Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 71 / Thursday, April 12, 2012 / Proposed Rules 21955 

Dogfish (Squalus acanthias) May 2009— 

April 2010 Fishing Year. Prepared by the 

Spiny Dogfish Plan Review Team, 

ASMFC. 

Byrd, B.L, A.A. Hohn, F.H. Munden, G.N. 

Lovewell, and R.E. LoPiccolo. 2008. 

Effects of Commercial Fishing 

Regulations on Stranding Rates of 

Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops 

truncatus). Fish. Bull. 106:72–81. 

NCDMF. 2008. Overview of North Carolina 

Spiny Dogfish Regulations and 

Commercial Landings. North Carolina 

Department of Natural Resources, March 

2008. 

NMFS. Personal Communication. National 

Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries 

Statistic Division, Silver Spring, MD. 

NMFS. 2006. 43rd SAW Assessment 

Summary Report (43rd SAW): 43rd SAW 

assessment report. US Dep Commer, 

Norteast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 06–25; 

200. November 2006. 

NOAA Southeast Stranding Data. 2010. 

NOAA National Marine Mammal Health 

and Stranding Response Database 

unpublished data, accessed March 1, 

2011 date. 

Rago, P.J. and K.A. Sosebee. 2010. Biological 

Reference Points for Spiny Dogfish. 

Department of Commerce, National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. Northeast Fisheries 

Science Center Reference Document 10– 

06. May 2010. 

Rossman, M. and D. Palka. 2004. A Review 

of Coastal Bottlenose Dolphin Bycatch 

Mortality Estimates in Relation to the 

Potential Effectiveness of the Proposed 

BDTRP. Prepared by NMFS–NEFSC for 

the BDTRT. BDTRT document number 

1–13–05f. 

Waring, G.T., E. Josephson, C.P. FairfieldWalsh, and K. Maze-Foley, editors. 2007. 

U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Marine 

Mammal Stock Assessments—2007. 

NOAA Tech Memo NMFS NE 205; 415 

p. 

Waring, G.T., E. Josephson, K. Maze-Foley, 

and P.E. Rosel, editors. 2011. U.S. 

Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Marine 

Mammal Stock Assessments—2010. 

NOAA Tech Memo NMFS NE 219; 598 

p. 

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 229 

Administrative practice and 

procedure, Confidential business 

information, Fisheries, Marine 

mammals, Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements. 

Dated: April 5, 2012. 

Alan D. Risenhoover, 

Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

For the reasons set out in the 

preamble, 50 CFR part 229 is proposed 

to be amended as follows: 

PART 229—AUTHORIZATION FOR 

COMMERCIAL FISHERIES UNDER THE 

MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT 

OF 1972 

1. The authority citation for 50 CFR 

part 229 continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 16. U.S.C. 1361 et seq.; 50 CFR 

229.32(f) also issued under 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 

seq. 

2. In § 229.35 paragraph (a), the 

definitions of South Carolina, Georgia, 

and Florida waters and Southern North 

Carolina State waters in paragraph (b), 

and paragraphs (d)(1)(i), (d)(2)(i), 

(d)(4)(ii), and (d)(5)(i) are revised to read 

as follows: 

§ 229.35 Bottlenose Dolphin Take 

Reduction Plan. 

(a) Purpose and scope. The purpose of 

this section is to implement the 

Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction 

Plan (BDTRP) to reduce incidental 

mortality and serious injury of stocks of 

bottlenose dolphins within the Western 

North Atlantic coastal morphotype in 

specific Category I and II commercial 

fisheries from New Jersey through 

Florida. Specific Category I and II 

commercial fisheries within the scope of 

the BDTRP are indentified and updated 

in the annual List of Fisheries. Gear 

restricted by this section includes small, 

medium, and large mesh gillnets. The 

geographic scope of the BDTRP is all 

tidal and marine waters within 6.5 

nautical miles (12 km) of shore from the 

New York-New Jersey border southward 

to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and 

within 14.6 nautical miles (27 km) of 

shore from Cape Hatteras, southward to, 

and including the east coast of Florida 

down to the fishery management 

council demarcation line between the 

Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico 

(as described in § 600.105 of this 

chapter). 

