[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 191 (Monday, October 3, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61060-61061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-25431]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 0910051338-0151-02]
RIN 0648-XA732


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery; Correction to Cod Landing Limit for Handgear B 
Vessels in the Common Pool Fishery

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment of landing limit.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is decreasing the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank cod 
landing limit to 50 lb (22.7 kg) and 25 lb (11.3 kg) per trip for 
Northeast multispecies open access Handgear B permitted vessels fishing 
in the common pool fishery for the remainder of the 2011 fishing year 
(through April 30, 2012). This action is authorized under the authority 
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act), and is required by the regulations implementing 
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan.

DATES: Effective October 3, 2011, through April 30, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brett Alger, Fisheries Management 
Specialist, (978) 675-2153, fax (978) 281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing possession and landing 
limits for Handgear B (HB) vessels fishing under common pool 
regulations at Sec.  648.88(a)(1) state that the HB cod trip limit for 
the Gulf of Maine (GOM) and Georges Bank (GB) shall be adjusted 
proportionally (rounded up to the nearest 25 lb (11.3 kg)) ``if either 
the GOM or GB cod trip limit applicable to a vessel fishing under a 
Northeast (NE) multispecies day-at-sea (DAS) permit, as specified in 
Sec.  648.86(b)(1) and (2), respectively, is adjusted by NMFS.'' The 
initial GOM and GB cod trip limits for NE multispecies common pool 
vessels fishing under a day-at-sea (DAS) are set at 800 lb (362.9 kg) 
per DAS and 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) per DAS respectively. However, for 
fishing year (FY) 2011, Framework Adjustment 45 (FW 45) reduced the 
initial GOM cod trip limit to 500 lb (226.8 kg) per DAS from 800 lb 
(362.9 kg) per DAS (76 FR 23042; April 25, 2011). An inseason 
adjustment on May 24, 2011, increased the GB cod trip limit to 3,000 lb 
(1,360.8 kg) per DAS from 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) per DAS (76 FR 30035; May 
24, 2011). A second inseason adjustment, on August 30, 2011, decreased 
the GOM cod trip limit to 350 lb (158.8 kg) per DAS and the GB cod trip 
limit to 300 lb (136.1 kg) per DAS (76 FR 53832, August 30, 2011). Due 
to an oversight, the HB trip limits for GOM and GB cod were not 
adjusted at the beginning of FY 2011 through the FW 45 final rule, at 
the time of the first inseason adjustment, or the most recent inseason 
adjustment.
    In the GOM, the current 350 lb (158.8 kg) per DAS landing limit 
represents a 56.3-percent reduction from the initial 800 lb (362.9 kg) 
per DAS limit. Therefore, the landing limit for HB vessels for GOM cod 
is reduced to 50 lb (22.7 kg) per trip (75 lb (34.0 kg) per trip 
reduced by 56.3 percent = 32.8 lb (14.9 kg) per trip, rounded up to 50 
lb (22.7 kg) per trip). On GB, the current 300 lb (136.1 kg) per DAS 
landing limit represents an 85-percent reduction from the initial 2,000 
lb (907.2 kg) per DAS limit. Therefore, the landing limit for HB 
vessels for GB cod is reduced to 25 lb (11.3 kg) per trip (75 lb (34.0 
kg) per trip reduced by 85.0 percent = 11.3 lb (5.1 kg) per trip, 
rounded up to 25 lb (11.3 kg) per trip). To correct the oversights in 
the previous actions, NMFS is reducing the trip limit for GOM cod to 50 
lb (22.7 kg) per trip and GB cod to 25 lb (11.3 kg) per trip for NE 
multispecies HB permitted vessels in the common pool fishery for the 
remainder of FY 2011 (through April 30, 2012).
    Catch will be closely monitored through dealer-reported landings, 
vessel monitoring system (VMS) catch reports, and other available 
information. NMFS may consider future inseason adjustments to decrease 
the trip limit, or to increase differential DAS measures, based on 
updated catch data and projections. Conversely, if the common pool sub-
annual catch limit (ACL) is projected to be under-harvested by the end 
of FY 2011, NMFS will consider in-season adjustments, such as 
increasing the trip limit for the remainder of FY 2011.

Classification

    This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA) finds good 
cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) to waive prior notice and the 
opportunity for public comment for this inseason adjustment because 
notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public 
interest. The regulations at Sec.  648.86(o) grant the RA authority to 
adjust the NE multispecies trip limits for common pool vessels in order 
to prevent the overharvest or underharvest of the pertinent common pool 
sub-ACLs. This action decreases the trip limits for GOM and GB cod to 
reduce their harvest in order to prevent the common pool sub-ACLs from 
being exceeded. The time necessary to provide for prior notice and 
comment would prevent NMFS from implementing the necessary trip limit 
adjustments in a timely manner. A resulting delay in the reduction of 
trip limits would allow for continued higher catch rates and 
potentially allow the pertinent common pool sub-ACLs to be exceeded. 
This is contrary to NMFS's obligation under the Magnuson-Stevens Act to 
prevent overfishing. Further, if the sub-ACLs are exceeded, this would 
trigger the implementation of accountability measures that would have 
negative economic impacts on the participants in the common pool. 
Giving effect to this rule as soon as possible will prevent these 
unnecessary impacts.
    Further, the AA finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to 
waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness for this action. This action 
decreases the trip limits for GOM and GB cod to reduce their harvest in 
order to prevent the common pool sub-ACLs from being exceeded. A delay 
in the reduction of trip limits would allow for continued higher catch 
rates and potentially allow the pertinent common pool sub-ACLs to

[[Page 61061]]

be exceeded. This is contrary to NMFS's obligation under the Magnuson-
Stevens Act to prevent overfishing. Further, if the sub-ACLs are 
exceeded, this would trigger the implementation of accountability 
measures that will have negative economic impacts on the participants 
in the common pool. Giving effect to this rule as soon as possible will 
prevent these unnecessary impacts

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

    Dated: September 28, 2011.
Steven Thur,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-25431 Filed 9-30-11; 8:45 am]
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