[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 59 (Friday, March 27, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16306-16307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07093]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 130403320-4891-02]
RIN 0648-XD828


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Snapper-Grouper Resources of the South Atlantic; 2015-2016 Recreational 
Fishing Season for Black Sea Bass

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; recreational season length.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the length of the recreational season for 
black sea bass in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South 
Atlantic will extend throughout the fishing year. Announcing the length 
of recreational season for black sea bass is one of the accountability 
measures (AMs) for the recreational sector. This announcement allows 
recreational fishermen to maximize their opportunity to harvest the 
recreational annual catch limit (ACL) for black sea bass during the 
fishing season while managing harvest to protect the black sea bass 
resource.

DATES: This rule is effective from 12:01 a.m., local time, April 1, 
2015, until 12:01 a.m., local time, April 1, 2016, unless changed by 
subsequent notification in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nikhil Mehta, NMFS Southeast Regional 
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery includes black 
sea bass in the South Atlantic and is managed under the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Snapper-

[[Page 16307]]

Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP). The South Atlantic 
Fishery Management Council prepared the FMP and the FMP is implemented 
by NMFS under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations 
at 50 CFR part 622.
    The final rule implementing Regulatory Amendment 14 to the FMP 
changed the recreational fishing season for black sea bass from June 1-
May 31 to April 1-March 31 (79 FR 66316, November 7, 2014). The final 
rule also revised the recreational AMs for black sea bass. Prior to the 
start of each recreational fishing year on April 1, NMFS will project 
the length of the recreational fishing season based on when NMFS 
projects the recreational ACL to be met and will announce the 
recreational season end date in the Federal Register (50 CFR 
622.193(e)(2)). The purpose of this revised AM is to implement a more 
predictable recreational season length while still constraining harvest 
at or below the recreational ACL to protect the stock from experiencing 
adverse biological consequences.
    An increased recreational ACL of 1,033,980 lb (469,005 kg), round 
weight, was established through the final rule for Regulatory Amendment 
19 to the FMP on September 23, 2013 (78 FR 58249). Harvest levels of 
black sea bass were not close to reaching the recreational ACL of 
1,033,980 lb (469,005 kg) round weight during the 2012/2013 through 
2014/2015 fishing years, and therefore, NMFS estimates that the 
recreational ACL will not be met in the 2015-2016 fishing season. 
Accordingly, the season end date for recreational fishing for black sea 
bass in the South Atlantic EEZ is March 31, 2016.

Classification

    The Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, has determined 
this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and management of 
South Atlantic black sea bass and is consistent with the Magnuson-
Stevens Act and other applicable laws.
    This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.193(e)(2) 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.
    This action responds to the best scientific information available. 
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds that the 
need to immediately implement the recreational season length 
constitutes good cause to waive the requirements to provide prior 
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set 
forth in 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), because prior notice and opportunity for 
public comment on this temporary rule is unnecessary. Such procedures 
are unnecessary, because the rule establishing the AM has already been 
subject to notice and comment, and all that remains is to notify the 
public of the recreational season length.
    For the aforementioned reasons, the AA 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: March 24, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-07093 Filed 3-24-15; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P