[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 154 (Monday, August 11, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46718-46719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18855]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 130903775-4276-02]
RIN 0648-XD378


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, 
Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Closure of the 2014 Trimester 2 
Directed Longfin Squid Fishery

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the 2014 Trimester 2 longfin squid fishery 
is closed. Vessels issued a commercial Federal moratorium longfin squid 
permit may not possess or land more than an incidental amount of 
longfin squid for the remainder of Trimester 2. This action is 
necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding its Trimester 2 quota 
and to allow for effective management of the stock. Regulations 
governing the longfin squid fishery require publication of this 
notification to advise permit holders that the fishery is closed.

DATES: Effective 0001 hours, August 11, 2014, through 2400 hours, 
August 31, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Christopher, Supervisory Fishery 
Policy Analyst, 978-281-9288, Fax 978-281-9135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the longfin squid 
fisheries are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require 
specifications for maximum sustainable yield, initial optimum yield, 
allowable biological catch (ABC), domestic annual harvest (DAH), 
domestic annual processing, joint venture processing, and total 
allowable levels of foreign fishing for the species managed under the 
Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). 
The procedures for setting the annual initial specifications are 
described in Sec.  648.22.
    The longfin squid DAH for the 2014 fishing year (FY) is 21,810 mt, 
and is allocated into three trimesters: Trimester 1 (January 1-April 
30) is allocated 43 percent of the quota (9,378 mt); Trimester 2 (May 
1-August 31) is allocated 17 percent of the quota (3,708 mt); and 
Trimester 3 (September 1-December 31) is allocated 40 percent of the 
quota (8,724 mt) (79 FR 18834, April 4, 2014).
    Due to an underharvest of quota in Trimester 1, NMFS adjusted the 
Trimester 2 quota from the initial quota of 3,708 mt to a new quota of 
5,562 mt. Section 648.24 requires NMFS to close the directed longfin 
squid fishery in the EEZ, and reduce the possession limit for 
moratorium longfin squid permit holders, when 90 percent of the 
Trimester 2 quota (5,006 mt) is projected to be harvested. NMFS is 
required to notify the Executive Directors of the Mid-Atlantic, New 
England, and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils; mail 
notification of the directed closure and subsequent possession limit

[[Page 46719]]

reduction to all moratorium longfin permit holders at least 72 hr 
before the effective date of the closure; provide adequate notice of 
the closure to recreational participants in the fishery; and publish 
notification of the closure in the Federal Register.
    The Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, based on dealer 
reports and other available information, has determined that 90 percent 
of the Trimester 2 longfin quota for the 2014 fishing year will be 
harvested on August 11, 2014. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, August 
11, 2014, the Trimester 2 directed longfin fishery is closed and 
vessels issued Federal moratorium permits for longfin are prohibited 
from possessing or landing more than 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) of longfin 
through August 31, 2014. The Trimester 3 longfin fishery will open at 
0001 hours, September 1, 2014.
    There is one exception for the 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) possession 
limit: A vessel with a longfin squid/butterfish moratorium permit that 
is on a directed Illex squid fishing trip (i.e., possesses more than 
10,000 lb (4,536 kg) of Illex squid) and is seaward of the coordinates 
specified at Sec.  648.23(a)(3) may possess up to 15,000 lb (6,804 kg) 
of longfin squid during the directed longfin squid fishery closure.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648, and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the 
opportunity for public comment because it would be contrary to the 
public interest. This action closes the directed longfin fishery until 
September 1, 2014, under current regulations. The regulations at Sec.  
648.24 require such action to ensure that longfin vessels do not exceed 
the 2014 Trimester 2 quota. Data indicating the longfin fleet will have 
landed at least 90 percent of the 2014 Trimester 2 quota have only 
recently become available. If implementation of this closure is delayed 
to solicit prior public comment, the quota for Trimester 2 will be 
exceeded, thereby undermining the conservation objectives of the FMP.
    The Assistant Administrator further finds, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 
553(d)(3), good cause to waive the 30-day delayed effectiveness period 
for the reasons stated above.

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

    Dated: August 5, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-18855 Filed 8-7-14; 8:45 am]
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