[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 206 (Friday, October 24, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63563-63577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25307]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 140624530-4848-01]
RIN 0648-XD354


Revisions to Framework Adjustment 51 to the Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and Sector Annual Catch 
Entitlements; Updated Annual Catch Limits for Sectors and the Common 
Pool for Fishing Year 2014

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

ACTION: Temporary final rule; adjustment to specifications.

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SUMMARY: Based on the final Northeast multispecies sector rosters, we 
are adjusting the fishing year 2014 specification of annual catch 
limits for commercial groundfish vessels, as well as sector annual 
catch entitlements for groundfish stocks by adding carried over catch 
from fishing year 2013 and reducing quotas for some stocks by the 
amount of overages exceeding their limits in fishing year 2013, among 
other adjustments. This revision to fishing year 2014 catch levels is 
necessary to account for changes in the number of participants electing 
to fish in sectors.

DATES: Effective October 23, 2014, through April 30, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Murphy, Sector Policy Analyst, 
(978) 281-9122.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The New England Fishery Management Council 
developed Amendment 16 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP), in part, to establish a process for setting 
groundfish annual catch limits (also referred to as ACLs or catch 
limits) and accountability measures. The Council has a biennial review 
process to develop catch limits and revise management measures. 
Framework Adjustment 51 and concurrent emergency actions set annual 
catch limits for nine groundfish stocks and three jointly managed U.S./
Canada stocks for fishing years 2014-

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2015. Recently, we partially approved Framework 51, which became 
effective on May 1, 2014 (79 FR 22421; April 22, 2014), and also 
approved fishing year 2014 sector operations plans and allocations (79 
FR 23278; April 28, 2014; ``sector rule''). A sector receives an 
allocation of each stock, or annual catch entitlement (referred to as 
ACE, or allocation), based on its members' catch histories. State-
operated permit banks also receive an allocation that can be 
transferred to qualifying sector vessels (for more information, see the 
final rule implementing Amendment 17 (77 FR 16942; March 23, 2012)). 
The sum of all sector and state-operated permit bank allocations is 
referred to as the sector sub-ACL in the FMP. Whatever groundfish 
allocation remains after sectors and state-operated permit banks 
receive their allocations is then allocated to vessels not enrolled in 
a sector (referred to as the common pool). This allocation is also 
referred to as the common pool sub-ACL. This rule adjusts the both the 
sector and common pool fishing year 2014 sub-ACLs based on final sector 
membership, which was established as of May 1, 2014.
    Permitted vessels that wish to fish in a sector must enroll by 
December 1 of each year, with the fishing year beginning the following 
May 1 and lasting through April 30 of the next year. However, due to a 
delay in distributing each vessel's potential contribution to a 
sector's quota for fishing year 2014, we extended the deadline to join 
a sector until March 6, 2014. Because of this extended deadline, and 
the fact that vessels had until April 30, 2014, to drop out of a sector 
and fish in the common pool, fishing year 2013 membership was used to 
estimate sector ACEs in the Framework 51 final rule. The fishing year 
2014 sector final rule, which published later than the Framework 51 
final rule, used March 6, 2014, rosters to estimate sector ACEs.
    The final number of permits enrolled in a sector or state-operated 
permit bank for fishing year 2014 is 845, which is 4 less than the 
March 6, 2013, roster. All sector allocations assume that each NE 
multispecies vessel enrolled in a sector has a valid permit for fishing 
year 2014. Tables 1, 2, and 3 (below) explain the revised fishing year 
2014 allocations as a percentage and absolute amount (in metric tons 
and pounds).
    Table 4 compares the preliminary allocations based on fishing year 
2013 membership published in the Framework 51 proposed and final rules, 
with the revised allocations based on the final sector and state-
operated permit bank rosters as of May 1, 2014. The table shows that 
changes in sector allocations due to updated rosters range from a 
decrease of 0.86 percent of Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) 
yellowtail flounder, to an increase of 0.40 percent of Georges Bank 
(GB) yellowtail flounder. Common pool allocation adjustments range 
between a 2.94-percent decrease in GB cod, to a 15.79-percent increase 
in redfish. The changes in the common-pool allocations are greater 
because the common pool has a significantly lower allocation for all 
stocks.
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    We have completed fishing year 2013 data reconciliation with 
sectors and allowed a 2-week window for any sector with an overage to 
trade fishing year 2013 ACE to balance the overage. We have since 
determined final fishing year 2013 sector catch and the amount of quota 
that sectors may carry from fishing year 2013 into fishing year 2014. A 
recent emergency rule (79 FR 36433; June 27, 2014) described changes to 
carryover and catch accounting in response to litigation by 
Conservation Law Foundation (Conservation Law Foundation v. Pritzker, 
et al. (Case No. 1:13-CV-0821-JEB)). The Court invalidated the previous 
carryover measures because those measures failed to prevent total 
potential catches of certain stocks (ACEs plus carryover) from 
exceeding their annual biological catch (ABC). This rule ensures that 
catch does not exceed the ABC for any stock. Because of this, the 
maximum carryover for certain stocks may be lower than what a sector 
expects. Table 5 includes the maximum amount of quota that sectors may 
carry over from fishing year 2013 into fishing year 2014. Table 6 
includes the de minimis amount of quota that sectors may carry over 
from fishing year 2013 into fishing year 2014.

