[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 107 (Monday, June 4, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32913-32914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13463]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 120417412-2412-01]
RIN 0648-XCO36


Accountability Measures for the Recreational Sector of Gray 
Triggerfish in the Gulf of Mexico for the 2012 Fishing Year

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the 
recreational sector of gray triggerfish in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) 
for the 2012 fishing year through this final temporary rule. Based on 
the projected recreational landings estimates, NMFS determined that the 
recreational annual catch target (ACT) for Gulf gray triggerfish will 
be met by June 11, 2012. Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector 
for Gulf gray triggerfish on June 11, 2012, and it will remain closed 
through December 31, 2012. This action is necessary to reduce 
overfishing of the Gulf gray triggerfish resource.

DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time on June 11, 2012, 
until 12:01 a.m., local time on January 1, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of documents supporting the final 
temporary rule implementing gray triggerfish management measures (77 FR 
28308, May 14, 2012), which include a draft environmental impact 
statement and a regulatory flexibility analysis, may be obtained from 
the Southeast Regional Office Web site at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Hood, telephone: 727-824-5305 or 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reef fish fishery of the Gulf is managed 
under the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the 
Gulf of Mexico (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the Council and is 
implemented through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority 
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(Magnuson-Stevens Act).

Background

    The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires NMFS and regional fishery 
management councils to prevent overfishing and achieve, on a continuing 
basis, the optimum yield from federally managed fish stocks. These 
mandates are intended to ensure that fishery resources are managed for 
the greatest overall benefit to the nation, particularly with respect 
to providing food production and recreational opportunities, and 
protecting marine ecosystems. To further this goal, the Magnuson-
Stevens Act requires fishery managers to end overfishing of stocks and 
to minimize bycatch and bycatch mortality to the extent practicable. To 
accomplish this, the Magnuson-Stevens Act implemented new requirements 
that annual catch limits (ACLs) and AMs be established to end 
overfishing and prevent overfishing from occurring. AMs are management 
controls to prevent ACLs from being exceeded, and to correct or 
mitigate overages of the ACL if they occur.
    The Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) completed a 
benchmark stock assessment for gray triggerfish in 2006 (SEDAR 9). 
SEDAR 9 indicated that the gray triggerfish stock was both overfished 
and possibly undergoing overfishing. Subsequently, Amendment 30A to the 
FMP established a gray triggerfish rebuilding plan beginning in the 
2008 fishing year (73 FR 38139, July 3, 2008). In 2011, a SEDAR update 
stock assessment for gray triggerfish determined that the gray 
triggerfish stock was still overfished and was additionally undergoing 
overfishing. The 2011 SEDAR update stock assessment indicated the 2008 
gray triggerfish rebuilding plan had not made adequate progress toward 
ending overfishing and rebuilding the stock as described in the 
rebuilding plan in Amendment 30A to the FMP.
    The Council is developing more permanent measures to end 
overfishing and rebuild the gray triggerfish stock in Amendment 37 to 
the FMP. However, these measures will not likely be implemented until 
the end of the 2012 fishing year or at the beginning of the 2013 
fishing year. Therefore, on May 14, 2012, NMFS published a final 
temporary rule to reduce overfishing of gray triggerfish on an interim 
basis (77 FR 28308). The final temporary rule is effective May 14, 
2012, through November 10, 2012.
    In Amendment 30A to the FMP, the Council established a 21 percent 
commercial and 79 percent recreational allocation of the gray 
triggerfish ABC. These allocations were used to set the commercial and 
recreational sector-specific ACLs. The acceptable biological catch 
(ABC) recommended by the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee 
(SSC), after their review of the 2011 update assessment, was 305,300 lb 
(138,482 kg), round weight. Based on the allocations established in 
Amendment 30A to the FMP, the final temporary rule set, on an interim 
basis, a reduced commercial ACL of 64,100 lb (29,075 kg), round weight, 
and a reduced recreational ACL of 241,200 lb (109,406 kg), round 
weight.
    NMFS applied the Council's ACL/ACT control rule to the sector-
specific ACLs to set the sector-specific ACTs as described in the final 
temporary rule. Therefore, on an interim basis, the final temporary 
rule set the commercial ACT (commercial quota) at 60,900 lb (27,624 
kg), round weight, and the recreational ACT at 217,100 lb (98,475 kg), 
round weight.
    To reduce the risk of overfishing, Amendment 30A to the FMP 
established gray triggerfish post-season AMs. The regulations at 50 CFR 
622.49(a)(2)(ii), stated that if the recreational ACL of 457,000 lb 
(207,291 kg) was exceeded, NMFS would reduce the length of the 
following year's fishing season by the amount necessary to ensure that 
recreational landings did not exceed the recreational ACT during the 
following year. Recreational landings were to be evaluated relative to 
the ACL based on a 3-year running average of landings, as described in 
the FMP. The recreational ACL for 2010 and 2011 was 457,000 lb (207,291 
kg). The recreational ACT for 2010 and 2011 was 405,000 lb (183,705 
kg). The 2011 ACL was exceeded by 4,549 lb (2,063 kg). Recreational 
landings were compared to a 3-year running average (as described in the 
FMP) relative to the ACL, and for 2011, average landings for 2009-2011 
were used. Despite the overage in 2011, average landings for 2009-2011 
(384,910 lb (174,592 kg)) were below the 457,000 lb (207,291 kg) ACL, 
and AMs were not triggered.
    Based on recent trends in recreational landings and anticipated 
future recreational effort, the Council and NMFS determined that there 
is a reasonable probability that the recreational sector will exceed 
its ACL in future years. Therefore, the final temporary rule 
established an in-season AM for the recreational sector to

