30884 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 127 / Monday, July 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 

operating costs that carriers that 

predominately serve Tribal lands can 

recover from the universal service fund 

(USF) in recognition that they are likely 

to have higher costs than carriers not 

serving Tribal lands. The rules 

published in the Federal Register on 

May 1, 2018. 

DATES: Effective July 2, 2018. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Suzanne Yelen, Wireline Competition 

Bureau, (202) 418–7400. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a 

summary of the FCC’s Erratum, released 

on June 7, 2018. This summary contains 

technical amendments to the 

Commission’s rules that were published 

in the Federal Register at 83 FR 18948 

(May 1, 2018). The full text of the 

Commission’s Report and Order, WC 

Docket No. 10–90; FCC 18–37, released 

on April 5, 2018 is available for public 

inspection during regular business 

hours in the FCC Reference Center, 

Room CY–A257, 445 12th Street SW, 

Washington, DC 20554. 

In the document published in the 

Federal Register at 83 FR 18948 (May 1, 

2018), amendatory instruction 2 

erroneously added text as paragraph 

(a)(6) to § 54.303. The Commission’s 

intent was to add the text as paragraph 

(a)(7) to the section. This document 

corrects that error. 

Technical Amendments 

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 54 

Communications common carriers, 

Health facilities, Infants and children, 

Internet, Libraries, Reporting and 

recordkeeping requirements, Schools, 

Telecommunications, Telephone. 

Accordingly, 47 CFR part 54 is 

corrected by making the following 

correcting amendments: 

PART 54—UNIVERSAL SERVICE 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 54 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 155, 201, 

205, 214, 219, 220, 254, 303(r), 403, and 1302 

unless otherwise noted. 

■ 2. In § 54.303, add paragraph (a)(7) to 

read as follows: 

§ 54.303 Eligible Capital Investment and 

Operating Expenses. 

(a) * * * 

(7) For those study areas where a 

majority of the housing units are on 

Tribal lands, as determined by the 

Wireline Competition Bureau, and meet 

the following conditions, total eligible 

annual operating expenses per location 

shall be limited by calculating Exp (Yˆ + 

2.5 * mean square error of the 

regression): The carrier serving the 

study area has not deployed broadband 

service of 10 Mbps download/1 Mbps 

upload to 90 percent or more of the 

housing units on the Tribal lands in its 

study area and unsubsidized 

competitors have not deployed 

broadband service of 10 Mbps 

download/1 Mbps upload to 85 percent 

or more of the housing units on the 

Tribal lands in its study area. 

* * * * * 

Federal Communications Commission. 

Marlene Dortch, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14149 Filed 6–29–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS 

COMMISSION 

47 CFR Part 54 

Universal Service 

CFR Correction 

■ In Title 47 of the Code of Federal 

Regulations, Parts 40 to 69, revised as of 

October 1, 2017, on page 206, in 

§ 54.507, the second paragraph (f) is 

removed. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14186 Filed 6–29–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 1301–00–D 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 635 

[Docket No. 120627194–3657–02] 

RIN 0648–XG167 

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 (SWO) General Commercial 

permit retention limits for the 

Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and 

U.S. Caribbean regions for July through 

December of the 2018 fishing year, 

unless otherwise later noticed. The 

SWO General Commercial permit 

retention limit in each of these regions 

is increased from the regulatory default 

limits (either two or three fish) to six 

swordfish per vessel per trip. The SWO 

General Commercial permit retention 

limit in the Florida SWO 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 SWO 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 SWO General 

Commercial permit retention limits in 

the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, 

and U.S. Caribbean regions are effective 

from July 1, 2018, through December 31, 

2018. 

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, of this TAC, 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 


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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 127 / Monday, July 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 30885 

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 2018. At this time, given the extent 

of underharvest in 2017, 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 

2018 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 

2018 (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. 

