[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 37475-37480]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14919]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 130403319-3545-02]
RIN 0648-BD13


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Recreational 
Management Measures for the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass 
Fisheries; Fishing Year 2013

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is implementing management measures for the 2013 summer 
flounder, scup, and black sea bass recreational fisheries. This rule 
also implements an increase in the 2013 and 2014 black sea bass 
specifications, consistent with a new acceptable biological catch 
recommendation. The implementing regulations for these fisheries 
require NMFS to publish recreational measures for the fishing year. The 
intent of these measures is to prevent overfishing of the summer 
flounder, scup, and black sea bass resources.

DATES: Effective June 20, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) 
for the 2013 recreational management measures document, including the 
Supplemental Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and 
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (SEA/RIR/IRFA) and other 
supporting documents for the recreational management measures are 
available from Dr. Christopher M. Moore, Executive Director, Mid-
Atlantic Fishery Management Council, Suite 201, 800 North State Street, 
Dover, DE 19901. These documents are also accessible via the Internet 
at http://www.nero.noaa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Moira Kelly, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
(978) 281-9218.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

General Background

    The summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries are managed 
cooperatively by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission 
(Commission) and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), 
in consultation with the New England and South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Councils. The FMP and its implementing regulations, which 
are found at 50 CFR part 648, subparts A (general provisions), G 
(summer flounder), H (scup), and I (black sea bass), describe the 
process for specifying annual recreational management measures that 
apply in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The states from North 
Carolina to Maine manage these fisheries within 3 nautical miles of 
their coasts, under the Commission's plan for summer flounder, scup, 
and black sea bass. The Federal regulations govern fishing activity in 
the EEZ, as well as vessels possessing Federal permits for summer 
flounder, scup, and/or black sea bass, regardless of where they fish.
    A proposed rule to implement the 2013 Federal recreational measures 
for the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass recreational 
fisheries was published on April 29, 2013 (78 FR 25052). Additional 
background and information is provided in the preamble to the proposed 
rule and is not repeated here.

2013 and 2014 Black Sea Bass Specifications and 2013 Recreational 
Management Measures

    In this rule, NMFS is implementing management measures for the 2013 
summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass recreational fisheries. This 
rule also implements an increase in the 2013 and 2014 black sea bass 
specifications, consistent with a new acceptable biological catch (ABC) 
recommendation. All minimum fish sizes discussed hereafter are total 
length measurements of the fish, i.e., the straight-line distance from 
the tip of the snout to the end of the tail while the fish is lying on 
its side. For black sea bass, total length measurement does not include 
the caudal fin tendril. All possession limits discussed below are per 
person.

Black Sea Bass Specifications

    The process for establishing specifications was summarized in the 
proposed rule and is not repeated here. At its December 2012 meeting, 
the Council requested that the Scientific and Statistical Committee 
(SSC) revisit the 2013 black sea bass specifications and make a 
recommendation for the 2014 fishing year. On January 23, 2013, the SSC 
met to reconsider these specifications and recommended an increase in 
the specifications for both the 2013 and 2014 fishing years. The SSC 
revised its recommendation for the 2013 and 2014 black sea bass ABC to 
5.5 million lb (2,495 mt). The Council voted at its February 2013 
meeting to recommend that the new ABC be implemented in conjunction 
with the recreational management measures. The following table provides 
the initial specifications for black sea bass for 2013 that were 
established in the specifications final rule (December 31, 2012; 77 FR 
76942) and the revised specifications for 2013 and 2014 that are 
implemented in this rule.