[[Page 32914]]

prohibit the recreational harvest of gray triggerfish (a recreational 
sector closure) if the recreational ACT is reached or projected to be 
reached. This in-season AM is intended to provide an additional level 
of protection to ensure that the recreational ACL is not exceeded and 
that the risk of overfishing will be reduced. The final temporary rule 
also implemented a post-season AM, similar to the post-season AM in 
Amendment 30A, except in the final temporary rule, the ACL overage is 
based on a single year of landings instead of a 3-year running average.
    Based on the 2012 projected recreational landings estimates, the 
recreational ACT for Gulf gray triggerfish will be met by June 11, 
2012. Therefore, NMFS implements the in-season AM and will close the 
recreational sector for Gulf gray triggerfish on June 11, 2012. The 
recreational sector will remain closed through December 31, 2012. This 
action is necessary to reduce overfishing of the Gulf gray triggerfish 
resource.

Classification

    This action responds to the best scientific information available. 
The Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, has determined this 
temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and management of Gulf 
gray triggerfish and is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and 
other applicable laws.
    This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.49(a)(17)(ii) and is exempt 
from review under Executive Order 12866.
    These measures are exempt from the procedures of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act because the temporary rule is issued without 
opportunity for prior notice and comment.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive the 
requirements to provide prior notice and opportunity for public comment 
on this temporary rule. The AMs state that NMFS will file a 
notification with the Office of the Federal Register to close the 
recreational sector for Gulf gray triggerfish for the remainder of the 
fishing year if recreational landings reach or are projected to reach 
the recreational ACT specified in 50 CFR 622.49(a)(17)(ii). All that 
remains is to notify the public of the reduced recreational fishing 
season for gray triggerfish for the remainder of the fishing year. 
Additionally, there is a need to immediately notify the public of the 
reduced recreational fishing season for gray triggerfish, since gray 
triggerfish are overfished and undergoing overfishing and this waiver 
will help further protect the Gulf gray triggerfish resource.
    Allowing prior notice and opportunity for public comment is 
contrary to the public interest because of the need to immediately 
implement this action to protect the gray triggerfish resource. Prior 
notice and opportunity for public comment would require time and would 
potentially result in a harvest well in excess of the established 
quota. Also, providing prior notice and opportunity for public comment 
on this action would be contrary to the public interest because many of 
those affected by the length of the recreational fishing season, 
particularly charter vessel and headboat operations, book trips for 
clients in advance and, therefore need as much time as possible to 
adjust business plans to account for the reduced recreational fishing 
season.
    For the aforementioned reasons, the Assistant Administrator, NMFS, 
also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of 
this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).

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

    Dated: May 30, 2012.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-13463 Filed 5-30-12; 4:15 pm]
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