Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 245 / Friday, December 21, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 65571 

In consideration of the foregoing, 

FMCSA amends 49 CFR chapter III, part 

383 as follows: 

PART 383—COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S 

LICENSE STANDARDS; 

REQUIREMENTS AND PENALTIES 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 383 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 521, 31136, 31301 et 

seq., and 31502; secs. 214 and 215 of Pub. L. 

106–159, 113 Stat. 1748, 1766, 1767; sec. 

1012(b) of Pub. L. 107–56, 115 Stat. 272, 297; 

sec. 4140 of Pub. L. 109–59, 119 Stat. 1144, 

1746; sec. 32934 of Pub. L. 112–141, 126 Stat. 

405, 830; sec. 7208 of Pub. L. 114–94, 129 

Stat. 1312, 1593; and 49 CFR 1.87. 

■ 2. Amend § 383.25 by revising 

paragraph (c) to read as follows: 

§ 383.25 Commercial learner’s permit 

(CLP). 

* * * * * 

(c) The CLP must be valid for no more 

than one year from the initial date of 

issuance without requiring the CLP 

holder to retake the general and 

endorsement knowledge tests. CLPs 

issued for a period of less than one year 

may be renewed provided the CLP is not 

valid for no more than one year from the 

date of initial issuance. 

* * * * * 

■ 3. Amend § 383.73 by revising 

paragraph (a)(2)(iii) to read as follows: 

§ 383.73 State procedures. 

(a) * * * 

(2) * * * 

(iii) Make the CLP valid for no more 

than one year from the date of issuance 

without requiring the CLP holder to 

retake the general and endorsement 

knowledge tests. CLPs issued for a 

period of less than one year may be 

renewed provided the CLP is not valid 

for more than one year from the date of 

initial issuance. 

* * * * * 

Issued under authority delegated in 49 CFR 

1.87. 

Raymond P. Martinez, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27779 Filed 12–20–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 635 

[Docket No. 120627194–3657–02] 

RIN 0648–XG606 

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; 

North Atlantic Swordfish Fishery 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is adjusting the 

Swordfish General Commercial permit 

retention limits for the Northwest 

Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. 

Caribbean regions for January through 

June of the 2019 fishing year, unless 

otherwise later noticed. The Swordfish 

General Commercial permit retention 

limits in each of these regions are 

increased from the regulatory default 

limits (either two or three fish) to six 

swordfish per vessel per trip. The 

Swordfish General Commercial permit 

retention limit in the Florida Swordfish 

Management Area will remain 

unchanged at the default limit of zero 

swordfish per vessel per trip, as 

discussed in more detail below. These 

adjustments apply to Swordfish General 

Commercial permitted vessels and to 

Highly Migratory Species (HMS) 

Charter/Headboat permitted vessels 

with a commercial endorsement when 

on a non-for-hire trip. This action is 

based upon consideration of the 

applicable inseason regional retention 

limit adjustment criteria. 

DATES: The adjusted Swordfish General 

Commercial permit retention limits in 

the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, 

and U.S. Caribbean regions are effective 

from January 1, 2019, through June 31, 

2019. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick 

Pearson or Randy Blankinship, 727– 

824–5399. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Regulations implemented under the 

authority of the Atlantic Tunas 

Convention Act (ATCA; 16 U.S.C. 971 et 

seq.) and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C. 1801 

et seq.) governing the harvest of North 

Atlantic swordfish by persons and 

vessels subject to U.S. jurisdiction are 

found at 50 CFR part 635. Section 

635.27 subdivides the U.S. North 

Atlantic swordfish quota recommended 

by the International Commission for the 

Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) 

and implemented by the United States 

into two equal semi-annual directed 

fishery quotas; an annual incidental 

catch quota for fishermen targeting other 

species or catching swordfish 

recreationally, and a reserve category, 

according to the allocations established 

in the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic 

Highly Migratory Species Fishery 

Management Plan (2006 Consolidated 

Atlantic HMS FMP) (71 FR 58058, 

October 2, 2006), as amended, and in 

accordance with implementing 

regulations. NMFS is required under 

ATCA and the Magnuson-Stevens Act to 

provide U.S. fishing vessels with a 

reasonable opportunity to harvest the 

ICCAT-recommended quota. 

