Source: https://regulations.justia.com/regulations/fedreg/2019/02/15/2019-02382.html
Timestamp: 2019-06-17 15:32:12
Document Index: 230768333

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 236', 'art 236', 'ART 236', 'art 236', 'art 236', 'ART 236', 'art 648', '§ 648', 'art 648', 'art 648', 'ART 648', 'art 648', '§ 648', '§ 648', '§ 648', '§ 648', '§ 648']

Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate Complex; Framework Adjustment 6; Revised 2018-2019 Specifications, 4373-4376 [2019-02382] :: National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration :: Department Of Commerce :: Regulation Tracker :: Justia
Justia Regulation Tracker Department Of Commerce National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate Complex; Framework Adjustment 6; Revised 2018-2019 Specifications, 4373-4376 [2019-02382]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate Complex; Framework Adjustment 6; Revised 2018-2019 Specifications, 4373-4376 [2019-02382]
Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 32 / Friday, February 15, 2019 / Rules and Regulations authority to exceed the five offeror maximum when the contracting officer’s decision is approved by the head of the contracting activity, delegable to a level no lower than the senior contracting official within the contracting activity, when the solicitation is for a contract that exceeds $4 million. The rule also provides that the number of offerors is at the contracting officer’s discretion when the solicitation is for a contract that does not exceed $4 million. There were no significant issues raised by the public comments in response to the initial regulatory flexibility analysis. Based on FY 2017 data from the Federal Procurement Data System, DoD issued approximately 499 new awards for construction exceeding $4 million to 396 unique businesses, to include IDIQ contracts, purchase orders, and orders under basic ordering agreements. Of the 499 new awards for construction, approximately 305 awards (approximately 61 percent) were made to 252 unique small entities (approximately 64 percent). This estimate is based on the assumption that contracts for design-build are coded as ‘‘construction’’ in FPDS, in which case a smaller number of small entities are actually impacted by the opportunity to exceed to the five offeror maximum for contracts valued in excess of $4 million. For contracts valued at or below $4 million, the FAR already provides an opportunity for contracting officers to determine that a greater number of offerors is in the Government’s interest and is consistent with the purposes and objectives of the two-phase design-build selection procedures. No significant impact is expected to result from authorizing contracting officers to exceed the maximum number at their own discretion. This final rule does not include any new reporting or recordkeeping requirements for small entities. There are no known significant alternative approaches to the final rule that would meet the requirements of the applicable statute. khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with RULES VI. Paperwork Reduction Act The rule does not contain any information collection requirements that require the approval of the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:03 Feb 14, 2019 Jkt 247001 List of Subjects in 48 CFR Part 236 Government procurement. Jennifer Lee Hawes, Regulatory Control Officer, Defense Acquisition Regulations System. Therefore, 48 CFR part 236 is amended as follows: PART 236—CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT–ENGINEER CONTRACTS 1. The authority citation for part 236 continues to read as follows: ■ Authority: 41 U.S.C. 1303 and 48 CFR chapter 1. 2. Add subpart 236.3, consisting of 236.303–1, to read as follows: ■ SUBPART 236.3—TWO–PHASE DESIGN–BUILD SELECTION PROCEDURES 236.303–1 Phase One. (a)(4) In lieu of the limitations on the maximum number of offerors that may be selected to submit phase-two proposals at FAR 36.303–1(a)(4), for DoD— (i) If the contract value exceeds $4 million, the maximum number of offerors specified in the solicitation that are to be selected to submit phase-two proposals shall not exceed five, unless— (A) The solicitation is issued for an indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract for design-build construction; or (B) The head of the contracting activity, delegable to a level no lower than the senior contracting official within the contracting activity, approves the contracting officer’s decision with respect to an individual solicitation, that a maximum number greater than five is in the best interest of the Government and is consistent with the purposes and objectives of the twophase selection procedures. The decision shall be documented in the contract file (10 U.S.C 2305a(d)). (ii) If the contract value is at or below $4 million, the maximum number of offerors specified in the solicitation that are to be selected to submit