082

NMFS announces the reduction of the commercial skate wing fishery per-trip possession limit for the remainder of the 2017 fishing year, through April 30, 2018. This possession limit reduction is necessary to prevent the skate wing commercial quota from being exceeded, while still allowing the opportunity to harvest the annual total allowable landings. This announcement also informs the public that the skate wing possession limit is reduced.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 240 (Friday, December 15, 2017) 
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 240 (Friday, December 15, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 59526-59527]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27082]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 160301164-6694-02]
RIN 0648-XF883


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate 
Complex; Adjustment to the Skate Wing 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: NMFS announces the reduction of the commercial skate wing 
fishery per-trip possession limit for the remainder of the 2017 fishing 
year, through April 30, 2018. This possession limit reduction is 
necessary to prevent the skate wing commercial quota from being 
exceeded, while still allowing the opportunity to harvest the annual 
total allowable landings. This announcement also informs the public 
that the skate wing possession limit is reduced.

DATES: Effective December 27, 2017, through April 30, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Hanson, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9180, or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The skate wing and bait fisheries are 
managed through the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan; 
the regulations for which are found at 50 CFR part 648, subpart O. 
Regulations at Sec.  648.322(b)(2) describe the process of adjusting 
the commercial possession limit of skate wings. When 85 percent of the 
annual total allowable landings (TAL) for skate wing fishery is 
projected to be harvested, the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional 
Administrator may reduce the skate wing possession limit to the 
incidental limit, unless the reduction would be expected to prevent 
attainment of the annual TAL. The initial skate wing possession limit 
is 4,100 lb (1,860 kg) of wings (9,307 lb (4,222 kg) whole weight). 
When the 85-percent trigger is reached, this is reduced to the 
incidental limit of and 500 lb (227 kg) of wings (1,135 lb (515 kg) 
whole weight). We anticipate that implementing this inseason adjustment 
will allow the opportunity for the skate wing fishery to harvest the 
annual TAL while reducing the possibility of exceeding it.
    Based on commercial landings data reported through December 2, 
2017, we project the skate wing fishery to reach 85 percent of the 
annual TAL (18.46 million lb, 8,372 mt) on or about December 11, 2017. 
Furthermore, without adjustment, there is a high probability that skate 
wing landings will exceed the TAL before the end of the fishing year. 
Therefore, consistent with Sec.  648.322(b)(2), we are reducing the 
skate wing possession limit from 4,100 lb (1,860 kg) of skate wings 
(9,307 lb (4,222 kg) whole weight) to 500 lb (227 kg) of skate wings 
(1,135 lb (515 kg) whole weight) per trip. At the request of industry 
to allow adequate time for safe gear removal, we are affording a 14-day 
notice period before implementing this reduction. Effective December 
27, 2017, no person may possess on board or land more than 500 lb (227 
kg) of skate wings (1,135 lb (515 kg) whole weight), or any prorated 
combination of skate wings and whole skates based on the conversion 
factor for wing weight to whole weight of 2.27, per trip for the 
remainder of the 2017 fishing year. This action does not affect vessels 
fishing under a skate bait letter of authorization. On May 1, 2018, the 
2018 fishing year begins, and the commercial skate wing possession 
limit will increase to the skate wing season 1 (May 1, 2018, to August 
31, 2018) possession limit of 2,600 lb (1,179 kg) of skate wings (5,902 
lb (2,677 kg) whole weight) per trip.

[[Page 59527]]

Classification

    This action is taken under 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) to waive prior notice and the 
opportunity for public comment because it would be contrary to the 
public interest. This action lowers the possession limit for the 
commercial skate wing fishery to the incidental limit in order to 
prevent the annual quota from being exceeded, while still allowing the 
opportunity to harvest the annual TAL. The regulations at Sec.  
648.322(b)(2) allow such action when landings reach a trigger of 85 
percent of the annual TAL to ensure this TAL is not exceeded. If 
implementation of this reduction were delayed to solicit prior public 
comment, the quota for this fishing year would likely be exceeded, 
thereby undermining the conservation objectives of the Northeast Skate 
Complex Fishery Management Plan. The Assistant Administrator further 
finds, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), good cause to waive the 30-day 
delayed effectiveness period for the reason stated above.

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

    Dated: December 12, 2017.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-27082 Filed 12-12-17; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