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    We have determined that 9 sectors have exceeded their fishing year 
2013 allocation of witch flounder, requiring reductions to those 
sectors' fishing year 2014 allocations. Because of the Court decision 
discussed above, we were required to reduce the amount of witch 
flounder carryover available for sectors to use in fishing year 2013. 
Some sectors inadvertently exceeded their fishing year 2013 witch 
flounder ACE and were unable to transfer a sufficient amount of quota 
to cover the overage. Reducing ACE by the overage amount is necessary 
to address the requirement to apply a pound-for-pound reduction in ACE 
in the year following an overage. Table 6 includes a summary of the 
sectors with fishing year 2013 witch flounder overages, the initial 
fishing year 2014 witch flounder ACE included in Table 3, and adjusted 
fishing year 2014 witch flounder ACE, accounting for the overage.
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Summarizing all the information provided above, Tables 8 and 9 display 
the total amount of ACE available to sectors in fishing year 2014, 
including reductions for overages, and adding maximum carryover.

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    Framework 51 also specifies incidental catch limits (or incidental 
total allowable catches, ``TACs'') applicable to the common pool and NE 
multispecies Special Management Programs for fishing year 2013-2015, 
including the B day-at-sea (DAS) Program. Special Management Programs 
are designed to allow fishing for healthy stocks that can support 
additional fishing effort without undermining the other goals of the 
FMP. Incidental catch limits are specified to limit catch of certain 
stocks of concern for common pool vessels fishing in the Special 
Management Programs. Because these incidental catch limits are based on 
the changed common-pool allocation, they also must be revised. Final 
incidental catch limits are included in Tables 10-13 below.