(b) * * * 

South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida 

waters means the area consisting of all 

marine and tidal waters, within 14.6 

nautical miles (27 km) of shore, between 

33°51′07.9′′ N. (North Carolina/South 

Carolina border at the coast and as 

described by ‘‘Off South Carolina’’ in 

§ 622.2 of this title) and the fishery 

management council demarcation line 

between the Atlantic Ocean and the 

Gulf of Mexico (as described in 

§ 600.105 of this chapter). 

* * * * * 

Southern North Carolina State waters 

means the area consisting of all marine 

and tidal waters, within 3 nautical miles 

(5.56 km) of shore, bounded on the 

north by 34°35.4′ N. (Cape Lookout, 

North Carolina) and on the south by 

33°51′07.9′′ N. (North Carolina/South 

Carolina border at the coast and as 

described by ‘‘Off South Carolina’’ in 

§ 622.2 of this title). 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

(1) * * * 

(i) Medium and large mesh gillnets. 

From June 1 through October 31, in New 

Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland State 

waters, no person may fish with any 

medium or large mesh anchored gillnet 

gear at night unless such person remains 

within 0.5 nautical mile (0.93 km) of the 

closest portion of each gillnet and 

removes all such gear from the water 

and stows it on board the vessel before 

the vessel returns to port. 

* * * * * 

(2) * * * 

(i) Medium and large mesh gillnets. 

From June 1 through October 31, in 

Southern Virginia State waters and 

Northern Virginia State waters, no 

person may fish with any medium or 

large mesh anchored gillnet gear at night 

unless such person remains within 0.5 

nautical mile (0.93 km) of the closest 

portion of each gillnet and removes all 

such gear from the water and stows it on 

board the vessel before the vessel 

returns to port. 

* * * * * 

(4) * * * 

(ii) Medium mesh gillnets. From 

November 1 through April 30 of the 

following year, in Northern North 

Carolina State waters, no person may 

fish with any medium mesh gillnet at 

night. 

* * * * * 

(5) * * * 

(i) Medium mesh gillnets. From 

November 1 through April 30 of the 

following year, in Southern North 

Carolina State waters, no person may 

fish with any medium mesh gillnet at 

night. 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2012–8770 Filed 4–11–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 622 

[Docket No. 120213124–2225–01] 

RIN 0648–BB91 

Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of 

Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish 

Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Red 

Snapper Management Measures 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS

21956 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 71 / Thursday, April 12, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Proposed rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS proposes to implement 

management measures described in a 

regulatory amendment to the Fishery 

Management Plan for the Reef Fish 

Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) 

prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council (Council). If 

implemented, this rule would increase 

the commercial and recreational quotas 

for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico 

(Gulf) reef fish fishery for the 2012 

fishing year, and for the 2013 fishing 

year if NMFS determines the acceptable 

biological catch (ABC) is not exceeded 

in the 2012 fishing year. This rule 

would also eliminate the October 1 

closure date of the recreational fishing 

season. This proposed rule is intended 

to provide more flexibility in managing 

recreational red snapper and to help 

achieve optimum yield (OY) for the Gulf 

red snapper resource without increasing 

the risk of red snapper experiencing 

overfishing. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before April 27, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on the proposed rule, identified by 

‘‘NOAA–NMFS–2012–0024’’ by any of 

the following methods: 

• Electronic submissions: Submit 

electronic comments via the Federal 

e-Rulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Mail: Cynthia Meyer, Southeast 

Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th 

Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. 

Instructions: All comments received 

are a part of the public record and will 

generally be posted to http:// 

www.regulations.gov without change. 

All Personal Identifying Information (for 

example, name, address, etc.) 

voluntarily submitted by the commenter 

may be publicly accessible. Do not 

submit Confidential Business 

Information or otherwise sensitive or 

protected information. NMFS will 

accept anonymous comments (enter 

N/A in the required field if you wish to 

remain anonymous). 

To submit comments through the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov, enter ‘‘NOAA– 

NMFS–2011–0024’’ in the search field 

and click on ‘‘search’’. After you locate 

the proposed rule, click the ‘‘Submit a 

Comment’’ link in that row. This will 

display the comment web form. You can 

enter your submitter information (unless 

you prefer to remain anonymous), and 

type your comment on the web form. 

You can also attach additional files (up 

to 10MB) in Microsoft Word, Excel, 

WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats 

only. 

