Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 208 / Monday, October 30, 2017 / Proposed Rules 50101 

covered credit union have conducted 

the tests, the results of NCUA’s tests 

will determine whether the covered 

credit union has met the requirements 

of this subpart. 

(c) Potential impact on capital. In 

conducting stress tests under this 

subpart, NCUA or the credit union will 

estimate the following for each scenario 

during each quarter of the planning 

horizon: 

(1) Losses, pre-provision net revenues, 

loan and lease loss provisions, and net 

income; and 

(2) The potential impact on the stress 

test capital ratio, incorporating the 

effects of any capital action over the 

planning horizon and maintenance of an 

allowance for loan losses appropriate for 

credit exposures throughout the 

horizon. NCUA or the credit union will 

conduct the stress tests without 

assuming any risk mitigation actions on 

the part of the credit union, except those 

existing and identified as part of the 

credit union’s balance sheet, or offbalance sheet positions, such as 

derivative positions, on the date of the 

stress test. 

(d) Information collection. Upon 

request, the credit union must provide 

NCUA with any relevant qualitative or 

quantitative information requested by 

NCUA pertinent to the stress tests under 

this subpart. 

(e) Stress test results. A credit union 

required to conduct stress tests under 

this section must incorporate the results 

of its tests in its capital plan. 

(f) Supervisory actions. (1) If a credit 

union-run stress test shows a tier III 

credit union does not have the ability to 

maintain a stress test capital ratio of 5 

percent or more under expected and 

stressed conditions in each quarter of 

the planning horizon, the credit union 

must incorporate, into its capital plan, 

a stress test capital enhancement plan 

that shows how it will meet that target. 

(2) If an NCUA-run stress test shows 

that a tier III credit union does not have 

the ability to maintain a stress test 

capital ratio of 5 percent or more under 

expected and stressed conditions in 

each quarter of the planning horizon, 

the credit union must provide NCUA, 

by November 30 of the calendar year in 

which NCUA conducted the tests, a 

stress test capital enhancement plan 

showing how it will meet that target. 

(3) A tier III credit union operating 

without an NCUA approved stress test 

capital enhancement plan required 

under this section may be subject to 

supervisory actions. 

(g) Consultation on proposed action. 

Before taking any action under this 

section against a federally insured, statechartered credit union, NCUA will 

consult and work cooperatively with the 

appropriate State official. 

[FR Doc. 2017–23212 Filed 10–27–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7535–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 622 

[Docket No. 170828813–7813–01] 

RIN 0648–BH15 

Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South 

Atlantic Region; Temporary Measures 

To Reduce Overfishing of Golden 

Tilefish 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Proposed temporary rule; 

request for comments. 

SUMMARY: This proposed temporary rule 

would implement interim measures to 

reduce overfishing of golden tilefish in 

Federal waters of the South Atlantic. 

Beginning in 2018, this temporary rule 

would reduce the total annual catch 

limit (ACL), the commercial and 

recreational sector ACLs, and the quotas 

for the hook-and-line and longline 

components of the commercial sector. 

This proposed temporary rule would be 

effective for 180 days, although NMFS 

may extend the temporary rule’s 

effectiveness for a maximum of an 

additional 186 days. The intended effect 

of this proposed temporary rule is to 

reduce overfishing of golden tilefish 

while the South Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council develops longterm management measures. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received by November 14, 2017. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on the proposed temporary rule, 

identified by ‘‘NOAA–NMFS–2017– 

0111,’’ by either of the following 

methods: 

• Electronic submission: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://

www.regulations.gov. Go to 

www.regulations.gov/ 

#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2017- 

0111 click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, 

complete the required fields, and enter 

or attach your comments. 

• Mail: Submit written comments to 

Karla Gore, NMFS Southeast Regional 

Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. 

Petersburg, FL 33701. 

Instructions: Comments sent by any 

other method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the end of 

the comment period, may not be 

considered by NMFS. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted for public 

viewing on www.regulations.gov 

without change. All personal identifying 

information (e.g., name, address, etc.), 

confidential business information, or 

otherwise sensitive information 

submitted voluntarily by the sender will 

be publicly accessible. NMFS will 

accept anonymous comments (enter 

‘‘N/A’’ in required fields if you wish to 

remain anonymous). 