phase-two proposals is at the discretion of the contracting officer. [FR Doc. 2019–02526 Filed 2–14–19; 8:45 am] Frm 00067 Fmt 4700 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 180702599–9068–02] RIN 0648–BI03 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate Complex; Framework Adjustment 6; Revised 2018–2019 Specifications National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. AGENCY: NMFS approves and implements measures submitted by the New England Fishery Management Council in Framework Adjustment 6 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan and revises the 2018– 2019 skate fishery specifications. This action is necessary to allow the skate wing total allowable landings to be achieved while minimizing the need to restrict fishing operations through incidental possession limits. This action intends to extend the directed fishing time for both the skate wing and bait fisheries. SUMMARY: Effective on February 15, 2019. The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for Northeast Skate Complex Framework Adjustment 6 that describes the action and other considered alternatives. The EA provides an analysis of the biological, economic, and social impacts of the proposed measures and other considered alternatives, a Regulatory Impact Review, and economic analysis. Copies of the Framework 6 EA are available on request from Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 50 Water Street, Newburyport, MA 01950. This document is also available from the following internet addresses: http:// www.nefmc.org. DATES: ADDRESSES: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Gilbert, Fishery Policy Analyst, (978) 281–9244. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The New England Fishery Management Council’s Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan (FMP) manages a complex of seven skate species (barndoor, clearnose, little, BILLING CODE 5001–06–P PO 00000 4373 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\15FER1.SGM 15FER1 4374 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 32 / Friday, February 15, 2019 / Rules and Regulations rosette, smooth, thorny, and winter skate) off the New England and midAtlantic coasts. Skates are harvested and managed in two different fisheries: One for food (the wing fishery) and one for lobster and crab bait (the bait fishery). The fishing year for skates is from May 1 to April 30. The directed wing fishery is managed using possession limits in two separate seasons. The bait fishery has possession limits in three separate seasons (Table 1). When catch approaches the seasonal total allowable landings (TAL), a lower, more restrictive incidental possession and landing limit is implemented to slow harvest and help ensure that seasonal quotas are not exceeded. TABLE 1—POSSESSION LIMITS PER TRIP FOR FISHING YEARS 2018–2019 Trip limits Skate possession limits * Skate wings Whole skates Barndoor ** skate wings Whole barndoor ** skates Season 1 (May 1–August 31) 2,600 lb, 1,179 kg ...... 5,902 lb, 2,677 kg ...... 650 lb,295 kg .............. 1,476 lb,670 kg. Season 2 (September 1–April 30). May 1–April 30 ........................ May 1–April 30 ........................ May 1–October 31 .................. 4,100 lb,1,860kg ......... 9,307 lb,4,222 kg ........ 1,025 lb,465 kg ........... 2,327 lb,1,056 kg. 220 lb,100 kg .............. 500 lb,227 kg .............. 0 .................................. 500 lb,227 kg .............. 1,135 lb,515 kg ........... 25,000 lb,11,340 kg .... 0 .................................. 0 .................................. 0 .................................. 0. 0. 0. November 1–April 30 .............. 0 .................................. 12,000 lb,5,443 kg ...... 0 .................................. 0. . Northeast (NE) Multispecies, Scallop, or Monkfish Day-AtSea (DAS). NE Multispecies B DAS .......... Non-DAS ................................. Whole skate with bait Letter of Authorization. * Possession limits may be modified in-season in order to prevent catch from exceeding quotas. ** Barndoor skate trip limits are within the overall skate possession limit for each trip, not in addition to it. In recent years, a combination of lower overall catch limits and strong fishery participation has caused the incidental limits in both the wing and bait fisheries to be put into effect with several months remaining in the fishing year. To address this issue for the bait fishery, the Council developed and NMFS implemented Framework 4 in March 2018 to better control the catch of skate bait throughout the fishing year (83 FR 6133; February 13, 2018). Similarly, the Council developed Framework 6 to adjust measures to extend the directed skate wing fishing year and reduce negative impacts when skate wing incidental limits are triggered. The Council took final action on Framework 6 at its June 2018 meeting. On November 27, 2018, we proposed management modifications to implement Framework