83_FR_29583 83 FR 29461 - Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Annual Specifications

83 FR 29461 - Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Annual Specifications

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 122 (June 25, 2018)

Page Range29461-29463
FR Document2018-13583

NMFS issues this rule to implement annual management measures and catch limits for the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine, for the fishing year lasting from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019. This action includes a prohibition on directed commercial fishing for Pacific sardine off the U.S. West Coast, except in the live bait, tribal, or minor directed fisheries. This action is intended to conserve and manage the Pacific sardine stock off the U.S. West Coast.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 122 (Monday, June 25, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 122 (Monday, June 25, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29461-29463]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13583]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 180320301-8551-02]
RIN 0648-XG121


Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species 
Fisheries; Annual Specifications

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

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS issues this rule to implement annual management measures 
and catch limits for the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine, for 
the fishing year lasting from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019. This 
action includes a prohibition on directed commercial fishing for 
Pacific sardine off the U.S. West Coast, except in the live bait, 
tribal, or minor directed fisheries. This action is intended to 
conserve and manage the Pacific sardine stock off the U.S. West Coast.

DATES: Effective July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua Lindsay, West Coast Region, 
NMFS, (562) 980-4034, joshua.lindsay@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the Pacific sardine fishery in 
the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the West Coast (California, 
Oregon, and Washington) in accordance with the Coastal Pelagic Species 
(CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The FMP and its implementing 
regulations require NMFS to set annual catch levels for the Pacific 
sardine fishery based on the annual specification framework and control 
rules in the FMP. These control rules include the harvest guideline 
(HG) control rule, which, in conjunction with the overfishing limit 
(OFL) and acceptable biological catch (ABC) rules in the FMP, are used 
to manage harvest levels for Pacific sardine, in accordance with the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act). Annual specifications published in the Federal Register 
establish these catch limits and management measures for each Pacific 
sardine fishing year.
    The purpose of this final rule is to implement the annual catch 
levels and reference points for the 2018-2019 fishing year. This final 
rule adopts, without changes, the catch levels and

[[Page 29462]]

restrictions that NMFS proposed in the rule published on May 25, 2018 
(83 FR 24269), including the OFL and ABC that takes into consideration 
uncertainty surrounding the current estimate of biomass for Pacific 
sardine in the U.S. EEZ off the U.S. West Coast. The proposed rule for 
this action included additional background on specifications and the 
details of how the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) derived 
its recommended specifications for Pacific sardine. Those details are 
not repeated here. For additional information, please refer to the 
proposed rule for this action.

                                 Table 1--Reference Points for the 2018-2019 Pacific Sardine Fishing Year in Metric Tons
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                           Tribal set-
                          Biomass estimate                                 OFL              ABC               HG              ACL             aside
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
52,065.............................................................          11,324            9,436                0            7,000              800
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This final rule implements an OFL of 11,324 metric tons (mt), an 
ABC of 9,436 mt, and a prohibition on Pacific sardine catch, unless it 
is harvested as part of the live bait, tribal, or minor directed 
fisheries, or as incidental catch in other fisheries (Table 1). 
Additionally, this rule implements an ACL of 7,000 mt, as well as 
restrictions on the incidental catch of Pacific sardine by other 
fisheries.
    The incidental catch of Pacific sardine in other CPS fisheries will 
be managed with the following automatic inseason actions to reduce the 
potential for both targeting and discard of Pacific sardine in these 
fisheries:
     An incidental per landing by weight allowance of 40 
percent Pacific sardine in non-treaty CPS fisheries until a total of 
2,500 mt of Pacific sardine has been landed; and
     A reduction of the incidental per landing allowance to 20 
percent for the remainder of the 2018-2019 fishing year once 2,500 mt 
Pacific sardine has been landed.
    Pacific sardine is known to comingle with other CPS stocks; thus, 
these incidental allowances are established to allow for the continued 
prosecution of these other important CPS fisheries and reduce the 
potential discard of sardine. Additionally, this final rule implements 
an incidental per landing allowance of up to 2 mt per trip in non-CPS 
fisheries.
    The NMFS West Coast Regional Administrator will publish a notice in 
the Federal Register to announce when catch reaches the incidental 
limits as well as any changes to allowable incidental catch 
percentages. Additionally, to ensure that the regulated community is 
informed of any closure, NMFS will make announcements through other 
means available, including fax, email, and mail to fishermen, 
processors, and state fishery management agencies.
    As explained in the proposed rule, the Quinault Indian Nation 
requested a set-aside for tribal harvest of 800 mt (the same amount 
that was requested and approved for the 2017-2018 fishing season). 
Consistent with this request, NMFS is setting aside 800 mt of the 2018-
2019 ACL for tribal harvest (Table 1).
    At the April 2018 meeting, the Council voted in support of two 
exempted fishing permit (EFP) proposals requesting an exemption from 
the prohibition to directly harvest Pacific sardine. The ACL 
implemented in this action accounts for the potential of NMFS approval 
of up to 610 mt of the ACL to be harvested for EFP activities.