Adjustment of SWO General 

Commercial Permit Vessel Retention 

Limits 

The 2018 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, began on January 1, 

2018. Landings attributable to the SWO 

General Commercial permit are counted 

against the applicable semi-annual 

directed fishery quota. Regional default 

retention limits for this permit have 

been established and are automatically 

effective from January 1 through 

December 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 SWO 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 SWO Management Area—zero 

swordfish per vessel per trip. The 

default retention limits apply to SWO 

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 SWO 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 SWO General Commercial permit 

retention limit in all regions for July 

through December of the 2018 North 

Atlantic swordfish fishing year. We 

have determined that the SWO General 

Commercial permit retention limits in 

the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, 

and U.S. Caribbean regions applicable to 

persons issued a SWO 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 July 

1, 2018, to six swordfish per vessel per 

trip from July 1 through December 31, 

2018, unless otherwise later noticed. 

These are the same limits that were 

made effective through an inseason 

adjustment for the period January 1 

through June 30, 2018 (82 FR 58761). 

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 2018 

fishing year. 

Last year, 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 

2017 fishing season. This limit resulted 

in total annual directed swordfish 

landings of approximately 901.0 mt dw, 

or 29.9 percent of the 3,009.4 mt dw 

annual adjusted directed quota for 2017. 

With a six fish retention limit in effect 

during the first semi-annual directed 

quota period in 2018, total directed 

swordfish landings through April 30, 

2018, are approximately 209.6 mt dw, or 

15.9 percent of the 1,318.8 mt dw semiannual baseline directed swordfish 

quota. 

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). 

One 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 accurate and timely 

electronic dealer landings data, which 

indicates that sufficient directed 

swordfish quota will be available for the 

July through December 2018 semiVerDate Sep<11>2014 16:46 Jun 29, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\02JYR1.SGM 02JYR1

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30886 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 127 / Monday, July 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 

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 2018. Based 

upon recent landings rates from dealer 

reports, an increase in the vessel 

retention limits to six fish for Swordfish 

General Commercial permit holders 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 

2018 fishing year, and 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 SWO 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 

availability of swordfish on the fishing 

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

regard to swordfish abundance, the 2017 

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 July 1, 2018, 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 the swordfish are 

present as they migrate. 

Finally, another consideration, 

consistent with the FMP and its 

amendments, is to continue to provide 

protection to important swordfish 

juvenile areas and migratory corridors. 

Therefore, NMFS has determined that 

the retention limit for the SWO General 

Commercial permit will remain at zero 

swordfish per vessel per trip in the 

Florida SWO 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 juvenile areas and migratory 

corridors. As described in Amendment 

8 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic 

HMS FMP (78 FR 52012), 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 SWO 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 2018. This information indicates 

that sufficient directed swordfish quota 

should be available from July 1 through 

December 31, 2018, 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 2018 

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/2018-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 SWO General 

Commercial permit retention limits 

from the default levels of two or three 

fish to six SWO per vessel per trip as 

discussed above is warranted, while 

maintaining the default limit of zerofish retention in the Florida SWO 

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 SWO General 

Commercial permit holders and HMS 

Charter/Headboat permit holders with a 

commercial endorsement that would 

otherwise have an opportunity to 

harvest more than the otherwise 

applicable lower default retention limits 


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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 127 / Monday, July 2, 2018 / Rules and Regulations 30887 

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 July 1, 2018, to allow SWO 

General Commercial permit holders and 

HMS Charter/Headboat permit holders 

with a commercial endorsement to 

benefit from the adjustment during the 

relevant time period, which could pass 

by for some fishermen, particularly in 

the Northwest Atlantic region 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 

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: June 26, 2018. 

Margo B. Schulze-Haugen, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–14116 Filed 6–27–18; 11:15 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 648 

[Docket No. 151211999–6343–02] 

RIN 0648–XG318 

Fisheries of the Northeastern United 

States; Northeast Multispecies 

Fishery; Gulf of Maine Haddock 

Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area 

Closure for the Common Pool Fishery 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; area closure. 