Adjustment 6 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan and revise the 2018– 2019 specifications (83 FR 60818). khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with RULES Final Measures This action adjusts the management uncertainty buffer between the annual catch limit (ACL) and annual catch target (ACT) in the skate FMP. The current uncertainty buffer between the ACL and ACT is 25 percent (i.e., ACT = 75 percent of ACL). This action reduces this buffer to 10 percent, resulting in an increase in the TALs for both the wing and bait fisheries. Council analysis indicates that this revised buffer will likely delay the need to VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:03 Feb 14, 2019 Jkt 247001 implement the restrictive incidental limit of 500 lb (227 kg) in the wing fishery until later this spring. For the bait fishery, this buffer reduction is expected to delay enacting the incidental limits until around March. The analyses within Framework 6 indicate that the level of management uncertainty within the skate fishery has likely reduced since the implementation of the ACL operational framework in 2010. For example, management controls put in place have been effective at constraining catch; species identification and catch accounting has improved; ACLs have not been exceeded, and only minor overages of fishery TALs have occurred. This action also makes an administrative change to the accountability measures regulation to be consistent with the uncertainty buffer changes. Revised 2018–2019 Specifications The modification to the management uncertainty buffer results in adjustments to the 2018–2019 specifications implemented through Framework 5 (83 FR 48985; September 28, 2018). As a result, this action implements the following revised 2018–2019 specifications (Table 2): 1. The acceptable biological catch (ABC) and ACL remains at 31,327 mt. 2. An ACT of 28,194 mt (90 percent of the ACL). 3. A TAL of the 15,788 mt for the entire skate fishery. PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 4. A TAL of 10,499 mt for the wing fishery that is divided in two seasons according to the current regulations at 50 CFR 648.322. In season 1 (May 1– August 31) the TAL will be 5,984 mt (57 percent), and the remainder of the TAL allocated to Season 2 (September 1– April 30). As the 2018 fishing year started on May 1, the wing TALs will be retroactively increased. The regulations for the skate fishery allow for unused wing TAL from Season 1 to be rolledover to Season 2. NMFS estimates that 4,490 mt of wings were landed in Season 1, and therefore 1,494 mt can be rolled over to Season 2 in 2018. Given this, the Season 2 wing TAL in 2018 will be approximately 6,009 mt. 5. A TAL of 5,289 mt for the bait fishery that is divided into three seasons according to the current regulations at § 648.322. In Season 1 (May 1–July 31) the TAL is 1,629 mt (30.8 percent); in Season 2 (August 1–October 31) the TAL is 1,962 mt (37.1 percent), and the remainder (1,698 mt) is allocated to Season 3 (November 1–April 30). As the 2018 fishing year started on May 1, the bait TALs will be retroactively increased. The regulations for the skate fishery allow for the unused bait TAL from Seasons 1 and 2 to be rolled-over to Season 3. Therefore, NMFS will adjust the 2018 Season 3 bait TAL accordingly. The 2018 Season 3 bait TAL will increase by 1,062 mt, resulting in a final season 3 TAL of 2,760 mt. E:\FR\FM\15FER1.SGM 15FER1 4375 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 32 / Friday, February 15, 2019 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 2—COMPARISON OF THE FRAMEWORK 5 2018–2019 SPECIFICATIONS TO THE REVISED FRAMEWORK 6 2018–2019 VALUES [mt] Previous ABC = ACL .............................................................................................................................................................. ACT .......................................................................................................................................................................... Wing Fishery TAL .................................................................................................................................................... Bait Fishery TAL ...................................................................................................................................................... khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with RULES The Council reviewed the Framework 6 regulations and deemed them necessary and appropriate to implement consistent with section 303(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Conservation and Management Act. Comments and Responses We received nine public comments on the proposed rule, which we have merged into three comments below. Comment 1: The Sustainable Fisheries Association (SFA), the Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen’s Association, and one member of the public