Comments received through means 

not specified in this rule will not be 

considered. 

For further assistance with submitting 

a comment, see the ‘‘Commenting’’ 

section at http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!faqs or the Help section at http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

Electronic copies of the regulatory 

amendment, which includes an 

environmental assessment and a 

regulatory impact review, may be 

obtained from the Southeast Regional 

Office Web Site at http:// 

sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/ 

GrouperSnapperandReefFish.htm. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cynthia Meyer, Southeast Regional 

Office, NMFS, telephone 727–824–5305; 

email: Cynthia.Meyer@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS and 

the Council manage the Gulf reef fish 

fishery under the FMP. The Council 

prepared the FMP and NMFS 

implements the FMP through 

regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the 

authority of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). 

Background 

The Southeast Data, Assessment, and 

Review (SEDAR) update assessment for 

Gulf red snapper, conducted in August 

2009 (SEDAR 9), determined that 

overfishing had ended for the red 

snapper stock, and that the ABC may be 

increased. The stock, however, is still 

overfished and under a rebuilding plan 

through 2032. The next SEDAR 

benchmark stock assessment currently 

scheduled for Gulf red snapper is in 

2012. 

The Council’s Scientific and 

Statistical Committee (SSC) met January 

10–13, 2012, and recommended new 

ABCs for the 2012 and 2013 fishing 

years. For 2012, the SSC recommended 

an ABC of 8.080 million lb (3.665 

million kg) and for 2013, the SSC 

recommended an ABC of 8.690 million 

lb (3.942 million kg). The Council met 

January 30–February 2, 2012, and voted 

to implement these new ABCs through 

the 2012 Gulf red snapper regulatory 

amendment. 

Management Measures Contained in 

this Proposed Rule 

This rule would set the 2012 and 2013 

commercial and recreational quotas for 

red snapper based on the ABCs 

recommended by the SSC and on the 

current commercial and recreational 

allocations (51-percent commercial and 

49-percent recreational). Therefore, the 

2012 commercial quota would be set at 

4.121 million lb (1.869 million kg), 

round weight, and the 2012 recreational 

quota would be set at 3.959 million lb 

(1.796 million kg), round weight. The 

2013 quotas would be set at 4.432 

million lb (2.010 million kg), round 

weight, for the commercial sector, and 

4.258 million lb (1.931 million kg), 

round weight, for the recreational 

sector, if NMFS determines that the 

ABC is not exceeded in the 2012 fishing 

year. If NMFS determines the 2012 ABC 

is exceeded, NMFS will maintain the 

2012 commercial and recreational 

quotas in the 2013 fishing year. If this 

is the case, the Assistant Administrator 

will file a notification with the Office of 

the Federal Register to announce that 

commercial and recreational quotas will 

remain at 2012 levels in the 2013 fishing 

year. 

This rule would change the end of the 

recreational fishing season from October 

1 to December 31. Under 50 CFR 622.34 

(m), the red snapper recreational fishing 

season opens each year on June 1 and 

closes when the recreational quota is 

projected to be reached, but no later 

than October 1. Prior to June 1 each 

year, NOAA projects the closing date 

based on the previous year’s data, and 

notifies the public of the closing date for 

the upcoming season. If subsequent data 

indicate the quota has not been reached 

by that closing date, NMFS may reopen 

the season, but only until the October 1 

end date. 

In 2010, following the closure of large 

areas of the Gulf in response to the 

Deepwater Horizon MC252 oil spill, 

NMFS determined the recreational 

quota was not caught during the open 

period. However, the October 1 end of 

the fishing season prevented NMFS 

from reopening the season to allow the 

remainder of the recreational quota to be 

caught. Instead, the Secretary had to 

take emergency action to reopen the 

season. Changing the end date of the 

fishing season to December 31 will 

allow NMFS to reopen the season 

through December 31, the end of the 

fishing year, thus maximizing this 

sector’s opportunity to harvest its full 

quota and giving the Council and NMFS 

greater flexibility to manage the red 

snapper recreational fishing season. 

In addition to proposing the change to 

the end of the fishing season, NMFS is 

currently reviewing preliminary 

landings information used in projecting 

recreational red snapper harvest for the 

2012 fishing year. After finalized 2011 

recreational landings data are available 

and before the season opens on June 1, 

2012, NMFS will announce when the 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS

Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 71 / Thursday, April 12, 2012 / Proposed Rules 21957 

2012 quota is projected to be harvested. 