59526 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 240 / Friday, December 15, 2017 / Rules and Regulations closure, the bag and possession limits DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE attainment of the annual TAL. The for gray triggerfish in or from the Gulf initial skate wing possession limit is EEZ are zero. The commercial sector for National Oceanic and Atmospheric 4,100 lb (1,860 kg) of wings (9,307 lb gray triggerfish in or from the Gulf EEZ Administration (4,222 kg) whole weight). When the 85- is closed from June 1 through July 31, percent trigger is reached, this is each year. During the period of both the 50 CFR Part 648 reduced to the incidental limit of and commercial and recreational closure, all 500 lb (227 kg) of wings (1,135 lb (515 harvest or possession in or from the Gulf [Docket No. 160301164–6694–02] kg) whole weight). We anticipate that EEZ of gray triggerfish is prohibited and RIN 0648–XF883 implementing this inseason adjustment the sale and purchase of gray triggerfish will allow the opportunity for the skate taken from the Gulf EEZ is prohibited. Fisheries of the Northeastern United wing fishery to harvest the annual TAL * * * * * States; Northeast Skate Complex; while reducing the possibility of ■ 3. In § 622.37, revise paragraph (c)(1) Adjustment to the Skate Wing exceeding it. to read as follows: Inseason Possession Limit Based on commercial landings data § 622.37 Size limits. AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries reported through December 2, 2017, we * * * * * Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and project the skate wing fishery to reach (c) * * * Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 85 percent of the annual TAL (18.46 (1) Gray triggerfish. (i) For a person Commerce. million lb, 8,372 mt) on or about not subject to the bag limit specified in ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason December 11, 2017. Furthermore, § 622.38(b)(5)—14 inches (35.6 cm), fork adjustment. without adjustment, there is a high length. probability that skate wing landings will (ii) For a person subject to the bag SUMMARY: NMFS announces the exceed the TAL before the end of the limit specified in § 622.38(b)(5)—15 reduction of the commercial skate wing fishing year. Therefore, consistent with inches (38.1 cm), fork length. fishery per-trip possession limit for the § 648.322(b)(2), we are reducing the * * * * * remainder of the 2017 fishing year, skate wing possession limit from 4,100 through April 30, 2018. This possession ■ 4. In § 622.38, revise paragraph (b)(5) lb (1,860 kg) of skate wings (9,307 lb limit reduction is necessary to prevent to read as follows: (4,222 kg) whole weight) to 500 lb (227 the skate wing commercial quota from being exceeded, while still allowing the kg) of skate wings (1,135 lb (515 kg) § 622.38 Bag and possession limits. opportunity to harvest the annual total whole weight) per trip. At the request of * * * * * industry to allow adequate time for safe (b) * * * allowable landings. This announcement also informs the public that the skate gear removal, we are affording a 14-day (5) Gulf reef fish, combined, wing possession limit is reduced. notice period before implementing this excluding those specified in paragraphs (b)(1) through (4) and paragraphs (b)(6) reduction. Effective December 27, 2017, DATES: Effective December 27, 2017, and (7) of this section—20. In addition, through April 30, 2018. no person may possess on board or land within the 20-fish aggregate reef fish bag more than 500 lb (227 kg) of skate wings FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: limit, no more than 1 fish may be gray (1,135 lb (515 kg) whole weight), or any Cynthia Hanson, Fishery Management prorated combination of skate wings triggerfish and no more than 10 fish may Specialist, (978) 281–9180, or be vermilion snapper. and whole skates based on the Cynthia.Hanson@noaa.gov. * * * * * conversion factor for wing weight to SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The skate whole weight of 2.27, per trip for the ■ 5. In § 622.43, revise paragraph (b) to wing and bait fisheries are managed read as follows: remainder of the 2017 fishing year. This through the Northeast Skate Complex action does not affect vessels fishing § 622.43 Commercial trip limits. Fishery Management Plan; the under a skate bait letter of authorization. regulations for which are found at 50 * * * * * On May 1, 2018, the 2018 fishing year CFR part 648, subpart O. Regulations at (b) Gray triggerfish. Until the begins, and the commercial skate wing § 648.322(b)(2) describe the process of commercial ACT (commercial quota) possession limit will increase to the adjusting the commercial possession specified in § 622.39(a)(1)(vi) is skate wing season 1 (May 1, 2018, to limit of skate wings. When 85 percent reached—16 fish. See § 622.39(b) for the August 31, 2018) possession limit of of the annual total allowable landings limitations regarding gray triggerfish 2,600 lb (1,179 kg) of skate wings (5,902 (TAL) for skate wing fishery is projected after the commercial ACT (commercial lb (2,677 kg) whole weight) per trip. to be harvested, the NMFS Greater quota) is reached. Atlantic Regional Administrator may * * * * * reduce the skate wing possession limit [FR Doc. 2017–27068 Filed 12–14–17; 8:45 am] to the incidental limit, unless the BILLING CODE 3510–22–P reduction would be expected to prevent nshattuck on DSK9F9SC42PROD with RULES VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:15 Dec 14, 2017 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\15DER1.SGM 15DER1

Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 240 / Friday, December 15, 2017 / Rules and Regulations 59527 Classification annual quota from being exceeded, Assistant Administrator further finds, This action is taken under 50 CFR while still allowing the opportunity to pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), good part 648 and is exempt from review harvest the annual TAL. The regulations cause to waive the 30-day delayed under Executive Order 12866. at § 648.322(b)(2) allow such action effectiveness period for the reason The Assistant Administrator for when landings reach a trigger of 85 stated above. Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause percent of the annual TAL to ensure this Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive TAL is not exceeded. If implementation of this reduction were delayed to solicit Dated: December 12, 2017. prior notice and the opportunity for public comment because it would be prior public comment, the quota for this Emily H. Menashes, contrary to the public interest. This fishing year would likely be exceeded, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable action lowers the possession limit for thereby undermining the conservation Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. the commercial skate wing fishery to the objectives of the Northeast Skate [FR Doc. 2017–27082 Filed 12–12–17; 4:15 pm] incidental limit in order to prevent the Complex Fishery Management Plan. The BILLING CODE 3510–22–P nshattuck on DSK9F9SC42PROD with RULES VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:15 Dec 14, 2017 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\15DER1.SGM 15DER1


Document Created: 2017-12-15 03:37:03
Document Modified: 2017-12-15 03:37:03
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; inseason adjustment.
DatesEffective December 27, 2017, through April 30, 2018.
ContactCynthia Hanson, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281-9180, or [email protected]
FR Citation82 FR 59526 
RIN Number0648-XF88
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