Electronic copies of an environmental 

assessment (EA) supporting these 

interim measures may be obtained from 

the Southeast Regional Office Web site 

at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/ 

sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/sg/2017/ 

golden_tilefish_interim/index.html. The 

EA includes a Regulatory Flexibility Act 

(RFA) analysis. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Karla Gore, NMFS Southeast Regional 

Office, telephone: 727–551–5753, or 

email: karla.gore@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

snapper-grouper fishery in the South 

Atlantic region is managed under the 

Fishery Management Plan for SnapperGrouper Fishery of the South Atlantic 

Region (FMP) and includes golden 

tilefish, along with other snappergrouper species. The FMP was prepared 

by the South Atlantic Fishery 

Management Council (Council) and is 

implemented by NMFS through 

regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under 

authority of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). 

Background 

The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires 

that NMFS and regional fishery 

management councils prevent 

overfishing and achieve, on a 

continuing basis, the optimum yield 

from federally managed fish stocks. 

These mandates are intended to ensure 

that fishery resources are managed for 

the greatest overall benefit to the nation, 

particularly with respect to providing 

food production and recreational 

opportunities, and protecting marine 

ecosystems. 

Golden tilefish are harvested by both 

commercial and recreational fishermen 

throughout the South Atlantic, although 

total landings are dominated by the 

commercial sector using bottom 

longline gear. Golden tilefish are also 

harvested commercially using hookand-line gear, while the recreational 


nlaroche on DSK9F9SC42PROD with PROPOSALS
50102 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 208 / Monday, October 30, 2017 / Proposed Rules 

sector harvests at a much lower level 

than either component of the 

commercial sector. Using data through 

2010, the golden tilefish stock was 

assessed in 2011 through the Southeast 

Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) 

stock assessment process (SEDAR 25). 

SEDAR 25 results indicated that golden 

tilefish was not subject to overfishing, 

and was not overfished. Based upon the 

results of SEDAR 25, Amendment 18B 

to the FMP and its implementing final 

rule allocated the total ACL among the 

sectors and commercial gear 

components, and specified the ACLs 

based upon the allocation percentages, 

among other actions (78 FR 23858, April 

23, 2013). For golden tilefish, 97 percent 

of the total ACL is allocated to the 

commercial sector, with 25 percent of 

the commercial ACL available for 

harvest by the hook-and-line component 

and 75 percent available for the longline 

component. The recreational sector is 

allocated three percent of the total ACL. 

In April 2016, an update to SEDAR 25 

was completed for golden tilefish using 

data through 2014 (SEDAR 25 Update 

2016). The SEDAR 25 Update 2016 

indicated that golden tilefish is 

undergoing overfishing but is not 

overfished. NMFS notified the Council 

of the updated stock status 

determination in a letter dated January 

4, 2017. As mandated by the MagnusonStevens Act, NMFS and the Council 

must prepare and implement a plan 

amendment and regulations to end 

overfishing of golden tilefish. 

In May 2016, the Council’s Scientific 

and Statistical Committee (SSC) 

reviewed the SEDAR 25 Update 2016 

and provided fishing level 

recommendations for the stock. The SSC 

determined that the SEDAR 25 Update 

2016 was based on the best scientific 

information available. The Council 

received the results of the SEDAR 25 

Update 2016 and the SSC 

recommendations in June 2016, and 

Council members stated their concern 

over the large differences in biological 

benchmarks between SEDAR 25 and the 

SEDAR 25 Update 2016 and the much 

lower fishing level recommendations in 

the SEDAR 25 Update 2016. The 

Council subsequently requested that the 

SSC review the SEDAR 25 Update 2016, 

primarily as a result of their concerns 

about the socio-economic consequences 

of the large catch level reductions 

suggested by the SEDAR 25 Update 

2016, and the large buffer recommended 

between the acceptable biological catch 

(ABC) and the overfishing limit. 

In May 2017, the SEDAR Steering 

Committee considered a Council request 

for another golden tilefish update 

assessment, which was intended to 

address the SEDAR 25 Update 2016 

concerns raised by the Council and their 

SSC during their earlier reviews. While 

an update assessment could not be 

included in the SEDAR schedule for 

2017, the Southeast Fisheries Science 

Center agreed to revise the SEDAR 25 

Update 2016 to address these Council 

concerns. 