In 2017, ICCAT Recommendation 17– 

02 specified that the overall North 

Atlantic swordfish total allowable catch 

(TAC) be set at 9,925 metric tons (mt) 

dressed weight (dw) (13,200 mt whole 

weight (ww)) through 2021. Consistent 

with scientific advice, this was a 

reduction of 500 mt ww (375.9 mt dw) 

from previous ICCAT-recommended 

TACs. However, the United States’ 

baseline quota remained at 2,937.6 mt 

dw (3,907 mt ww) per year. The 

Recommendation (17–02) also 

continued to limit underharvest 

carryover to 15 percent of a contracting 

party’s baseline quota. Thus, the United 

States may carry over a maximum of 

440.6 mt dw (586.0 mt ww) of 

underharvest. Absent adjustments, the 

codified baseline quota is 2,937.6 mt dw 

for 2019. At this time, given the extent 

of expected underharvest in 2018, 

NMFS anticipates carrying over the 

maximum allowable 15 percent (440.6 

mt dw), which would result in a final 

adjusted North Atlantic swordfish quota 

for the 2019 fishing year equal to 

3,378.2 mt dw (2,937.6 + 440.6 = 3,378.2 

mt dw). As in past years we anticipate 

allocating 50 mt dw from the adjusted 

quota to the Reserve category for 

inseason adjustments/research and 

allocating 300 mt dw to the Incidental 

category, which includes recreational 

landings and landings by incidental 

swordfish permit holders, consistent 

with § 635.27(c)(1)(i)(D) and (B). This 

would result in an adjusted quota of 

3,028.2 mt dw for the directed fishery, 

which would be split equally (1,514.1 

mt dw) between the two semi-annual 

periods in 2019 (January through June, 

and July through December). Landings 

attributable to the Swordfish General 

Commercial permit will count against 

the applicable semi-annual directed 

fishery quota. 


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65572 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 245 / Friday, December 21, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 

Adjustment of Swordfish General 

Commercial Permit Vessel Retention 

Limits 

The 2019 North Atlantic swordfish 

fishing year, which is managed on a 

calendar-year basis and divided into 

two equal semi-annual quotas for the 

directed fishery, will begin on January 

1, 2019. Landings attributable to the 

Swordfish General Commercial permit 

are counted against the applicable semiannual directed fishery quota. Regional 

default retention limits for this permit 

have been established and are 

automatically effective from January 1 

through June 31 each year, unless 

changed based on the inseason regional 

retention limit adjustment criteria at 

§ 635.24(b)(4)(iv). The default retention 

limits established for the Swordfish 

General Commercial permit are: (1) 

Northwest Atlantic region—three 

swordfish per vessel per trip; (2) Gulf of 

Mexico region—three swordfish per 

vessel per trip; (3) U.S. Caribbean 

region—two swordfish per vessel per 

trip; and, (4) Florida Swordfish 

Management Area—zero swordfish per 

vessel per trip. The default retention 

limits apply to Swordfish General 

Commercial permitted vessels and to 

HMS Charter/Headboat permitted 

vessels with a commercial endorsement 

when fishing on non-for-hire trips. As a 

condition of these permits, vessels may 

not possess, retain, or land any more 

swordfish than is specified for the 

region in which the vessel is located. 