NMFS may announce when the 2012 

quota is projected to be harvested in the 

final rule associated with this action. 

The red snapper management 

measures contained in this proposed 

rule would achieve the goal of National 

Standard 1 of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Act, which states that conservation and 

management measures shall prevent 

overfishing while achieving, on a 

continuing basis, the optimum yield for 

the fishery. 

Other Changes to Codified Text 

This rule also proposes to revise the 

definition for ‘‘shrimp’’ in the codified 

text, which was inadvertently not 

revised in a previous final rule. The 

final rule for Amendment 5 to the FMP 

for the Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of 

Mexico (56 FR 22827, May 17, 1991) 

removed ‘‘seabobs’’ from the fishery 

management unit (FMU), however, the 

definition for ‘‘shrimp’’ in § 622.2 was 

not revised to remove ‘‘seabobs’’ at that 

time. Seabobs were never included in 

the FMU under the FMP for the Shrimp 

Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, 

and both FMP’s management units are 

comprised of the same species. This rule 

would revise the definition of ‘‘shrimp’’ 

to correct NMFS’ oversight. 

Classification 

Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act, the NMFS 

Assistant Administrator has determined 

that this proposed rule is consistent 

with the FMP, other provisions of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other 

applicable law, subject to further 

consideration after public comment. 

This proposed rule has been 

determined to be not significant for 

purposes of Executive Order 12866. 

The Chief Counsel for Regulation of 

the Department of Commerce certified 

to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the 

Small Business Administration that this 

proposed rule, if adopted, would not 

have a significant economic impact on 

a substantial number of small entities. 

The factual basis for this determination 

is as follows: 

The purpose of this proposed rule is 

to eliminate the October 1 closure date 

of the recreational fishing season to 

provide more flexibility in managing 

recreational red snapper, set the 2012 

commercial and recreational quotas for 

the red snapper component of the Gulf 

reef fish fishery, and set the 2013 

commercial and recreational quotas for 

red snapper if NMFS determines the 

ABC is not exceeded in the 2012 fishing 

year. These proposed actions would be 

expected to increase the likelihood of 

achieving OY. The Magnuson-Stevens 

Act provides the statutory basis for this 

proposed rule. 

This proposed rule, if implemented, 

would be expected to directly affect all 

commercial vessels and for-hire vessels 

that harvest red snapper. In order to 

harvest red snapper in excess of the bag 

limit and sell red snapper, a commercial 

reef fish permit and enough allocation 

in a fisherman’s IFQ account is 

required. An estimated 920 vessels 

possess a commercial Gulf reef fish 

permit. However, over the period 2007– 

2010, only an average of 323 vessels per 

year recorded commercial red snapper 

harvests. As a result, for the purpose of 

this assessment, NMFs estimates that 

the number of potentially affected 

commercial vessels to range from 323– 

920. The average commercial vessel in 

the Gulf reef fish fishery is estimated to 

earn approximately $48,000 (all figures 

in 2010 dollars), while the average 

annual revenue for a vessel with red 

snapper landings was approximately 

$88,000 over the period 2007–2010. 

A Federal Gulf reef fish for-hire vessel 

permit is required for for-hire vessels to 

harvest red snapper. On January 30, 

2012, there were 1,377 valid (nonexpired) or renewable reef fish for-hire 

vessel permits. An expired permit may 

not be actively fished, but is renewable 

for 1 year from the date of expiration. 

The for-hire fleet is comprised of 

charterboats, which charge a fee on a 

vessel basis, and headboats, which 

charge a fee on an individual angler 

(head) basis. Although the for-hire 

permit does not distinguish between 

headboats and charterboats, an 

estimated 69 headboats operate in the 

Gulf. The average charterboat is 

estimated to earn approximately 

$89,000 in annual revenue, while the 

average headboat is estimated to earn 

approximately $469,000. 

No other small entities that would be 

expected to be directly affected by this 

proposed rule have been identified. 

The Small Business Administration 

has established size criteria for all major 

industry sectors in the U.S., including 

fish harvesters and recreational services. 