SUMMARY: This action closes the Gulf of 

Maine Haddock Trimester Total 

Allowable Catch Area to Northeast 

multispecies common pool vessels 

fishing with trawl gear, sink gillnet gear, 

and longline/hook gear. The closure is 

required because the common pool 

fishery is projected to have caught over 

90 percent of its Trimester 1 quota for 

Gulf of Maine haddock. This closure is 

intended to prevent an overage of the 

common pool’s quota for this stock. 

DATES: This action is effective June 29, 

2018, through August 31, 2018. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management 

Specialist, (978) 281–9232. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal 

regulations at § 648.82(n)(2)(ii) require 

the Regional Administrator to close a 

common pool Trimester Total 

Allowable Catch (TAC) Area for a stock 

when 90 percent of the Trimester TAC 

is projected to be caught. The closure 

applies to all common pool vessels 

fishing with gear capable of catching 

that stock, and remains in effect for the 

remainder of the trimester. During the 

closure, common pool vessels fishing 

with trawl gear, sink gillnet gear, and 

longline/hook gear may not fish for, 

harvest, possess, or land regulated 

multispecies or ocean pout in or from 

the Trimester TAC Area for the stock. 

The Trimester 1 TAC for Gulf of 

Maine (GOM) haddock is 26.3 mt 

(57,982 lb). Based on catch data through 

June 17, 2018, the common pool fishery 

is projected to have caught 29.4 mt 

(64,792 lb) of GOM haddock, or 112 

percent of the Trimester 1 TAC. 

Effective June 29, 2018, the GOM 

Haddock Trimester TAC Area is closed 

for the remainder of Trimester 1, 

through August 31, 2018. The GOM 

Haddock Trimester TAC Area consists 

of statistical areas 513, 514, and 515. 

During the closure, common pool 

vessels fishing with trawl gear, sink 

gillnet gear, and longline/hook gear may 

not fish for, harvest, possess, or land 

regulated multispecies or ocean pout in 

or from this area. The area reopens at 

the beginning of Trimester 2 on 

September 1, 2018. 

If a vessel declared its trip through the 

Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) or the 

interactive voice response system, and 

crossed the VMS demarcation line prior 

to June 29, 2018, it may complete its trip 

within the GOM Haddock Trimester 

TAC Area. A vessel that has set its sink 

gillnet gear prior to June 29, 2018, may 

complete its trip by hauling such gear. 

If the common pool fishery exceeds 

its total quota for a stock in the 2018 

fishing year, the overage must be 

deducted from the common pool’s quota 

for that stock for fishing year 2019. 

Weekly quota monitoring reports for the 

common pool fishery are on our website 

at: http://www.greateratlantic.

fisheries.noaa.gov/ro/fso/ 

MultiMonReports.htm. We will continue 

to monitor common pool catch through 

vessel trip reports, dealer-reported 

landings, VMS catch reports, and other 

available information and, if necessary, 

will make additional adjustments to 

common pool management measures. 

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 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 30-day 

delayed effectiveness period because it 

would be impracticable and contrary to 

the public interest. 

The regulations require the Regional 

Administrator to close a trimester TAC 

area to the common pool fishery when 

90 percent of the Trimester TAC for a 

stock has been caught. Updated catch 

information through June 17, 2018, only 

recently became available indicating 

that the common pool fishery is 

projected to have caught 112 percent of 

its Trimester 1 TAC for GOM haddock. 

The time necessary to provide for prior 

notice and comment, and a 30-day delay 

in effectiveness, would prevent the 

immediate closure of the GOM Haddock 

Trimester TAC Area. This would be 

contrary to the regulatory requirement 

and would increase the magnitude of 

the Trimester 1 closure and the 

likelihood that the common pool fishery 

would exceed its annual quota of GOM 

haddock. Any overage of the Trimester 

1 or Trimester 2 TACs are deducted 

from the Trimester 3 TAC, and any 


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