83 FR 11164 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Electronic Reporting for Federally Permitted Charter Vessels and Headboats in Atlantic Fisheries
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 50 (March 14, 2018)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 50 (March 14, 2018)
| Page Range | 11164-11167 | |
| FR Document | 2018-05191 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 14, 2018)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 11164-11167] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-05191] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 622 RIN 0648-BG75 Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Electronic Reporting for Federally Permitted Charter Vessels and Headboats in Atlantic Fisheries AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of availability (NOA); request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) and Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) have submitted the For-hire Reporting Amendment for review, approval, and implementation by NMFS. The For-hire Reporting Amendment includes Amendment 27 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP) Resources of the Gulf and Atlantic Region (CMP FMP), Amendment 9 to the FMP for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States (Dolphin Wahoo FMP), and Amendment 39 to the FMP for Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (Snapper-Grouper FMP). If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the For-hire Reporting Amendment would establish new, and revise existing, electronic reporting requirements for federally permitted charter vessels and headboats (for-hire vessels), respectively. The For-hire Reporting Amendment would require a charter vessel with a Federal charter vessel/ headboat permit for Atlantic CMP, Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper species to submit an electronic fishing report weekly, or at shorter intervals if notified by NMFS, through NMFS approved hardware and software. The For-hire Reporting Amendment would also reduce the time allowed for headboats to submit an electronic fishing report. The purpose of the For-hire Reporting Amendment is to increase and improve fisheries information collected from federally permitted for-hire vessels in the Atlantic. The information is expected to improve recreational fisheries management of the for-hire component in the Atlantic. [[Page 11165]] DATES: Written comments on the For-hire Reporting Amendment must be received by May 13, 2018. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the For-hire Reporting Amendment, identified by ``NOAA-NMFS-2017-0152,'' by either of the following methods:Electronic submission: Submit all electronic comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NMFS-2017-0152, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. Mail: Submit all written comments to Karla Gore, 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 required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Electronic copies of the For-hire Reporting Amendment may be obtained from www.regulations.gov or the Southeast Regional Office website at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_sa/generic/2017/for_hire_reporting/index.html. The For-hire Reporting Amendment includes an environmental assessment, regulatory impact review, Regulatory Flexibility Act analysis, and fishery impact statement. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karla Gore, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, or email: [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires each regional fishery management council to submit any fishery management plan or amendment to NMFS for review and approval, partial approval, or disapproval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP or amendment, publish an announcement in the Federal Register notifying the public that the FMP or amendment is available for review and comment. The FMPs being revised by the For-hire Reporting Amendment were prepared by the South Atlantic Council and the Gulf Council, and the For-hire Reporting Amendment, if approved, would be implemented by NMFS through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Background The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that NMFS and regional fishery management councils prevent overfishing and achieve, on a continuing basis, the optimum yield from federally managed fish stocks. These mandates are intended to ensure that fishery resources are managed for the greatest overall benefit to the nation, particularly with respect to providing food production and recreational opportunities, and protecting marine ecosystems. To further this goal, the Magnuson- Stevens Act states that the collection of reliable data is essential to the effective conservation, management, and scientific understanding of the nation's fishery resources. On July 1, 2012, NMFS implemented management measures contained in Amendment 18A to the Snapper-Grouper FMP, which established a provision that allowed the Science Research Director (SRD) at the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) to require for-hire vessels fishing for snapper-grouper species, when selected by the SRD, to submit fishing reports electronically on a weekly or daily basis to the SEFSC to better improve data on catch and bycatch (77 FR 32408, June 1, 2012). However, upon implementation of Amendment 18A in 2012, a data system to collect electronic reports had not been developed and no vessels were selected by the SEFSC for electronic reporting. Therefore, both prior to and after the implementation of Amendment 18A, only paper logbook forms were used to collect fishing reports from selected for- hire vessels. In 2013, an electronic logbook reporting requirement for federally permitted headboats fishing for Atlantic CMP, dolphin and wahoo, and snapper-grouper species was implemented by the final rule for Amendment 22 to the CMP FMP, Amendment 6 to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP, and Amendment 31 to the Snapper-Grouper FMP (collectively referred to as the Headboat Reporting Amendment) to improve the quality and timeliness of catch data (78 