[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 6, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56040-56041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-27823]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 010313064-1064-01; I.D. 103101B]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery; Commercial Haddock Harvest

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

[[Page 56041]]


ACTION: Removal of haddock daily trip limit.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS 
(Regional Administrator), has projected that less than 75 percent of 
the 6,252 mt haddock target total allowable catch (TAC) will be 
harvested for the 2001 fishing year under the present landing limit, so 
the daily landing limit is being suspended until March 1, 2002. 
Therefore, between November 6, 2001, and February 28, 2002, vessels 
fishing under a multispecies day-at-sea (DAS) may possess no more than 
50,000 lb (22,680 kg) per trip, but are not restricted to a limit of 
haddock per DAS. Unless subsequent projections indicate some other 
measure is required to ensure that the haddock target TAC is harvested 
but not exceeded, the existing daily trip limit of 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) 
per DAS will go back into effect on March 1, 2002.

DATES: Effective November 6, 2001, through February 28, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick A. Pearson, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, 978-281-9279.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implementing the haddock trip 
limit in Framework Adjustment 33 (65 FR 21658, April 24, 2000) became 
effective May 1, 2000, and were maintained for the current fishing 
year. To ensure that haddock landings remain within the target TAC of 
6,252 mt established for the 2001 fishing year (66 FR 15812, March 21, 
2001), Framework 33 established an initial landing limit of 3,000 lb 
(1,360.8 kg) per DAS fished and 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) per trip maximum, 
followed by an increased landing limit of 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) per DAS 
and 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) per trip from October 1 through April 30. 
Framework 33 also provided a mechanism to adjust the haddock trip limit 
based upon the percentage of TAC which is projected to be harvested.
    Section 648.86 (a)(1)(iii)(B) specifies that if the Regional 
Administrator has projected that less than 75 percent (4,689 mt) of the 
haddock target TAC will be harvested in the fishing year, the landing 
limit may be adjusted. Further, this section stipulates that NMFS will 
publish a notification in the Federal Register informing the public of 
the date of any changes to the landing limit. Based on the available 
information, the Regional Administrator has projected that 4,689 mt 
will not be harvested by April 30, 2002, under the existing landing 
limit. The Regional Administrator has determined that removal of the 
daily landing limit of 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) per DAS through February 28, 
2002, while retaining the 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) per trip possession 
limit, provides the industry with the opportunity to harvest at least 
75 percent of the target TAC for the 2001 fishing year. However, 
because of difficulties inherent in collecting real-time haddock 
landings information, the Regional Administrator has determined that 
the daily trip limit will be reimposed on March 1, 2002, unless she can 
project that the haddock target TAC for fishing year 2001 will be 
harvested but not exceeded before the end of the fishing year. 
Therefore, pursuant to Sec. 648.86(a)(1)(iii)(B), the haddock daily 
landing limit is suspended, while the 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) per trip 
maximum possession limit is retained, from November 6, 2001, until 
February 28, 2001. The Regional Administrator may adjust this 
possession limit again through publication of a notification in the 
Federal Register, pursuant to Sec. 648.86(a)(1)(iii).

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    This action responds to the best available information recently 
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NOAA, finds that the need to immediately implement this action to 
remove the haddock daily trip limit in order to provide industry with 
the opportunity to harvest at least 75 percent of the target TAC for 
the 2001 fishing year constitutes good cause to waive the requirement 
to provide prior notice or opportunity for public comment pursuant to 
the authority set forth at 5 U.S.C. 553 (b)(B), as such procedures 
would be unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Similarly, 
the need to implement the measure that relieves a restriction (removal 
of the trip limit) in a timely fashion to allow for the additional 
harvest of haddock constitutes good cause to find that the effective 
date of this action cannot be delayed for 30 days. Accordingly, under 5 
U.S.C. 553 (d)(1), a delay in the effective date is hereby waived.

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

    Dated: October 31, 2001.
Bruce Morehead,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 01-27823 Filed 11-1-01; 3:13 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S