offered support for this action. The SFA also requested that this final rule be implemented as soon as possible to avoid an unnecessary closure of the directed wing fishery based on the TALs implemented through Framework 5. Response: NMFS agrees and is implementing this rule as soon as possible. Comment 2: Four individuals and Shark Advocates International were not supportive of the reduction in the uncertainty buffer due to concerns over declining skate populations and inadequate fisheries data. Response: Based on the most recent assessment information, NMFS disagrees that the skate species are depleted. With the exception of thorny skate, the seven other skate species that make up the skate complex are not overfished or experiencing overfishing. Thorny skates are overfished, but overfishing is not occurring and retention and landing of thorny skates is prohibited. This action is based on the best available information and takes into account the status of these stocks when determining appropriate management buffers and specifications. The Council’s analysis for Framework 6 indicated that several sources of management uncertainty outlined in the 2010 action that established the 75percent buffer have been improved such that revising the buffer is appropriate. The Council may adjust the management uncertainty buffer in a future action if it is determined that the buffer should be increased to respond to changes in available data or skate stock status. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:03 Feb 14, 2019 Jkt 247001 Comment 3: We received one additional letter from the New London Seafood Distributors that made no comment on the proposed measures, but requested that additional measures be considered. Specifically, the organization is interested in adjusting seasonal possession limits and allowing for a higher proportion of the TAL in Season 3. Response: These suggestions are outside the scope of this action but the Council may consider this information in a future action. New specifications for fishing years 2020–2022 are expected to be developed by the Council in 2019. Changes From the Proposed Rule There are no changes to the measures from the proposed rule. Classification The Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, determined that Framework 6 is necessary for the conservation and management of the northeast skate complex and that it is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and other applicable law. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds that because this rule relieves restrictions (i.e., increases the total allowable landings available to the wing and bait fisheries to allow the fisheries to continue uninterrupted), it is excepted from the 30-day delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. 533(d)(1). During the partial government shutdown that began on December 21, 2018, the wing fishery reached 91 percent of its current 2018 TAL, which is above the 85-percent threshold for implementing the incidental possession limit that would essentially close the directed wing fishery by reducing the possession limit to 500 lb (227 kg). Because this action will increase the 2018–2019 TAL by 20 percent, the possession limit threshold would be extended to later in the fishing year. If the 30-day delay of effectiveness is not waived, unnecessarily restrictive incidental limits will need to be implemented and be in effect longer, putting some vessels at a disadvantage. PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 Revised 31,327 23,495 8,749 4,408 31,327 28,194 10,499 5,289 This would be contrary to the public interest because it would undermine the intent of this rule to extend the directed fishing time for both the skate wing and bait fisheries. As a result, NMFS is waiving the requirement. This final rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866. The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration during the proposed rule stage that this action would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The factual basis for the certification was published in the proposed rule and is not repeated here. No comments were received regarding this certification. As a result, a regulatory flexibility analysis was not required and none was prepared. List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 648 Fisheries, Fishing, Recordkeeping and reporting requirements. Dated: February 11, 2019. 