The revised stock assessment for 

golden tilefish will be reviewed by the 

SSC at its October 2017 meeting, and 

the Council is scheduled to discuss the 

revised assessment results at their 

December 2017 meeting. The results of 

the revised assessment will be used to 

develop Amendment 45 to the FMP, 

which is intended to end overfishing of 

golden tilefish with long-term 

management measures. 

The revised ABC recommendations 

from the Council’s SSC will not be 

available until late October 2017, which 

provides insufficient time for the 

Council and NMFS to develop and 

implement management measures, 

respectively, to end overfishing of 

golden tilefish in time for the start of the 

2018 fishing year on January 1, 2018. 

Therefore, in a letter to NMFS dated 

June 27, 2017, the Council requested 

that NMFS implement interim measures 

to immediately reduce overfishing of 

golden tilefish while long-term 

measures can be developed through 

Amendment 45. For 2018, the Council 

recommended setting the total ACL at 

the projected yield at 75 percent of the 

yield produced by the fishing mortality 

rate at maximum sustainable yield, 

which would be 323,000 lb (146,510 kg), 

gutted weight, 361,760 lb (164,092 kg), 

round weight. The interim measures in 

a final temporary rule would be 

effective for 180 days after the 

publication date in the Federal Register 

and may be extended for an additional 

186 days. If NMFS does not extend the 

proposed interim measures beyond 180 

days, the total and sector ACLs, as well 

as the quotas for the hook-and-line and 

longline components of the commercial 

sector would revert to their current 

values. 

Management Measures Contained in 

This Proposed Temporary Rule 

During the effectiveness of this 

proposed temporary rule in 2018, the 

total ACL for golden tilefish would be 

323,000 lb (146,510 kg), gutted weight, 

361,760 lb (164,092 kg), round weight. 

This proposed temporary rule would 

also specify the commercial and 

recreational sector ACLs and component 

commercial quotas using the existing 

sector allocations of 97 percent 

commercial and 3 percent recreational, 

as well as 25 percent of the commercial 

ACL available for the hook-and-line 

component and 75 percent available for 

the longline component. Therefore, 

during the effectiveness of this proposed 

temporary rule in 2018, the commercial 

ACL would be 313,310 lb (142,115 kg), 

gutted weight. The commercial quota for 

the hook-and-line component would be 

78,328 lb (35,529 kg), gutted weight, and 

the commercial quota for the longline 

component would be 234,982 lb 

(106,586 kg), gutted weight. The 

recreational ACL during the 

effectiveness of this proposed temporary 

rule in 2018 would be 2,187 fish, which 

is equivalent to 9,690 lb (4,395 kg), 

gutted weight. 

The temporary reductions in the ACLs 

could result in earlier in-season closures 

particularly for the commercial sector. 

The earlier closures would likely result 

in short-term adverse socio-economic 

effects. However, the temporary ACLs 

and quotas are expected to minimize 

future adverse socio-economic effects by 

potentially reducing future reductions 

in the ACLs and quotas required to end 

overfishing through Amendment 45. 

The temporary ACLs and quotas would 

also provide biological benefits to the 

golden tilefish stock by reducing the 

current levels of fishing mortality. 

Future Action 

NMFS has determined that this 

proposed temporary rule is necessary to 

reduce overfishing of golden tilefish in 

the South Atlantic. NMFS will consider 

all public comments received on this 

proposed temporary rule in determining 

whether to proceed with a final 

temporary rule and, if so, whether any 

revisions to the final temporary rule 

would be appropriate. If NMFS issues a 

final temporary rule, it would be 

effective for not more than 180 days 

after the date of publication in the 

Federal Register, as authorized by 

section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Act. The final temporary rule could be 

extended if NMFS publishes a 

temporary rule extension in the Federal 

Register for up to an additional 186 

days, provided that the public has had 

an opportunity to comment on the rule, 

such as through this proposed 

temporary rule. 

Classification 

Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act, the NMFS 

Assistant Administrator has determined 

that this proposed temporary rule is 

consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Act, and other applicable laws, subject 

to further consideration after public 

comment. 


nlaroche on DSK9F9SC42PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 208 / Monday, October 30, 2017 / Proposed Rules 50103 

This proposed temporary rule has 

been determined to be not significant for 

purposes of Executive Order 12866. 

