[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 31, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 48608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18679]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

RIN 0648-XB238


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate 
Complex; Rescission of Control Dates

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

ACTION: Notification of rescinded control dates.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the rescission of the July 30, 2009, and March 
31, 2014, skate wing and bait fishery control dates. The New England 
Fishery Management Council has decided to discontinue development of 
limited access alternatives for both the skate wing and skate bait 
fisheries as part of Amendment 5 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery 
Management Plan. The Council also stated that the existing control 
dates for each sector of the fishery are too outdated to be used should 
the Council reconsider limited access for the skate fisheries in the 
future and has requested that NMFS rescind both control dates. This 
notification informs stakeholders and the public of this decision, and 
that July 30, 2009, and March 31, 2014, are no longer considered dates 
for entry into the bait and skate wing fisheries, respectively.

DATES: The rescission of skate wing and bait fishery control dates is 
effective August 31, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Ferrio, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, (978) 281-9180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The New England Fishery Management Council 
manages a complex of seven skate species (barndoor, clearnose, little, 
rosette, smooth, thorny, and winter skate) through the Northeast Skate 
Complex Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Under this FMP, skates are 
harvested and managed within two targeted fishery sectors, one for use 
as food (the wing fishery) and one for use as bait in other fisheries 
(the bait fishery). Currently, all skate permits are open access and 
may be obtained anyone with a valid commercial operator's permit.
    NMFS announced a control date of July 30, 2009, for the bait sector 
of the fishery (74 FR 37977; July 30, 2009) during the initial 
development of Amendment 3 to the Skate FMP. At that time, the Council 
was concerned about the possibility of increased effort by new entrants 
into the skate bait fishery, and therefore, considered developing a 
limited access program for that sector only. The notification 
announcing the control date intended to promote public awareness of 
potential eligibility criteria for access to the fishery and possible 
implementation of a limited-entry management plan. Although Amendment 3 
(75 FR 34049; June 16, 2010) did not end up establishing limited entry 
for the bait fishery, the July 30, 2009 control date remained on record 
for future use.
    On March 31, 2014, NMFS announced a separate control date for the 
wing fishery at the Council's request (79 FR 18002; March 31, 2014). 
This notification was not tied to a specific regulatory action or 
amendment at the time, but was intended as a preliminary step toward 
preparing for a limited entry program for the overall skate fishery and 
announcing these possibilities to the public.
    In 2016, the Council began developing Amendment 5 to the Skate FMP, 
which included consideration of limited access for both the bait and 
wing sectors of the fishery. However, at its meeting in April 2021, the 
Council decided to discontinue development of all limited access 
alternatives in this amendment in favor of other management strategies 
to address latent effort. In conjunction with that decision, the 
Council also determined that both control dates for the wing and bait 
skate fisheries are outdated should a limited access program be 
reconsidered in the future. As a result, at its following meeting in 
June 2021, the Council voted to request NMFS rescind the existing 
control dates for the skate FMP. Therefore, NMFS announces the 
rescission of the July 30, 2009, control date with respect to the skate 
bait fishery; and the March 31, 2014, control date with respect to the 
skate wing fishery.
    The Council decided to not develop a limited entry management 
system for the Skate FMP in Amendment 5. However, if the Council 
chooses to pursue limited access in the future, it will consider new 
control dates for these fisheries.

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

    Dated: August 25, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-18679 Filed 8-30-21; 8:45 am]
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