Under § 635.24(b)(4)(iii), NMFS may 

increase or decrease the Swordfish 

General Commercial permit vessel 

retention limit in any region within a 

range from zero to a maximum of six 

swordfish per vessel per trip. Any 

adjustments to the retention limits must 

be based upon a consideration of the 

relevant criteria provided in 

§ 635.24(b)(4)(iv), which include: (A) 

The usefulness of information obtained 

from biological sampling and 

monitoring of the North Atlantic 

swordfish stock; (B) the estimated 

ability of vessels participating in the 

fishery to land the amount of swordfish 

quota available before the end of the 

fishing year; (C) the estimated amounts 

by which quotas for other categories of 

the fishery might be exceeded; (D) 

effects of the adjustment on 

accomplishing the objectives of the 

fishery management plan and its 

amendments; (E) variations in seasonal 

distribution, abundance, or migration 

patterns of swordfish; (F) effects of catch 

rates in one region precluding vessels in 

another region from having a reasonable 

opportunity to harvest a portion of the 

overall swordfish quota; and, (G) review 

of dealer reports, landing trends, and 

the availability of swordfish on the 

fishing grounds. 

NMFS has considered these criteria as 

discussed below and their applicability 

to the Swordfish General Commercial 

permit retention limit in all regions for 

January through June of the 2019 North 

Atlantic swordfish fishing year. We 

have determined that the Swordfish 

General Commercial permit retention 

limits in the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of 

Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean regions 

applicable to persons issued a 

Swordfish General Commercial permit 

or HMS Charter/Headboat permit with a 

commercial endorsement (when on a 

non-for-hire trip) should be increased 

from the default levels that would 

otherwise automatically become 

effective on January 1, 2019, to six 

swordfish per vessel per trip from 

January 1 through June 31, 2019, unless 

otherwise later noticed. These are the 

same limits that were implemented 

through an inseason adjustment for the 

period July 1 through December 31, 

2018 (83 FR 30884, July 2, 2018). Given 

the rebuilt status of the stock and the 

availability of quota, increasing the 

Swordfish General Commercial permit 

retention limits in three regions to six 

fish per vessel per trip will increase the 

likelihood that directed swordfish 

landings will approach, but not exceed, 

the available annual swordfish quota, 

and increase the opportunity for 

catching swordfish during the 2019 

fishing year. 

In 2018, a six swordfish per vessel 

trip limit was in effect for Swordfish 

General Commercial permit holders in 

the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, 

and U.S. Caribbean regions for the entire 

fishing season. As of November 30, 

2018, this limit resulted in total annual 

directed swordfish landings of 

approximately 686.8 mt dw, or 22.7 

percent of the 3,028.2 mt dw annual 

adjusted directed quota for 2018. 

Among the regulatory criteria for 

inseason adjustments to retention limits, 

and given the rebuilt status of the stock 

and availability of quota, is the 

requirement that NMFS consider the 

‘‘effects of the adjustment on 

accomplishing the objectives of the 

fishery management plan and its 

amendments.’’ See § 635.24(b)(4)(iv)(D). 

A consideration in deciding whether to 

increase the retention limit, in this case, 

is the objective of providing 

opportunities to harvest the full North 

Atlantic directed swordfish quota 

without exceeding it based upon the 

2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP 

goal to, consistent with other objectives 

of this FMP, ‘‘manage Atlantic HMS 

fisheries for continuing optimum yield 

so as to provide the greatest overall 

benefit to the Nation, particularly with 

respect to food production, providing 

recreational opportunities, preserving 

traditional fisheries, and taking into 

account the protection of marine 

ecosystems.’’ This action will help 

preserve a traditional swordfish 

handgear fishery (rod and reel, 

handline, harpoon, bandit gear, and 

greenstick). Although this action does 

not specifically provide recreational 

fishing opportunities, it will have a 

minimal impact on the recreational 

sector because recreational landings are 

counted against a separate incidental 

swordfish quota. 

NMFS has examined dealer reports 

and landing trends and determined that 

the information obtained from biological 

sampling and monitoring of the North 

Atlantic swordfish stock is useful. See 

§ 635.24(b)(4)(iv)(A). Regarding the 

estimated ability of vessels participating 

in the fishery to land the amount of 

swordfish quota available before the end 

of the fishing year, § 635.24(b)(4)(iv)(B), 

NMFS reviewed electronic dealer 

landings data, which indicates that 

sufficient directed swordfish quota will 

be available for the January through 

June 2019 semi-annual quota period if 

recent swordfish landing trends 

continue. The directed swordfish quota 

has not been harvested for several years 

and, based upon current landing trends, 

is not likely to be harvested or exceeded 

in 2019. Based upon recent landings 

rates from dealer reports, an increase in 

the vessel retention limits to six fish for 

Swordfish General Commercial permit 

holders and Charter/Headboat permit 

holders with a commercial endorsement 

(when on a non-for-hire trip) in three 

regions is not likely to cause quotas for 

other categories of the fishery to be 

exceeded. See § 635.24(b)(4)(iv)(C). 

