[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 41260-41262]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14753]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 220510-0113; RTID 0648-XC101]


Fisheries Off West Coast States; Modification of the West Coast 
Salmon Fisheries; Inseason Actions #12 Through #15

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

ACTION: Inseason modification of 2022 management measures.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces four inseason actions in the 2022 ocean salmon 
fisheries. These inseason actions modify the commercial ocean salmon 
fisheries in the area from the United States (U.S.)/Canada border to 
Cape Falcon, Oregon.

DATES: The effective dates for the inseason actions are set out in this 
document under the heading Inseason Actions and the actions remain in 
effect until superseded or modified.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Preedeedilok at 562-980-4019, 
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2a4e4b444b045a584f4f4e4f4f4e434645416a44454b4b044d455c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f397929d92dd83819696979696979a9f9c98b39d9c9292dd949c85">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The 2022 annual management measures for ocean salmon fisheries (87 
FR 29690, May 16, 2022), announced management measures for the 
commercial and recreational fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada 
border to the U.S./Mexico border, effective from 0001 hours Pacific 
Daylight Time (PDT), May 16, 2022, until the effective date of the 2023 
management measures, as published in the Federal Register. NMFS is 
authorized to implement inseason management actions to modify fishing 
seasons and quotas as necessary to provide fishing opportunity while 
meeting management objectives for the affected species (50 CFR 
660.409). Inseason actions in the salmon fishery may be taken directly 
by NMFS (50 CFR 660.409(a)--Fixed inseason management provisions) or 
upon consultation with the Chairman of the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council), and the appropriate State Directors (50 CFR 
660.409(b)--Flexible inseason management provisions).
    Management of the salmon fisheries is divided into two geographic 
areas: north of Cape Falcon (NOF) (U.S./Canada

[[Page 41261]]

border to Cape Falcon, OR), and south of Cape Falcon (SOF) (Cape 
Falcon, OR, to the U.S./Mexico border). The actions described in this 
document affect the NOF commercial salmon fishery, as set out under the 
heading Inseason Action below.
    Consultations with the Council Chairperson on these inseason 
actions occurred on May 16, 2022; May 25, 2022; and June 9, 2022. 
Representatives from NMFS, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Council staff participated 
in these consultations.
    These inseason actions were announced on NMFS' telephone hotline 
and U.S. Coast Guard radio broadcast on the date of the consultations 
(50 CFR 660.411(a)(2)).

Inseason Actions

Inseason Action #12

    Description of the action: Inseason action #12 modifies the Chinook 
salmon landing and possession limit for the commercial salmon troll 
fishery in the area between Leadbetter Point and Queets River (Westport 
subarea) to 150 Chinook salmon per vessel per week (Thursday-Wednesday) 
starting 12:01 a.m. May 19, 2022.
    Effective date: Inseason action #12 took effect on May 16, 2022 and 
remains in effect until superseded.
    Reason for the action: Inseason action #12 established a landing 
and possession limit for the area between Leadbetter Point and Queets 
River (Westport subarea), where it has not existed before, in response 
to an increase in vessels entering the fishery and an increase in 
Chinook salmon landings. The establishment of a landing and possession 
limit in this area will preserve the length of the season and ensure 
that the Chinook salmon quota is not exceeded.

Inseason Action #13

    Description of the action: Inseason action #13 modifies the Chinook 
salmon landing and possession limit for the commercial salmon troll 
fishery across the entire NOF area, regardless of subarea, to: 40 
Chinook salmon per vessel per week (Thursday-Wednesday) starting 12:01 
a.m. May 26 through 11:59 p.m. June 8, 2022; and 20 Chinook salmon per 
vessel per week (Thursday-Wednesday) starting 12:01 a.m. June 9 through 
11:59 p.m. June 29, 2022.
    Effective date: Inseason action #13 took effect on May 25, 2022, 
and remains in effect until June 29, 2022.
    Reason for the action: In the area NOF, there has been an increase 
of vessels entering the fishery resulting in an overall increase in 
Chinook salmon landings. The purpose of inseason #13 is to modify the 
landing and possession limits for the entire area to avoid exceding the 
quota set preseason.

