[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 29, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42291-42292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15379]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 140902739-5224-02]
RIN 0648-XE697


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, 
Squid, and Butterfish Fishery; 2016 Longfin Squid Trimester II Quota 
Harvested

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; reduction of possession limit.

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

SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting--beginning June 27, 2016, and ending 
August 31, 2016--Federal longfin squid vessel permit holders from 
fishing for, catching, possessing, transferring, or landing more than 
2,500 lb (907.2 kg) of longfin squid per trip and landing such squid 
more than once per calendar day. This prohibition is required by 
regulation because NMFS projects that 90 percent of the 2016 annual 
Trimester II seasonal catch limit will have been caught by the 
effective date. In addition, based on this determination, other 
restrictions regarding catch of longfin squid by federally permitted 
Illex squid vessels and buying longfin squid by federally permit 
dealers go into place. This action is intended to prevent over harvest 
of longfin squid during Trimester II.

DATES: Effective 0001 hr local time, June 27, 2016, through August 31, 
2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Luers, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 282-8457.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The reader can find regulations governing 
the longfin squid fishery 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

[[Page 42292]]

procedures for setting the annual initial specifications are described 
in Sec.  648.22.
    The 2016 longfin squid Trimester II quota was increased from 
7,976,325 lb (3,618 mt) to 12,619,260 lb (5,724 mt) to account for the 
underage in the 2016 Trimester I catch. Trimester III quota for longfin 
squid will be available for harvest on September 1, 2016.
    The regulations at Sec.  648.24(a)(1) require that when the NMFS 
Administrator of the Greater Atlantic Region (Regional Administrator) 
projects longfin squid catch will reach 90 percent of the Trimester II 
quota designated in the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish FMP, 
NMFS must prohibit Federal longfin squid vessel permit holders from 
fishing for, catching, possessing, transferring, or landing more than 
2,500 lb (907.2 kg) of longfin squid per trip and landing such squid 
more than once per calendar day for the remainder of the prohibition 
period. This type of prohibition effectively closes the directed squid 
fishery. The Regional Administrator monitors the longfin squid fishery 
catch in each trimester based on dealer reports, state data, and other 
available information. Upon the projection that 90 percent of a 
Trimester seasonal quota has been reached, NMFS must provide at least 
72 hours of advance notice to the public that this determination has 
been made. NMFS also publishes in the Federal Register the date that 
the catch is projected to reach 90 percent of the quota, and the 
prohibitions on catch and landings for the remainder of Trimester II. 
In addition, upon this determination, a vessel possessing a Federal 
Longfin Squid/Butterfish Moratorium permit that possesses 10,000 lb 
(4.54 mt) or more of Illex squid, fishing in the Illex Squid Exemption 
Area, as defined in Table 1 below and at Sec.  648.23(a)(5), may 
possess up to 15,000 lb (6.80 mt) of longfin squid. If these vessels do 
not possess 10,000 lb (4.54 mt) of Illex squid, they are restricted to 
2,500 lb (907.2 kg) of longfin squid. Once landward of the coordinates 
defining the Illex Squid Exemption Area, such vessels must stow all 
fishing gear, and render it not available for immediate use as defined 
in Sec.  648.2, in order to possess more than 2,500 lb (907.2 kg) of 
longfin squid. Also, federally permitted dealers may not receive 
longfin squid from federally permitted longfin squid vessels that 
harvest more than 2,500 lb (907.2 kg) of longfin squid through 2400 hr 
local time, August 31, 2016, unless it is from a trip landed by a 
vessel that entered port before 0001 hr on June 27, 2016, except that 
they may purchase up to 15,000 lb (6.80 mt) of longfin squid from 
permitted vessels on declared Illex squid trips fishing in the Illex 
Squid Exemption Area.
    The Regional Administrator has determined, based on dealer reports 
and other available information, that the longfin squid fleet will 
catch 90 percent of the total longfin squid Trimester II quota for the 
2016 seasonal period from May 1, 2016 through August 31, 2016, by June 
27, 2016. Therefore, effective 0001 hr local time, June 27, 2016, 
federally permitted vessels may not fish for, catch, possess, transfer, 
or land more than 2,500 lb (907.2 kg) of longfin squid per trip and 
land such squid more than once per calendar day. In addition, vessels 
that have entered port before 0001 hr on June 27, 2016, may offload and 
sell more than 2,500 lb (907.2 kg) of longfin squid from that trip. 
Vessels possessing a Federal Longfin Squid/Butterfish Moratorium permit 
on directed Illex squid fishing trips (i.e., possess over 10,000 lb 
(4.54 mt) of Illex) that are fishing in the Illex Squid Exemption Area, 
as defined in Table 1 below and at Sec.  648.23(a)(5), may possess only 
up to 15,000 lb (6.80 mt) of longfin squid. Once landward of the 
coordinates defining the Illex Squid Exemption Area, such vessels must 
stow all fishing gear, and render it not available for immediate use as 
defined in Sec.  648.2, in order to possess more than 2,500 lb (907.2 
kg) of longfin squid. Also, federally permitted dealers may not receive 
longfin squid from federally permitted longfin squid vessels that 
harvest more than 2,500 lb (907.2 kg) of longfin squid through 2400 hr 
local time, August 31, 2016, unless it is from a trip landed by a 
vessel that entered port before 0001 hr on June 27, 2016, except that 
they may purchase up to 15,000 lb (6.80 mt) of longfin squid from 
permitted vessels on declared Illex squid trips fishing in the Illex 
Squid Exemption Area.