Similarly, regarding the criteria about 

the effects of catch rates in one region 

precluding vessels in another region 

from having a reasonable opportunity to 

harvest a portion of the overall 

swordfish quota, § 635.24(b)(4)(iv)(F), 

we expect there to be sufficient 

swordfish quota for the entirety of the 

2019 fishing year. Thus, increased catch 

rates in these three regions as a result of 

this action would not be expected to 

preclude vessels in the other region 

(e.g., the buoy gear fishery in the Florida 

Swordfish Management Area) from 

having a reasonable opportunity to 

harvest a portion of the overall 

swordfish quota. 

In making adjustments to the 

retention limits NMFS must also 

consider variations in seasonal 

distribution, abundance, or migration 

patterns of swordfish, and the 


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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 245 / Friday, December 21, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 65573 

availability of swordfish on the fishing 

grounds. See § 635.24(b)(4)(iv)(G). With 

regard to swordfish abundance, the 2018 

report by ICCAT’s Standing Committee 

on Research and Statistics indicated that 

the North Atlantic swordfish stock is 

not overfished (B2015/Bmsy = 1.04), and 

overfishing is not occurring (F2015/Fmsy = 

0.78). Increasing retention limits for the 

General Commercial directed fishery is 

not expected to affect the swordfish 

stock status determination because any 

additional landings would be within the 

ICCAT-recommended U.S. North 

Atlantic swordfish quota allocation, 

which is consistent with conservation 

and management measures to prevent 

overfishing on the stock. Increasing 

opportunities by increasing retention 

limits from the default levels beginning 

on January 1, 2019, is also important 

because of the migratory nature and 

seasonal distribution of swordfish. In a 

particular geographic region, or waters 

accessible from a particular port, the 

amount of fishing opportunity for 

swordfish may be constrained by the 

short amount of time that the swordfish 

are present in the area as they migrate. 

Finally, another consideration, 

consistent with the FMP and its 

amendments, is to continue to provide 

protection to important swordfish 

nursery areas and migratory corridors. 

Therefore, NMFS has determined that 

the retention limit for the Swordfish 

General Commercial permit will remain 

at zero swordfish per vessel per trip in 

the Florida Swordfish Management Area 

at this time. As discussed above, NMFS 

considered consistency with the 2006 

HMS FMP and its amendments, and the 

importance for NMFS to continue to 

provide protection to important 

swordfish nursery areas and migratory 

corridors. As described in Amendment 

8 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic 

HMS FMP (78 FR 52011, August 21, 

2013), the area off the southeastern coast 

of Florida, particularly the Florida 

Straits, contains oceanographic features 

that make the area biologically unique. 

It provides important juvenile swordfish 

habitat, and is essentially a narrow 

migratory corridor containing high 

concentrations of swordfish located in 

close proximity to high concentrations 

of people who may fish for them. Public 

comment on Amendment 8, including 

from the Florida Fish and Wildlife 

Conservation Commission, indicated 

concern about the resultant high 

potential for the improper rapid growth 

of a commercial fishery, increased 

catches of undersized swordfish, the 

potential for larger numbers of 

fishermen in the area, and the potential 

for crowding of fishermen, which could 

lead to gear and user conflicts. These 

concerns remain valid. NMFS will 

continue to collect information to 

evaluate the appropriateness of the 

retention limit in the Florida Swordfish 

Management Area and other regional 

retention limits. This action therefore 

maintains a zero-fish retention limit in 

the Florida Swordfish Management 

Area. 