Comments and Responses

    On May 25, 2018, NMFS published a proposed rule for this action and 
solicited public comments (83 FR 24269), with a public comment period 
that ended on June 11, 2018. NMFS received one comment letter from the 
environmental advocacy organization Oceana during the comment period. 
After consideration of the public comment, no changes were made from 
the proposed rule. NMFS summarizes and responds to the comment letter 
below.
    Comment 1: Oceana supported the prohibition on non-tribal directed 
commercial sardine fishing, but opposed the proposed ACL level of 7,000 
mt. Oceana instead requested that NMFS set an ACL of no more than 2,000 
mt. Oceana commented that the proposed ACL of 7,000 mt is excessive and 
not commensurate with the decline in sardine biomass and that NMFS 
should reduce the ACL to 2,000 mt.
    Response: NMFS disagrees that it is necessary to set the ACL lower 
than 7,000 mt. The ACL should be viewed in the context of the approved 
northern subpopulation of Pacific Sardine OFL (11,324 mt) and ABC 
(9,436 mt), which has been reduced from the OFL to account for 
scientific uncertainty. The Council's SSC endorsed the OFL and ABC, 
which are derived from control rules in the FMP, as the best scientific 
information available. The CPS FMP defines overfishing as catch 
exceeding the OFL. By definition, if catch approaches either the ACL or 
ABC, which are set below the OFL, overfishing would not be occurring. 
This rule conservatively limits harvest levels by all sources with an 
ACL of 7,000 mt, which is below both the OFL and ABC. All incidental 
catch, live bait, minor directed, and tribal harvest of sardine are 
managed to stay at or below the ACL. Additionally, as a direct result 
of the decline in the estimated biomass from the last fishing year, the 
OFL and ABC implemented through this action are respectively 
approximately 33 and 40 percent lower than those implemented last year.
    Small pelagic species, such as sardine, undergo wide natural 
fluctuations in abundance related to environmental conditions, even in 
the absence of fishing pressure. Given that environmental conditions 
are a strong driver for small pelagic species biomass, and the fact 
that 7,000 mt is only about 13 percent of the 2018 biomass estimate, it 
is highly unlikely that reducing the ACL from 7,000 mt to 2,000 mt 
would measurably contribute to the potential for Pacific sardine 
abundance to increase. Even in the absence of any fishing mortality, 
unfavorable environmental conditions could keep the sardine population 
at a low level. Based on the recent stock assessments and NMFS 
research, low recent recruitment (i.e., the number of young fish 
maturing into the spawning population) is the primary cause of the 
current downward trend in overall population size. Research suggests 
recruitment is strongly related to environmental conditions, 
particularly large-scale oceanographic phenomena.
    Comment 2: Oceana also commented that the OFL is not based on the 
best scientific information available because Oceana construes new 
research from NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) as 
demonstrating that the temperature-recruitment relationship based on 
data from the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations 
(CalCOFI) survey used to inform the OFL is no longer applicable.