[[Page 37476]]



                                     Table 1--Black Sea Bass Specifications
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Original 2013 specifications       New specifications for 2013 and
                                         ------------------------------------         2014  (million lb)
                                                                             -----------------------------------
                                             million lb            mt            million lb            mt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABC.....................................              4.50             2,041              5.50             2,495
Commercial ACL & ACT....................              2.13               966              2.60             1,179
Commercial Quota........................              1.78               805              2.17               986
Recreational ACL & ACT..................              2.37             1,075              2.90             1,315
Recreational Harvest Limit..............              1.85               838              2.26             1,026
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As a result of this increase in the black sea bass catch limits, 
there is a corresponding increase of 25,000 lb (11.3 mt) of black sea 
bass in the available Research Set-Aside (RSA). Of the total 140,000 lb 
(65.5 mt) of black sea bass RSA now available, 129,420 lb (58.7 mt) 
have been awarded. The resulting difference of 10,580 lb (4.8 mt) is 
redistributed to the recreational harvest limit and the commercial 
quota, proportionally based on the sector allocations specified in the 
FMP (i.e., 49 percent to the commercial sector and 51 percent to the 
recreational sector.) Therefore, this rule implements a recreational 
harvest limit of 2,262,929 lb (1,026 mt) and a commercial quota of 
2,174,312 lb (986 mt).

2013 Recreational Management Measures

    This rule implements the following measures that would apply in the 
Federal waters of the EEZ and to all federally permitted party/charter 
vessels with applicable summer flounder, scup, or black sea bass 
permits regardless of where they fish. For summer flounder, use of 
state-by-state conservation equivalency measures, which are the status 
quo measures; for scup, a 10-inch (25.4-cm) minimum fish size, a 30-
fish per person possession limit, and an open season of January 1 
through December 31; and, for black sea bass, a 12.5-inch (31.8-cm) 
minimum fish size, and a 20-fish per person possession limit for open 
seasons of May 19 through October 14 and November 1 through December 
31.
    Federal permit holders are reminded that, as a condition of their 
Federal permit, they must abide by the Federal measures, even if 
fishing in state waters. In addition, in instances where the state-
implemented measures are different than the Federal measures, federally 
permitted vessels must adhere to the more restrictive of the two 
measures. This will be applicable for both the 2013 scup and black sea 
bass recreational fisheries.

Summer Flounder Recreational Management Measures

    This final rule implements the use of conservation equivalency to 
manage the 2013 summer flounder recreational fishery. NMFS implemented 
Framework Adjustment 2 to the FMP on July 29, 2001 (66 FR 36208), to 
permit the use of conservation equivalency to manage the recreational 
summer flounder fishery. Conservation equivalency allows each state to 
establish its own recreational management measures to achieve its state 
harvest limit partitioned from the coastwide recreational harvest limit 
by the Commission. The combined effect of all of the states' management 
measures achieves the same level of conservation as would Federal 
coastwide measures, hence the term conservation equivalency. This means 
that minimum fish sizes, possession limits, and fishing seasons 
developed and adopted by the individual states from Massachusetts to 
North Carolina will replace the Federal waters measures for 2013.
    The Commission notified the NMFS Northeast Regional Administrator 
by letter dated May 14, 2013, that the 2013 summer flounder 
recreational fishery management programs (i.e., minimum fish size, 
possession limit, and fishing seasons) implemented by the states from 
Massachusetts to North Carolina have been reviewed by the Commission's 
Technical Committee and approved by the Commission's Summer Flounder 
Management Board (SF Board). The correspondence indicates that the 
Commission-approved management programs are projected to restrict 2013 
recreational summer flounder coastwide landings consistent with the 
state-specific requirements established by the Technical Committee and 
SF Board through the Commission process.
    Based on the recommendation of the Commission, the NMFS Northeast 
Regional Administrator finds that the recreational summer flounder 
fishing measures proposed to be implemented by the individual states 
for 2013 are the conservation equivalent of the season, minimum size, 
and possession limit prescribed in Sec. Sec.  648.104(b), 648.105, and 
648.106(a), respectively. According to Sec.  648.107(a)(1), vessels 
subject to the recreational fishing measures of this part and landing 
summer flounder in a state with an approved conservation equivalency 
program shall not be subject to Federal measures, and shall instead be 
subject to the recreational fishing measures implemented by the state 
in which they land. Section 648.107(a) has been amended to recognize 
state-implemented measures as conservation equivalent of the coastwide 
recreational management measures for 2013. For clarity, the 2013 summer 
flounder management measures adopted by the individual states vary 
according to the state of landing, as specified in Table 1.

