[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 137 (Monday, July 18, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46614-46615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16893]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 300

[Docket No. 130717632-4285-02]
RIN 0648-XE729


International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna Fisheries; 2016 Bigeye Tuna 
Longline Fishery Closure in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is temporarily closing the U.S. pelagic longline fishery 
for bigeye tuna for vessels over 24 meters in overall length in the 
eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) through December 31, 2016, because the 2016 
catch limit of 500 metric tons is expected to be reached. This action 
is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding the applicable catch 
limit established by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission 
(IATTC) in Resolution C-13-01 (Multiannual Program for the Conservation 
of Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean During 2014-2016).

DATES: The rule is effective 12 a.m. local time July 25, 2016, through 
11:59 p.m. local time December 31, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Taylor Debevec, NMFS West Coast 
Region, 562-980-4066.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States is a member of the IATTC, 
which was established under the Convention for the Establishment of an 
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission signed in 1949 (Convention). 
The Convention provides an international agreement to ensure the 
effective international conservation and management of highly migratory 
species of fish in the IATTC Convention Area. The IATTC Convention 
Area, as amended by the Antigua Convention, includes the waters of the 
EPO bounded by the coast of the Americas, the 50[deg] N. and 50[deg] S. 
parallels, and the 150[deg] W. meridian.
    Pelagic longline fishing in the EPO is managed, in part, under the 
Tuna Conventions Act as amended (Act), 16 U.S.C. 951-962. Under the 
Act, NMFS must publish regulations to carry out recommendations of the 
IATTC that have been approved by the Department of State (DOS). 
Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the 
Act appear at 50 CFR part 300, subpart C. These regulations implement 
IATTC recommendations for the conservation and management of highly 
migratory fish resources in the EPO.
    In 2013, the IATTC adopted Resolution C-13-01, which establishes an 
annual catch limit of bigeye tuna for longline vessels over 24 meters. 
For calendar years 2014, 2015, and 2016, the catch of bigeye tuna by 
longline gear in the IATTC Convention Area by fishing vessels of the 
United States that are over 24 meters in overall length is limited to 
500 metric tons per year. With the approval of the DOS, NMFS 
implemented this catch limit by notice-and-comment rulemaking under the 
Act (79 FR 19487, April 9, 2014, and codified at 50 CFR 300.25).
    NMFS, through monitoring the retained catches of bigeye tuna using 
logbook data submitted by vessel captains and other available 
information from the longline fisheries in the IATTC Convention Area, 
has determined that the 2016 catch limit is expected to be reached by 
July 25, 2016. In accordance with 50 CFR 300.25(b), this Federal 
Register notice announces that the U.S. longline fishery for bigeye 
tuna in the IATTC Convention Area will be closed for vessels over 24 
meters in overall length starting on July 25, 2016, through the end of 
the 2016 calendar year. The 2017 fishing year is scheduled to open on 
January 1, 2017; the bigeye tuna catch limit for longline vessels over 
24 meters in overall length has yet to be determined for 2017. The 
IATTC will meet in October 2016 and is scheduled to address tropical 
tuna conservation and management, including the catch limit for large 
longline vessels. Any measures adopted by the IATTC in October 2016 
would subsequently be implemented by NMFS via rulemaking.
    During the closure, a U.S. fishing vessel over 24 meters in overall 
length may not be used to retain on board, transship, or land bigeye 
tuna captured by longline gear in the IATTC Convention Area, except as 
follows:
     Any bigeye tuna already on board a fishing vessel on July 
25, 2016, may be retained on board, transshipped, and/or landed, to the 
extent authorized by applicable laws and regulations, provided all 
bigeye tuna are landed within 14 days after the effective date of this 
rule, that is, no later than August 8, 2016.
     In the case of a vessel that has declared to NMFS that the 
current trip type is shallow-set longlining, the 14-day limit to land 
all bigeye in the previous paragraph is waived. However, the 
prohibition on any additional retention of bigeye tuna still applies as 
of July 25, 2016.
    Other prohibitions during the closure include the following:
     Bigeye tuna caught by a United States vessel over 24 
meters in overall length with longline gear in the IATTC Convention 
Area may not be transshipped to a fishing vessel unless that fishing 
vessel is operated in compliance with a valid permit issued under 50 
CFR 660.707 or 665.801.\1\
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    \1\ In 50 CFR 300.25(b)(4)(ii), the reference to Sec.  665.21 is 
outdated. The former 50 CFR 665.21 has been recodifed to Sec.  
665.801.
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     A U.S. fishing vessel over 24 meters in overall length 
that is not on a declared shallow-set longline trip may not be used to 
fish in the Pacific Ocean using longline gear both inside and outside 
the IATTC Convention Area during the same fishing trip, with the 
exception of a fishing trip that was already in progress when the 
prohibitions were put into effect.
     If a vessel over 24 meters in overall length not on a 
declared shallow-set longline trip is used to fish in the Pacific Ocean 
using longline gear outside the IATTC Convention Area, and the vessel 
enters the IATTC Convention Area at any time during the same fishing 
trip, the longline gear on the fishing vessel must be stowed in a 
manner so as not to be readily available for fishing. Specifically, the 
hooks, branch lines, and floats must be stowed and not available for 
immediate use, and any power-operated mainline hauler on deck must be 
covered in such a manner that it is not readily available for use.

Classification

    NMFS has determined there is good cause to waive prior notice and 
opportunity for public comment pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B). This 
action is based on the best available information and is necessary for 
the conservation and management of bigeye tuna. Compliance with the 
notice and comment requirement would be impracticable and contrary to 
the public interest because NMFS would be unable to ensure that the 
2016 bigeye tuna catch limit applicable to longline vessels over 24 
meters is not exceeded. The annual catch limit is an important 
mechanism to ensure that the United States complies with its 
international obligations in preventing overfishing

[[Page 46615]]

and managing the fishery at optimum yield. Moreover, NMFS previously 
solicited, and considered, public comments on the rule that established 
the catch limit (79 FR 19487, April 9, 2014), including a provision for 
issuing a notice to close the fishery, if necessary, to prevent 
exceeding the catch limit. For the same reasons, NMFS has also 
determined there is good cause to waive the requirement for a 30-day 
delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
    This action is required by Sec.  300.25(b) and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 951 et seq.

    Dated: July 13, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-16893 Filed 7-13-16; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P