FR 78779, December 27, 2013). The final rule for the Headboat Reporting Amendment required all headboats with a Federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Atlantic CMP, Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper species to report landings electronically on a weekly basis to the SEFSC. The final rule also implemented a provision that authorizes NMFS to require reporting more frequently than weekly if notified by the SRD, and prohibits headboats from continuing to fish if they are delinquent in submitting reports. This headboat reporting program, called the Southeast Region Headboat Survey (SRHS), is managed and operated by the SEFSC. Currently, headboats submit an electronic fishing report to NMFS via the internet by the Sunday following the end of each reporting week, which runs from Monday through Sunday. The For-hire Reporting Amendment would shorten the time to report and proposes that headboats submit electronic fishing reports to NMFS by the Tuesday following the end of a reporting week, which would make the reporting deadline for headboats consistent with the proposed reporting deadline for federally permitted charter vessels. The South Atlantic Council believes that changing the timing of reporting would achieve consistency between federally permitted headboats and the proposed charter vessel reporting requirements. In addition, the South Atlantic Council believes that the shortened window for reporting could reduce recall bias and improve the timeliness of data availability. Similarly, the For-hire Reporting Amendment also would require that information from a federally permitted charter vessel be reported weekly, through the submission of electronic fishing reports on Tuesday following a reporting week. Currently, landings and discards from federally permitted charter vessels in Atlantic CMP, Atlantic dolphin wahoo, and South Atlantic snapper-grouper fisheries are monitored through the survey of charter vessels by the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). Fishing effort is calculated based on a monthly phone sample of federally permitted charter vessels, though the phone survey is transitioning to a new mail survey. Catch rate observations and catch sampling are provided through dockside monitoring, also conducted by MRIP. This MRIP charter vessel information is then available in 2-month increments known as waves, so that there are six waves during the calendar year, e.g., January through February, March through April, etc. If NMFS implements the electronic reporting requirements described in the For-hire Reporting Amendment, the MRIP survey [[Page 11166]] of charter vessels would continue until the proposed electronic reporting program described in the For-hire Reporting Amendment is certified by NMFS, and then the electronic reporting program replaces the MRIP survey of charter vessels. Accurate and reliable fisheries information about catch, effort, and discards is critical to stock assessment and management evaluations. In addition, catch from federally permitted charter vessels represents a substantial portion of the total recreational catch for some South Atlantic Council managed fish species, such as king mackerel, black sea bass, dolphin, and wahoo. The South Atlantic Council believes that weekly electronic reporting for federally permitted charter vessels could provide more timely information than the current MRIP survey, and more accurate and reliable information for many species with low catches, low annual catch limits, or for species that are only rarely encountered by fishery participants. However, the South Atlantic Council recognizes that before the electronic reporting program described in this amendment could replace the MRIP survey program, the individual states would have to implement a similar for- hire electronic reporting requirement. The South Atlantic Council has determined that weekly electronic reporting by all federally permitted charter vessels would be expected to enhance data collection efforts for potentially better fisheries management, such as through more data- rich stock assessments. Actions Contained in the For-Hire Reporting Amendment The For-hire Reporting Amendment includes actions to establish weekly electronic reporting for federally permitted charter vessels in the previously described Atlantic fisheries, and change the electronic reporting deadline for federally permitted headboats. The For-hire Reporting Amendment would also require an owner or operator of a federally permitted charter vessel to report their fishing locations to the nearest square nautical mile, or in degrees and minutes. Electronic Reporting by Federally Permitted Charter Vessels In the For-hire Reporting Amendment, the South Atlantic Council has stated their need for increased data collection from federally permitted charter vessels, such as reporting fishing locations, compared with what the MRIP survey currently provides, as well as more timely data submission. The South Atlantic Council has determined that weekly reporting by federally permitted charter vessels could make data available to the science and management process more quickly and could improve data accuracy, as reports would be completed shortly after each trip. The For-hire Reporting Amendment would require an owner or operator of a charter vessel with a Federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Atlantic CMP species, Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper to submit an electronic fishing report to NMFS weekly, or at intervals shorter than a week if notified by the SRD, regardless if they were fishing in state or Federal waters, or what species they caught. The use of NMFS approved hardware and software would be required to submit weekly electronic fishing reports by the Tuesday following each reporting week. If the For-hire Reporting Amendment is approved and implemented, a federally permitted charter vessel fishing for Atlantic CMP, or dolphin and wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper species would be required to submit an electronic fishing report using hardware and software that meets NMFS technical requirements and has been type approved by