              Table 2--2013 Commission Approved State-by-State Conservation Equivalent Recreational Management Measures for Summer Flounder
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Minimum Size      Minimum Size
                 State                       (inches)            (cm)               Possession Limit                         Open Season
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Massachusetts.........................               16                40.6  5 fish........................  May 22-September 30.
Rhode Island..........................               18                45.7  8 fish........................  May 1-December 31.
Connecticut...........................               17.5              44.5  5 fish........................  May 15-October 31.
New York..............................               19                48.3  4 fish........................  May 1-September 29.
New Jersey............................               17.5              44.5  5 fish........................  May 18-September 16.

[[Page 37477]]

 
Delaware..............................               17                43.2  4 fish........................  All Year.
Maryland..............................               16                40.6  4 fish........................  March 28-December 31.
PRFC..................................               16                40.6  4 fish........................  All year.
Virginia..............................               16                40.6  4 fish........................  All year.
North Carolina........................               15                38.1  6 fish........................  All Year.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: At 42 designated shore sites in CT, anglers may keep 5 fish at 16.0 inches (40.6 cm), May 15-October 31.

Scup Recreational Management Measures

    This final rule implements the Council and Commission's recommended 
scup recreational management measures for 2013 in Federal waters. The 
2013 scup recreational harvest limit is 7.55 million lb (3,425 mt), as 
published in final rule (December 31, 2012; 77 FR 76942). Estimated 
2012 scup recreational landings are 4.06 million lb (1,842 mt), well 
below the 2013 recreational harvest limit; therefore, no reduction in 
landings is needed. The measures for the 2013 scup recreational fishery 
are for a 10-inch (25.4-cm) minimum fish size, a 30-fish per person 
possession limit, and an open season of January 1 through December 31.

Black Sea Bass Recreational Management Measures

    This final rule implements the Council's recommended recreational 
management measures to reduce landings for black sea bass. The 2013 
black sea bass recreational harvest limit is 2.26 million lb (1,026 
mt). The 2012 recreational harvest limit was 1.32 million lb (599 mt), 
and the projected 2012 recreational landings were 2.99 million lb 
(1,356 mt). The projected 2012 landings are above the 2012 recreational 
harvest limit and both the previously established and the new 
recreational harvest limit for 2013. The Council and the Commission, 
therefore, needed to establish management measures to reduce landings 
in 2013 to a level below the 2013 recreational harvest limit. The 
majority of the recreational black sea bass fishery occurs in state 
waters. As such, the Commission agreed to make more significant changes 
to the state-waters measures to ensure the 2013 recreational harvest 
limit is not exceeded. Specifically, at the December 2012 meeting, the 
available data indicated that the Commission needed to reduce landings 
by 32 percent. However, data corrections and updates to the average 
weight per fish have resulted in the Commission needing to reduce 
landings by 24 percent as compared to 2012. In a letter dated May 16, 
2013, the Commission has indicated that there was a reasonable 
likelihood that the state measures, including the proposed measures for 
Connecticut, would constrain recreational landings to the recreational 
harvest limit.
    In light of the Commission's changes to the state-water measures, 
this final rule implements a 12.5-inch (31.8-cm) minimum fish size and 
20-fish possession limit for open seasons of May 19--October 14 and 
November 1-December 31.

Comments and Responses

    NMFS received one comment regarding the proposed recreational 
management measures and increase to the black sea bass specifications. 
The commenter stated that there was no factual reason for an increase 
in the catch limits and that the catch limits for all three species 
should be reduced by 25 percent to prevent extinction. NMFS disagrees 
with these statements. The catch limits that were established for 
summer flounder and scup in the specifications final rule (December 31, 
2012; 77 FR 76942) and the increase to the black sea bass 
specifications established in this rule are based on the best available 
scientific information and on recommendations of the Council's SSC. 
None of these species is overfished or experiencing overfishing, and, 
therefore, not in danger of extinction.

Classification

    The Regional Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS, determined that 
this final rule implementing the 2013 summer flounder, scup, and black 
sea bass recreational management measures and 2013 and 2014 black sea 
bass specifications is necessary for the conservation and management of 
the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries, and is 
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable laws.
    This final rule has been determined to be not significant for 
purposes of Executive Order 12866.