NMFS prepared an initial regulatory 

flexibility analysis (IRFA) for this 

proposed temporary rule, as required by 

section 603 of the RFA, 5 U.S.C. 603. 

The IRFA describes the economic 

impact that this proposed temporary 

rule, if implemented, would have on 

small entities. A description of this 

proposed temporary rule, why it is 

being considered, and the objectives of, 

and legal basis for this proposed 

temporary rule are contained at the 

beginning of this section in the 

preamble and in the SUMMARY section of 

the preamble. A copy of the full analysis 

is available from the NMFS (see 

ADDRESSES). A summary of the IRFA 

follows. 

The Magnuson-Stevens Act provides 

the statutory basis for this rule. No 

duplicative, overlapping, or conflicting 

Federal rules have been identified. In 

addition, no new reporting, recordkeeping, or other compliance 

requirements are introduced by this 

proposed temporary rule. Accordingly, 

this rule does not implicate the 

Paperwork Reduction Act. 

This proposed temporary rule, if 

implemented, would be expected to 

directly affect all commercial vessels 

that harvest South Atlantic golden 

tilefish under the FMP. The change in 

recreational ACL in this proposed 

temporary rule would not directly apply 

to or regulate charter vessel and 

headboat (for-hire) businesses. Any 

impact to the profitability or 

competitiveness of for-hire fishing 

businesses would be the result of 

changes in for-hire angler demand and 

would therefore be indirect in nature. 

The RFA does not consider recreational 

anglers, who would be directly affected 

by this proposed temporary rule, to be 

small entities, so they are outside the 

scope of this analysis and only the 

effects on commercial vessels were 

analyzed. For RFA purposes only, 

NMFS has established a small business 

size standard for businesses, including 

their affiliates, whose primary industry 

is commercial fishing (see 50 CFR 

200.2). A business primarily engaged in 

commercial fishing (NAICS code 11411) 

is classified as a small business if it is 

independently owned and operated, is 

not dominant in its field of operation 

(including affiliates), and has combined 

annual receipts not in excess of $11 

million for all its affiliated operations 

worldwide. 

As of August 10, 2017, there were 544 

vessels with valid or renewable Federal 

South Atlantic snapper-grouper 

unlimited permits, 114 valid or 

renewable 225-lb trip limited permits, 

and 22 golden tilefish longline 

endorsements. The golden tilefish 

longline endorsement system started in 

2013. From 2012 through 2016, an 

average of 23 longline vessels per year 

landed golden tilefish in the South 

Atlantic. These vessels, combined, 

averaged 255 trips per year in the South 

Atlantic on which golden tilefish were 

landed, and 182 trips taken in the South 

Atlantic on which no golden tilefish 

were harvested or in areas outside the 

South Atlantic. The average annual total 

dockside revenue (2016 dollars) for 

these vessels combined was 

approximately $1.56 million from 

golden tilefish, $0.10 million from other 

species co-harvested with golden 

tilefish (on the same trips), and $0.43 

million from trips in the South Atlantic 

on which no golden tilefish were 

harvested or in areas outside the South 

Atlantic. Total average annual revenue 

from all species harvested by longline 

vessels harvesting golden tilefish in the 

South Atlantic was approximately $2.10 

million, or approximately $92,000 per 

vessel. Longline vessels generated 

approximately 74 percent of their total 

revenues from golden tilefish. For the 

same period, an average of 82 vessels 

per year landed golden tilefish using 

other gear types (mostly hook-and-line) 

in the South Atlantic. These vessels, 

combined, averaged 483 trips per year 

in the South Atlantic on which golden 

tilefish were landed, and 2,862 trips 

taken in the South Atlantic on which no 

golden tilefish were harvested or in 

areas outside the South Atlantic. The 

average annual total dockside revenue 

(2016 dollars) for these 82 vessels was 

approximately $0.36 million from 

golden tilefish, $0.66 million from other 

species co-harvested with golden 

tilefish (on the same trips in the South 

Atlantic), and $4.13 million from trips 

in the South Atlantic on which no 

golden tilefish were harvested or in 

areas outside the South Atlantic. The 

total average annual revenue from all 

species harvested by these 82 vessels 

was approximately $5.16 million, or 

approximately $62,000 per vessel. 