NMFS. NMFS approved hardware could include electronic devices such as computers, tablets, and smartphones that allow for internet access and are capable of operating approved software. NMFS is currently evaluating potential software applications for the electronic for-hire reporting program and is considering the use of existing software applications already being used by partners in the region, including e- trips online and e-trips mobile, which are products developed by the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program. Hardware and software that meet the NMFS type approval would be posted on the NMFS Southeast Region website upon publication of any final rule to implement the for- hire electronic reporting program. An electronic fishing report would be required from a charter vessel regardless of where fishing occurs or which species are caught or harvested. For example, a vessel subject to these proposed requirements under a Federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Atlantic CMP, Atlantic dolphin wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper must report if they fish in state waters, in the Gulf, or in any other area. If a charter vessel does not fish during a week, submission of a ``no-fishing'' report would be required by the Tuesday of the following week. The SEFSC would allow an advance submission of a no-fishing report for up to 30 days, as they currently allow for headboats. In an effort to reduce duplicative reporting by charter vessels, fishermen with Federal charter vessel/headboat permits subject to electronic reporting requirements in other regions, such as the Mid- Atlantic and as proposed by the Gulf Council for the Gulf, would be required to comply with the electronic reporting program that is more restrictive, regardless of where fishermen are fishing. For example, the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) has implemented an electronic reporting requirement for owners and operators of a charter vessel or party boat (headboat) issued a Federal for-hire permit for species managed by Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to submit an electronic vessel trip report using NMFS-approved software within 48 hours of completing a for-hire fishing trip (82 FR 42610, September 11, 2017). Because NMFS GARFO requires more restrictive reporting than what is proposed in the For-hire Reporting Amendment, owners and operators of a vessel issued a Federal for-hire permit for species in both the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic would be required to report under the electronic reporting program managed by GARFO, regardless of where fishing occurs or what species are caught. The Gulf Council has also recommended amendments to their Gulf CMP FMP and their FMP for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico to address for-hire electronic reporting. The Gulf Council has submitted these amendments for review and implementation by the Secretary of Commerce. The Gulf Council's recommendations of for-hire electronic reporting for charter vessels are more stringent than those reporting requirements contained in the For-hire Reporting Amendment. The proposed Gulf for-hire electronic reporting program would require trip- level reporting, a pre-trip notification to NMFS, and location information monitored by a vessel monitoring system, among other requirements. Thus, an owner or operator of a charter vessel that has been issued Federal charter vessel/headboat permits for applicable fisheries in both the Atlantic and the Gulf would be required to comply with the Gulf Council's more stringent for-hire electronic reporting program requirements, if the Gulf Council's amendments to address for- hire electronic reporting are approved and implemented. The intent of the South Atlantic Council is to prevent a vessel with multiple Federal for-hire [[Page 11167]] permits from having to report to multiple reporting programs. A headboat with Federal charter vessel/headboat permits for applicable fisheries in both the Atlantic and the Gulf would continue to be required to comply with the electronic reporting requirements in effect based on where they are fishing, e.g., in the Atlantic or the Gulf. If NMFS implements the measures in the For-hire Reporting Amendment before approving and implementing the Gulf Council's amendments for the for- hire electronic reporting program, vessels issued the applicable Federal charter vessel/headboat permits in the Atlantic and Gulf would be required to comply with the Atlantic electronic reporting program until a Gulf electronic reporting program is implemented, even if the for-hire trips only occur in the Gulf. Then, if NMFS implements the Gulf for-hire electronic reporting program, fishermen on for-hire vessels would need to comply with the Gulf electronic reporting program. The For-hire Reporting Amendment also extends other provisions to federally permitted charter vessels that currently apply to headboats for reporting during catastrophic conditions, delinquent reporting, and video monitoring. During catastrophic conditions, NMFS may accept paper reporting forms, and can modify or waive reporting requirements. A delinquent report results in a prohibition on the harvest or possession of the applicable species by the charter vessel permit holder until all required and delinquent reports have been submitted and received by NMFS according to the reporting requirements. Finally, charter vessels must participate in a video monitoring program if selected by the SRD. Location Reporting The For-hire Reporting Amendment specifies core data elements to be collected through the for-hire electronic reporting program. These core data elements include, but are not limited to, information about the permit holder, vessel, location fished, catch, discards, fishing effort, and socio-economic data. Other information that could further benefit the management of federally permitted for-hire vessels included under the For-hire Reporting Amendment may also be subject to collection as determined by NMFS in the future. If approved by the Secretary of Commerce, the For-hire Reporting Amendment would require charter vessels to report their