[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7547-7548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02809]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 635

[Docket No. 120328229-4949-02]
RIN 0648-XD672


Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna 
Fisheries

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; annual adjustment of Atlantic bluefin tuna 
Purse Seine and Reserve category quotas.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is adjusting the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) Purse Seine 
and Reserve category quotas for 2015, based on regulations implementing 
Amendment 7 to the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery 
Management Plan.

DATES: Effective February 10, 2015 through December 31, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah McLaughlin or Brad McHale, 978-
281-9260.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations implemented under the authority 
of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA; 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) and 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) governing the harvest of BFT by 
persons and vessels subject to U.S. jurisdiction are found at 50 CFR 
part 635. Section 635.27 divides the U.S. BFT quota recommended by the

[[Page 7548]]

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) 
among the various domestic fishing categories, per the allocations 
established in the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery 
Management Plan (2006 Consolidated HMS FMP) (71 FR 58058, October 2, 
2006), as amended by the recently published Amendment 7 to the 2006 
Consolidated HMS FMP (Amendment 7) (79 FR 71510, December 2, 2014) and 
in accordance with implementing regulations.
    Among other things, Amendment 7 revised the allocations to all 
quota categories, effective January 1, 2015. As a result, based on the 
currently codified U.S. quota of 923.7 mt, the baseline Purse Seine and 
Reserve category quotas are codified as 159.1 mt and 21.4 mt, 
respectively. See Sec.  635.27(a). Pursuant to Sec.  635.27(a)(4), NMFS 
has determined the amount of quota available to individual Atlantic 
Tunas Purse Seine category participants in 2015, based on their BFT 
catch (landings and dead discards) last year. Specifically, NMFS is 
making available to each participant 100 percent, 75 percent, 50 
percent, or 25 percent of the individual baseline quota allocations, as 
described in Sec.  635.27(a)(4)(ii) and is reallocating the remainder 
to the Reserve category for 2015. Based on the procedures described 
above and by adding the individual available allocations, NMFS has 
determined the 2015 Purse Seine category quota available to Purse Seine 
fishery participants is 71.7 mt. Thus, the amount of Purse Seine 
category quota to be reallocated to the Reserve category is 87.4 mt, 
for a revised 2015 Reserve category quota of 108.8 mt (21.4 + 87.4 mt). 
Consistent with the quota regulations, NMFS may allocate any portion of 
the Reserve category quota for inseason or annual adjustments to any 
fishing category quota pursuant to regulatory determination criteria 
described at 50 CFR 635.27(a)(8), in addition to using the Reserve 
category quota for scientific research collection of bluefin tuna.
    NMFS has calculated the amounts of quota available to individual 
Purse Seine fishery participants based on their individual catch levels 
in 2014 and the codified process adopted in Amendment 7. Total Purse 
Seine category BFT catches were 41.7 mt (37.5 mt of landings and 4.2 mt 
of dead discards) in 2014. Consistent with Sec.  635.27(a)(4)(v)(C), 
NMFS will notify Atlantic Tunas Purse Seine fishery participants of the 
amount of quota available for their use this year through the 
Individual Bluefin Quota electronic system established under Sec.  
635.15 and in writing.
    NMFS anticipates that it will announce additional bluefin tuna 
quota adjustments during 2015. For example, when complete 2014 bluefin 
tuna catch information is available and finalized, NMFS may augment the 
Reserve further by carrying forward underharvest, if any, from 2014, 
consistent with ICCAT limits. Also, the 2014 ICCAT recommendation 
regarding western Atlantic bluefin tuna management increases the 
baseline U.S. bluefin tuna quota and subquotas; NMFS will undertake 
domestic implementation of that recommendation in a separate 
rulemaking, with quotas finalized likely in mid-2015. Subsequent 
notices will be published in the Federal Register. In addition, 
fishermen may call the Atlantic Tunas Information Line at (888) 872-
8862 or (978) 281-9260, or access hmspermits.noaa.gov, for updates.
    This action is being taken under 50 CFR 635.27(a)(4) and (a)(7), 
and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 et seq.

    Dated: February 5, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-02809 Filed 2-10-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P