             Table 1--Illex Squid Exemption Area Coordinates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           North latitude                       West longitude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
43[deg]58.0'                         67[deg]22.0'
43[deg]50.0'                         68[deg]35.0'
43[deg]30.0'                         69[deg]40.0'
43[deg]20.0'                         70[deg]00.0'
42[deg]45.0'                         70[deg]10.0'
42[deg]13.0'                         69[deg]55.0'
41[deg]00.0'                         69[deg]00.0'
41[deg]45.0'                         68[deg]15.0'
42[deg]10.0'                         67[deg]10.0'
41[deg]18.6'                         66[deg]24.8'
40[deg]55.5'                         66[deg]38.0'
40[deg]45.5'                         68[deg]00.0'
40[deg]37.0'                         68[deg]00.0'
40[deg]30.0'                         69[deg]00.0'
40[deg]22.7'                         69[deg]00.0'
40[deg]18.7'                         69[deg]40.0'
40[deg]21.0'                         71[deg]03.0'
39[deg]41.0'                         72[deg]32.0'
38[deg]47.0'                         73[deg]11.0'
38[deg]04.0'                         74[deg]06.0'
37[deg]08.0'                         74[deg]46.0'
36[deg]00.0'                         74[deg]52.0'
35[deg]45.0'                         74[deg]53.0'
35[deg]28.0'                         74[deg]52.0'
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    NMFS 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 and impracticable. The longfin squid 
Trimester II fishery opened for the 2016 fishing year on May 1, 2016. 
Data and other information indicating the longfin squid fleet will have 
landed at least 90 percent of the 2016 Trimester II quota have only 
recently become available. Landings data is updated on a weekly basis, 
and NMFS monitors catch data on a daily basis as catch increases toward 
the limit. Further, high-volume catch and landings in this fishery 
increases total catch relative to the quota quickly. The regulations at 
Sec.  648.24(a)(1) require such action to ensure that longfin squid 
vessels do not exceed the 2016 Trimester II quota. If implementation of 
this action is delayed to solicit prior public comment, the quota for 
this Trimester II may be exceeded, thereby undermining the conservation 
objectives of the FMP. If quotas are exceeded, the excess must also be 
deducted from a future Trimester and would reduce future fishing 
opportunities. Also, the public had prior notice and full opportunity 
to comment on this process when these provisions were put in place. 
Based on these considerations, NMFS 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: June 24, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-15379 Filed 6-24-16; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P