locations fished by either inputting their latitude and longitude in an electronic reporting program or by selecting their fishing locations on a geographic grid in an electronic reporting program. The location accuracy of either reporting method would be to the nearest square nautical mile, or degrees and minutes. This location reporting requirement is consistent with what is collected currently for headboats in the SRHS. Timing of Electronic Reporting by Federally Permitted Headboats The For-hire Reporting Amendment also revises the reporting deadline for federally permitted headboats to submit electronic fishing reports to further improve the accuracy and timeliness of data reported through the SRHS. Headboats currently submit an electronic fishing report for each trip at weekly intervals, or at intervals shorter than a week if notified by the SRD. Electronic fishing reports are currently due by the Sunday following a reporting week, where the reporting week runs from Monday through Sunday; in other words, reports are due within 7 days after a reporting week ends. The For-hire Reporting Amendment would change the deadline for headboats to submit an electronic fishing report after a reporting week ends. Headboats would continue to submit electronic fishing reports through the SRHS on a weekly basis with reports due on each Tuesday following a reporting week; in other words, reports would be due within 2 days after a reporting week ends. This proposed change would make the reporting deadline for headboats consistent with the proposed reporting deadline for charter vessels. Headboats with applicable Federal charter vessel/headboat permits in both Atlantic and Gulf fisheries would continue to be required to comply with the electronic reporting standards in effect based on where they are fishing, e.g., in the Atlantic or the Gulf. Other than changing the deadline for submitting the fishing reports, no other aspect of the headboat reporting program would be changed by the For- hire Reporting Amendment. Proposed Rule for the For-Hire Reporting Amendment A proposed rule that would implement the For-hire Reporting Amendment has been drafted. In accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is evaluating the proposed rule to determine whether it is consistent with the FMPs, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable laws. If that determination is affirmative, NMFS will publish the proposed rule in the Federal Register for public review and comment. Consideration of Public Comments The South Atlantic Council has submitted the For-hire Reporting Amendment for Secretarial review, approval, and implementation. Comments on the For-hire Reporting Amendment must be received by May 13, 2018. Comments received during the respective comment periods, whether specifically directed to the For-hire Reporting Amendment or the proposed rule will be considered by NMFS in the decision to approve, disapprove, or partially approve the For-hire Reporting Amendment. Comments received after the comment periods will not be considered by NMFS in this decision. All comments received by NMFS on the amendment or the proposed rule during their respective comment periods will be addressed in the final rule. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: March 9, 2018. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018-05191 Filed 3-13-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![11164 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2018 / Proposed Rules
use changes, and densities of livestock www.regulations.gov in Docket No. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
and deer. FWS–R2–ES–2016–0110. Once
Abundance monitoring would focus approved, the final black-capped vireo National Oceanic and Atmospheric
on known black-capped vireo localities PDM plan and any future PDM plan Administration
under some form of management and for revisions will be available at
which the SSA Report forecasted future www.regulations.gov and on our web 50 CFR Part 622
persistence. Through monitoring these page (http://endangered.fws.gov) and
localities, we can track abundance the Arlington Ecological Services Field RIN 0648–BG75
trends and compare those to the SSA
Office web page (https://www.fws.gov/
Report forecasts. Additionally, four Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of
southwest/es/ArlingtonTexas/).
major localities with several years of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Electronic
population trend data will continue to Request for Public Comments Reporting for Federally Permitted
be monitored to detect changes in trends Charter Vessels and Headboats in
over the 12-year period. In conjunction We intend for our final PDM plan to Atlantic Fisheries
with abundance monitoring, a subset of be as accurate and as effective as
vireo nests will be monitored to possible. Therefore, we request AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
determine brown-headed cowbird comments or suggestions on this black- Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
parasitism rates at these localities. The capped vireo draft PDM plan from the Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
PDM plan defines monitoring public, concerned governmental Commerce.
thresholds which, if reached, may result agencies, the scientific community, ACTION: Notice of availability (NOA);
in additional actions. The monitoring industry, or any other interested party. request for comments.
thresholds are based on maintaining We will take into consideration
resiliency, redundancy, and substantive comments we receive by the SUMMARY: The South Atlantic Fishery
representation, as described in the comment due date (see DATES). These Management Council (South Atlantic
black-capped vireo SSA Report. Land comments, and any additional Council) and Gulf of Mexico (Gulf)
use trends, livestock, and deer within
information we receive, may lead us to Fishery Management Council (Gulf
the vireo’s range will also be monitored
develop a final PDM plan that differs Council) have submitted the For-hire
to ensure we detect changes that may
from this draft PDM plan. If you have Reporting Amendment for review,
affect the species.
