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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 222 (Monday, November 18, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 90625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26828]

[[Page 90625]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 140818679-5356-02; RTID 0648-XE462]

Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Reopening of the Red Snapper 
Recreational For-Hire Fishing Season in the Gulf of Mexico

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; reopening.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is reopening the recreational fishing season for the 
Federal charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) component for red snapper in 
the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) through 
this temporary rule. The most recent landings data for the red snapper 
for-hire component in the Gulf indicates the component annual catch 
target (ACT) for the 2024 fishing year has not yet been reached. 
Therefore, the red snapper recreational for-hire component in the Gulf 
EEZ will reopen to allow harvest of the remaining for-hire component 
ACT. NMFS intends this action to increase benefits to for-hire 
fishermen while protecting the Gulf red snapper resource by continuing 
to constrain harvest to the component quota.

DATES: This temporary rule is effective from 12:01 a.m., local time, 
November 18, 2024, through 12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional 
Office, telephone: 727-551-5719, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf reef fish fishery, which includes 
red snapper, is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef 
Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the 
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, approved by the Secretary of 
Commerce, and is implemented by NMFS under the authority of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
    The final rule implementing Amendment 40 to the FMP established two 
components within the recreational sector fishing for Gulf red snapper: 
the private angling component and the Federal for-hire component (80 FR 
22422, April 22, 2015). Amendment 40 also allocated the red snapper 
recreational annual catch limit (ACL; recreational quota) between the 
components and established separate seasonal closures for the two 
components. The Federal for-hire component's red snapper ACT is 9 
percent below the for-hire component quota (87 FR 74014, December 2, 
2022; 50 CFR 622.41(q)(2)(iii)(B)).
    The red snapper for-hire component seasonal closure is projected 
using the component's ACT to reduce the likelihood of the harvest 
exceeding the component quota and the total recreational quota. The 
Federal for-hire component ACT for red snapper in the Gulf EEZ is 
3,076,322 pounds (lb)(1,395,396 kilograms (kg)), round weight (50 CFR 
622.41(q)(2)(iii)(B)).
    NMFS previously determined that the 2024 Federal Gulf red snapper 
for-hire fishing season would be 88 days based on when landings were 
expected to reach the component ACT. NMFS made this determination based 
on catch rates from the 2023 fishing year. For details about the 
projection for 2024, see https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/sustainable-fisheries/gulf-mexico-recreational-red-snapper-management. 
Based on this projection, NMFS announced in the Federal Register that 
the 2024 recreational season for the Federal for-hire component would 
begin at 12:01 a.m., local time, on June 1, 2024, and close at 12:01 
a.m., local time, on August 28, 2024 (89 FR 42815, May 16, 2024).
    However, the most recent landings data for the Gulf red snapper 
for-hire component indicate that approximately 882,612 lb (400,346 kg), 
round weight, of the for-hire component ACT has not been harvested. 
NMFS projects that the remaining ACT will allow for harvest through the 
remainder of the current 2024 fishing year.
    Therefore, in accordance with 50 CFR 622.8(c), NMFS reopens the 
Gulf red snapper Federal for-hire component for remainder of the 2024 
fishing year to allow for harvest of the component ACT. The 
recreational season for the Federal for-hire component will reopen at 
12:01 a.m., local time, November 18, 2024, and close at 12:01 a.m., 
local time, on January 1, 2025. When the for-hire component closes 
again on January 1, 2025, the bag and possession limits for red snapper 
for Federal for-hire vessels are zero. When the Federal for-hire 
component is closed, these bag and possession limits apply in the Gulf 
on board a vessel for which a valid Federal for-hire permit for Gulf 
reef fish has been issued, without regard to where such species were 
harvested, i.e., in state or Federal waters. In addition, a person 
aboard a vessel that has been issued a charter vessel/headboat permit 
for Gulf reef fish any time during the fishing year may not harvest or 
possess red snapper in or from the Gulf EEZ when the Federal charter 
vessel/headboat component is closed.

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.8(c), which was 
issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866, and other applicable 
laws.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior 
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice 
and comment is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such 
procedures are unnecessary because the regulation at 50 CFR 622.8(c) 
has already been subject to notice and comment, and all that remains is 
to notify the public that additional harvest is available under the 
established Federal for-hire component ACT, and therefore, the Federal 
for-hire component for Gulf red snapper will reopen. Such procedures 
are contrary to the public interest because of need to immediately 
implement this action to allow persons on board Federal for-hire 
vessels the opportunity to harvest the remainder of the Federal for-
hire component ACT. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment 
would delay the re-opening and reduce the number available fishing 
days.
    For the aforementioned reasons, there is also good cause to waive 
the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of this action under 5 U.S.C. 
553(d)(3).

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

    Dated: November 13, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-26828 Filed 11-13-24; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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