Approximately seven percent of these 

vessels’ total revenues came from 

golden tilefish. Based on the foregoing 

revenue information, all commercial 

vessels using longlines or other gear 

types (mostly hook-and-line) affected by 

the proposed temporary rule may be 

assumed to be small entities. 

Because all entities expected to be 

directly affected by this proposed 

temporary rule are assumed to be small 

entities, NMFS has determined that this 

proposed temporary rule would affect a 

substantial number of small entities. For 

the same reason, the issue of 

disproportionate effects on small versus 

large entities does not arise in the 

present case. 

Reducing the South Atlantic stock 

ACL for golden tilefish would reduce 

the specific ACLs for the commercial 

and recreational sectors. These ACL 

reductions would result in ex-vessel 

revenue losses of approximately 

$229,000 for hook-and-line vessels and 

$600,000 for longline vessels over the 

entire 2018 fishing year. Ex-vessel 

revenue reductions for the commercial 

sector would result in profit reductions, 

although this is more likely for longline 

vessels as they are more dependent on 

golden tilefish than hook-and-line 

vessels. 

The following discusses the 

alternatives that were not selected as 

preferred by the Council. 

Four alternatives, including the 

preferred alternative as described above, 

were considered for reducing the stock 

and sector ACLs for South Atlantic 

golden tilefish. The first alternative, the 

no action alternative, would maintain 

the current economic benefits to all 

participants in the South Atlantic 

golden tilefish component of the 

snapper-grouper fishery. This 

alternative, however, would not address 

the need to curtail continued 

overfishing of the stock, very likely 

leading into the adoption of more 

stringent measures in the near future. 

The second alternative would reduce 

the ACLs more than the preferred 

alternative, and thus would be expected 

to result in larger revenue (and profit) 

losses to the commercial sector. The 

third alternative would establish higher 

ACLs than the preferred alternative. 

Although this alternative would result 

in lower revenue losses to the 

commercial sector, the ACLs it would 

establish may not be low enough to 

address the overfishing status of the 

stock. To an extent, this alternative 

would leave open a greater likelihood of 

implementing more stringent measures 

when more long-term management 

actions are implemented in Amendment 

45. 

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 622 

Annual catch limit, Fisheries, Fishing, 

Golden tilefish, South Atlantic. 

Dated: October 23, 2017. 

Samuel D. Rauch, III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

For the reasons set out in the 

preamble, 50 CFR part 622 is proposed 

to be amended as follows: 


nlaroche on DSK9F9SC42PROD with PROPOSALS
50104 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 208 / Monday, October 30, 2017 / Proposed Rules 

PART 622—FISHERIES OF THE 

CARIBBEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND 

SOUTH ATLANTIC 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 622 

continues to read as follows: 

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

■ 2. In § 622.190, suspend paragraphs 

(a)(2)(i) through (iii) and add paragraphs 

(a)(2)(iv) through (vi) to read as follows: 

§ 622.190 Quotas. 

* * * * * 

(a) * * * 

(2) * * * 

(iv) Hook-and-line and longline 

components combined—313,310 lb 

(142,115 kg). 

(v) Hook-and-line component—78,328 

lb (35,529 kg). 

(vi) Longline component—234,982 lb 

(106,586 kg). 

* * * * * 

■ 3. In § 622.193, suspend paragraphs 

(a)(1)(i), (ii), and (iii), and (a)(2), and 

add paragraphs (a)(1)(iv), (v), and (vi), 

and (a)(3) to read as follows: 

§ 622.193 Annual catch limits (ACLs), 

annual catch targets (ACTs), and 

accountability measures (AMs). 

(a) * * * 

(1) * * * 

(iv) Hook-and-line component. If 

commercial landings for golden tilefish, 

as estimated by the SRD, reach or are 

projected to reach the commercial ACL 

(commercial quota) specified in 

§ 622.190(a)(2)(v), the AA will file a 

notification with the Office of the 

Federal Register to close the hook-andline component of the commercial 

sector for the remainder of the fishing 

year. Applicable restrictions after a 

commercial quota closure are specified 

in § 622.190(c). 

