83_FR_54263 83 FR 54055 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Golden Tilefish Fishery; 2019 Specifications

83 FR 54055 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Golden Tilefish Fishery; 2019 Specifications

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 208 (October 26, 2018)

Page Range54055-54056
FR Document2018-23431

We are finalizing specifications for the 2019 commercial golden tilefish fishery, including the annual catch and total allowable landings limits. This action establishes allowable harvest levels and other management measures to prevent overfishing while allowing optimum yield, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 208 (Friday, October 26, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 208 (Friday, October 26, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 54055-54056]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23431]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 180808738-8738-01]
RIN 0648-XG417


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Golden Tilefish 
Fishery; 2019 Specifications

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

ACTION: Temporary final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are finalizing specifications for the 2019 commercial 
golden tilefish fishery, including the annual catch and total allowable 
landings limits. This action establishes allowable harvest levels and 
other management measures to prevent overfishing while allowing optimum 
yield, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act and the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan.

DATES: Effective November 1, 2018, through October 31, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
978-281-9341.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The golden tilefish fishery is managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council under the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), 
which outlines the Council's process for establishing annual 
specifications. Regulations implementing the Tilefish FMP appear at 50 
CFR part 648, subparts A and N, which require the Council to recommend 
acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limit (ACL), annual 
catch target (ACT), total allowable landings (TAL), and other 
management measures, for up to three years at a time. On September 7, 
2017, NMFS proposed 2018 specifications for the golden tilefish fishery 
and announced projected specifications for 2019 and 2020 based on 
Council recommendations (82 FR 42266). Public comment was accepted 
through September 22, 2017. We published a final rule implementing the 
2018 specifications on November 7, 2017 (82 FR 51578).
    On October 23, 2017, we published a proposed rule (82 FR 48967) to 
implement Framework Adjustment 2 to the Tilefish FMP, and accepted 
public comment through November 7, 2017. A final rule implementing 
Framework 2 was published on March 13, 2018 (83 FR 10803). One 
provision of Framework 2 changed how assumed discards are accounted for 
in the specifications setting process. As a result, the Framework 2 
final rule adjusted the previously published 2018 specifications and 
projected specifications for 2019 and 2020 (Table 1). Additional 
background information regarding the development of these 
specifications was provided in these rules and is not repeated here.

                                                   Table 1--Summary of Golden Tilefish Specifications
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       2018                         Final 2019                    Projected 2020
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                mt          million lb          mt          million lb          mt          million lb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overfishing Limit.......................................           1,058           2.332           1,098           2.421           1,039           2.291
ABC.....................................................             742           1.636             742           1.636             742           1.636
ACL.....................................................             742           1.636             742           1.636             742           1.636
IFQ ACT.................................................             705           1.554             705           1.554             705           1.554
Incidental ACT..........................................              37           0.082              37           0.082              37           0.082
IFQ TAL.................................................             705           1.554             705           1.554             705           1.554
Incidental TAL..........................................              33           0.072              33           0.072              33           0.072
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    At the end of each fishing year, we evaluate catch information and 
determine if the ACL has been exceeded. If the ACL is exceeded, the 
regulations at 50 CFR 648.293 require a pound-for-pound reduction in a 
subsequent fishing year. During fishing year 2018, there were no annual 
catch limit or total allowable landings overages. Also, there is no new 
biological information that would require altering the projected 2019 
specifications. Because no overages have occurred, we are announcing 
the final specifications for fishing year 2019, as projected in the 
Framework 2 rule, and outlined above in Table 1.
    As in previous years, no golden tilefish quota has been allocated 
for research set-aside. All other management measures in the golden 
tilefish fishery will remain unchanged for the 2018-2020 fishing years. 
The incidental trip limit will stay at 500 lb (226.8 kg), or 50 
percent, by weight, of all species being landed, including tilefish; 
whichever is less. The recreational catch limit will remain eight fish 
per-angler, per-trip. Annual IFQ allocations will be issued to 
individual quota shareholders in mid-October, before the November 1 
start of the fishing year.
    The fishery management plan allows for the previous year's 
specifications to remain in place until replaced by a subsequent 
specifications action (rollover provision). As a result, the 2018 
specifications remain in effect until replaced by the 2019 
specifications included in this rule.
    We will publish notice in the Federal Register of any revisions to 
these specifications if an overage occurs in 2019 that would require 
adjusting the 2020 projected specifications. We will provide notice of 
the final 2020 specifications prior to the November 1, 2019, start of 
the 2020 fishing year.

