83_FR_40314 83 FR 40157 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery; 2018 Illex Squid Quota Harvested

83 FR 40157 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery; 2018 Illex Squid Quota Harvested

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 157 (August 14, 2018)

Page Range40157-40158
FR Document2018-17409

Beginning August 15, 2018, through December 31, 2018, Federal Illex squid vessel permit holders are prohibited from fishing for, catching, possessing, transferring or landing more than 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) on Illex squid per trip per calendar day. This prohibition is effective when NMFS projects that 95 percent of the 2018 annual catch limit will have been caught by the effective date. This action is intended to prevent over harvest of Illex squid for the fishing year.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 157 (Tuesday, August 14, 2018) 
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 14, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40157-40158]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17409]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 140902739-5224-02]
RIN 0648-XG349


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, 
Squid, and Butterfish Fishery; 2018 Illex Squid Quota Harvested

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; reduction of possession limit.

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SUMMARY: Beginning August 15, 2018, through December 31, 2018, Federal 
Illex squid vessel permit holders are prohibited from fishing for, 
catching, possessing, transferring or landing more than 10,000 lb 
(4,535 kg) on Illex squid per trip per calendar day. This prohibition 
is effective when NMFS projects that 95 percent of the 2018 annual 
catch limit will have been caught by the effective date. This action is 
intended to prevent over harvest of Illex squid for the fishing year.

DATES: Effective 1200 hr local time, August 15, 2018, through December 
31, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alyson Pitts, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations for the Illex squid fishery are 
at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations at Sec.  648.24(a)(2) require that 
when the Regional Administrator projects that Illex squid catch will 
reach 95 percent of the domestic annual harvest (DAH) quota, NMFS must 
prohibit Federal Illex squid vessel permit holders from directed 
fishing. Vessels may not catch, possess, transfer, or land more than 
10,000 lb (4,535 kg) of Illex squid per trip, or land more than 10,000 
lb (4,535 kg) per calendar day. The Regional Administrator monitors the 
Illex squid fishery catch annually based on dealer reports, state data, 
and other available information. When 95 percent of the DAH has been 
reached, NMFS must provide at least 72 hours of notice to the public 
that it made this determination. NMFS must also publish the date that 
the catch is projected to reach 95 percent of the quota, and the date 
when prohibitions on catch and landings for the remainder of the 
fishing year become effective.
    The Regional Administrator has determined, based on dealer reports 
and other available information, that the Illex squid fleet will catch 
95 percent of the total Illex squid DAH quota for the 2018 season 
through December 31, 2018, by August 15, 2018. Therefore, effective 
1200 hr local time, August 15, 2018, federally permitted vessels may 
not fish for, catch, possess, transfer, or land more than 10,000 lb 
(4,535 kg) of Illex squid more than once per calendar day. Vessels that 
have entered port before 1200 hr on August 15, 2018, may offload and 
sell more than 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) of Illex squid from that trip. 
Also, federally permitted dealers may not receive Illex squid from 
federally permitted Illex squid vessels that harvest more than 10,000 
lb (4,535 kg) of Illex squid through 2400 hr, December 31, 2018, unless 
it is from a trip landed by a vessel that entered port before 1200 hr 
on August 15, 2018.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    NMFS finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 5 U.S.C. 
553(d)(3) to waive prior notice and the opportunity for public comment 
and the delayed effectiveness because it would be contrary to the 
public interest and impracticable. Data and other information 
indicating the Illex squid fleet will have landed at least 95 percent 
of the 2018 DAH quota have only recently become available. Landings 
data are updated on a weekly basis, and NMFS monitors catch data on a 
daily basis as catch increases toward the limit. Further, high-volume 
catch and landings in this fishery increases total catch relative to 
the quota quickly. The regulations at Sec.  648.24(a)(2) require such 
action to ensure that Illex squid vessels do not exceed the 2018 DAH 
quota. If implementation of this action is delayed, the quota for the 
2018 fishing year may be exceeded, thereby undermining the conservation 
objectives of the FMP. Also, the public had prior notice and full 
opportunity to comment on this process when these provisions were put 
in place.

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


[[Page 40158]]