[[Page 29463]]

    Response: NMFS is committed to using the best scientific 
information available, and the SWFSC is continuing research to improve 
our understanding of the relationship between Pacific Sardine 
productivity and environmental conditions. The new research referenced 
by Oceana is still under development, has not been formally reviewed, 
and therefore is not yet a valid rationale to cease using CalCOFI data 
to gauge the temperature-recruitment relationship. At this time, the 
CalCOFI-based temperature relationship is still the best scientific 
information available science to set the OFL.
    Comment 3: In addition to commenting on the proposed rule, Oceana's 
comment requested reconsideration of various aspects of sardine 
management that are not considered in this action, including changing 
the start date of the fishery, revision of the Minimum Stock Size 
Threshold value, and various modifications to the OFL, ABC and HG 
control rules.
    Response: Changes to the management framework of Pacific sardine 
and to the sardine harvest control rules are set in the CPS FMP and are 
beyond the scope of this rulemaking. NMFS will take these comments into 
consideration during related future management planning for the Pacific 
sardine stock, and recommends Oceana continue to bring these concerns 
to the attention of the Council as that body deliberates about the 
management framework for sardine.

Classification

    Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the 
NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this final rule is 
consistent with the CPS FMP, other provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act, and other applicable law. There is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 
553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness of these final 
harvest specifications for the 2018-2019 Pacific sardine fishing 
season. In accordance with the FMP, this rule was recommended by the 
Council at its meeting in April 2018 the contents of which were based 
on the best available new information on the population status of 
Pacific sardine that became available at that time. Making these final 
specifications effective on July 1, the first day of the fishing 
season, is necessary for the conservation and management of the Pacific 
sardine resource because last year's restrictions on harvest are not 
effective after June 30. The FMP requires a prohibition on directed 
fishing for Pacific sardine for the 2018-2019 fishing year because the 
sardine biomass has dropped below the CUTOFF. The purpose of the CUTOFF 
in the FMP, and for prohibiting a directed fishing when the biomass 
drops below this level, is to protect the stock when biomass is low and 
provide a buffer of spawning stock that is protected from fishing and 
can contribute to rebuilding the stock. A delay in the effectiveness of 
this rule for a full 30 days would result in the re-opening the 
directed commercial fishery on July 1.
    Delaying the effective date of this rule beyond July 1 would be 
contrary to the public interest because it would jeopardize the 
sustainability of the Pacific sardine stock. Furthermore, most affected 
fishermen are aware that the Council recommended that directed 
commercial fishing be prohibited for the 2018-2019 fishing year and are 
fully prepared to comply with the prohibition.
    This final rule is exempt from the procedures of E.O. 12866 because 
this action contains no implementing regulations.
    The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce 
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration during the proposed rule stage that this action would 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities. The factual basis for the certification was published in the 
proposed rule and is not repeated here. No comments were received 
regarding this certification. As a result, a regulatory flexibility 
analysis was not required and none was prepared.
    Pursuant to Executive Order 13175, this final rule was developed 
after meaningful consultation and collaboration with the tribal 
representative on the Council who has agreed with the provisions that 
apply to tribal vessels.
    This action does not contain a collection-of-information 
requirement for purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

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

    Dated: June 20, 2018.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-13583 Filed 6-22-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P



                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 122 / Monday, June 25, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                           29461