Administrative Procedure Act

    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, has determined 
that there is good cause to waive the requirement for a 30-day delay in 
effectiveness provision of the Administrative Procedure Act, pursuant 
to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). NMFS has determined that a delay in this rule's 
effectiveness would be contrary to the public interest because it would 
undermine the intent of the rule, which is to promote the optimal 
utilization and conservation of the summer flounder, scup, and black 
sea bass resources. This action increases the trip limit for the 
recreational scup fishery in Federal waters and allows federally 
permitted charter/party vessels to be subject to the new, liberalized 
summer flounder measures in their respective states, without resulting 
in overfishing. Because some states' summer flounder fisheries are 
already open or will open during the 30-day period, federally permitted 
charter/party vessels would be restricted to the existing summer 
flounder coastwide regulations (18-inch (45.7-cm) minimum size and a 2-
fish per person possession limit) until the Federal regulations are 
effective. This would unnecessarily disadvantage the federally 
permitted vessels, which would be subject to the more restrictive 
measures while state-licensed vessels could be engaged in fishing 
activities under this year's management measures. In addition, this 
rule increases the possession limit for scup, expanding fishing 
opportunities for fishermen that would otherwise be constrained under 
the current measures, without resulting in overfishing. If the 
effectiveness of this final rule were delayed for 30 days, the fishery 
would likely forego some amount of landings and revenues during the 
delay period. While these restrictions would be alleviated after this 
rule becomes effective, fishermen may be not able to recoup the lost 
economic opportunity of foregone trips that would result from delaying 
the effectiveness of this action.
    For these reasons, the 30-day delay is waived and this rule will 
become

[[Page 37478]]

effective on the date of filing in the Federal Register.

Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    This final rule includes is the FRFA prepared pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
604(a). The FRFA incorporates the economic impacts described in the 
IRFA, a summary of the significant issues raised by the public comments 
in response to the IRFA, NMFS's responses to those comments, and a 
summary of the analyses completed to support the action. Copies of the 
EA/RIR/IRFA and SEA are available from the Council and NMFS (see 
ADDRESSES).

Statement of Objective and Need

    A description of the reasons why the 2013 recreational management 
measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass are being 
implemented, and the objectives of and legal basis for this final rule 
implementing both actions are explained in the preambles to the 
proposed rule and this final rule, and are not repeated here.

A Summary of the Significant Issues Raised by the Public Comments in 
Response to the IRFA, a Summary of the Assessment of the Agency of Such 
Issues, and a Statement of Any Changes Made in the Proposed Rule as a 
Result of Such Comments

    One comment was received on the proposed rule; however, it did not 
address the IRFA or economic analysis and did not result in any changes 
to the rule.

Description and Estimate of Number of Small Entities to Which This Rule 
Will Apply

    The recreational management measures could affect any of the 852 
vessels possessing a Federal charter/party permit for summer flounder, 
scup, and/or black sea bass in 2012. However, only 355 vessels reported 
active participation in the 2012 recreational summer flounder, scup, 
and/or black sea bass fisheries, based on Vessel Trip Reports where the 
amount of kept summer flounder, scup, or black sea bass is greater than 
zero on a reported charter/party trip. The Small Business 
Administration (SBA) considers commercial fishing entities (NAICS code 
114111) to be small entities if they have no more than $4 million in 
annual sales, while the size standard for charter/party operators (part 
of NAICS code 487210) is $7 million in sales. Because any vessel at any 
time may be issued an open access charter/party summer flounder, scup, 
and/or black sea bass permit, it is difficult to determine how many 
vessels or owners will participate in this fishery in a given year. 
Although some firms own more than one vessel, available data make it 
difficult to reliably identify ownership control over more than one 
vessel. Thus, all of the entities (fishing vessels) affected by this 
action are considered small entities under the SBA size standards for 
charter/party fishing businesses ($7.0 million in annual gross sales). 
Therefore, there are no disproportionate effects on small versus large 
entities.

Description of Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Other Compliance 
Requirements

    No additional reporting, recordkeeping, or other compliance 
requirements are included in this final rule.

