9230 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 34 / Friday, February 20, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 622 

[Docket No. 101206604–1758–02] 

RIN 0648–XD779 

Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of 

Mexico, and South Atlantic; Coastal 

Migratory Pelagic Resources of the 

Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; Trip 

Limit Reduction 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; trip limit 

reduction. 

SUMMARY: NMFS reduces the trip limit 

for the commercial sector of Atlantic 

migratory group Spanish mackerel in 

the southern zone to 1,500 lb (680 kg) 

of Spanish mackerel per day in or from 

the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This 

trip limit reduction is necessary to 

protect the Spanish mackerel resource. 

DATES: The rule is effective 6 a.m., local 

time, February 20, 2015, until 12:01 

a.m., local time, March 1, 2015, unless 

changed by subsequent notification in 

the Federal Register. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Susan Gerhart, telephone: 727–824– 

5305, or email: susan.gerhart@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

fishery for coastal migratory pelagic fish 

(king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and 

cobia) is managed under the Fishery 

Management Plan for the Coastal 

Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf 

of Mexico and South Atlantic (FMP). 

The FMP was prepared by the Gulf of 

Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery 

Management Councils (Councils) and is 

implemented under the authority of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations 

at 50 CFR part 622. 

Framework Amendment 1 to the FMP 

(79 FR 69058, November 20, 2014) 

increased the commercial annual catch 

limit (equal to the commercial quota) to 

3.33 million lb (1.51 million kg) for the 

Atlantic migratory group of Spanish 

mackerel. The Atlantic EEZ is divided 

into a northern and southern zone for 

management purposes of Atlantic 

migratory group Spanish mackerel. The 

southern zone for Atlantic migratory 

group Spanish mackerel extends from 

30°42′45.6′′ N. lat., which is a line 

directly east from the Georgia/Florida 

boundary, to 25°20.4′ N. lat., which is a 

line directly east from the Miami-Dade/ 

Monroe County, Florida, boundary. The 

northern and southern zones will have 

their own quotas as of March 1, 2015, 

the beginning of the next fishing year, 

with implementation of Amendment 

20B to the FMP (80 FR 4216, January, 

27, 2015). 

For the southern zone, seasonally 

variable trip limits are based on an 

adjusted commercial quota of 3.08 

million lb (1.40 million kg). The 

adjusted commercial quota is calculated 

to allow continued harvest in the 

southern zone at a set rate for the 

remainder of the current fishing year, 

February 28, 2015, in accordance with 

50 CFR 622.385(b)(2). As specified at 50 

CFR 622.385(b)(1)(ii)(B), beginning 

December 1, annually, the trip limit is 

unlimited on weekdays and limited to 

1,500 lb (680 kg) of Spanish mackerel 

per day on weekends. As specified at 50 

CFR 622.385(b)(1)(ii)(C), after 75 percent 

of the adjusted commercial quota of 

Atlantic migratory group Spanish 

mackerel is taken until 100 percent of 

the adjusted commercial quota is taken, 

Spanish mackerel in or from the EEZ in 

the southern zone may not be possessed 

on board or landed from a permitted 

vessel in amounts exceeding 1,500 lb 

(680 kg) per day. 

NMFS has determined that 75 percent 

of the adjusted commercial quota for 

Atlantic group Spanish mackerel has 

been harvested. Accordingly, the 1,500- 

lb (680-kg) per day commercial trip 

limit applies to Spanish mackerel in or 

from the EEZ in the southern zone 

effective 6 a.m., local time, February 20, 

2015, until 12:01 a.m., local time, March 

1, 2015, unless changed by subsequent 

notification in the Federal Register. 

Classification 

The Regional Administrator, 

Southeast Region, NMFS, has 

determined this temporary rule is 

necessary for the conservation and 

management of Atlantic migratory group 

Spanish mackerel and is consistent with 

the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other 

applicable laws. 

This action is taken under 50 CFR 

622.385(b)(1)(ii)(C) and is exempt from 

review under Executive Order 12866. 

These measures are exempt from the 

procedures of the Regulatory Flexibility 

Act because the temporary rule is issued 

without opportunity for prior notice and 

comment. 

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the 

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 

NOAA, (AA), finds good cause to waive 

the requirements to provide prior notice 

and the opportunity for public comment 

on this temporary rule. Such procedures 

are unnecessary because the rule itself 

has already been subject to notice and 

comment, and all that remains is to 

notify the public of the trip limit 

reduction. 

Allowing prior notice and 

opportunity for public comment is 

contrary to the public interest because 

of the need to immediately implement 

this action to protect the Atlantic 

migratory group Spanish mackerel 

resource because the capacity of the 

commercial fleet allows for rapid 

harvest of the quota. Prior notice and 

opportunity for public comment would 

require time and could potentially result 

in a harvest well in excess of the 

established quota. 

For the aforementioned reasons, the 

AA also finds good cause to waive the 

30-day delay in effectiveness of this 

action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). 

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

Dated: February 17, 2015. 

Emily H. Menashes, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–03532 Filed 2–17–15; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 


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