A business involved in fish harvesting 

is classified as a small business if it is 

independently owned and operated, is 

not dominant in its field of operation 

(including its affiliates), and has 

combined annual receipts not in excess 

of $4.0 million (NAICS code 114111, 

finfish fishing) for all its affiliated 

operations worldwide. The revenue 

threshold for a business involved in the 

for-hire fishing industry is $7.0 million 

(NAICS code 713990, recreational 

industries). Based on the average 

revenue estimates provided above, 

NMFS determined that all commercial 

and for-hire vessels expected to be 

directly affected by this proposed rule 

are for the purpose of this analysis small 

business entities. 

This proposed rule, if implemented, 

would not be expected to significantly 

reduce profits for a substantial number 

of small entities. This proposed rule 

would eliminate the October 1 closure 

date of the recreational fishing season, 

set the commercial and recreational 

quotas for 2012, and set the commercial 

and recreational quotas for 2013 if the 

ABC is not exceeded in the previous 

fishing year. At best, this action may 

result in increased operational 

efficiency and associated increased 

profits for for-hire entities associated 

with the recreational harvest of red 

snapper. The recreational red snapper 

season currently opens on June 1 and 

closes when the recreational sector 

quota is harvested, or is projected to be 

harvested, but no later than October 1. 

If the recreational quota is not harvested 

during this period, reopening the season 

would require additional regulatory 

action. Although the regulatory process 

required to reopen the season could, in 

theory, be completed in time to avoid a 

delay in reopening, i.e., the season 

could reopen on October 1, because of 

the administrative process, it is more 

likely that the season would end on 

October 1 and reopen later in the year. 

If this occurs, for-hire services 

associated with the recreational harvest 

of red snapper could not be 

continuously offered. Interruption of 

business could result in increased costs 

and operational inefficiencies, 

producing a net reduction in profits to 

for-hire entities despite a potentially 

unchanged number of total fishing trips 

and associated revenue. Eliminating the 

fixed October 1 closure date would be 

expected to increase the likelihood of an 

uninterrupted season, eliminating these 

operational inefficiencies, and 

potentially increasing profits. As a 

result, at best, this action may increase 

the likelihood of improved operational 

efficiency and increased profits to small 

entities. 

NMFS notes, however, that this 

action, if implemented, would not likely 

have any direct economic effect on any 

small entities in the near-term or 

foreseeable future. Currently, the 

recreational red snapper season can 

remain open, if quota is available, 

through September 30 and this 

proposed rule would change this date to 

December 31. The recreational red 

snapper season in recent years, 

however, with the exception of 2010 

when harvest was reduced as a result of 

the Deepwater Horizon MC252 oil spill, 

has not extended beyond July or August. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS

21958 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 71 / Thursday, April 12, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

The 2011 season lasted 48 days, but the 

recreational quota was exceeded, and 

thus, the 2012 season is expected to be 

shorter. As a result, absent a reduction 

in the bag limit or other extreme 

circumstances that changes the effort, 

harvest rate, or availability of fish, the 

likelihood of the season extending to 

October 1 is not precisely known, but 

considered unlikely. Therefore, this 

action is not likely to have any direct 

economic effect on any small entities in 

the foreseeable future. 

This proposed rule would also 

increase the combined commercial and 

recreational red snapper quotas in 2012 

by 895,000 lb (405,965 kg) and by an 

additional 610,000 lb (276,691 kg) in 

2013 (or a total increase of 1.505 million 

lb (0.683 million kg) over the 2011 

combined commercial and recreational 

quotas), if the 2012 combined quota is 

not exceeded. These increases would be 

expected to result in an increase in 

revenue and profits to the affected 

commercial and for-hire fishing 

businesses. 

In summary, this proposed rule, if 

implemented, would be expected to 

increase profits to all directly affected 

small entities. 

Because this proposed rule, if 

implemented, would not be expected to 

have any direct adverse economic 

impact on any small entities, an initial 

regulatory flexibility analysis is not 

required and none has been prepared. 

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 622 

Fisheries, Fishing, Puerto Rico, 

Reporting and recordkeeping 

requirements, Virgin Islands. 

Dated: April 6, 2012. 

