[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 27, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66197-66198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23216]



[[Page 66197]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 151130999-682603]
RIN 0648-XE336


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish 
Fishery; 2016-2018 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications; Correction

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

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: This action corrects the recreational harvest limit value 
published in the 2016-2018 Atlantic bluefish specifications final rule, 
which is effective August 1, 2016, through December 31, 2018. This 
action is necessary and intended to ensure the correct 2016-2018 
bluefish recreational harvest limit values are provided to the public.

DATES: This correction is effective September 27, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Information on the August 4, 2016, final rule (81 FR 51370), 
which includes an Environmental Assessment and Initial Regulatory 
Flexibility Analysis (EA/IRFA) and other supporting documents for the 
specifications, are available via the Internet at www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reid Lichwell, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9112.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The August 4, 2016, final rule (81 FR 51370) set catch limit 
specifications (i.e., commercial and recreational fishery quotas) for 
the 2016-2018 Atlantic bluefish fishery, and is effective August 1, 
2016, through December 31, 2018. As part of that final rule, consistent 
with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) specification 
setting process, specific recreational harvest limits were derived and 
provided to the public.

Classification

    The Assistant Administrator (AA) for Fisheries, NOAA, finds that 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior 
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice 
and comment are unnecessary and would be contrary to the public 
interest. This correcting amendment implements regulations as 
recommended by the Council and as described in the preambles to the 
harvest specification and management measures proposed rule (81 FR 
18559, March 31, 2016) and final rule (81 FR 51370, August 4, 2016). 
The derivation process was correctly described in the proposed and 
final rules; however, the recreational harvest limit (RHL) was 
inadvertently published incorrectly at page 51371 of the final rule in 
``Table 1, Final 2016-1018 Bluefish Specifications.'' There would be no 
value in soliciting further comment on the corrected value in this 
rule, as the public has already had opportunity to review and comment 
on the process used to derive the RHL. It would be contrary to the 
public interest to delay implementation of the correction in this rule, 
because it will cause public confusion. For the reasons above, the AA 
also finds good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day 
delay in effectiveness and makes this rule effective immediately upon 
publication.

Need for Correction

    The August 4, 2016, final rule outlined the calculations for the 
final specifications in a table, but one line of the table was 
inadvertently incorrectly updated when the most up to date recreational 
landings data for 2015 became available during the final processing 
stage of the rule. The table titled ``Final 2016-2018 Bluefish 
Specifications'', as published on page 51371 of the final rule 
incorrectly indicated in the last row that the recreational harvest 
limit (RHL) was 13,158,843 lb (1,500 mt) for 2016; 14,143,295 lb (6,414 
mt) for 2017; and 15,116,768 lb (6,857 mt) for 2018. The corrected RHL 
for all three years is 11,581,548 lb (5,253 mt).

Correction

    On page 51371 of the August 4, 2016, final rule (81 FR 51370), 
table 1 is corrected to read as follows:

                                           Table 1--Corrected Final 2016-2018 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications
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                                                                       2016                            2017                            2018
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                lb              mt              lb              mt              lb              mt
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OFL.....................................................      25,763,220          11,686      26,444,448          11,995      27,972,252          12,688
ABC.....................................................      19,455,796           8,825      20,641,883           9,363      21,814,742           9,895
ACL.....................................................      19,455,796           8,825      20,641,883           9,363      21,814,742           9,895
Management Uncertainty..................................               0               0               0               0               0               0
Commercial ACT..........................................       3,307,485           1,500       3,509,120           1,592       3,708,506           1,682
Recreational ACT........................................      16,148,311           7,325      17,132,763           7,770      18,106,236           8,213
Commercial Discards.....................................               0               0               0               0               0               0
Recreational Discards...................................       2,989,468           1,356       2,989,468           1,356       2,989,468           1,356
Commercial TAL..........................................       3,307,485           1,500       3,509,120           1,592       3,708,506           1,682
Recreational TAL........................................      13,158,843           5,969      14,143,295           6,414      15,116,768           6,857
Combined TAL............................................      16,466,328           7,469      17,652,415           8,006      18,825,274           8,539
Expected Recreational Landings..........................      11,581,548           5,253      11,581,548           5,253      11,581,548           5,253
Transfer................................................       1,577,295             715       2,561,747           1,161       3,535,220           1,604
Commercial Quota........................................       4,884,780           2,215       6,070,867           2,753       7,243,726           3,286
Recreational Harvest Limit..............................      11,581,548           5,253      11,581,548           5,253      11,581,548           5,253
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[[Page 66198]]

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

    Dated: September 16, 2016.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-23216 Filed 9-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P