[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 10, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11068-11070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5151]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 0912281446-0111-02]
RIN 0648-XT32


Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species 
Fisheries; Annual Specifications

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY:  NMFS issues this final rule to implement the annual harvest 
guideline (HG) and seasonal allocations for Pacific sardine in the U.S. 
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Pacific coast for the fishing 
season of January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010. These 
specifications have been determined according to the Coastal Pelagic 
Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This rule is intended to 
conserve and manage Pacific sardine off the West Coast.

DATES: Effective March 10, 2010 through December 31, 2010.

ADDRESSES:  Copies of the report ``Assessment of Pacific Sardine Stock 
for U.S. Management in 2010'' may be obtained from the Southwest 
Regional Office (see the Mailing address above).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua Lindsay, Southwest Region, 
NMFS, (562) 980-4034.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CPS FMP, which was implemented by 
publication of the final rule in the Federal Register on December 15, 
1999 (64 FR 69888), divides management unit species into two 
categories: actively managed and monitored. Harvest guidelines for 
actively managed species (Pacific sardine and Pacific mackerel) are 
based on formulas applied to current biomass estimates. Biomass 
estimates are not calculated for species that are only monitored (jack 
mackerel, northern anchovy, and market squid).
    During public meetings each year, the biomass for each actively 
managed species within the CPS FMP is

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presented to the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) CPS 
Management Team (Team), the Council's CPS Advisory Subpanel (Subpanel) 
and the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC). At that 
time, the biomass, the overall HG and the status of the fisheries are 
reviewed and discussed. This information is then presented to the 
Council along with HG recommendations and comments from the Team, 
Subpanel and SSC. Following review by the Council and after hearing 
public comment, the Council makes its HG recommendation to NMFS.
    In November 2009, the Council recommended, and NMFS then approved, 
a maximum HG of 72,039 mt for the 2010 Pacific sardine fishing year. 
This HG is based on a biomass estimate of 702,204 mt and the harvest 
control rule established in the CPS FMP. This HG is slightly higher 
than the HG for the 2009 fishing season, which was 66,932 mt. The 
Council also recommended, and NMFS approved, that 5,000 mt of the 
available 2010 ABC/HG be initially reserved for research activities 
that would be undertaken under a potential EFP. In 2009, 2,400 mt was 
subtracted from the total HG for an EFP. The Council will hear 
proposals and comments on any potential EFPs at its March Council 
meeting and make a recommendation to NMFS on the proposed EFP(s) for 
the 5,000 mt research set aside at their April 2010 Council meeting. 
NMFS will likely make a decision on whether or not to issue an EFP some 
time prior to the start of the second seasonal period (July 1, 2010). 
Any of the 5,000 mt that is not issued to an EFP will be rolled into 
the third allocation period's directed fishery. Any research set aside 
attributed to an EFP designed to be conducted during the closed fishing 
time in the second allocation period (prior to September 15), but not 
utilized, will roll into the third allocation period's directed 
fishery. Any research set aside attributed to an EFP designed to be 
conducted during closed fishing times in the third allocation, but not 
utilized, will not be re-allocated.
    The Council recommended, and NMFS approved, that the remaining 
67,039 mt (HG of 72,039 mt minus provisional 5,000 mt EFP set aside) be 
used as the initial overall fishing HG and be allocated across the 
seasonal periods established by Amendment 11 (71 FR 36999). The Council 
also recommended, and NMFS approved, an incidental catch set aside of 
3,000 mt and a management uncertainty buffer of 4,000 mt. Subtracting 
this set aside from the initial overall HG establishes an initial 
directed harvest fishery of 60,039 mt and an incidental fishery of 
3,000 mt. The purpose of the incidental fishery is to allow for the 
restricted incidental landings of Pacific sardine in other fisheries, 
particularly other CPS fisheries, if and when a seasonal directed 
fishery is closed.
    The directed harvest levels and incidental set-aside are initially 
allocated across the three seasonal allocation periods in the following 
way: January 1-June 30, 22,463 mt is allocated for directed harvest 
with an incidental set aside of 1,000 mt; July 1-September 14, 25,861 
mt is allocated for directed harvest with an incidental set aside of 
1,000 mt; September 15-December 31, 11,760 mt is allocated for directed 
harvest with an incidental set aside of 1,000 mt. If during any of the 
seasonal allocation periods the applicable adjusted directed harvest 
allocation is projected to be taken, fishing is closed to directed 
harvest and only incidental harvest is allowed. For the remainder of 
the period, any incidental Pacific sardine landings are counted against 
that period's incidental set-aside. During times when only incidental 
landings of Pacific sardine are allowed, catch of Pacific sardine is 
constrained to a 30 percent by weight incidental catch rate when 
Pacific sardine are landed with other CPS so as to minimize the 
targeting of Pacific sardine. In the event that an incidental set aside 
is projected to be attained, all fisheries will be closed to the 
retention of Pacific sardine for the remainder of the period. If a set-
aside is not fully attained or is exceeded in a given seasonal period, 
the directed harvest allocation in the following seasonal period is 
automatically adjusted to account for the discrepancy. Additionally, if 
during any seasonal period the directed harvest allocation is not fully 
attained or is exceeded, then the following period's directed harvest 
total is adjusted to account for this discrepancy as well.
    If the total HG or these apportionment levels for Pacific sardine 
are reached or are expected to be reached, the Pacific sardine fishery 
will be closed via an appropriate rulemaking until it re-opens either 
per the allocation scheme or the beginning of the next fishing season. 
The Regional Administrator will publish a notice in the Federal 
Register announcing the date of such closures.
    As stated above, the overall or maximum HG for the 2010 Pacific 
sardine fishing season is 72,039 mt.; 5,000 mt of this 72,039 mt is 
initially set aside for use under an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP), if 
issued, leaving the remaining 65,732 mt as the initial commercial 
fishing HG. This HG is divided across the seasonal allocation periods 
in the following way: January 1-June 30, 22,463 mt is allocated for 
directed harvest with an incidental set-aside of 1,000 mt; July 1-
September 14, 25,861 mt is allocated for directed harvest with an 
incidental set-aside of 1,000 mt; September 15-December 31, 11,760 mt 
is allocated for directed harvest with an incidental set-aside of 1,000 
mt with an additional 4,000 mt set aside to buffer against reaching the 
overall HG.
    On January 13, 2010, a proposed rule was published for this action 
that solicited public comments (75 FR 1745). No comments were received. 
For further background information on this action please refer to the 
preamble of the proposed rule (75 FR 1745, January 13, 2010).