Alan D. Risenhoover, 

Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

For the reasons set out in the 

preamble, 50 CFR part 622 is proposed 

to be amended as follows: 

PART 622—FISHERIES OF THE 

CARIBBEAN, GULF, AND SOUTH 

ATLANTIC 

1. The authority citation for part 622 

continues to read as follows: 

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

2. In § 622.2, the definition for 

‘‘shrimp’’ is revised to read as follows: 

§ 622.2 Definitions and acronyms. 

* * * * * 

Shrimp means one or more of the 

following species, or a part thereof: 

(1) Brown shrimp, Farfantepenaeus 

aztecus. 

(2) White shrimp, Litopenaeus 

setiferus. 

(3) Pink shrimp, Farfantepenaeus 

duorarum. 

(4) Royal red shrimp, Hymenopenaeus 

robustus. 

(5) Rock shrimp, Sicyonia brevirostris. 

* * * * * 

3. In § 622.34, paragraph (m) is 

revised to read as follows: 

§ 622.34 Gulf EEZ seasonal and/or area 

closures. 

* * * * * 

(m) Seasonal closure of the 

recreational sector for red snapper. The 

recreational sector for red snapper in or 

from the Gulf EEZ is closed from 

January 1 through May 31, each year. 

During the closure, the bag and 

possession limit for red snapper in or 

from the Gulf EEZ is zero. 

* * * * * 

4. In § 622.42, paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and 

(a)(2)(i) are revised to read as follows: 

§ 622.42 Quotas. 

* * * * * 

(a) * * * 

(1) * * * 

(i) Red snapper. (A) For fishing year 

2012—4.121 million lb (1.869 million 

kg), round weight. 

(B) For fishing year 2013—4.432 

million lb (2.010 million kg), round 

weight. 

* * * * * 

(2) * * * 

(i) Recreational quota for red snapper. 

(A) For fishing year 2012, the 

recreational quota for red snapper is 

3.959 million lb (1.796 million kg), 

round weight. 

(B) For fishing year 2013, the 

recreational quota for red snapper is 

4.258 million lb (1.931 million kg), 

round weight. 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2012–8756 Filed 4–11–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 660 

[Docket No. 120403254–2255–01] 

RIN 0648–XB045 

Fisheries Off West Coast States; 

Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; 

Annual Specifications 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: NMFS proposes to implement 

the annual catch limit (ACL), harvest 

guideline (HG), annual catch target 

(ACT) and associated annual reference 

points for Pacific mackerel in the U.S. 

exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the 

Pacific coast for the fishing season of 

July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012. 

This rule is proposed according to the 

Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery 

Management Plan (FMP). The proposed 

2011/2012 ACL or maximum HG for 

Pacific mackerel is 40,514 metric tons 

(mt). The proposed ACT, which will be 

the directed fishing harvest target, is 

30,386 mt. If the fishery attains the ACT, 

the directed fishery will close, reserving 

the difference between the ACL and 

ACT (10,128 mt) as a set aside for 

incidental landings in other CPS 

fisheries and other sources of mortality. 

This rule is intended to conserve and 

manage the Pacific mackerel stock off 

the U.S. West Coast. 

DATES: Comments must be received by 

April 30, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on this document identified by NOAA– 

NMFS–2012–0072 by any of the 

following methods: 

• Electronic Submissions: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal eRulemaking Portal http:// 

www.regulations.gov. To submit 

comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal, 

first click the ‘‘submit a comment’’ icon, 

then enter NOAA–NMFS–2012–0072 in 

the keyword search. Locate the 

document you wish to comment on 

from the resulting list and click on the 

‘‘Submit a Comment’’ icon on the right 

of that line. 

• Mail: Submit written comments to 

Rodney R. McInnis, Regional 

Administrator, Southwest Region, 

NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 

4200, Long Beach, CA 90802. 

• Fax: (562) 980–4047 

Instructions: Comments must be 

submitted by one of the above methods 

to ensure that the comments are 

received, documented, and considered 

by NMFS. Comments sent by any other 

method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the end of 

the comment period, may not be 

considered. All comments received are 

a part of the public record and will 

generally be posted for public viewing 

on www.regulations.gov without change. 

All personal identifying information 

(e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted 

voluntarily by the sender will be 

publicly accessible. Do not submit 

confidential business information, or 

otherwise sensitive or protected 

information. NMFS will accept 

anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS