[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 20, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 2612-2613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00696]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 140106011-4338-02]
RIN 0648-XD637


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery; Trip Limit Adjustment for the Common Pool Fishery

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason trip limit adjustment.

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SUMMARY: This action reduces the possession limit for Southern New 
England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder for Northeast multispecies 
common pool vessels for the remainder of the 2014 fishing year. Federal 
regulations allow NMFS to adjust the trip limit, if necessary, to help 
ensure that a common pool quota is not exceeded. The common pool has 
caught 79 percent of its Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail 
flounder quota. This action is intended to prevent the overharvest of 
the common pool's 2014 fishing year allocation of Southern New England/
Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder.

DATES: This action is effective January 20, 2015, through April 30, 
2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brett Alger, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-675-2153.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Northeast (NE) 
multispecies fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648, subpart F. The 
regulations at 50 CFR 648.86(o) authorize the Regional Administrator 
(RA) to adjust the possession limits for common pool vessels in order 
to prevent the overharvest or underharvest of the common pool quotas. 
The fishing year 2014 (May 1, 2014, through April 30, 2015) common pool 
sub-annual catch limit (sub-ACL) for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic 
(SNE/MA) yellowtail flounder is 102.0 mt. Based on the most recent data 
and information, which includes vessel trip reports, dealer-reported 
landings, and vessel monitoring system (VMS) information, we have 
determined that 79 percent of the SNE/MA yellowtail flounder sub-ACL 
has been caught. Recent analysis shows that the common pool would 
likely exceed its allocation for SNE/MA yellowtail flounder if the trip 
limit is not reduced to the limits specified in this action. To address 
a potential overharvest, the trip limit for SNE/MA yellowtail flounder 
is reduced to 250 lb (113.4 kg) per day-at-sea (DAS) up to 500 lb 
(226.8 kg) per trip. The trip limit adjustment is effective January 20, 
2015, through April 30, 2015, and applies to all common pool vessels.
    Weekly quota monitoring reports for the common pool fishery can be 
found on our Web site at: http://www.nero.noaa.gov/ro/fso/MultiMonReports.htm. We will continue to monitor common pool catch 
through vessel trip reports, dealer-reported landings, VMS catch 
reports, and other available information and, if necessary, we will 
make additional adjustments to common pool management measures.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds good 
cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the 
opportunity for public comment because it would be impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest for the reasons stated below. Pursuant 
to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day 
delayed effectiveness period for the same reasons.

[[Page 2613]]

    The regulations at Sec.  648.86(o) authorize the RA to adjust the 
NE multispecies trip limits for common pool vessels in order to prevent 
the overharvest or underharvest of the common pool quotas. The catch 
data used as the basis for this action only recently became available. 
The available analysis indicates that if the SNE/MA yellowtail flounder 
trip limit is not reduced quickly, the common pool fishery will likely 
exceed its 2014 fishing year allocation for this stock. Any overages of 
the common pool quota any stock would undermine conservation objectives 
and trigger the implementation of accountability measures that would 
have negative economic impacts on common pool vessels. This action 
reduces the probability of the common pool fishery exceeding its 
allocations for SNE/MA yellowtail flounder. As a result, the time 
necessary to provide for prior notice and comment, and a 30-day delay 
in effectiveness, would prevent NMFS from implementing the necessary 
trip limit adjustment in a timely manner, which could undermine 
conservation objectives of the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, 
and cause negative economic impacts to the common pool fishery.

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

    Dated: January 13, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-00696 Filed 1-16-15; 8:45 am]
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