      Table 10--Fishing Year 2014 Common Pool Incidental Catch TACs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Percentage of
                  Stock                     common pool     Incidental
                                              sub-ACL     catch TAC (mt)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB cod..................................               2            0.6
GOM cod.................................               1            0.2
GB yellowtail flounder..................               2            0.08
CC/GOM yellowtail flounder..............               1            0.2
American Plaice.........................               5            1.3
Witch Flounder..........................               5            0.6
SNE/MA winter flounder..................               1            1.5
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         Table 11--Distribution of Common Pool Incidental Catch TACs to Each Special Management Program
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                                                                                   Closed area I
                                                                   Regular B DAS     hook gear     Eastern U.S./
                              Stock                                 program (%)     haddock SAP   CA haddock SAP
                                                                                        (%)             (%)
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GB cod..........................................................              50              16              34
GOM cod.........................................................             100              NA              NA
GB yellowtail flounder..........................................              50              NA              50
CC/GOM yellowtail flounder......................................             100              NA              NA
American Plaice.................................................             100              NA              NA
Witch Flounder..................................................             100              NA              NA
SNE/MA winter flounder..........................................             100              NA              NA
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                     Table 12--Fishing Year 2014 Common Pool Incidental Catch TACs for Each
                                         Special Management Program (mt)
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                                                                                   Closed area I   Eastern U.S./
                              Stock                                Regular B DAS     hook gear    Canada haddock
                                                                      program       haddock SAP         SAP
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GB cod..........................................................            0.3              0.1            0.2
GOM cod.........................................................            0.2              n/a          n/a
GB yellowtail flounder..........................................            0.04             n/a            0.04
CC/GOM yellowtail flounder......................................            0.2              n/a          n/a
American Plaice.................................................            1.3              n/a          n/a
Witch Flounder..................................................            0.6              n/a          n/a
SNE/MA winter flounder..........................................            1.5              n/a          n/a
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       Table 13--Fishing Year 2014 Common Pool Regular B DAS Program Quarterly Incidental Catch TACs (mt)
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                                                    1st Quarter     2nd Quarter     3rd Quarter     4th Quarter
                                                       (13%)           (29%)           (29%)           (29%)
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GB cod..........................................           0.04            0.09            0.09            0.09
GOM cod.........................................           0.02            0.06            0.06            0.06
GB yellowtail flounder..........................           0.005           0.011           0.011           0.011
CC/GOM yellowtail flounder......................           0.02            0.05            0.05            0.05
American Plaice.................................           0.17            0.37            0.37            0.37
Witch Flounder..................................           0.08            0.18            0.18            0.18
SNE/MA winter flounder..........................           0.19            0.43            0.43            0.43
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    Similar to the accountability measures for sectors when a quota 
overage occurs, if the common pool sub-ACL for any stock is exceeded, 
we are required to reduce the common pool sub-ACL by the amount of the 
overage in the next fishing year. We are reducing the fishing year 2014 
GB cod and GOM haddock common pool sub-ACLs due to fishing year 2013 
overages. The fishing year 2013 common pool sub-ACL for GB cod was 
exceeded by 8 percent (2.3 mt) and the GOM haddock common pool sub-ACL 
was exceeded by 118 percent (1.2 mt). Therefore, we are reducing the

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fishing year 2014 GB cod and GOM haddock common pool sub-ACLs due to 
the fishing year 2013 overages. Table 14 provides the common pool 
overage adjustments for these stocks. Table 15 provides the updated 
trimester Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for GB cod and GOM haddock 
based on the final FY 2014 common pool sub-ACLs.

                         Table 14--Fishing Year 2014 Common Pool Overage Adjustment (mt)
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                                                                                      Initial        Adjusted
                                                                   Fishing year    fishing year    fishing year
                              Stock                                2013 overage     2014 common     2014 common
                                                                                   pool sub-ACL    pool sub-ACL
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GB Cod..........................................................             2.3              34            31.7
GOM Haddock.....................................................             1.2               2             0.8
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                           Table 15--Fishing Year 2014 Common Pool Trimester TACs (mt)
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                                                                    Trimester 1     Trimester 2     Trimester 3
                              Stock                                     TAC             TAC             TAC
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GB Cod..........................................................            8.0            11.9            12.2
GOM Haddock.....................................................            0.22            0.21            0.38
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    We are reducing the fishing year 2014 GB haddock sub-ACL for the 
herring mid-water trawl fishery due to a fishing year 2013 overage. The 
herring mid-water trawl fishery is allocated 1 percent of the U.S. ABC 
for each stock of GOM and GB haddock. If the herring mid-water trawl 
fishery exceeds its GOM or GB haddock sub-ACL, we are required to 
reduce the respective sub-ACL by the amount of the overage in the 
following fishing year. In fishing year 2013, the mid-water trawl 
fishery exceeded its GB haddock sub-ACL by 16.98 mt. Therefore, this 
rule reduces the fishing year 2014 GB haddock sub-ACL by the 16.98 mt 
overage for the herring mid-water trawl fishery. Table 16 provides the 
herring mid-water trawl adjustments for GB haddock that this rule 
implements.

                   Table 16--Fishing Year 2014 Herring Mid-Water Trawl Overage Adjustment (mt)
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                                                                                      Initial        Adjusted
                                                                                   fishing year    fishing year
                              Stock                                Fishing year    2014 herring    2014 herring
                                                                   2013 overage      mid-water       mid-water
                                                                                   trawl sub-ACL   trawl sub-ACL
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GB Haddock......................................................           16.98          179             162.02
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    Finally, Table 17 provides the U.S. ABCs for the three 
transboundary Georges Bank stocks that we jointly manage with Canada. 
The U.S./Canada quotas, and the corresponding ACLs/sub-ACLs were 
included in the Framework 51 final rule; however, because the U.S. ABCs 
for GB cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder were mis-specified, the 
corrected levels are being included here in this rule.

  Table 17--U.S. Acceptable Biological Catches for Transboundary Stocks
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                U.S. ABC
                            Stock                                 (mt)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod.......................................................      1,960
GB Haddock...................................................     19,229
GB Yellowtail Flounder.......................................        328
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Classification

    Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the 
NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this final rule is 
consistent with the NE Multispecies FMP, other provisions of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law.
    This final rule is exempt from the procedures of E.O. 12866 because 
this action contains no implementing regulations.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), we find good cause to waive 
prior public notice and opportunity for public comment on the catch 
limit and allocation adjustments because allowing time for notice and 
comment is impracticable and contrary to the public interest. We also 
find good cause to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness pursuant to 
5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), so that this final rule may become effective upon 
filing.
    Notice and comment are impracticable and contrary to the public 
interest because a delay would potentially impair achievement of the 
management plan's objectives of preventing overfishing and achieving 
optimum yield by vessels staying within ACLs or allocations. The 
proposed and final rules for fishing year 2014 sector operations plans 
and contracts explained the need and likelihood for adjustments of 
sector and common pool allocations based on final sector rosters. No 
comments were received on the potential for these adjustments, which 
provide an accurate accounting of a sector's or common pool's 
allocation at this time. Prior notice of the need to distribute 
carryover catch was also provided. Allowing for prior notice and public 
comment on the herring mid-water trawl overage adjustment is 
impracticable because this is a non-discretionary action required by 
provisions of Framework 46 to the NE Multispecies FMP, which was 
subject to public comment. The proposed rule to implement Framework 46 
requested public comment on these measures including the specific 
accountability measure implemented by this rule, with the understanding 
that possession limit trigger adjustments would be required if an ACL 
overage occurred. If this rule is not effective immediately, the sector 
and common pool vessels will be operating under incorrect information 
on the catch limits for each stock for sectors and the common pool. 
This could cause negative economic impacts

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to the both sectors and the common pool, depending on the size of the 
allocation, the degree of change in the allocation, and the catch rate 
of a particular stock. Further, these adjustments are based purely on 
objective sector enrollment data and are not subject to our discretion, 
so there would be no benefit to allowing time for prior notice and 
comment.
    Waiving the 30-day delay in effectiveness allows harvesting in a 
manner that prevents catch limits of species from being exceeded in 
fisheries that are important to coastal communities. Until the final 
stock allocations are made, the affected fishing entities will not know 
how many fish of a particular stock they can catch without going over 
their ultimate limits. Fishermen may make both short- and long-term 
business decisions based on the catch limits in a given sector or the 
common pool. Any delays in adjusting these limits may cause the 
affected fishing entities to slow down, or speed up, their fishing 
activities during the interim period before this rule becomes 
effective. Both of these reactions could negatively affect the fishery 
and the businesses and communities that depend on them. The fishing 
industry and the communities it supports could be affected by 
potentially reducing harvests and delaying profits. Lastly, the catch 
limit and allocation adjustments are not controversial and the need for 
them was clearly explained in the proposed and final rules for fishing 
year 2014 sector operations plans and contracts. As a result, the NE 
multispecies permit holders are expecting these adjustments and 
awaiting their implementation. Therefore, it is important to implement 
adjusted catch limits and allocations as soon as possible. For these 
reasons, we are waiving the public comment period and the 30-day delay 
in effectiveness for this rule, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) and 
(d), respectively.
    Because advanced notice and the opportunity for public comment are 
not required under the Administrative Procedure Act, or any other law, 
the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 
601, et seq., do not apply to this rule. Therefore, no final regulatory 
flexibility analysis is required and none has been prepared.

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

    Dated: October 20, 2014.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-25307 Filed 10-23-14; 8:45 am]
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