(v) Longline component. If 

commercial landings for golden tilefish, 

as estimated by the SRD, reach or are 

projected to reach the commercial ACL 

(commercial quota) specified in 

§ 622.190(a)(2)(vi), the AA will file a 

notification with the Office of the 

Federal Register to close the longline 

component of the commercial sector for 

the remainder of the fishing year. After 

the commercial ACL for the longline 

component is reached or projected to be 

reached, golden tilefish may not be 

fished for or possessed by a vessel with 

a golden tilefish longline endorsement. 

Applicable restrictions after a 

commercial quota closure are specified 

in § 622.190(c). 

(vi) If commercial landings of golden 

tilefish, as estimated by the SRD, exceed 

the commercial ACL (including both the 

hook-and-line and longline component 

quotas) specified in § 622.190(a)(2)(iv), 

and the combined commercial and 

recreational ACL of 323,000 lb (146,510 

kg), gutted weight, 361,760 lb (164,092 

kg), round weight, is exceeded during 

the same fishing year, and golden 

tilefish are overfished based on the most 

recent Status of U.S. Fisheries Report to 

Congress, the AA will file a notification 

with the Office of the Federal Register 

to reduce the commercial ACL for that 

following fishing year by the amount of 

the commercial ACL overage in the 

prior fishing year. 

* * * * * 

(3) Recreational sector. (i) If 

recreational landings of golden tilefish, 

as estimated by the SRD, reach or are 

projected to reach the recreational ACL 

of 2,187 fish, the AA will file a 

notification with the Office of the 

Federal Register to close the recreational 

sector for the remainder of the fishing 

year regardless if the stock is overfished, 

unless NMFS determines that no closure 

is necessary based on the best scientific 

information available. On and after the 

effective date of such a notification, the 

bag and possession limits for golden 

tilefish in or from the South Atlantic 

EEZ are zero. 

(ii) If recreational landings of golden 

tilefish, as estimated by the SRD, exceed 

the recreational ACL, then during the 

following fishing year recreational 

landings will be monitored for a 

persistence in increased landings, and if 

necessary, the AA will file a notification 

with the Office of the Federal Register 

to reduce the length of the recreational 

fishing season and the recreational ACL 

by the amount of the recreational ACL 

overage, if the species is overfished 

based on the most recent Status of U.S. 

Fisheries Report to Congress, and if the 

combined commercial and recreational 

ACL of 323,000 lb (146,510 kg), gutted 

weight, 361,760 lb (164,092 kg), round 

weight, is exceeded during the same 

fishing year. The AA will use the best 

scientific information available to 

determine if reducing the length of the 

recreational fishing season and 

recreational ACL is necessary. When the 

recreational sector is closed as a result 

of NMFS reducing the length of the 

recreational fishing season and ACL, the 

bag and possession limits for golden 

tilefish in or from the South Atlantic 

EEZ are zero. 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2017–23453 Filed 10–27–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 622 

[Docket No. 170619570–7570–01] 

RIN 0648–BG92 

Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of 

Mexico, and South Atlantic; Reef Fish 

Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; 

Modifications to the Number of 

Unrigged Hooks Carried On Board 

Bottom Longline Vessels 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Proposed rule; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS proposes to implement 

management measures described in an 

abbreviated framework action to the 

Fishery Management Plan for the Reef 

Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico 

(FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of 

Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management 

Council (Council). This proposed rule 

would remove the limit on the number 

of unrigged hooks that a commercial 

reef fish vessel with a bottom longline 

endorsement is allowed on board when 

using or carrying bottom longline gear 

in the Federal waters of the eastern Gulf. 

The proposed rule would not change the 

limit of 750 hooks that these vessels can 

have rigged for fishing at any given 

time. The purpose of the proposed rule 

is to reduce the regulatory and potential 

economic burden to bottom longline 

fishers. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received by November 14, 2017. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on the proposed rule, identified by 

‘‘NOAA–NMFS–2017–0081’’ by either 

of the following methods: 

• Electronic Submission: Submit all 

electronic comments via the Federal 

Rulemaking Portal. Go to 

www.regulations.gov/ 

#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2017- 

0081, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, 

complete the required fields, and enter 

your attached comments. 

• Mail: Submit all written comments 

to Kelli O’Donnell, NMFS Southeast 

Regional Office (SERO), 263 13th 

Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. 

• Instructions: Comments sent by any 

other method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the end of 

the comment period, may not be 

considered by NMFS. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 


nlaroche on DSK9F9SC42PROD with PROPOSALS