Description of the Steps Taken To Minimize Economic Impact on Small 
Entities

    In seeking to minimize the impact of recreational management 
measures (minimum fish size, possession limit, and fishing season) on 
small entities (i.e., Federal party/charter permit holders), NMFS is 
constrained to implementing measures that meet the conservation 
objectives of the FMP and Magnuson-Stevens Act. Management measures 
must provide sufficient constraints on recreational landings, such that 
the established recreational harvest limits have a low likelihood of 
being exceeded, which might lead to overfishing the stock. This rule 
maintains the status quo recreational management measures for summer 
flounder, implements less restrictive management measures for scup, and 
slightly more restrictive measures for black sea bass in Federal 
waters.
    Summer flounder alternatives. The alternatives examined by the 
Council and forwarded for consideration by NMFS consisted of the non-
preferred alternative of coastwide measures (an 18-inch (45.7-cm) 
minimum fish size, a 4-fish per person possession limit, and open 
season from May 1 through September 30), and the preferred alternative 
of state-by-state conservation equivalency (see Table 2 for measures) 
with a precautionary default backstop (status quo). These were 
alternatives 1 and 2, respectively, in the Council's SEA/RIR/IRFA. 
These two alternatives were determined by the Council to provide a high 
probability of constraining recreational landings to levels at or below 
the 2013 recreational harvest limit. Therefore, either alternative 
recreational management system could be considered for implementation 
by NMFS, as the critical metric of satisfying the regulatory and 
statutory requirements would likely be met by either.
    Next, NMFS considered the recommendation of both the Council and 
Commission. Both groups recommended implementation of state-by-state 
conservation equivalency, with a precautionary default backstop. The 
recommendations of both groups were not unanimous: Some Council and 
Commission members objected to the use of conservation equivalency, 
stating a preference for coastwide measures.
    For NMFS to disapprove the Council's recommendation for 
conservation equivalency and substitute coastwide management measures, 
NMFS must reasonably demonstrate that the recommended measures are 
either inconsistent with applicable law or that the conservation 
objectives of the FMP will not be achieved by implementing conservation 
equivalency. NMFS does not find the Council and Commission's 
recommendation to be inconsistent with the implementing regulations of 
the FMP at Sec.  648.100 or the Magnuson-Stevens Act, including the 10 
National Standards.
    The additional metric for consideration by NMFS, applicable to the 
FRFA, is examination of the economic impacts of the alternatives on 
small entities consistent with the stated objectives of applicable 
statutes. As previously stated, both coastwide measures (alternative 1) 
and conservation equivalency (alternative 2) are projected to achieve 
the conservation objectives for the 2013 summer flounder recreational 
fishery. However, the economic impacts of the two alternatives are not 
projected to be equal in the Council's analyses: The economic impacts 
on small entities under the coastwide measures management system would 
vary in comparison to the conservation equivalency system, dependent on 
the specific state wherein the small entities operate.
    Quantitative analyses of the economic impacts associated with 
conservation equivalency measures are not available. This is because 
the development of the individual state measures occurs concurrent to 
the NMFS rulemaking process to ensure timely implementation of final 
measures for the 2013 recreational fishery; thus, the specific measures 
implemented by states are not available for economic impact analyses. 
Instead, qualitative methods were utilized by the Council to assess the 
relative impact of conservation equivalency (alternative 2) to 
coastwide measures (alternative 1). The Council analysis concluded, and

[[Page 37479]]

