Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/05/01/2015-10088/fisheries-of-the-caribbean-gulf-of-mexico-and-south-atlantic-reef-fish-fishery-of-the-gulf-of-mexico
Timestamp: 2018-07-23 02:42:24
Document Index: 559260694

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

80 FR 24832
24832-24836 (5 pages)
Docket No. 150226189-5389-02
0648-BE91
2015-10088
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2015-10088 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2015-10088
Electronic copies of the 2015 Gulf red snapper framework action, which includes an environmental assessment, Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) 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_​fisheries/​reef_​fish.
This final rule sets the commercial and recreational quotas (equal to the Start Printed Page 24833commercial and recreational annual catch limit (ACLs)) and the recreational annual catch targets (ACTs) for the 2015, 2016, and 2017 fishing years for red snapper based on the acceptable biological catch levels chosen by the Council, as recommended by its Scientific and Statistical Committee, and on the current commercial and recreational allocations (51-percent commercial and 49-percent recreational). Quotas for subsequent fishing years will remain at 2017 levels unless changed by future rulemaking. All values contained in this final rule are given in round weight. For 2015, the commercial quota is set at 7.293 million lb (3.308 million kg) and the recreational quota is set at 7.007 million lb (3.178 million kg); for 2016, the commercial quota is set at 7.120 million lb (3.230 million kg) and the recreational quota is set at 6.840 million lb (3.103 million kg); and for 2017 and subsequent fishing years, the commercial quota is set at 7.007 million lb (3.178 million kg) and the recreational quota is set at 6.733 million lb (3.054 million kg).
This final rule makes two administrative changes to the Gulf Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program regulations. In §§ 622.21 and 622.22, the Web site for the Gulf IFQ program changes from “ifq.sero.fisheries.noaa.gov” to “https://portal.southeast.fisheries.noaa.gov/​cs/​main.html” to align with the renaming of NMFS Web sites for all of the regions in the U.S. In § 622.21(b)(6)(ii), NMFS revises the minimum share transfer percentage for the Gulf red snapper IFQ program from “0.0001 percent” to “0.000001 percent” to align with the Gulf grouper/tilefish program minimum share transfer percentage and allows for smaller percentages of red snapper IFQ shares to be transferred. When the red snapper IFQ program was implemented in 2007, NMFS determined, based on the share cap and red snapper commercial quota, that 0.0001 percent was the appropriate minimum share transfer percentage. Because the red snapper commercial quota has been increasing, NMFS has now determined that the minimum share transfer percentage should be 0.000001 percent. This gives shareholders greater flexibility by allowing transfers of smaller increments of shares. In addition, modifying the minimum share transfer percentage for red snapper helps avoid confusion among shareholders who trade both red snapper and grouper/tilefish shares because both programs have the same minimum share transfer percentage.
This final rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.Start Printed Page 24834
2. In § 622.21, the third sentence in paragraph (b)(1), the second sentence in paragraph (b)(2), the last sentence in paragraph (b)(3)(i), the first sentence in paragraph (b)(3)(iii), the second sentence in paragraph (b)(3)(iv), the only sentence in paragraph (b)(5)(i)(B), the third sentence in paragraph (b)(5)(v), the second and third sentences in paragraph (b)(6)(ii), the second sentence in paragraph (b)(6)(iv), and the first sentence in paragraph (b)(10) are revised to read as follows:
(1) * * * An owner of a vessel with a commercial vessel permit for Gulf reef fish, who has established an IFQ account for Gulf red snapper as specified in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section, online via the NMFS IFQ Web site https://portal.southeast.fisheries.noaa.gov/​cs/​main.html, may establish a vessel account through that IFQ account for that permitted vessel. * * *
3. In § 622.22, the third sentence in paragraph (b)(1), the second sentence in paragraph (b)(2), the last sentence in paragraph (b)(3)(i), the first sentence in paragraph (b)(3)(iii), the second sentence in paragraph (b)(3)(iv), the only sentence in paragraph (b)(5)(i)(B), the third sentence in paragraph (b)(5)(v), the second sentence in paragraph (b)(6)(ii), the second sentence in paragraph (b)(6)(iv), and the first sentence in paragraph (b)(10) are revised to read as follows:
(1) * * * An owner of a vessel with a commercial vessel permit for Gulf reef fish, who has established an IFQ account for the applicable species, as specified in paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section, online via the NMFS IFQ Web site https://portal.southeast.fisheries.noaa.gov/​cs/​main.html, may establish a vessel account through that IFQ account for that permitted vessel. * * *
(1) For fishing year 2015—7.007 million lb (3.178 million kg), round weight.
(2) For fishing year 2016—6.840 million lb (3.103 million kg), round weight.
(3) For fishing year 2017 and subsequent fishing years—6.733 million lb (3.054 million kg), round weight.
(B) Federal charter vessel/headboat component quota. The Federal charter vessel/headboat component quota applies to vessels that have been issued a valid Federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf reef fish any time during the fishing year. This component quota is effective for only the 2015, 2016, and 2017 fishing years. For the 2018 and subsequent fishing years, the applicable total recreational quota specified in § 622.39(a)(2)(i)(A) will apply to the recreational sector.
(2) For fishing year 2016—2.893 million lb (1.312 million kg), round weight.
(3) For fishing year 2017—2.848 million lb (1.292 million kg), round weight.
(2) For fishing year 2016—3.947 million lb (1.790 million kg), round weight.
(3) For fishing year 2017—3.885 million lb (1.762 million kg), round weight.
5. In § 622.41, paragraph (q) is revised to read as follows:
(q) Red snapper—(1) Commercial sector. The IFQ program for red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico serves as the accountability measure for commercial red snapper. The commercial ACL for red snapper is equal to the applicable commercial quota specified in § 622.39(a)(1)(i).
(2) Recreational sector. (i) The AA will determine the length of the red snapper recreational fishing season based on when recreational landings are projected to reach the applicable recreational ACT specified in paragraph (q)(2)(iii) of this section, and announce the closure date in the Federal Register. This will serve as an in-season accountability measure. On and after the effective date of the recreational closure notification, the bag and possession limit for red snapper is zero. The recreational ACL is equal to the applicable total recreational quota specified in § 622.39(a)(2)(i).
(ii) In addition to the measures specified in paragraph (q)(2)(i) of this section, if red snapper recreational landings, as estimated by the SRD, exceed the applicable recreational ACL (quota) specified in § 622.39(a)(2)(i), and red snapper 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 recreational ACL (quota) by the amount of the quota overage in the prior fishing year, and reduce the applicable recreational ACT specified in paragraph (q)(2)(iii) of this section (based on the buffer between the ACT and the quota specified in the FMP), unless the best scientific information available determines that a greater, lesser, or no overage adjustment is necessary.
(1) For fishing year 2015—5.606 million lb (2.543 million kg), round weight.
(2) For fishing year 2016—5.472 million lb (2.482 million kg), round weight.
(3) For fishing year 2017 and subsequent fishing years—5.384 million lb (2.442 million kg), round weight.
(2) For fishing year 2016—2.315 million lb (1.050 million kg), round weight.Start Printed Page 24836
(3) For fishing year 2017—2.278 million lb (1.033 million kg), round weight.
(2) For fishing year 2016—3.158 million lb (1.432 million kg), round weight.
(3) For fishing year 2017—3.108 million lb (1.410 million kg), round weight.