Classification

    Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the 
NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this rule is 
consistent with the Tilefish FMP, other provisions of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act, and other applicable law.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds it is 
impracticable, unnecessary, and contrary to the public interest to 
provide for prior notice and an opportunity for public comment, 
pursuant to authority set forth at U.S.C. 553(b)(B). The proposed rules 
for the 2018-2020

[[Page 54056]]

specifications and Framework 2 provided the public with the opportunity 
to comment on the projected specifications for 2019 and 2020, and the 
specifications for fishing year 2019 remain the same as projected in 
the Framework 2 rulemaking. All comments received were addressed in the 
respective final rules for the 2018-2020 specifications and Framework 
2. Similarly, the need to implement these measures in a timely manner 
for the start of the golden tilefish fishing year, constitutes good 
cause under authority contained in 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), to establish an 
effective date less than 30 days after date of publication. The public 
and fishing industry participants expect this action because we 
previously alerted the public in the proposed and final rules that we 
would conduct this review in interim years of the status quo multi-year 
specifications and announce the final quota prior to the start of the 
fishing year on November 1.
    This rule is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866 because 
this action contains no implementing regulations.
    This rule does not duplicate, conflict, or overlap with any 
existing Federal rules.
    A final regulatory flexibility analysis (FRFA) was prepared for the 
2018-2020 specifications final rule. That analysis included the 
potential impacts of the projected specifications for 2019 and 2020, 
and no new information has arisen that would change the conclusions 
drawn in that previous analysis. Because advance notice and the 
opportunity for public comment are not required for this action under 
the Administrative Procedure Act, or any other law, the analytical 
requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., 
do not apply to this rule. Therefore, no new regulatory flexibility 
analysis is required and none has been prepared.
    This action does not contain a collection of information 
requirement for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

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

    Dated: October 23, 2018.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-23431 Filed 10-25-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P



                                                                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 208 / Friday, October 26, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                                     54055

                                                Dated: October 23, 2018.                                           golden tilefish fishery, including the                   other management measures, for up to
                                             Consuela Benjamin,                                                    annual catch and total allowable                         three years at a time. On September 7,
                                             Regulations Development Coordinator, Office                           landings limits. This action establishes                 2017, NMFS proposed 2018
                                             of Regulation Policy & Management, Office                             allowable harvest levels and other                       specifications for the golden tilefish
                                             of the Secretary, Department of Veterans                              management measures to prevent                           fishery and announced projected
                                             Affairs.                                                              overfishing while allowing optimum                       specifications for 2019 and 2020 based
                                             [FR Doc. 2018–23420 Filed 10–25–18; 8:45 am]                          yield, consistent with the Magnuson-                     on Council recommendations (82 FR
                                             BILLING CODE 8320–01–P                                                Stevens Fishery Conservation and                         42266). Public comment was accepted
                                                                                                                   Management Act and the Tilefish                          through September 22, 2017. We
                                                                                                                   Fishery Management Plan.                                 published a final rule implementing the
                                             DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE                                                DATES: Effective November 1, 2018,                       2018 specifications on November 7,
                                                                                                                   through October 31, 2019.                                2017 (82 FR 51578).
                                             National Oceanic and Atmospheric                                      FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                            On October 23, 2017, we published a
                                             Administration                                                        Douglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst,                   proposed rule (82 FR 48967) to
                                                                                                                   978–281–9341.                                            implement Framework Adjustment 2 to
                                             50 CFR Part 648                                                                                                                the Tilefish FMP, and accepted public
                                                                                                                   SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                             [Docket No. 180808738–8738–01]                                                                                                 comment through November 7, 2017. A
                                                                                                                   Background                                               final rule implementing Framework 2
                                             RIN 0648–XG417                                                          The golden tilefish fishery is managed                 was published on March 13, 2018 (83
                                                                                                                   by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery                              FR 10803). One provision of Framework
                                             Fisheries of the Northeastern United
                                                                                                                   Management Council under the Tilefish                    2 changed how assumed discards are
                                             States; Golden Tilefish Fishery; 2019
                                                                                                                   Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which                     accounted for in the specifications
                                             Specifications
                                                                                                                   outlines the Council’s process for                       setting process. As a result, the
                                             AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries                                    establishing annual specifications.                      Framework 2 final rule adjusted the
                                             Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and                                  Regulations implementing the Tilefish                    previously published 2018
                                             Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),                                    FMP appear at 50 CFR part 648,                           specifications and projected
                                             Commerce.                                                             subparts A and N, which require the                      specifications for 2019 and 2020 (Table
                                             ACTION: Temporary final rule.                                         Council to recommend acceptable                          1). Additional background information
                                                                                                                   biological catch (ABC), annual catch                     regarding the development of these
                                             SUMMARY:   We are finalizing                                          limit (ACL), annual catch target (ACT),                  specifications was provided in these
                                             specifications for the 2019 commercial                                total allowable landings (TAL), and                      rules and is not repeated here.

                                                                                                     TABLE 1—SUMMARY OF GOLDEN TILEFISH SPECIFICATIONS
                                                                                                                            2018                                    Final 2019                  Projected 2020

                                                                                                                    mt               million lb               mt             million lb       mt           million lb

                                             Overfishing Limit ......................................                    1,058              2.332                  1,098            2.421          1,039          2.291
                                             ABC ..........................................................                742              1.636                    742            1.636            742          1.636
                                             ACL ..........................................................                742              1.636                    742            1.636            742          1.636
                                             IFQ ACT ...................................................                   705              1.554                    705            1.554            705          1.554
                                             Incidental ACT .........................................                       37              0.082                     37            0.082             37          0.082
                                             IFQ TAL ...................................................                   705              1.554                    705            1.554            705          1.554
                                             Incidental TAL ..........................................                      33              0.072                     33            0.072             33          0.072



                                                At the end of each fishing year, we                                for the 2018–2020 fishing years. The                     2019 that would require adjusting the
                                             evaluate catch information and                                        incidental trip limit will stay at 500 lb                2020 projected specifications. We will
                                             determine if the ACL has been                                         (226.8 kg), or 50 percent, by weight, of                 provide notice of the final 2020
                                             exceeded. If the ACL is exceeded, the                                 all species being landed, including                      specifications prior to the November 1,
                                             regulations at 50 CFR 648.293 require a                               tilefish; whichever is less. The                         2019, start of the 2020 fishing year.
                                             pound-for-pound reduction in a                                        recreational catch limit will remain
                                                                                                                                                                            Classification
                                             subsequent fishing year. During fishing                               eight fish per-angler, per-trip. Annual
                                             year 2018, there were no annual catch                                 IFQ allocations will be issued to                          Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the
                                             limit or total allowable landings                                     individual quota shareholders in mid-                    Magnuson-Stevens Act, the NMFS
                                             overages. Also, there is no new                                       October, before the November 1 start of                  Assistant Administrator has determined
                                             biological information that would                                     the fishing year.                                        that this rule is consistent with the
                                             require altering the projected 2019                                      The fishery management plan allows                    Tilefish FMP, other provisions of the
                                             specifications. Because no overages                                   for the previous year’s specifications to                Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other
                                             have occurred, we are announcing the                                  remain in place until replaced by a                      applicable law.
                                             final specifications for fishing year                                 subsequent specifications action                           The Assistant Administrator for
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                                             2019, as projected in the Framework 2                                 (rollover provision). As a result, the                   Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds it is
                                             rule, and outlined above in Table 1.                                  2018 specifications remain in effect                     impracticable, unnecessary, and
                                                As in previous years, no golden                                    until replaced by the 2019 specifications                contrary to the public interest to provide
                                             tilefish quota has been allocated for                                 included in this rule.                                   for prior notice and an opportunity for
                                             research set-aside. All other                                            We will publish notice in the Federal                 public comment, pursuant to authority
                                             management measures in the golden                                     Register of any revisions to these                       set forth at U.S.C. 553(b)(B). The
                                             tilefish fishery will remain unchanged                                specifications if an overage occurs in                   proposed rules for the 2018–2020


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                                             54056             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 208 / Friday, October 26, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                             specifications and Framework 2                          conduct this review in interim years of               not required for this action under the
                                             provided the public with the                            the status quo multi-year specifications              Administrative Procedure Act, or any
                                             opportunity to comment on the                           and announce the final quota prior to                 other law, the analytical requirements of
                                             projected specifications for 2019 and                   the start of the fishing year on                      the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C.
                                             2020, and the specifications for fishing                November 1.                                           601, et seq., do not apply to this rule.
                                             year 2019 remain the same as projected                    This rule is exempt from review                     Therefore, no new regulatory flexibility
                                             in the Framework 2 rulemaking. All                      under Executive Order 12866 because                   analysis is required and none has been
                                             comments received were addressed in                     this action contains no implementing                  prepared.
                                             the respective final rules for the 2018–                regulations.
                                                                                                       This rule does not duplicate, conflict,               This action does not contain a
                                             2020 specifications and Framework 2.                                                                          collection of information requirement
                                                                                                     or overlap with any existing Federal
                                             Similarly, the need to implement these                  rules.                                                for the purposes of the Paperwork
                                             measures in a timely manner for the                       A final regulatory flexibility analysis             Reduction Act.
                                             start of the golden tilefish fishing year,              (FRFA) was prepared for the 2018–2020                   Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
                                             constitutes good cause under authority                  specifications final rule. That analysis
                                             contained in 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), to                                                                             Dated: October 23, 2018.
                                                                                                     included the potential impacts of the
                                             establish an effective date less than 30                projected specifications for 2019 and                 Samuel D. Rauch, III,
                                             days after date of publication. The                     2020, and no new information has                      Deputy Assistant Administrator for
                                             public and fishing industry participants                arisen that would change the                          Regulatory Programs, National Marine
                                             expect this action because we                           conclusions drawn in that previous                    Fisheries Service.
                                             previously alerted the public in the                    analysis. Because advance notice and                  [FR Doc. 2018–23431 Filed 10–25–18; 8:45 am]
                                             proposed and final rules that we would                  the opportunity for public comment are                BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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Document Created: 2018-10-26 02:28:26
Document Modified: 2018-10-26 02:28:26
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 final rule.
DatesEffective November 1, 2018, through October 31, 2019.
ContactDouglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst, 978-281-9341.
FR Citation83 FR 54055 
RIN Number0648-XG41

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