[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 24, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 77425-77426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30160]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

RIN 0648-BE46


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 16

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Council) 
has submitted Amendment 16 to the Fishery Management Plan for the 
Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) for review, approval, and 
implementation by NMFS. Amendment 16 includes actions to revise the 
annual catch limit (ACL) for royal red shrimp, remove the royal red 
shrimp quota, and revise the accountability measures (AM) for royal red 
shrimp to remove an inconsistency in the regulations.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before February 23, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on Amendment 16, identified by 
``NOAA-NMFS-2014-0030'' by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2014-0030, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Susan Gerhart, Southeast 
Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in 
Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
    Electronic copies of Amendment 16, which includes an environmental 
impact statement, a Regulatory Flexibility Act analysis, and a 
regulatory impact review, may be obtained from the Southeast Regional 
Office Web site at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/shrimp/2014/am16/index.html.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires each regional 
fishery management council to submit any FMP or amendment to NMFS for 
review and approval, partial approval, or disapproval. The Magnuson-
Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon receiving a plan or 
amendment, publish an announcement in the Federal Register notifying 
the public that the plan or amendment is available for review and 
comment.
    The FMP being revised by Amendment 16 was prepared by the Council 
and implemented through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the 
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Background

    The FMP was established in 1981, and the maximum sustainable yield 
for royal red shrimp was estimated at 392,000 lb (177.9 mt), tail 
weight, annually and specified as a fixed annual quota (46 FR 27489, 
May 20, 1981). This quota has remained in effect since that time. On 
January 30, 2012, NMFS implemented regulations developed through the 
Generic ACL Amendment to multiple fishery management plans, including 
the Shrimp FMP (December 29, 2011, 76 FR 82044). That amendment 
included actions to establish the commercial ACL and AM for royal red 
shrimp. However, the ``no action'' alternatives and discussions in the 
Generic ACL Amendment incorrectly stated that there were currently no 
catch limits or AMs for royal red shrimp, even though a quota and in-
season quota closure were in the regulations. As a consequence, through 
the Generic ACL Amendment, both a royal red shrimp ACL and AM were 
added to the regulations, but the existing quota and in-season quota 
closure provision were not removed. On March 11, 2014, NMFS published a 
notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact 
statement for Amendment 16 and requested public comment (79 FR 13623).
    Federal regulations currently include a royal red shrimp ACL of 
334,000 lb (151,000 kg), tail weight and a quota of 392,000 lb (177.8 
mt), tail weight. Amendment 16 would remove the royal red shrimp quota 
and update the ACL to 337,000 lb (152,861 kg), tail weight, which is 
equal to the acceptable biological catch as recommended by the 
Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee at its March 2014 
meeting.
    Federal regulations currently include a royal red shrimp in-season 
closure if the quota is met or projected to be met, based on in-season 
monitoring (which functions as an AM), and include an AM that 
implements in-season monitoring and an ACL closure in the year 
following any ACL overage. The presence of two AMs in the regulations 
presents an inconsistency in the management of royal red shrimp. 
Amendment 16 would remove the in-season quota closure associated with 
the royal red shrimp quota and retain the AM associated with the ACL.
    A proposed rule that would implement measures outlined in Amendment 
16 has been drafted. In accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS 
is evaluating the proposed rule to determine whether it is consistent 
with the FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. If 
that determination is affirmative, NMFS will publish the proposed rule 
in the Federal Register for public review and comment.

Consideration of Public Comments

    The Council submitted Amendment 16 for Secretarial review, 
approval, and implementation on November 19, 2014. Comments received by 
February 23, 2015, whether specifically directed to the amendment or 
the proposed rule, will be considered by NMFS in its

[[Page 77426]]

decision to approve, disapprove, or partially approve the amendment. 
Comments received after that date will not be considered by NMFS in 
this decision. All comments received by NMFS on the amendment or the 
proposed rule during their respective comment periods will be addressed 
in the final rule.

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

    Dated: December 19, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-30160 Filed 12-23-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P