                                           centimeters or less in length for                       St. George Island. The Assistant                       DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
                                           subsistence use each year from June 23                  Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,
                                           to August 8. The regulation at 50 CFR                   (AA), determined that this rule is                     National Oceanic and Atmospheric
                                           216.72(a) includes the provision that the               consistent with the Fur Seal Act (16                   Administration
                                           harvests of seals on St. Paul and St.                   U.S.C. 1155) and regulations (50 CFR
                                           George Islands shall be treated                         216.71–216.74). The AA finds good                      50 CFR Part 660
                                           independently for the purposes of this                  cause to waive the requirement to                      [Docket No. 180320301–8551–02]
                                           section. Any suspension, termination, or                provide prior notice and opportunity for
                                           extension of the harvest is applicable                                                                         RIN 0648–XG121
                                                                                                   public comment pursuant to the
                                           only to the island for which it is issued.
                                                                                                   authority set forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B).             Fisheries Off West Coast States;
                                           The Traditional Council of St. George
                                                                                                   Allowing prior notice and opportunity                  Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries;
                                           Island, Tribal Government (Traditional
                                           Council) has requested that NMFS                        for public comment on the extension of                 Annual Specifications
                                           extend the opening date of the                          the opening date is unnecessary because
                                                                                                   the rule establishing the extension of the             AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries
                                           subsistence use season for sub-adult                                                                           Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
                                           male fur seals earlier than the scheduled               opening procedures has already been
                                                                                                                                                          Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
                                           opening date of June 23 (50 CFR                         subject to notice and comment, and all
                                                                                                                                                          Commerce.
                                           216.72(d)(1)). The extension of the                     that remains is to notify the public of
                                                                                                                                                          ACTION: Final rule.
                                           opening date is intended to respond to                  the extension of the opening date.
                                           this emergency request. The extension                   Additionally, allowing for prior notice                SUMMARY:   NMFS issues this rule to
                                           will ensure additional days to conduct                  and opportunity for public comment for                 implement annual management
                                           the subsistence harvest in order provide                this extension of the opening date is                  measures and catch limits for the
                                           meat for the community of St. George                    contrary to the public interest because it             northern subpopulation of Pacific
                                           Island in response to the unavailability                requires time, thus delaying the removal               sardine, for the fishing year lasting from
                                           of food in the community store due to                   of a restriction and thereby reducing                  July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.
                                           unforeseen flight cancellations and the                 socio-economic benefits to community                   This action includes a prohibition on
                                           complete consumption of fur seal meat                   of St. George Island. In the absence of                directed commercial fishing for Pacific
                                           from harvests in 2017. NMFS has                         this action, the residents of St. George               sardine off the U.S. West Coast, except
                                           determined that the extension of the                    Island would be prohibited from                        in the live bait, tribal, or minor directed
                                           harvest to an earlier date is permissible               harvesting fur seals currently necessary               fisheries. This action is intended to
                                           and should be authorized.                                                                                      conserve and manage the Pacific sardine
                                                                                                   to subsistence uses due to unforeseen
                                              On July 31, 1992 (57 FR 33900) NMFS                                                                         stock off the U.S. West Coast.
                                           issued a final rule removing the option                 events prior to the scheduled opening of
                                                                                                   the subsistence use season. For the                    DATES: Effective July 1, 2018, through
                                           to extend the harvest past August 8, but                                                                       June 30, 2019.
                                           authorized the harvest to start on June                 aforementioned reasons, it is
                                                                                                   impracticable and contrary to the public               FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                           23 rather than June 30. NMFS
                                           anticipated in the notice (57 FR 33901,                 interest to delay for 30 days the effective            Joshua Lindsay, West Coast Region,
                                           July 31, 1992) that there would be no                   date of this action, and, accordingly, the             NMFS, (562) 980–4034, joshua.lindsay@
                                           adverse impacts on the population from                  AA also finds good cause to waive the                  noaa.gov.
                                           an earlier June harvest because sub-                    30-day delay in effectiveness of this                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
                                           adult males dominate the harvest areas                  action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) and to                 manages the Pacific sardine fishery in
                                           on the hauling grounds at this time of                  make this action effective on the date                 the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
                                           year, and few if any female seals have                  specified herein. This action is                       off the West Coast (California, Oregon,
                                           returned to St. George Island in June. In               authorized by 50 CFR 216.72(a) and is                  and Washington) in accordance with the
                                           extending the opening date for the 2018                 exempt from review under Executive                     Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery
                                           season, NMFS does not expect that                                                                              Management Plan (FMP). The FMP and
                                                                                                   Order 12866. Because prior notice and
                                           female fur seals would be accidentally                                                                         its implementing regulations require
                                                                                                   opportunity for public comment are
                                           killed during the few early days of the                                                                        NMFS to set annual catch levels for the
                                                                                                   waived under 5 U.S.C. 553, the
                                           sub-adult male harvest, and there is no                                                                        Pacific sardine fishery based on the
                                                                                                   analytical requirements of the                         annual specification framework and
                                           evidence from prior commercial or                       Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601–
                                           subsistence harvests that females were                                                                         control rules in the FMP. These control
                                                                                                   612, are inapplicable.                                 rules include the harvest guideline (HG)
                                           accidentally taken prior to mid-July
                                           (NMFS unpublished data). The                              Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1155(a).                        control rule, which, in conjunction with
                                           subsistence use suspension and                            Dated: June 20, 2018.
                                                                                                                                                          the overfishing limit (OFL) and
                                           termination provisions based on female                                                                         acceptable biological catch (ABC) rules
                                                                                                   Samuel D. Rauch, III,
                                           mortality remain in effect (50 CFR                                                                             in the FMP, are used to manage harvest
                                                                                                   Deputy Assistant Administrator for                     levels for Pacific sardine, in accordance
                                           216.72(f)(1)(iv) & (g)(3)).
                                                                                                   Regulatory Programs, National Marine                   with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
                                              All other regulatory controls
                                                                                                   Fisheries Service.                                     Conservation and Management Act
                                           applicable to the subsistence use of sub-
                                                                                                   [FR Doc. 2018–13576 Filed 6–20–18; 4:15 pm]            (Magnuson-Stevens Act). Annual
                                           adult males on St. George Island at 50
                                           CFR 216.72(d)(1)–(5) still apply,                       BILLING CODE 3510–22–P                                 specifications published in the Federal
                                           including the total number of fur seals                                                                        Register establish these catch limits and
                                                                                                                                                          management measures for each Pacific
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with RULES