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 648 is amended as follows: PART 648—FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 1. The authority citation for part 648 continues to read as follows: ■ Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 2. In § 648.320, paragraph (a)(4) is revised to read as follows: ■ § 648.320 Skate FMP review and monitoring. (a) * * * (4) Based on the annual review described above and/or the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report described in paragraph (b) of this section, recommendations for acceptable biological catch (ABC) from the Scientific and Statistical Committee, and any other relevant information, the E:\FR\FM\15FER1.SGM 15FER1 4376 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 32 / Friday, February 15, 2019 / Rules and Regulations khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with RULES Skate PDT shall recommend to the Skate Committee and Council the following annual specifications for harvest of skates: An annual catch limit (ACL) for the skate complex set less than or equal to ABC; an annual catch target (ACT) for the skate complex set less than or equal to 90 percent of the ACL; and total allowable landings (TAL) necessary to meet the objectives of the FMP in each fishing year (May 1–April 30), specified for a period of up to 2 fishing years. * * * * * VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:03 Feb 14, 2019 Jkt 247001 3. In § 648.323, revise the heading for paragraph (b) and paragraph (b)(1) to read as follows: ■ § 648.323 Accountability measures. * * * * * (b) ACL overages. (1) If the ACL is determined to have been exceeded in any given year, based upon, but not limited to, available landings and discard information, the percent buffer between ACL and ACT shall be increased by 1 percent for each 1- PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 percent ACL overage in the second fishing year following the fishing year in which the ACL overage occurred, through either the specifications or framework adjustment process described under §§ 648.320 and 648.321. * * * * * [FR Doc. 2019–02382 Filed 2–14–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P E:\FR\FM\15FER1.SGM 15FER1
[Pages 4373-4376]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02382]
[Docket No. 180702599-9068-02]
Complex; Framework Adjustment 6; Revised 2018-2019 Specifications
SUMMARY: NMFS approves and implements measures submitted by the New
England Fishery Management Council in Framework Adjustment 6 to the
Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan and revises the 2018-
2019 skate fishery specifications. This action is necessary to allow
the skate wing total allowable landings to be achieved while minimizing
the need to restrict fishing operations through incidental possession
limits. This action intends to extend the directed fishing time for
both the skate wing and bait fisheries.
DATES: Effective on February 15, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The New England Fishery Management Council (Council)
prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for Northeast Skate Complex
Framework Adjustment 6 that describes the action and other considered
alternatives. The EA provides an analysis of the biological, economic,
and social impacts of the proposed measures and other considered
alternatives, a Regulatory Impact Review, and economic analysis. Copies
of the Framework 6 EA are available on request from Thomas A. Nies,
Street, Newburyport, MA 01950. This document is also available from the
following internet addresses: http://www.nefmc.org.
The New England Fishery Management Council's Northeast Skate
Complex Fishery Management Plan (FMP) manages a complex of seven skate
species (barndoor, clearnose, little,
[[Page 4374]]
rosette, smooth, thorny, and winter skate) off the New England and mid-
Atlantic coasts. Skates are harvested and managed in two different
fisheries: One for food (the wing fishery) and one for lobster and crab
bait (the bait fishery).
The fishing year for skates is from May 1 to April 30. The directed
wing fishery is managed using possession limits in two separate
seasons. The bait fishery has possession limits in three separate
seasons (Table 1). When catch approaches the seasonal total allowable
landings (TAL), a lower, more restrictive incidental possession and
landing limit is implemented to slow harvest and help ensure that
seasonal quotas are not exceeded.
Skate possession limits *    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Skate wings                  Whole skates             Barndoor ** skate wings      Whole barndoor ** skates
Northeast (NE) Multispecies,   Season 1 (May 1-  2,600 lb, 1,179 kg.......  5,902 lb, 2,677 kg......  650 lb,295 kg...........  1,476 lb,670 kg.
Scallop, or Monkfish Day-At-   August 31).
Sea (DAS).
Season 2          4,100 lb,1,860kg.........  9,307 lb,4,222 kg.......  1,025 lb,465 kg.........  2,327 lb,1,056 kg.
(September 1-
NE Multispecies B DAS........  May 1-April 30..  220 lb,100 kg............  500 lb,227 kg...........  0.......................  0.
Non-DAS......................  May 1-April 30..  500 lb,227 kg............  1,135 lb,515 kg.........  0.......................  0.
Whole skate with bait Letter   May 1-October 31  0........................  25,000 lb,11,340 kg.....  0.......................  0.
November 1-April  0........................  12,000 lb,5,443 kg......  0.......................  0.