The draft PDM plan includes both already submitted a comment in approval, and implementation by
interim and final reporting response to the proposed rule, the NMFS. The For-hire Reporting
requirements. If PDM results in a comment has been incorporated into the Amendment includes Amendment 27 to
concern regarding the vireo’s status or record for the rulemaking, is being the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for
increasing threats, possible responses considered, and does not need to be Coastal Migratory Pelagic (CMP)
may include an extended or intensified submitted again. Resources of the Gulf and Atlantic
monitoring effort, additional research, Region (CMP FMP), Amendment 9 to
Before including your address, phone the FMP for the Dolphin and Wahoo
or an increased effort to improve habitat number, email address, or other
and reduce the threat. If future Fishery off the Atlantic States (Dolphin
personal identifying information in your Wahoo FMP), and Amendment 39 to the
information collected from the PDM, or comment, you should be aware that
any other reliable source, indicates an FMP for Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the
your entire document—including your South Atlantic Region (Snapper-
increased likelihood that the species
personal identifying information—may Grouper FMP). If approved by the
may become in danger of extinction, we
be made publicly available at any time. Secretary of Commerce, the For-hire
will initiate a black-capped vireo status
review and determine if re-listing the While you may request at the top of Reporting Amendment would establish
species is warranted. your document that we withhold this new, and revise existing, electronic
In addition to public review of the information from public review, we reporting requirements for federally
draft PDM plan, we are requesting cannot guarantee that we will be able to permitted charter vessels and headboats
independent expert peer review from do so. (for-hire vessels), respectively. The For-
knowledgeable individuals with hire Reporting Amendment would
Authors require a charter vessel with a Federal
scientific expertise that includes
knowledge of song bird ecology and The primary authors of this document charter vessel/headboat permit for
conservation biology principles. Draft are staff at the Arlington Ecological Atlantic CMP, Atlantic dolphin and
PDM plan peer review is in accordance Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES). wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-
with our policy ‘‘Notice of Interagency grouper species to submit an electronic
Cooperative Policy for Peer Review in Authority fishing report weekly, or at shorter
Endangered Species Act Activities,’’ intervals if notified by NMFS, through
The authority for this action is the NMFS approved hardware and software.
published on July 1, 1994 (59 FR
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 The For-hire Reporting Amendment
34270).
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). would also reduce the time allowed for
Viewing Documents headboats to submit an electronic
Dated: February 7, 2018.
Comments and materials we receive James W. Kurth. fishing report. The purpose of the For-
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
from the public and peer reviewers, as hire Reporting Amendment is to
Deputy Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
well as supporting documentation we increase and improve fisheries
Service Exercising the Authority of the
used in preparing the draft PDM plan, Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
information collected from federally
will be available for public inspection permitted for-hire vessels in the
[FR Doc. 2018–05146 Filed 3–13–18; 8:45 am]
by appointment, during normal business Atlantic. The information is expected to
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
hours at the Arlington Ecological improve recreational fisheries
Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES) management of the for-hire component
and on the internet at in the Atlantic.
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![Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 50 / Wednesday, March 14, 2018 / Proposed Rules 11167
permits from having to report to Other information that could further Headboats with applicable Federal
multiple reporting programs. A benefit the management of federally charter vessel/headboat permits in both
headboat with Federal charter vessel/ permitted for-hire vessels included Atlantic and Gulf fisheries would
headboat permits for applicable under the For-hire Reporting continue to be required to comply with
fisheries in both the Atlantic and the Amendment may also be subject to the electronic reporting standards in
Gulf would continue to be required to collection as determined by NMFS in effect based on where they are fishing,
comply with the electronic reporting the future. e.g., in the Atlantic or the Gulf. Other
requirements in effect based on where If approved by the Secretary of than changing the deadline for
they are fishing, e.g., in the Atlantic or Commerce, the For-hire Reporting submitting the fishing reports, no other
the Gulf. If NMFS implements the Amendment would require charter aspect of the headboat reporting
measures in the For-hire Reporting vessels to report their locations fished program would be changed by the For-
Amendment before approving and by either inputting their latitude and hire Reporting Amendment.