                                           (500) that may be harvested per year on
                                           St. George Island (82 FR 39044, August                                                                         sardine fishing year.
                                           17, 2017).                                                                                                        The purpose of this final rule is to
                                                                                                                                                          implement the annual catch levels and
                                           Classification                                                                                                 reference points for the 2018–2019
                                             This action responds to the urgent                                                                           fishing year. This final rule adopts,
                                           subsistence need of the Pribilovians on                                                                        without changes, the catch levels and


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:14 Jun 22, 2018   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00025   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\25JNR1.SGM   25JNR1


                                           29462                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 122 / Monday, June 25, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                           restrictions that NMFS proposed in the                                    EEZ off the U.S. West Coast. The                        for Pacific sardine. Those details are not
                                           rule published on May 25, 2018 (83 FR                                     proposed rule for this action included                  repeated here. For additional
                                           24269), including the OFL and ABC that                                    additional background on specifications                 information, please refer to the
                                           takes into consideration uncertainty                                      and the details of how the Pacific                      proposed rule for this action.
                                           surrounding the current estimate of                                       Fishery Management Council (Council)
                                           biomass for Pacific sardine in the U.S.                                   derived its recommended specifications

                                                            TABLE 1—REFERENCE POINTS FOR THE 2018–2019 PACIFIC SARDINE FISHING YEAR IN METRIC TONS
                                                                                                                                                                                                             Tribal
                                                                          Biomass estimate                                                OFL                  ABC             HG              ACL          set-aside

                                           52,065 ..................................................................................    11,324                 9,436            0             7,000            800