** Barndoor skate trip limits are within the overall skate possession limit for each trip, not in addition to it.
In recent years, a combination of lower overall catch limits and
strong fishery participation has caused the incidental limits in both
the wing and bait fisheries to be put into effect with several months
remaining in the fishing year. To address this issue for the bait
fishery, the Council developed and NMFS implemented Framework 4 in
March 2018 to better control the catch of skate bait throughout the
fishing year (83 FR 6133; February 13, 2018). Similarly, the Council
developed Framework 6 to adjust measures to extend the directed skate
wing fishing year and reduce negative impacts when skate wing
incidental limits are triggered. The Council took final action on
Framework 6 at its June 2018 meeting. On November 27, 2018, we proposed
management modifications to implement Framework Adjustment 6 to the
Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan and revise the 2018-
2019 specifications (83 FR 60818).
This action adjusts the management uncertainty buffer between the
annual catch limit (ACL) and annual catch target (ACT) in the skate
FMP. The current uncertainty buffer between the ACL and ACT is 25
percent (i.e., ACT = 75 percent of ACL). This action reduces this
buffer to 10 percent, resulting in an increase in the TALs for both the
wing and bait fisheries. Council analysis indicates that this revised
buffer will likely delay the need to implement the restrictive
incidental limit of 500 lb (227 kg) in the wing fishery until later
this spring. For the bait fishery, this buffer reduction is expected to
delay enacting the incidental limits until around March. The analyses
within Framework 6 indicate that the level of management uncertainty
within the skate fishery has likely reduced since the implementation of
the ACL operational framework in 2010. For example, management controls
put in place have been effective at constraining catch; species
identification and catch accounting has improved; ACLs have not been
exceeded, and only minor overages of fishery TALs have occurred. This
action also makes an administrative change to the accountability
measures regulation to be consistent with the uncertainty buffer
The modification to the management uncertainty buffer results in
adjustments to the 2018-2019 specifications implemented through
Framework 5 (83 FR 48985; September 28, 2018). As a result, this action
implements the following revised 2018-2019 specifications (Table 2):
1. The acceptable biological catch (ABC) and ACL remains at 31,327
2. An ACT of 28,194 mt (90 percent of the ACL).
3. A TAL of the 15,788 mt for the entire skate fishery.
4. A TAL of 10,499 mt for the wing fishery that is divided in two
seasons according to the current regulations at 50 CFR 648.322. In
season 1 (May 1-August 31) the TAL will be 5,984 mt (57 percent), and
the remainder of the TAL allocated to Season 2 (September 1-April 30).
As the 2018 fishing year started on May 1, the wing TALs will be
retroactively increased. The regulations for the skate fishery allow
for unused wing TAL from Season 1 to be rolled-over to Season 2. NMFS
estimates that 4,490 mt of wings were landed in Season 1, and therefore
1,494 mt can be rolled over to Season 2 in 2018. Given this, the Season
2 wing TAL in 2018 will be approximately 6,009 mt.
5. A TAL of 5,289 mt for the bait fishery that is divided into
three seasons according to the current regulations at Sec.  648.322. In
Season 1 (May 1-July 31) the TAL is 1,629 mt (30.8 percent); in Season
2 (August 1-October 31) the TAL is 1,962 mt (37.1 percent), and the
remainder (1,698 mt) is allocated to Season 3 (November 1-April 30). As
the 2018 fishing year started on May 1, the bait TALs will be
for the unused bait TAL from Seasons 1 and 2 to be rolled-over to
Season 3. Therefore, NMFS will adjust the 2018 Season 3 bait TAL
accordingly. The 2018 Season 3 bait TAL will increase by 1,062 mt,
resulting in a final season 3 TAL of 2,760 mt.
