[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 67 (Thursday, April 7, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20259-20260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07971]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 665

[Docket No. 150715616-6300-02]
RIN 0648-XE062


Pacific Island Fisheries; 2015-16 Annual Catch Limits and 
Accountability Measures; Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 Bottomfish

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

ACTION: Final specifications.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS specifies an annual catch limit (ACL) of 326,000 lb for 
Deep 7 bottomfish in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) for the 2015-16 
fishing year. As an accountability measure (AM), if the ACL is 
projected to be reached, NMFS would close the commercial and non-
commercial fisheries for MHI Deep 7 bottomfish for the remainder of the 
fishing year. The ACL and AM specifications support the long-term 
sustainability of Hawaii bottomfish.

DATES: The final specifications are effective from May 9, 2016, through 
August 31, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Hawaiian 
Archipelago are available from the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council (Council), 1164 Bishop St., Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813, 
tel. 808-522-8220, fax 808-522-8226, or www.wpcouncil.org. Copies of 
the environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact for 
this action, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2015-0090, are available from 
www.regulations.gov, or from Michael D. Tosatto, Regional

[[Page 20260]]

Administrator, NMFS Pacific Islands Region (PIR), 1845 Wasp Blvd., 
Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Dunlap, NMFS PIR Sustainable 
Fisheries, 808-725-5177.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through this action, NMFS is specifying an 
ACL of 326,000 lb of Deep 7 bottomfish in the MHI for the 2015-16 
fishing year. The Council recommended this ACL, based on the best 
available scientific, commercial, and other information, taking into 
account the associated risk of overfishing. This ACL is 20,000 lb lower 
than the ACL set for the 2014-15 fishing year. The MHI Management 
Subarea is the portion of U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone around the 
Hawaiian Archipelago lying to the east of 161[deg]20' W. longitude. The 
Deep 7 bottomfish consist of onaga (Etelis coruscans), ehu (E. 
carbunculus), gindai (Pristipomoides zonatus), kalekale (P. sieboldii), 
opakapaka (P. filamentosus), lehi (Aphareus rutilans), and hapuupuu 
(Hyporthodus quernus).
    The MHI bottomfish fishing year started September 1, 2015, and is 
currently open. NMFS will monitor the fishery, and if the fishery 
reaches the ACL before August 31, 2016, NMFS will, as an associated 
accountability measure authorized in 50 CFR 665.4(f), close the non-
commercial and commercial fisheries for Deep 7 bottomfish in Federal 
waters through August 31. During a fishery closure for Deep 7 
bottomfish, no person may fish for, possess, or sell any of these fish 
in the MHI. There is no prohibition on fishing for or selling other 
(non-Deep 7) bottomfish throughout the year. All other management 
measures continue to apply in the MHI bottomfish fishery.
    You may review additional background information on this action in 
the preamble to the proposed specifications (81 FR 8884; February 23, 
2016); we do not repeat that information here.

Comments and Responses

    The comment period for the proposed specifications ended on March 
9, 2016. NMFS received no public comments.

Changes From the Proposed Specifications

    There are no changes in the final specifications from the proposed 
specifications.

Classification

    The Regional Administrator, NMFS PIR, determined that this action 
is necessary for the conservation and management of MHI Deep 7 
bottomfish, and that it is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act and other applicable laws.
    The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce 
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration during the proposed specification stage that this action 
would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities. NMFS published the factual basis for certification in 
the proposed specifications, and does not repeat it here. NMFS did not 
receive comments regarding this certification. As a result, a final 
regulatory flexibility analysis is not required, and one was not 
prepared.
    This action is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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


    Dated: April 1, 2016.
Samuel D. Rauch,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-07971 Filed 4-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P