                                              This final rule implements an OFL of                                   season). Consistent with this request,                  which are set below the OFL,
                                           11,324 metric tons (mt), an ABC of 9,436                                  NMFS is setting aside 800 mt of the                     overfishing would not be occurring.
                                           mt, and a prohibition on Pacific sardine                                  2018–2019 ACL for tribal harvest (Table                 This rule conservatively limits harvest
                                           catch, unless it is harvested as part of                                  1).                                                     levels by all sources with an ACL of
                                           the live bait, tribal, or minor directed                                    At the April 2018 meeting, the                        7,000 mt, which is below both the OFL
                                           fisheries, or as incidental catch in other                                Council voted in support of two                         and ABC. All incidental catch, live bait,
                                           fisheries (Table 1). Additionally, this                                   exempted fishing permit (EFP)                           minor directed, and tribal harvest of
                                           rule implements an ACL of 7,000 mt, as                                    proposals requesting an exemption from                  sardine are managed to stay at or below
                                           well as restrictions on the incidental                                    the prohibition to directly harvest                     the ACL. Additionally, as a direct result
                                           catch of Pacific sardine by other                                         Pacific sardine. The ACL implemented                    of the decline in the estimated biomass
                                           fisheries.                                                                in this action accounts for the potential               from the last fishing year, the OFL and
                                              The incidental catch of Pacific sardine                                of NMFS approval of up to 610 mt of the                 ABC implemented through this action
                                           in other CPS fisheries will be managed                                    ACL to be harvested for EFP activities.                 are respectively approximately 33 and
                                           with the following automatic inseason                                                                                             40 percent lower than those
                                                                                                                     Comments and Responses                                  implemented last year.
                                           actions to reduce the potential for both
                                           targeting and discard of Pacific sardine                                    On May 25, 2018, NMFS published a                        Small pelagic species, such as
                                           in these fisheries:                                                       proposed rule for this action and                       sardine, undergo wide natural
                                              • An incidental per landing by weight                                  solicited public comments (83 FR                        fluctuations in abundance related to
                                           allowance of 40 percent Pacific sardine                                   24269), with a public comment period                    environmental conditions, even in the
                                           in non-treaty CPS fisheries until a total                                 that ended on June 11, 2018. NMFS                       absence of fishing pressure. Given that
                                           of 2,500 mt of Pacific sardine has been                                   received one comment letter from the                    environmental conditions are a strong
                                           landed; and                                                               environmental advocacy organization                     driver for small pelagic species biomass,
                                              • A reduction of the incidental per                                    Oceana during the comment period.                       and the fact that 7,000 mt is only about
                                           landing allowance to 20 percent for the                                   After consideration of the public                       13 percent of the 2018 biomass estimate,
                                           remainder of the 2018–2019 fishing year                                   comment, no changes were made from                      it is highly unlikely that reducing the
                                           once 2,500 mt Pacific sardine has been                                    the proposed rule. NMFS summarizes                      ACL from 7,000 mt to 2,000 mt would
                                           landed.                                                                   and responds to the comment letter                      measurably contribute to the potential
                                              Pacific sardine is known to comingle                                   below.                                                  for Pacific sardine abundance to
                                           with other CPS stocks; thus, these                                          Comment 1: Oceana supported the                       increase. Even in the absence of any
                                           incidental allowances are established to                                  prohibition on non-tribal directed                      fishing mortality, unfavorable
                                           allow for the continued prosecution of                                    commercial sardine fishing, but                         environmental conditions could keep
                                           these other important CPS fisheries and                                   opposed the proposed ACL level of                       the sardine population at a low level.
                                           reduce the potential discard of sardine.                                  7,000 mt. Oceana instead requested that                 Based on the recent stock assessments
                                           Additionally, this final rule implements                                  NMFS set an ACL of no more than 2,000                   and NMFS research, low recent
                                           an incidental per landing allowance of                                    mt. Oceana commented that the                           recruitment (i.e., the number of young
                                           up to 2 mt per trip in non-CPS fisheries.                                 proposed ACL of 7,000 mt is excessive                   fish maturing into the spawning
                                              The NMFS West Coast Regional                                           and not commensurate with the decline                   population) is the primary cause of the
                                           Administrator will publish a notice in                                    in sardine biomass and that NMFS                        current downward trend in overall
                                           the Federal Register to announce when                                     should reduce the ACL to 2,000 mt.                      population size. Research suggests
                                           catch reaches the incidental limits as                                      Response: NMFS disagrees that it is                   recruitment is strongly related to
                                           well as any changes to allowable                                          necessary to set the ACL lower than                     environmental conditions, particularly
                                           incidental catch percentages.                                             7,000 mt. The ACL should be viewed in                   large-scale oceanographic phenomena.
                                           Additionally, to ensure that the                                          the context of the approved northern                       Comment 2: Oceana also commented
                                           regulated community is informed of any                                    subpopulation of Pacific Sardine OFL                    that the OFL is not based on the best
                                           closure, NMFS will make                                                   (11,324 mt) and ABC (9,436 mt), which                   scientific information available because
                                           announcements through other means                                         has been reduced from the OFL to                        Oceana construes new research from
                                           available, including fax, email, and mail                                 account for scientific uncertainty. The                 NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science
                                           to fishermen, processors, and state                                       Council’s SSC endorsed the OFL and                      Center (SWFSC) as demonstrating that
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with RULES




