[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51778-51781]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24346]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 170919911-7911-01]
RIN 0648-XF710


Revisions to Framework Adjustment 56 to the Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan

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

[[Page 51779]]


ACTION: Final rule; adjustment to specifications.

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SUMMARY: We are adjusting the 2017 fishing year Georges Bank cod 
allocation for the common pool and making minor corrections to the 2017 
sector carryover and annual catch entitlement. This action is necessary 
to respond to a 2016 overage of the Georges Bank cod allocation for the 
common pool fishery and correct an error in the carryover and annual 
catch entitlement available to sectors in 2017. These adjustments are 
routine and formulaic and are intended to ensure that final allocations 
are based on the best scientific information available.

DATES: Effective November 8, 2017, through April 30, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Keiley, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9116.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We recently approved Framework Adjustment 56 
to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which set 
annual catch limits (ACLs) for groundfish stocks and three jointly 
managed U.S./Canada stocks for the 2017 fishing year. This action 
became effective on August 1, 2017 (82 FR 16133). The possibility of 
minor adjustments and corrections was noted in the Framework 56 
proposed and final rules because final allocations are not always 
available at the time of the rulemaking for the upcoming fishing year. 
This action revises the Georges Bank (GB) cod common pool sub-ACL due 
to a 2016 overage as required by regulation and corrects an error in 
the 2017 sector carryover and annual catch entitlement (ACE) included 
in the Framework 56 final rule.

Georges Bank Cod Common Pool Sub-Annual Catch Limit

    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. The fishing year 2016 common pool sub-ACL for 
GB cod was exceeded by 2.8 mt. Therefore, this action reduces the 
fishing year 2017 GB cod common pool sub-ACL by 2.8 mt resulting in a 
sub-ACL of 7.0 mt. The revised trimester total allowable catches 
(TACs), based on the overage deduction, are provided in Table 1.

                          Table 1--Initial and Revised Georges Bank Cod Trimester TACs
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                                           Trimester 1               Trimester 2               Trimester 3
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Allocation Percentage.............  25%.....................  37%.....................  38%
Initial Trimester TAC.............  2.4 mt..................  3.6 mt..................  3.7 mt
Revised Trimester TAC.............  1.7 mt..................  2.6 mt..................  2.7 mt
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Correction to Sector Carryover

    The Framework 56 final rule included the amount of allocation that 
sectors may carry over from the 2016 to the 2017 fishing year based on 
the final 2016 sector catch. An error was made when calculating the de 
minimis amount of GB haddock carryover and the total Eastern GB haddock 
ACE available to sectors in 2017. The corrected Eastern GB haddock ACE 
available to sectors in 2017 and the revised de minimis carryover ACE 
for GB haddock are provided in Tables 2 and 3. These adjustments are 
minor, increase available catch, will not affect fishery operations, 
and have already been provided to sectors.

   Table 2--Comparison of De Minimis GB Haddock Carryover ACE From Fishing Year 2016 to Fishing Year 2017 (lb)
                               Published in Framework 56 and the Corrected Values
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                                                                                   Framework 56
                                     Sector                                          Table 14         Revised
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Fixed Gear Sector..............................................................           60,981          73,563
MCCS \1\.......................................................................            2,679           2,679
NCCS \1\.......................................................................            3,379           4,076
NEFS 1.........................................................................                0               0
NEFS 2.........................................................................          102,574         123,738
NEFS 3.........................................................................              486             586
NEFS 4.........................................................................           51,454          62,071
NEFS 5.........................................................................            7,843           9,461
NEFS 6.........................................................................           28,146          33,953
NEFS 7.........................................................................           13,006          15,690
NEFS 8.........................................................................           57,191          68,991
NEFS 9.........................................................................          108,123         130,432
NEFS 10........................................................................            1,583           1,910
NEFS 11........................................................................              358             432
NEFS 12........................................................................              904           1,091
NEFS 13........................................................................          193,422         233,331
Sustainable Harvest Sector 1...................................................           24,260          29,265
Sustainable Harvest Sector 2...................................................             3863           4,659
Sustainable Harvest Sector 3...................................................          287,713         347,077
                                                                                --------------------------------
    Sectors Total..............................................................          947,965       1,143,005
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\1\ Maine Coast Community Sector (MCCS), Northeast Coastal Community Sector (NCCS).


[[Page 51780]]


  Table 3--Comparison of Total Eastern GB Haddock ACE Available to Sectors in Fishing Year 2017 With Finalized
                      Carryover (mt and 1,000 lb) Published in Framework 56 and as Revised
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                                                    Total ACE available to sectors in fishing year 2017 with
                                                                       finalized carryover
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                    Sector                                    (mt)                          (1,000 lb)
                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Framework 56                     Framework 56
                                                    Table 15         Revised         Table 16         Revised
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Fixed Gear Sector.............................            1,300           1,871            2,866           4,124
MCCS..........................................              197             283              434             625
Maine Permit Bank.............................                9              13               20              29
NCCS..........................................               72             104              159             228
NEFS 1........................................                0               0                0               0
NEFS 2........................................            2,187           3,147            4,821           6,937
NEFS 3........................................               10              15               23              33
NEFS 4........................................            1,097           1,578            2,418           3,480
NEFS 5........................................              167             241              369             530
NEFS 6........................................              600             863            1,323           1,903
NEFS 7........................................              277             399              611             880
NEFS 8........................................            1,219           1,754            2,688           3,868
NEFS 9........................................            2,305           3,317            5,081           7,312
NEFS 10.......................................               34              49               74             107
NEFS 11.......................................                8              11               17              24
NEFS 12.......................................               19              28               42              61
NEFS 13.......................................            4,123           5,934            9,090          13,081
New Hampshire Permit Bank.....................                0               0                0               0
Sustainable Harvest Sector 1..................              517             744            1,140           1,641
Sustainable Harvest Sector 2..................               82             118              182             261
Sustainable Harvest Sector 3..................            6,133           8,826           13,522          19,458
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    Sectors Total.............................           20,375          29,295           44,880          64,583
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Classification

    The NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this final 
rule is consistent with the FMP, other provisions of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and other applicable 
law.
    This action is exempt from the procedures of Executive Order (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, unnecessary, 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 publication.
    There are several reasons that notice and comment are 
impracticable, unnecessary, and contrary to the public interest. The 
proposed and final rules for Framework 56 explained the possibility of 
minor adjustments and corrections because final allocations are not 
always available at the time of the rulemaking for the upcoming fishing 
year. These adjustments are routine and formulaic, required by 
regulation, and necessary to ensure that overfishing does not occur. 
Because these adjustments are part of the annual allocation process, 
and are highlighted in the proposed and final rules for the upcoming 
fishing year, industry anticipates an annual adjustment rule. No 
comments were received on the potential for these adjustments, which 
provide an accurate accounting of a sector and common pool allocations. 
Additionally, the adjustments in this rule are based on either a pre-
determined accountability measure, and are not subject to NMFS' 
discretion, or a need to correct an error, so there would be no benefit 
to allowing time for prior notice and comment. Data regarding final 
2016 catch only became available after publication of the Framework 56 
final rule.
    If this rule is not effective immediately, common pool and sector 
vessels will be operating under incorrect information on the catch 
limits for each stock. The adjustment of the common pool GB cod TAC 
requires immediate action to ensure that additional overages do not 
occur. TAC overages have negative economic impacts, as well as 
increasing the risk of overfishing. 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. 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 delay in effectiveness for this rule, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(3)(B) and (d), respectively.
    The Chief Counsel for Regulation, Department of Commerce, 
previously certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small 
Business Administration at the proposed rule stage that Framework 56 
would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities. These minor adjustments will not change the conclusions 
drawn from that framework. Because advanced notice and the opportunity 
for public comment are not required for the correction 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 new regulatory flexibility 
analysis is required and none has been prepared.

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


[[Page 51781]]


    Dated: November 3, 2017.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-24346 Filed 11-7-17; 8:45 am]
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