NMFS agrees, that conservation equivalency is expected to minimize 
impacts on small entities because individual states can develop 
specific summer flounder management measures that allow the fishery to 
operate during each state's critical fishing periods while still 
achieving conservation goals.
    NMFS is implementing the Council and Commission's recommended 
state-by-state conservation equivalency measures because: (1) NMFS 
finds no compelling reason to disapprove the Council and Commission's 
recommended 2013 management system, as the management measures 
contained in conservation equivalency are projected to provide the 
necessary restriction on recreational landings to prevent the 
recreational harvest limit from being exceeded; and (2) the net 
economic impact to small entities on a coastwide basis are expected to 
be mitigated, to the extent practicable, for a much larger percentage 
of small entities.
    Scup alternatives. NMFS is implementing the Council's preferred 
measures as the Federal water measures for the 2013 fishing year: A 10-
inch (25.4-cm) minimum fish size; a 30-fish per person possession 
limit; and year-round open season. Similar to the summer flounder 
discussion, this suite of scup measures (alternative 2) provides the 
greatest economic opportunity for small entities from the alternatives 
available by providing the maximum fishing opportunity in Federal 
waters that also meets the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 
the FMP, and achieves the conservation objectives for 2013. Alternative 
1 for a 10.5-inch (26.7-cm) minimum fish size, 20-fish per person 
possession limit, and year-round open season contained measures that 
had higher impacts on small entities fishing in Federal waters, as it 
contains more restrictive measures than would be necessary to satisfy 
the management objectives, and thus this alternative was not 
implemented.
    Black sea bass alternatives. As previously stated in the preamble, 
individual states have developed and implemented measures for use in 
state waters. This rule implements the Council's preferred measures 
(Alternative 2 in the Council's SEA/RIR/IRFA): A 12.5-inch (31.8-cm) 
minimum fish size and a 22-fish possession limit for the May 19-October 
14 and November 1-December 31 fishing seasons. This alternative 
provides the greatest associated economic opportunities to small 
entities of the measures considered for Federal waters that also meets 
the statutory and regulatory requirements for the 2013 fishery. 
Alternative 1 (a 12.5-inch (31.8-cm) minimum fish size, a 25-fish per 
person possession limit, and open season of May 19 through October 14 
and November 1 through December 31; and a 12.5-inch (31.8-cm) minimum 
fish size, a 15-fish per person possession limit, and an open season of 
January 1-February 28), does not satisfy the management objectives of 
the FMP, as a reduction in landings as compared to 2012 is necessary, 
and thus this alternative was not implemented.

Small Entity Compliance Guide

    Section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness 
Act of 1996 states that, for each rule or group of related rules for 
which an agency is required to prepare a FRFA, the agency shall publish 
one or more guides to assist small entities in complying with the rule, 
and shall designate such publications as ``small entity compliance 
guides.'' The agency shall explain the actions a small entity is 
required to take to comply with a rule or group of rules. As part of 
this rulemaking process, a letter to permit holders that also serves as 
the small entity compliance guide was prepared and will be sent to all 
holders of Federal party/charter permits issued for the summer 
flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. In addition, copies of 
this final rule and the small entity compliance guide are available 
from NMFS (see ADDRESSES) and at the following Web site: http://www.nero.noaa.gov.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 648

    Fisheries, Fishing, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: June 17, 2013.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, performing the functions and 
duties of the 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

0
1. The authority citation for part 648 continues to read as follows:

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


0
2. In Sec.  648.104, paragraph (b) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  648.104  Summer flounder minimum fish sizes.

* * * * *
    (b) Party/charter permitted vessels and recreational fishery 
participants. Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Sec.  648.107, the 
minimum size for summer flounder is 18 inches (45.7 cm) TL for all 
vessels that do not qualify for a moratorium permit under Sec.  
648.4(a)(3), and charter boats holding a moratorium permit if fishing 
with more than three crew members, or party boats holding a moratorium 
permit if fishing with passengers for hire or carrying more than five 
crew members.
* * * * *

0
3. In Sec.  648.106, paragraph (a) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  648.106  Summer flounder possession restrictions.

    (a) Party/charter and recreational possession limits. Unless 
otherwise specified pursuant to Sec.  648.107, no person shall possess 
more than four summer flounder in, or harvested from, the EEZ, unless 
that person is the owner or operator of a fishing vessel issued a 
summer flounder moratorium permit, or is issued a summer flounder 
dealer permit. Persons aboard a commercial vessel that is not eligible 
for a summer flounder moratorium permit are subject to this possession 
limit. The owner, operator, and crew of a charter or party boat issued 
a summer flounder moratorium permit are subject to the possession limit 
when carrying passengers for hire or when carrying more than five crew 
members for a party boat, or more than three crew members for a charter 
boat. This possession limit may be adjusted pursuant to the procedures 
in Sec.  648.102.
* * * * *

0
4. Section 648.107 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  648.107  Conservation equivalent measures for the summer flounder 
fishery.

