[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 211 (Tuesday, November 2, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67251-67252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-27658]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

RIN 0648-XZ95


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Inseason Action To Close the 
Commercial Blacknose Shark and Non-Blacknose Small Coastal Shark 
Fisheries

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

ACTION: Notification of fishery closure.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS is closing the commercial blacknose shark and non-
blacknose small coastal shark (SCS) fisheries. This action is necessary 
because landings for the 2010 blacknose shark fishing season are 
projected to have reached at least 80 percent of the available quota.

DATES: The commercial fisheries for blacknose shark and non-blacknose 
SCS are closed effective 11:30 p.m. local time November 2, 2010 until, 
and if, NMFS announces, via a notice in the Federal Register that 
additional quota is available and the season is reopened.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karyl Brewster-Geisz or Peter Cooper, 
301-713-2347; (fax) 301-713-1917.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic shark fisheries are managed 
under the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP), its amendments, and its implementing 
regulations found at 50 CFR part 635 issued under authority of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
1801 et seq.).
    Under Sec.  635.5(b)(1), shark dealers are required to report to 
NMFS all sharks landed every two weeks. Dealer reports for fish 
received between the 1st and 15th of any month must be received by NMFS 
by the 25th of that month. Dealer reports for fish received between the 
16th and the end of any month must be received by NMFS by the 10th of 
the following month. Under Sec.  635.28(b)(3), when NMFS projects that 
fishing season landings for either blacknose shark or non-blacknose SCS 
quota have reached or are projected to reach 80 percent of the 
available quota within a given fishing season, NMFS will file for 
publication with the Office of the Federal Register a notice of closure 
for the entire SCS fishery, including both the blacknose and non-
blacknose SCS fisheries, that will be effective no fewer than 5 days 
from the date of filing. From the effective date and time of the 
closure until NMFS announces, via a notice in the Federal Register, 
that additional quota is available and the season is reopened, the 
fishery for that species group is closed, even across fishing years.
    On June 1, 2010 (75 FR 30484), NMFS announced the final rule for 
Amendment 3 to the Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which, among other things, established 
quotas and opening dates for the 2010 blacknose shark and non-blacknose 
SCS fisheries. Both the blacknose shark and non-blacknose SCS fisheries 
opened on June 1, 2010, with base quotas of 19.9 metric tons (mt) 
dressed weight (dw) (43,872 lb dw) and 221.6 mt dw (488,539 lb dw), 
respectively. Dealer reports recently received through the September 
30, 2010, reporting period indicate that 13.4 mt dw or 68 percent of 
the available blacknose shark fishery quota has been landed, and that 
89.1 mt dw or 40 percent of the available non-blacknose SCS fishery 
quota has been landed. Dealer reports received to date indicate that 20 
percent of the blacknose shark quota was landed from the opening of the 
fishery on June 1, 2010, through June 30, 2010; 14.4 percent of the 
quota was landed in July; 13.6 percent of the quota was landed in 
August; and 20 percent of the quota was landed in September. NMFS 
looked at

[[Page 67252]]

two landings projection scenarios--one that used the average landings 
rate of blacknose sharks per day from the entire 2010 fishing period 
(June 1 to September 30), and another that used the average blacknose 
shark landings rate from the last reporting period (September 15 to 
September 30)--to estimate blacknose shark landings by October 31, 
2010. The projections estimate that approximately 17 and 36.9 percent 
of the blacknose shark quota will be landed in October, respectively, 
and that blacknose shark landings could total approximately 85 and 
104.9 percent of the blacknose shark quota by October 31, 2010, 
respectively.
    Dealer reports received to date indicate that 9.5 percent of the 
non-blacknose SCS fishery quota was landed from the opening of the 
fishery on June 1, 2010, through June 30, 2010; 8.5 percent of the 
quota was landed in July; 9.4 percent of the quota was landed in 
August; and 12.6 percent of the quota was landed in September. NMFS 
looked at two landing projection scenarios--one that used the average 
landings rate of non-blacknose SCS per day from the entire 2010 fishing 
period (June 1 to September 30), and another that used the average non-
blacknose SCS landings rate from the last reporting period (September 
15 to September 30)--to estimate non-blacknose SCS landings by October 
31, 2010. The projections estimate that approximately 10 and 13.5 
percent of the non-blacknose SCS quota will be landed in October, 
respectively, and that non-blacknose SCS landings could approximately 
total 50 and 53.5 percent of the non-blacknose shark quota by October 
31, 2010, respectively.
    The projections indicate that blacknose shark landings have reached 
at least 85 percent of the quota, which exceeds the 80-percent limit 
specified in the regulations. Accordingly, NMFS is closing both the 
commercial blacknose shark and non-blacknose SCS fisheries as of 11:30 
p.m. local time November 2, 2010. This closure does not affect any 
other shark fishery.
    During the closure, retention of blacknose sharks and/or non-
blacknose SCS is prohibited for persons fishing aboard vessels issued a 
commercial shark limited access permit (LAP) under 50 CFR 635.4, unless 
the vessel is properly permitted to operate as a charter vessel or 
headboat for HMS and is engaged in a for-hire trip, in which case the 
recreational retention limits for sharks and ``no sale'' provisions 
apply (50 CFR 635.22(a) and (c)). A shark dealer issued a permit 
pursuant to Sec.  635.4 may not purchase or receive blacknose sharks 
and/or non-blacknose SCS from a vessel issued an Atlantic shark LAP, 
except that a permitted shark dealer or processor may possess blacknose 
sharks and/or non-blacknose SCS that were harvested, off-loaded, and 
sold, traded, or bartered, prior to the effective date of the closure 
and were held in storage.

Classification

    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Assistant Administrator for 
Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds that providing for prior notice and public 
comment for this action is impracticable and contrary to the public 
interest because the fishery is currently underway, and any delay in 
this action would cause overharvest of the quota and be inconsistent 
with management requirements and objectives. If the quota is exceeded, 
the affected public is likely to experience reductions in the available 
quota and a lack of fishing opportunities in future seasons. For these 
reasons, the AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in 
effective date pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 (d)(3). This action is required 
under Sec.  635.28(b)(2) and is exempt from review under Executive 
Order 12866.

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

    Dated: October 27, 2010.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-27658 Filed 10-28-10; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P