                                           fishery management agencies.                                              ABC, which are derived from control                     the temperature-recruitment
                                              As explained in the proposed rule, the                                 rules in the FMP, as the best scientific                relationship based on data from the
                                           Quinault Indian Nation requested a set-                                   information available. The CPS FMP                      California Cooperative Oceanic
                                           aside for tribal harvest of 800 mt (the                                   defines overfishing as catch exceeding                  Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI)
                                           same amount that was requested and                                        the OFL. By definition, if catch                        survey used to inform the OFL is no
                                           approved for the 2017–2018 fishing                                        approaches either the ACL or ABC,                       longer applicable.


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014         16:14 Jun 22, 2018        Jkt 244001       PO 00000       Frm 00026   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\25JNR1.SGM   25JNR1


                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 122 / Monday, June 25, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                         29463

                                              Response: NMFS is committed to                       sardine biomass has dropped below the                  DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
                                           using the best scientific information                   CUTOFF. The purpose of the CUTOFF
                                           available, and the SWFSC is continuing                  in the FMP, and for prohibiting a                      National Oceanic and Atmospheric
                                           research to improve our understanding                   directed fishing when the biomass drops                Administration
                                           of the relationship between Pacific                     below this level, is to protect the stock
                                           Sardine productivity and environmental                  when biomass is low and provide a                      50 CFR Part 679
                                           conditions. The new research referenced                 buffer of spawning stock that is                       [Docket No. 170817779–8161–02]
                                           by Oceana is still under development,                   protected from fishing and can
                                           has not been formally reviewed, and                                                                            RIN 0648–XG305
                                                                                                   contribute to rebuilding the stock. A
                                           therefore is not yet a valid rationale to
                                                                                                   delay in the effectiveness of this rule for            Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
                                           cease using CalCOFI data to gauge the
                                                                                                   a full 30 days would result in the re-                 Zone Off Alaska; Kamchatka Flounder
                                           temperature-recruitment relationship.
                                           At this time, the CalCOFI-based                         opening the directed commercial fishery                in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
                                           temperature relationship is still the best              on July 1.                                             Management Area
                                           scientific information available science                   Delaying the effective date of this rule            AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries
                                           to set the OFL.                                         beyond July 1 would be contrary to the                 Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
                                              Comment 3: In addition to                            public interest because it would                       Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
                                           commenting on the proposed rule,                        jeopardize the sustainability of the                   Commerce.
                                           Oceana’s comment requested                              Pacific sardine stock. Furthermore, most               ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
                                           reconsideration of various aspects of                   affected fishermen are aware that the
                                           sardine management that are not                         Council recommended that directed                      SUMMARY:   NMFS is prohibiting directed
                                           considered in this action, including                    commercial fishing be prohibited for the               fishing for Kamchatka flounder in the
                                           changing the start date of the fishery,                 2018–2019 fishing year and are fully                   Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
                                           revision of the Minimum Stock Size                                                                             management area (BSAI). This action is
                                                                                                   prepared to comply with the
                                           Threshold value, and various                                                                                   necessary to prevent exceeding the 2018
                                                                                                   prohibition.
                                           modifications to the OFL, ABC and HG                                                                           Kamchatka flounder initial total
                                           control rules.                                             This final rule is exempt from the                  allowable catch (ITAC) in the BSAI.
                                              Response: Changes to the                             procedures of E.O. 12866 because this                  DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska
                                           management framework of Pacific                         action contains no implementing                        local time (A.l.t.), June 20, 2018,
                                           sardine and to the sardine harvest                      regulations.                                           through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31,
                                           control rules are set in the CPS FMP and                   The Chief Counsel for Regulation of                 2018.
                                           are beyond the scope of this rulemaking.
                                                                                                   the Department of Commerce certified                   FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                           NMFS will take these comments into
                                                                                                   to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the               Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228.