    (a) The Regional Administrator has determined that the recreational 
fishing measures proposed to be implemented by Massachusetts through 
North Carolina for 2013 are the conservation equivalent of the season, 
minimum fish size, and possession limit prescribed in Sec. Sec.  
648.104(b), 648.105, and 648.106(a), respectively. This determination 
is based on a recommendation from the Summer Flounder Board of the 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
    (b) Federally permitted vessels subject to the recreational fishing 
measures of this part, and other recreational fishing vessels subject 
to the recreational fishing measures of this part and registered in 
states whose fishery management measures are not determined by the 
Regional

[[Page 37480]]

Administrator to be the conservation equivalent of the season, minimum 
size, and possession limit prescribed in Sec. Sec.  648.104(b), 
648.105, and 648.106(a), respectively, due to the lack of, or the 
reversal of, a conservation equivalent recommendation from the Summer 
Flounder Board of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, 
shall be subject to the following precautionary default measures: 
Season--May 1 through September 30; minimum size--20.0 inches (50.8 
cm); and possession limit--two fish.

0
5. In Sec.  648.126, paragraph (b) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  648.126  Scup minimum fish sizes.

* * * * *
    (b) Party/Charter permitted vessels and recreational fishery 
participants. The minimum size for scup is 10 inches (25.4 cm) TL for 
all vessels that do not have a moratorium permit, or for party and 
charter vessels that are issued a moratorium permit but are fishing 
with passengers for hire, or carrying more than three crew members if a 
charter boat, or more than five crew members if a party boat.
* * * * *

0
6. Section 648.127 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  648.127  Scup recreational fishing season.

    Fishermen and vessels that are not eligible for a moratorium permit 
under Sec.  648.4(a)(6), may possess scup year-round, subject to the 
possession limit specified in Sec.  648.128(a). The recreational 
fishing season may be adjusted pursuant to the procedures in Sec.  
648.122.

0
7. In Sec.  648.128, paragraph (a) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  648.128  Scup possession restrictions.

    (a) Party/Charter and recreational possession limits. No person 
shall possess more than 30 scup in, or harvested from, the EEZ unless 
that person is the owner or operator of a fishing vessel issued a scup 
moratorium permit, or is issued a scup dealer permit. Persons aboard a 
commercial vessel that is not eligible for a scup moratorium permit are 
subject to this possession limit. The owner, operator, and crew of a 
charter or party boat issued a scup moratorium permit are subject to 
the possession limit when carrying passengers for hire or when carrying 
more than five crew members for a party boat, or more than three crew 
members for a charter boat. This possession limit may be adjusted 
pursuant to the procedures in Sec.  648.122.
* * * * *

0
8. In Sec.  648.145, paragraph (a) is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  648.145  Black sea bass possession limit.

    (a) During the recreational fishing season specified at Sec.  
648.146, no person shall possess more than 20 black sea bass in, or 
harvested from, the EEZ unless that person is the owner or operator of 
a fishing vessel issued a black sea bass moratorium permit, or is 
issued a black sea bass dealer permit. Persons aboard a commercial 
vessel that is not eligible for a black sea bass moratorium permit may 
not retain more than 20 black sea bass during the recreational fishing 
season specified at Sec.  648.146. The owner, operator, and crew of a 
charter or party boat issued a black sea bass moratorium permit are 
subject to the possession limit when carrying passengers for hire or 
when carrying more than five crew members for a party boat, or more 
than three crew members for a charter boat. This possession limit may 
be adjusted pursuant to the procedures in Sec.  648.142.
* * * * *

0
9. Section 648.146 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  648.146  Black sea bass recreational fishing season.

    Vessels that are not eligible for a moratorium permit under Sec.  
648.4(a)(7), and fishermen subject to the possession limit specified in 
Sec.  648.145(a), may only possess black sea bass from May 19 through 
October 14, and November 1 through December 31, unless this time period 
is adjusted pursuant to the procedures in Sec.  648.142.
[FR Doc. 2013-14919 Filed 6-20-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P