[[Page 4375]]
Table 2--Comparison of the Framework 5 2018-2019 Specifications to the
Revised Framework 6 2018-2019 Values
Previous         Revised
ABC = ACL...............................          31,327          31,327
ACT.....................................          23,495          28,194
Wing Fishery TAL........................           8,749          10,499
Bait Fishery TAL........................           4,408           5,289
The Council reviewed the Framework 6 regulations and deemed them
necessary and appropriate to implement consistent with section 303(c)
of the Magnuson-Stevens Conservation and Management Act.
We received nine public comments on the proposed rule, which we
have merged into three comments below.
Comment 1: The Sustainable Fisheries Association (SFA), the
Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen's Association, and one member of the
public offered support for this action. The SFA also requested that
this final rule be implemented as soon as possible to avoid an
unnecessary closure of the directed wing fishery based on the TALs
implemented through Framework 5.
Response: NMFS agrees and is implementing this rule as soon as
Comment 2: Four individuals and Shark Advocates International were
not supportive of the reduction in the uncertainty buffer due to
concerns over declining skate populations and inadequate fisheries
Response: Based on the most recent assessment information, NMFS
disagrees that the skate species are depleted. With the exception of
thorny skate, the seven other skate species that make up the skate
complex are not overfished or experiencing overfishing. Thorny skates
are overfished, but overfishing is not occurring and retention and
landing of thorny skates is prohibited. This action is based on the
best available information and takes into account the status of these
stocks when determining appropriate management buffers and
specifications. The Council's analysis for Framework 6 indicated that
several sources of management uncertainty outlined in the 2010 action
that established the 75-percent buffer have been improved such that
revising the buffer is appropriate. The Council may adjust the
management uncertainty buffer in a future action if it is determined
that the buffer should be increased to respond to changes in available
data or skate stock status.
Comment 3: We received one additional letter from the New London
Seafood Distributors that made no comment on the proposed measures, but
requested that additional measures be considered. Specifically, the
organization is interested in adjusting seasonal possession limits and
allowing for a higher proportion of the TAL in Season 3.
Response: These suggestions are outside the scope of this action
but the Council may consider this information in a future action. New
specifications for fishing years 2020-2022 are expected to be developed
by the Council in 2019.
Framework 6 is necessary for the conservation and management of the
northeast skate complex and that it is consistent with the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and other applicable
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds that because
this rule relieves restrictions (i.e., increases the total allowable
landings available to the wing and bait fisheries to allow the
fisheries to continue uninterrupted), it is excepted from the 30-day
delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. 533(d)(1). During the partial
government shutdown that began on December 21, 2018, the wing fishery
reached 91 percent of its current 2018 TAL, which is above the 85-
percent threshold for implementing the incidental possession limit that
would essentially close the directed wing fishery by reducing the
possession limit to 500 lb (227 kg). Because this action will increase
the 2018-2019 TAL by 20 percent, the possession limit threshold would
be extended to later in the fishing year. If the 30-day delay of
effectiveness is not waived, unnecessarily restrictive incidental
limits will need to be implemented and be in effect longer, putting
some vessels at a disadvantage. This would be contrary to the public
interest because it would undermine the intent of this rule to extend
the directed fishing time for both the skate wing and bait fisheries.
2. In Sec.  648.320, paragraph (a)(4) is revised to read as follows:
relevant information, the
[[Page 4376]]
Skate PDT shall recommend to the Skate Committee and Council the
following annual specifications for harvest of skates: An annual catch
limit (ACL) for the skate complex set less than or equal to ABC; an
annual catch target (ACT) for the skate complex set less than or equal
to 90 percent of the ACL; and total allowable landings (TAL) necessary
to meet the objectives of the FMP in each fishing year (May 1-April
30), specified for a period of up to 2 fishing years.
3. In Sec.  648.323, revise the heading for paragraph (b) and paragraph
ACT shall be increased by 1 percent for each 1-percent ACL overage in
the second fishing year following the fishing year in which the ACL
overage occurred, through either the specifications or framework
adjustment process described under Sec. Sec.  648.320 and 648.321.
[FR Doc. 2019-02382 Filed 2-14-19; 8:45 am]