                                           consideration during related future
                                           management planning for the Pacific                     Small Business Administration during                   SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
                                           sardine stock, and recommends Oceana                    the proposed rule stage that this action               manages the groundfish fishery in the
                                           continue to bring these concerns to the                 would not have a significant economic                  BSAI according to the Fishery
                                           attention of the Council as that body                   impact on a substantial number of small                Management Plan for Groundfish of the
                                           deliberates about the management                        entities. The factual basis for the                    Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
                                           framework for sardine.                                  certification was published in the                     Management Area (FMP) prepared by
                                                                                                   proposed rule and is not repeated here.                the North Pacific Fishery Management
                                           Classification                                          No comments were received regarding                    Council under authority of the
                                              Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the              this certification. As a result, a                     Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
                                           Magnuson-Stevens Act, the NMFS                          regulatory flexibility analysis was not                Conservation and Management Act.
                                           Assistant Administrator has determined                  required and none was prepared.                        Regulations governing fishing by U.S.
                                           that this final rule is consistent with the                                                                    vessels in accordance with the FMP
                                           CPS FMP, other provisions of the                           Pursuant to Executive Order 13175,
                                                                                                                                                          appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600
                                           Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other                         this final rule was developed after                    and 50 CFR part 679.
                                           applicable law. There is good cause                     meaningful consultation and                               The 2018 Kamchatka flounder ITAC
                                           under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the                   collaboration with the tribal                          in the BSAI is 4,250 metric tons (mt) as
                                           30-day delay in effectiveness of these                  representative on the Council who has                  established by the final 2018 and 2019
                                           final harvest specifications for the 2018–              agreed with the provisions that apply to               harvest specifications for groundfish in
                                           2019 Pacific sardine fishing season. In                 tribal vessels.                                        the BSAI (83 FR 8365, February 27,
                                           accordance with the FMP, this rule was                     This action does not contain a                      2018). In accordance with
                                           recommended by the Council at its                       collection-of-information requirement                  § 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator,
                                           meeting in April 2018 the contents of                   for purposes of the Paperwork                          Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional
                                           which were based on the best available                  Reduction Act.                                         Administrator), has determined that the
                                           new information on the population                                                                              2018 Kamchatka flounder ITAC in the
                                           status of Pacific sardine that became                     Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.                    BSAI will soon be reached. Therefore,
                                           available at that time. Making these final                Dated: June 20, 2018.                                the Regional Administrator is
                                           specifications effective on July 1, the                 Samuel D. Rauch III,                                   establishing a directed fishing
                                           first day of the fishing season, is                     Deputy Assistant Administrator for
                                                                                                                                                          allowance of 2,000 mt, and is setting
                                           necessary for the conservation and                                                                             aside the remaining 2,250 mt as
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with RULES




                                                                                                   Regulatory Programs, National Marine
                                           management of the Pacific sardine                       Fisheries Service.                                     incidental catch to support other
                                           resource because last year’s restrictions               [FR Doc. 2018–13583 Filed 6–22–18; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                          anticipated groundfish fisheries. In
                                           on harvest are not effective after June                                                                        accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the
                                                                                                   BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
                                           30. The FMP requires a prohibition on                                                                          Regional Administrator finds that this
                                           directed fishing for Pacific sardine for                                                                       directed fishing allowance has been
                                           the 2018–2019 fishing year because the                                                                         reached. Consequently, NMFS is


                                      VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:14 Jun 22, 2018   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00027   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\25JNR1.SGM   25JNR1



Document Created: 2018-06-23 02:29:06
Document Modified: 2018-06-23 02:29:06
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
ActionFinal rule.
DatesEffective July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.
ContactJoshua Lindsay, West Coast Region, NMFS, (562) 980-4034, [email protected]
FR Citation83 FR 29461 
RIN Number0648-XG12

2024 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR