Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/03/19/2014-06067/fisheries-of-the-caribbean-gulf-of-mexico-and-south-atlantic-coastal-migratory-pelagic-resources-in
Timestamp: 2018-10-18 18:43:40
Document Index: 286903628

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u2009622', '§\u2009622', '§\u2009622', '§\u2009622', '§\u2009622', '§\u2009622', '§\u2009622', '§\u2009622']

https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2014-06067 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2014-06067
You may submit comments on the proposed rule, identified by “NOAA-NMFS-2013-0168” by any of the following methods:
Electronic copies of the documents supporting this proposed rule, which include an environmental assessment, a Regulatory Flexibility Act analysis, and a regulatory impact review, may be obtained from the Southeast Regional Office Web site at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/​sustainable_​fisheries/​gulf_​sa/​cmp/​index.html.
Comments regarding the burden-hour estimates or other aspects of the collection-of-information requirements contained in the proposed rule may be submitted in writing to Anik Clemens, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; and OMB, by email at OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov, or by fax to 202-395-7285.
Currently, no Federal permits are required to sell CMP species, although commercial vessel permits are required to exceed the bag limit for king and Spanish mackerel. All fish harvested in Federal waters that are sold are considered commercial harvest and count towards a species' commercial quota, whether or not the fisherman has a Federal commercial permit. The Councils and NMFS are concerned that landings from recreational trips that are sold may contribute to the commercial quota and lead to early closures in the commercial sector. Reducing the sale of fish caught under the bag limit should improve the accuracy of data by reducing “double counting,” i.e., harvest from a single trip that is counted towards both the commercial quota and recreational allocation. This practice occurs when the same catches are reported through recreational surveys and commercial trip tickets and logbooks.
Currently, there is no Federal dealer permit for king or Spanish mackerel. However, a proposed rule published on January 2, 2014 (79 FR 81) for the Generic Dealer Amendment includes an action to implement a Gulf and South Atlantic dealer permit, which would be required for king and Spanish mackerel dealers. Therefore, if the Generic Dealer Amendment is approved and a final rule is implemented, there would be a Federal dealer permit for king and Spanish mackerel. In addition, the Start Printed Page 15285proposed rule for the Generic Dealer Amendment includes a restriction stating that a federally permitted dealer must first receive fish only from a federally permitted vessel. This provision would be codified at § 622.386(c), and provides: “Coastal migratory pelagic fish harvested in or from the Gulf or South Atlantic EEZ may be first received by a dealer who has a valid Gulf and South Atlantic dealer permit, as required under § 622.370(c)(1), only from a vessel that has a valid Federal commercial vessel permit, as required under § 622.370(a), or a charter vessel/headboat permit for coastal migratory pelagic fish, as required under § 622.370(b).”
Amendment 20A and this proposed rule would allow a federally permitted dealer to receive tournament-caught fish and then sell those fish as long as the proceeds are donated to a charity. Therefore, if the final rule for the Generic Dealer Amendment is implemented, an exception to the restriction in § 622.386(c) would be added in the final rule for Amendment 20A, allowing dealers to sell tournament-caught fish and donate the proceeds to a charity. Specifically, paragraph § 622.386(e) would be amended to provide: “Federally permitted dealers who accept donated king or Spanish mackerel under this section are exempt from the restrictions in section (c) of this paragraph, and can accept these fish from non-federally permitted vessels.”
In addition, the rule proposes to remove the income qualification requirements for king and Spanish mackerel commercial vessel permits. Currently, to obtain or renew a king or Spanish mackerel commercial vessel permit, a minimum amount of the applicant's earned income must be derived from commercial fishing. These requirements are difficult to enforce, and have recently been removed as requirements to obtain or renew a Gulf reef fish permit. No other Federal permit in the Southeast Region has an income qualification requirement except the spiny lobster permit, which mirrors requirements by Florida. This action would not affect the number of king mackerel permits issued, which are limited access, but could increase the number of Spanish mackerel permits issued, which are open access. Eliminating the income qualification requirements would afford more flexibility to fishermen by allowing them to earn a larger portion of income from non-fishing occupations.
Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Assistant Administrator has determined that this proposed rule is consistent with Amendment 20A, the FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable law, subject to further consideration after public comment.
NMFS prepared an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) for this rule, as required by section 603 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 603. The IRFA describes the economic impact that this proposed rule, if implemented, would have on small entities. A description of the action, why it is being considered, and the objectives of and legal basis for this action are contained in the preamble. A copy of the full analysis is available from the NMFS (see ADDRESSES). A summary of the IRFA follows.
On June 20, 2013, the SBA issued a final rule revising the small business size standards for several industries effective July 22, 2013 (78 FR 37398). That rule increased the size standard for commercial finfish harvesters from $4.0 million to $19.0 million in annual receipts. The number of small businesses that operate in the finfish fishing industry and own or operate commercial fishing vessels that harvest king and Spanish mackerel in Federal waters without the respective commercial permits is unknown. Sales of bag-limit quantities of king and Spanish mackerel harvested by these vessels would represent incidental landings. However, NMFS estimates that a small business in the finfish fishing industry without the Federal commercial permits and with an average size commercial vessel and 3-person crew could lose up to $99 to $149 per trip from the prohibition of bag-limit sales of king mackerel and up to $124 Start Printed Page 15286per trip from the prohibition of bag-limit sales of Spanish mackerel. To avoid the losses of sales of Spanish mackerel, a small commercial fishing business could purchase a Federal commercial Spanish mackerel permit for $25 each year. To avoid losses of sales of king mackerel, the same small business in the finfish fishing industry would have to acquire a Federal commercial king mackerel permit from an existing permit holder. A query of transferred king mackerel permits from January 1, 2008, through June 2013, was conducted and reported costs of acquiring a permit were found to range from $0 to $10,000 per transferred permit, with a median of $3,625 and average of $2,860. Given that cost, a small business in the finfish fishing industry that incidentally catches king mackerel in Federal waters likely would not choose to purchase a permit that is used to commercially target the species.
This proposed rule contains collection-of-information requirements subject to the PRA. NMFS is revising the collection-of-information requirements under OMB control number 0648-0205. NMFS estimates the removal of the income qualification requirements for commercial king and Spanish mackerel permit holders will result in a net decrease in the time to complete the Federal Permit Application (for all applicants). In addition, the current burden estimate of 40 minutes per applicant to complete the application form would decrease to 30 minutes per applicant, because the application instructions have been simplified and reorganized so that there are half as many pages of instructions to read when filling out the application. These Start Printed Page 15287estimates of the public reporting burden include the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection-of-information.
These requirements have been submitted to OMB for approval. NMFS seeks public comment regarding: Whether this proposed collection-of-information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; the accuracy of the burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the collection-of-information, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of the collection-of-information requirements, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to NMFS and to OMB (see ADDRESSES).
2. In § 622.370, paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(3) are revised to read as follows:
3. In § 622.371, remove paragraphs (c), (d), and (e), and redesignate paragraph (f) as paragraph (c).