The directed swordfish quota has not 

been harvested for several years and, 

based upon current landing trends, is 

not likely to be harvested or exceeded 

during 2019. This information indicates 

that sufficient directed swordfish quota 

should be available from January 1 

through June 31, 2019, at the higher 

retention levels, within the limits of the 

scientifically-supported TAC and 

consistent with the goals of the 2006 

Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP as 

amended, ATCA, and the MagnusonStevens Act, and are not expected to 

negatively impact stock health. 

Monitoring and Reporting 

NMFS will continue to monitor the 

swordfish fishery closely during 2019 

through mandatory landings and catch 

reports. Dealers are required to submit 

landing reports and negative reports (if 

no swordfish were purchased) on a 

weekly basis. 

Depending upon the level of fishing 

effort and catch rates of swordfish, 

NMFS may determine that additional 

retention limit adjustments or closures 

are necessary to ensure that the 

available quota is not exceeded or to 

enhance fishing opportunities. 

Subsequent actions, if any, will be 

published in the Federal Register. In 

addition, fishermen may access https:// 

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highlymigratory-species/2019-atlanticswordfish-landings-updates for updates 

on quota monitoring. 

Classification 

The Assistant Administrator for 

NMFS (AA) finds that it is impracticable 

and contrary to the public interest to 

provide prior notice of, and an 

opportunity for public comment on, this 

action for the following reasons: 

The regulations implementing the 

2006 Consolidated Atlantic HMS FMP, 

as amended, provide for inseason 

retention limit adjustments to respond 

to changes in swordfish landings, the 

availability of swordfish on the fishing 

grounds, the migratory nature of this 

species, and regional variations in the 

fishery. Based on available swordfish 

quota, stock abundance, fishery 

performance in recent years, and the 

availability of swordfish on the fishing 

grounds, among other considerations, 

adjustment to the Swordfish General 

Commercial permit retention limits 

from the default levels of two or three 

fish to six swordfish per vessel per trip 

as discussed above is warranted, while 

maintaining the default limit of zerofish retention in the Florida Swordfish 

Management Area. Analysis of available 

data shows that adjustment to the 

swordfish retention limit from the 

default levels would result in minimal 

risk of exceeding the ICCAT-allocated 

quota. 

NMFS provides notification of 

retention limit adjustments by 

publishing the notice in the Federal 

Register, emailing individuals who have 

subscribed to the Atlantic HMS News 

electronic newsletter, and updating the 

information posted on the ‘‘News and 

Announcements’’ website at https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/news-andannouncements (filter by ‘‘Atlantic 

Highly Migratory Species’’ under 

‘‘Topic’’). Delays in temporarily 

increasing these retention limits caused 

by the time required to publish a 

proposed rule and accept public 

comment would adversely and 

unnecessarily affect those Swordfish 

General Commercial permit holders and 

HMS Charter/Headboat permit holders 

with a commercial endorsement (when 

on a non-for-hire trip) that would 

otherwise have an opportunity to 

harvest more than the otherwise 

applicable lower default retention limits 

of three swordfish per vessel per trip in 

the Northwest Atlantic and Gulf of 

Mexico regions, and two swordfish per 

vessel per trip in the U.S. Caribbean 

region. Limiting opportunities to harvest 

available directed swordfish quota may 

have negative social and economic 

impacts for U.S. fishermen. Adjustment 

of the retention limits needs to be 

effective on January 1, 2019, to allow 

Swordfish General Commercial permit 

holders and HMS Charter/Headboat 

permit holders with a commercial 

endorsement (when on a non-for-hire 

trip) to benefit from the adjustment 

during the relevant time period, which 

could pass by for some fishermen who 

have access to the fishery during a short 

time period because of seasonal fish 

migration, if the action is delayed for 

notice and public comment. 

Furthermore, the public was given an 

opportunity to comment on the 

underlying rulemakings, including the 

adoption of the North Atlantic 

swordfish U.S. quota, and the retention 

limit adjustments in this action would 

not have any additional effects or 

impacts since the retention limit does 

not affect the overall quota. Thus, there 

would be little opportunity for 


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65574 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 245 / Friday, December 21, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 

meaningful input and review with 

public comment on this action. 

Therefore, the AA finds good cause 

under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior 

notice and the opportunity for public 

comment. For all of the above reasons, 

there is also good cause under 5 U.S.C. 

553(d) to waive the 30-day delay in 

effectiveness. 

This action is being taken under 50 

CFR 635.24(b)(4) and is exempt from 

review under Executive Order 12866. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 

et seq. 

Dated: December 18, 2018. 

Karen H. Abrams, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27666 Filed 12–18–18; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 648 

[Docket No. 180209147–8509–02] 

RIN 0648–XG674 

Fisheries of the Northeastern United 

States; Small-Mesh Multispecies 

Fishery; Inseason Adjustment to the 

Southern Red Hake Possession Limit 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason 

adjustment. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the 

commercial per-trip possession limit for 

southern red hake has been reduced for 

the remainder of the 2018 fishing year. 

Regulations governing the small-mesh 

multispecies fishery require this action 

to prevent the southern red hake total 

allowable landing limit from being 

exceeded. This announcement also 

informs the public of the reduced 

southern red hake possession limit. 

DATES: Effective December 26, 2018, 

through April 30, 2019. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cynthia Ferrio, Fishery Management 

Specialist, (978) 281–9180. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Regulations governing the red hake 

fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. 

The small-mesh multispecies fishery is 

managed primarily through a series of 

exemptions from the Northeast 

Multispecies Fisheries Management 

Plan. The regulations describing the 

process to adjust inseason commercial 

possession limits of southern red hake 

are described in § 648.86(d)(4) and 

§ 648.90(b)(5). These regulations require 

the NMFS Regional Administrator, 

Greater Atlantic Region, to reduce the 

southern red hake per-trip possession 

limit from 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) to the 

incidental limit of 400 lb (181 kg) when 

landings have been projected to reach or 

exceed 90 percent of the total allowable 

landings (TAL), unless such a reduction 

is expected to prevent the TAL from 

being reached. The final rule 

implementing the small-mesh 

multispecies specifications for 2018– 

2020 (83 FR 27713; June 14, 2018) set 

the southern red hake inseason 

adjustment threshold for the 2018 

fishing year as 605,169 lb (274,500 kg); 

90 percent of the southern red hake TAL 

for the year. 

Based on commercial landings data 

reported through December 8, 2018, the 

southern red hake fishery is projected to 

reach 90 percent of the TAL on or 

around December 26, 2018. NMFS is 

required to reduce the commercial 

southern red hake possession limit 

when 90 percent of the TAL is projected 

to be reached, to prevent the TAL from 

being exceeded. We do not anticipate 

that this reduced possession limit will 

prevent the TAL from being achieved. 

Therefore, effective December 26, 2018, 

no person may possess on board or land 

more than 400 lb (181 kg) of southern 

red hake per trip for the remainder of 

the fishing year (i.e., through April 30, 

2019). 

Classification 

This action is required by 50 CFR part 

648 and is exempt from review under 

Executive Order 12866. 

The Assistant Administrator for 

Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause 

under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior 

notice and the opportunity for public 

comment because it would be contrary 

to the public interest. This action 

reduces the per-trip possession limit for 

southern red hake to the incidental limit 

of 400 lb (181 kg) until April 30, 2019, 

under current small-mesh multispecies 

fishery regulations. The regulations at 

§ 648.86(d) require such action to ensure 

that commercial small-mesh 

multispecies vessels do not exceed the 

TAL set for the southern red hake stock. 

If implementation of this reduction was 

delayed to solicit prior public comment, 

the southern red hake TAL for this 

fishing year may be exceeded, thereby 

undermining the conservation 

objectives of the Small-Mesh 

Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. 

Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 

553(d)(3), the Assistant Administrator 

further finds good cause to waive the 

30-day delayed effectiveness period for 

the reason stated above. 

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

Dated: December 18, 2018. 

Karen H. Abrams, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27689 Filed 12–18–18; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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