implementing the Gulf Council’s longitude in an electronic reporting Proposed Rule for the For-Hire
amendments for the for-hire electronic program or by selecting their fishing Reporting Amendment
reporting program, vessels issued the locations on a geographic grid in an
applicable Federal charter vessel/ electronic reporting program. The A proposed rule that would
headboat permits in the Atlantic and location accuracy of either reporting implement the For-hire Reporting
Gulf would be required to comply with method would be to the nearest square Amendment has been drafted. In
the Atlantic electronic reporting nautical mile, or degrees and minutes. accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens
program until a Gulf electronic This location reporting requirement is Act, NMFS is evaluating the proposed
reporting program is implemented, even consistent with what is collected rule to determine whether it is
if the for-hire trips only occur in the currently for headboats in the SRHS. consistent with the FMPs, the
Gulf. Then, if NMFS implements the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other
Gulf for-hire electronic reporting Timing of Electronic Reporting by applicable laws. If that determination is
program, fishermen on for-hire vessels Federally Permitted Headboats affirmative, NMFS will publish the
would need to comply with the Gulf proposed rule in the Federal Register
The For-hire Reporting Amendment
electronic reporting program. for public review and comment.
also revises the reporting deadline for
The For-hire Reporting Amendment
federally permitted headboats to submit Consideration of Public Comments
also extends other provisions to
electronic fishing reports to further The South Atlantic Council has
federally permitted charter vessels that
improve the accuracy and timeliness of submitted the For-hire Reporting
currently apply to headboats for
data reported through the SRHS. Amendment for Secretarial review,
reporting during catastrophic
Headboats currently submit an approval, and implementation.
conditions, delinquent reporting, and
electronic fishing report for each trip at Comments on the For-hire Reporting
video monitoring. During catastrophic
weekly intervals, or at intervals shorter Amendment must be received by May
conditions, NMFS may accept paper
than a week if notified by the SRD. 13, 2018. Comments received during the
reporting forms, and can modify or
Electronic fishing reports are currently respective comment periods, whether
waive reporting requirements. A
due by the Sunday following a reporting specifically directed to the For-hire
delinquent report results in a
week, where the reporting week runs Reporting Amendment or the proposed
prohibition on the harvest or possession
from Monday through Sunday; in other rule will be considered by NMFS in the
of the applicable species by the charter
words, reports are due within 7 days decision to approve, disapprove, or
vessel permit holder until all required
after a reporting week ends. partially approve the For-hire Reporting
and delinquent reports have been
submitted and received by NMFS The For-hire Reporting Amendment Amendment. Comments received after
according to the reporting requirements. would change the deadline for the comment periods will not be
Finally, charter vessels must participate headboats to submit an electronic considered by NMFS in this decision.
in a video monitoring program if fishing report after a reporting week All comments received by NMFS on the
selected by the SRD. ends. Headboats would continue to amendment or the proposed rule during
submit electronic fishing reports their respective comment periods will
Location Reporting through the SRHS on a weekly basis be addressed in the final rule.
The For-hire Reporting Amendment with reports due on each Tuesday Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
specifies core data elements to be following a reporting week; in other
collected through the for-hire electronic words, reports would be due within 2 Dated: March 9, 2018.
reporting program. These core data days after a reporting week ends. This Emily H. Menashes,
elements include, but are not limited to, proposed change would make the Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
information about the permit holder, reporting deadline for headboats Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
vessel, location fished, catch, discards, consistent with the proposed reporting [FR Doc. 2018–05191 Filed 3–13–18; 8:45 am]
fishing effort, and socio-economic data. deadline for charter vessels. BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS
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Document Created: 2018-03-14 01:06:18
Document Modified: 2018-03-14 01:06:18
| 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 | Notice of availability (NOA); request for comments. | |
| Dates | Written comments on the For-hire Reporting Amendment must be received by May 13, 2018. | |
| Contact | Karla Gore, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, or email: [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 83 FR 11164 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-BG75 |
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