    Dated: August 9, 2018.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-17409 Filed 8-10-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 157 / Tuesday, August 14, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 40157 held in cold storage by a dealer or Dated: August 8, 2018. public that it made this determination. processor. For a person on board a Jennifer M. Wallace, NMFS must also publish the date that vessel for which a Federal commercial Acting Director, Office of Sustainable the catch is projected to reach 95 or charter vessel/headboat permit for the Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. percent of the quota, and the date when South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery [FR Doc. 2018–17388 Filed 8–9–18; 4:15 pm] prohibitions on catch and landings for has been issued, the sale and purchase BILLING CODE 3510–22–P the remainder of the fishing year provisions of the commercial closure for become effective. golden tilefish would apply regardless The Regional Administrator has of whether the fish are harvested in state DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE determined, based on dealer reports and or Federal waters, as specified in 50 other available information, that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric CFR 622.190(c)(1)(ii). Administration Illex squid fleet will catch 95 percent of Classification the total Illex squid DAH quota for the 50 CFR Part 648 2018 season through December 31, The Regional Administrator, 2018, by August 15, 2018. Therefore, [Docket No. 140902739–5224–02] Southeast Region, NMFS, has effective 1200 hr local time, August 15, determined this temporary rule is RIN 0648–XG349 2018, federally permitted vessels may necessary for the conservation and not fish for, catch, possess, transfer, or management of South Atlantic golden Fisheries of the Northeastern United land more than 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) of tilefish and is consistent with the States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Illex squid more than once per calendar Magnuson-Stevens Act and other Butterfish Fishery; 2018 Illex Squid day. Vessels that have entered port Quota Harvested applicable laws. before 1200 hr on August 15, 2018, may This action is taken under 50 CFR AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries offload and sell more than 10,000 lb 622.193(a)(1) and is exempt from review Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and (4,535 kg) of Illex squid from that trip. under Executive Order 12866. Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Also, federally permitted dealers may Commerce. not receive Illex squid from federally These measures are exempt from the ACTION: Temporary rule; reduction of permitted Illex squid vessels that procedures of the Regulatory Flexibility possession limit. harvest more than 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) Act because the temporary rule is issued of Illex squid through 2400 hr, without opportunity for prior notice and SUMMARY: Beginning August 15, 2018, December 31, 2018, unless it is from a comment. through December 31, 2018, Federal trip landed by a vessel that entered port This action responds to the best Illex squid vessel permit holders are before 1200 hr on August 15, 2018. scientific information available. The prohibited from fishing for, catching, possessing, transferring or landing more Classification Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, than 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) on Illex squid NOAA (AA), finds that the need to This action is required by 50 CFR part per trip per calendar day. This immediately implement this action to 648 and is exempt from review under prohibition is effective when NMFS close the commercial hook-and-line projects that 95 percent of the 2018 Executive Order 12866. component for golden tilefish annual catch limit will have been NMFS finds good cause pursuant to 5 constitutes good cause to waive the caught by the effective date. This action U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) requirements to provide prior notice is intended to prevent over harvest of to waive prior notice and the and opportunity for public comment Illex squid for the fishing year. opportunity for public comment and the pursuant to the authority set forth in 5 DATES: Effective 1200 hr local time, delayed effectiveness because it would U.S.C. 553(b)(B), as such procedures are August 15, 2018, through December 31, be contrary to the public interest and unnecessary and contrary to the public 2018. impracticable. Data and other interest. Such procedures are FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: information indicating the Illex squid unnecessary because the rule itself has Alyson Pitts, Fishery Management fleet will have landed at least 95 percent been subject to notice and comment, Specialist, (978) 281–9352. of the 2018 DAH quota have only and all that remains is to notify the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: recently become available. Landings public of the closure. Such procedures Regulations for the Illex squid fishery data are updated on a weekly basis, and are contrary to the public interest are at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations NMFS monitors catch data on a daily because the capacity of the fishing fleet at § 648.24(a)(2) require that when the basis as catch increases toward the allows for rapid harvest of the Regional Administrator projects that limit. Further, high-volume catch and commercial ACL for the hook-and-line Illex squid catch will reach 95 percent landings in this fishery increases total component, and there is a need to of the domestic annual harvest (DAH) catch relative to the quota quickly. The immediately implement this action to quota, NMFS must prohibit Federal Illex regulations at § 648.24(a)(2) require such protect golden tilefish. Prior notice and squid vessel permit holders from action to ensure that Illex squid vessels opportunity for public comment would directed fishing. Vessels may not catch, do not exceed the 2018 DAH quota. If require time and could potentially result possess, transfer, or land more than implementation of this action is in a harvest well in excess of the 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) of Illex squid per delayed, the quota for the 2018 fishing established commercial ACL. trip, or land more than 10,000 lb (4,535 year may be exceeded, thereby kg) per calendar day. The Regional amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with RULES For the aforementioned reasons, the undermining the conservation Administrator monitors the Illex squid AA also finds good cause to waive the objectives of the FMP. Also, the public fishery catch annually based on dealer 30-day delay in the effectiveness of this had prior notice and full opportunity to reports, state data, and other available action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). information. When 95 percent of the comment on this process when these Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. DAH has been reached, NMFS must provisions were put in place. provide at least 72 hours of notice to the Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:14 Aug 13, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\14AUR1.SGM 14AUR1

40158 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 157 / Tuesday, August 14, 2018 / Rules and Regulations Dated: August 9, 2018. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018–17409 Filed 8–10–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with RULES VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:14 Aug 13, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\14AUR1.SGM 14AUR1


Document Created: 2018-08-14 02:18:14
Document Modified: 2018-08-14 02:18:14
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionTemporary rule; reduction of possession limit.
DatesEffective 1200 hr local time, August 15, 2018, through December 31, 2018.
ContactAlyson Pitts, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281-9352.
FR Citation83 FR 40157 
RIN Number0648-XG34
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