Classification

    The Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, determined that this 
final rule is necessary for the conservation and management of the CPS 
fishery and that it is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act and other applicable laws.
    NMFS finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 
30-day delay in effectiveness for the establishment of the harvest 
specifications for the 2010 Pacific sardine fishing season. For the 
reasons set forth below, the immediate implementation of this measure 
is necessary for the conservation and management of the Pacific sardine 
resource. This rule establishes seasonal harvest allocations and the 
ability to restrict fishing when these allocations are approached or 
reached. These specified allocations are important mechanisms in 
preventing overfishing and managing the fishery at optimum yield while 
allowing fair and equitable opportunity to the resource by all sectors 
of the Pacific sardine fishery. A delay in effectiveness is likely to 
prevent the ability to the close the fishery when necessary and cause 
the fishery to exceed an in-season directed harvest level. These 
seasonal harvest levels are important mechanisms in preventing 
overfishing and managing the fishery at optimum yield. The established 
directed and incidental harvest allocations are designed to allow fair 
and equitable opportunity to the resource by all sectors of the Pacific 
sardine fishery and to allow access to other profitable CPS fisheries, 
such as squid and Pacific mackerel. During the 2009 fishing season, 
which had a similar HG as this 2010 season, the first allocation period 
was closed on

[[Page 11070]]

February 20, 2009. Although it has not been necessary to close the 2010 
season as quickly, based on the most recent catch data, and best 
available information from the fishery, it is likely that it will be 
necessary to close the 2010 fishing season in the near future. 
Therefore, NMFS finds that there is good cause to waive the 30-day 
delay in effectiveness in this circumstance. To help keep the regulated 
community informed of this final rule NMFS will also announce this 
action through other means available, including fax, email, and mail to 
fishermen, processors, and state fishery management agencies. 
Additionally, NMFS will advise the CPS Advisory Subpanel, which is 
comprised of representatives from all sectors and regions of the 
sardine industry, including processors, fishermen, user groups, 
conservation groups and fishermen association representatives, of 
current landings as they become available and for the public at-large 
also post them on NMFS' Southwest Regional Office website, http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/.
    This final rule is exempt from Office of Management and Budget 
review under 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 (75 FR 1745) 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.

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

    Dated: March 5, 2010.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-5151 Filed 3-9-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S