Ineseason Action #14

    Description of the action: Inseason action #14 modifes the Chinook 
salmon landing and possession limit for the commercial salmon troll 
fishery NOF from 20 Chinook salmon per vessel per week (Thursday-
Wednesday) to 25 Chinook salmon per vessel per week (Thursday-
Wednesday) starting at 12:01 a.m. on June 10, 2022.
    Effective date: Inseason action #14 took effect on June 10, 2022, 
and remains in effect until superseded.
    Reason for the action: Due to increasing fuel prices and lowered 
landing and possesion limit, there have been impacts on the economics 
of the fishery and effort has declined. The increase in the landing and 
possession limit will result in increased fishing interest and allow 
greater access to approach the quota without exceeding it. The NOF May-
June commercial salmon fishery has a quota of 18,000 Chinook salmon. Of 
that quota, 16,457 were caught, leaving a quota of 1,543 Chinook salmon 
uncaught. Any remaining quota from the May-June fishery may be rolled 
over to the July-September fishery on an impact-neutral basis.

Inseason Action #15

    Description of the action: Inseason action #15 modifies the 
commercial salmon troll fishery in the area NOF. Starting at 11:59 p.m. 
on June 15, 2022, through June 30, 2022, this fishery is closed.
    Effective date: Inseason action #15 took effect on June 15, 2022, 
and remains in effect until June 30, 2022.
    Reason for the action: The purposed of inseason action #15 is to 
avoid exceeding the area of NOF quota for Chinook salmon.
    The NMFS West Coast Regional Administrator (RA) considered the 
landings of Chinook salmon to date, fishey catch and effort to date, 
the amount of quota remaining, and the timing of the action relative to 
the length of the season, and determined that these inseason actions 
were necessary to avoid exceeding the subarea quotas set preseason, 
provide greater fishing opportunity, and provide economic benefit to 
the fishery dependent community. Inseason actions to modify quotas and/
or fishing seasons is authorized under 50 CFR 660.409(b)(1)(i).
    All other restrictions and regulations remain in effect as 
announced for the 2022 ocean salmon fisheries (87 FR 29690, May 16, 
2022).
    The RA determined that these inseason actions were warranted based 
on the best available information on Pacific salmon abundance 
forecasts, landings to date, anticipated fishery effort and projected 
catch, and the other factors and considerations set forth in 50 CFR 
660.409. The states manage the fisheries in state waters adjacent to 
the areas of the U.S. exclusive economic zone (3-200 nautical miles 
(5.6-370.4 kilometers) off the coasts of the states of Washington, 
Oregon, and California) consistent with these Federal actions. As 
provided by the inseason notice procedures at 50 CFR 660.411, actual 
notice of the described regulatory action was given, prior to the time 
the action was effective, by telephone hotline numbers 206-526-6667 and 
800-662-9825, and by U.S. Coast Guard Notice to Mariners broadcasts on 
Channel 16 VHF-FM and 2182 kHz.

Classification

    NMFS issues these actions pursuant to section 305(d) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). These 
actions are authorized by 50 CFR 660.409, which was issued pursuant to 
section 304(b) of the MSA, and are exempt from review under Executive 
Order 12866.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), there is good cause to waive 
prior notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as 
notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public 
interest. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment on this 
action was impracticable because NMFS had insufficient time to provide 
for prior notice and the opportunity for public comment between the 
time Chinook salmon abundance, catch, and effort information were 
developed and fisheries impacts were calculated, and the time the 
fishery modifications had to be implemented in order to ensure that 
fisheries are managed based on the best scientific information 
available and that fishery participants can take advantage of the 
additional fishing opportunity these changes provide. As previously 
noted, actual notice of the regulatory actions was provided to fishers 
through telephone hotline and radio notification. These actions comply 
with the requirements of the annual management measures for ocean 
salmon fisheries (87 FR 29690, May 16, 2022), the Fishery Management 
Plan (FMP), and regulations implementing the FMP under 50 CFR 660.409 
and 660.411.

[[Page 41262]]

    There is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day 
delay in effective date, as a delay in effectiveness of this action 
would restrict fishing at levels inconsistent with the goals of the FMP 
and the current management measures.

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

    Dated: July 6, 2022.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-14753 Filed 7-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P


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