[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 57 (Monday, March 27, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 15154-15155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05980]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 151211999-6343-02]
RIN 0648-XF313


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery; Trip Limit Increase for the Small Vessel Category 
of the Common Pool Fishery

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.

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SUMMARY: This action increases the Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod trip limit 
for Northeast multispecies common pool small vessel category vessels 
for the remainder of the 2016 fishing year. This increase corrects a 
previous action that did not raise the small vessel category trip 
limit. Increasing the possession and trip limits is intended to provide 
the common pool fishery with additional fishing opportunities through 
the end of the fishing year.

DATES: The trip limit increase is effective March 22, 2017, through 
April 30, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9232.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations at Sec.  648.86(o) authorize 
the Regional Administrator to adjust the possession and trip limits for 
common pool vessels in order to help prevent the overharvest or 
underharvest of the common pool quotas.
    On March 16, 2017, the common pool Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod and 
haddock trip limits were increased (82 FR 14478, March 21, 2017). In 
this action, we incorrectly stated that the small vessel category trip 
limit of GOM cod was unchanged. However, this trip limit should have 
increased from 25 lb (11.34 kg) per trip to 100 lb (45.36 kg) per trip. 
To correct this error and allow the common pool fishery to catch more 
of its quota for GOM cod, effective March 22, 2017, the trip limit of 
GOM cod for

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the small vessel category is increased to 100 lb (45.36 kg) per trip. 
Vessels in the small vessel category are still held to the combined 
300-lb (136.1 kg) trip limit for cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder. 
Common pool groundfish vessels that have declared their trip through 
the vessel monitoring system (VMS) or interactive voice response 
system, and crossed the VMS demarcation line prior to March 22, 2017, 
may land the new trip limit for that trip.
    Weekly quota monitoring reports for the common pool fishery can be 
found on our Web site at: http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/ro/fso/MultiMonReports.htm. We 
will continue to monitor common pool catch through vessel trip reports, 
dealer-reported landings, VMS catch reports, and other available 
information and, if necessary, we will make additional adjustments to 
common pool management measures.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive prior 
notice and the opportunity for public comment and the 30-day delayed 
effectiveness period because it would be impracticable and contrary to 
the public interest.
    The regulations at Sec.  648.86(o) authorize the Regional 
Administrator to adjust the Northeast multispecies possession and trip 
limits for common pool vessels in order to help prevent the overharvest 
or underharvest of the pertinent common pool quotas. The error in a 
recent inseason action to increase the GOM cod and haddock trip limits 
was only recently discovered. As a result, the time necessary to 
provide for prior notice and comment, and a 30-day delay in 
effectiveness, would prevent NMFS from implementing the necessary trip 
limit correction in a timely manner, which could prevent the fishery 
from achieving the OY, and cause negative economic impacts to the 
common pool fishery.

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

    Dated: March 22, 2017.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-05980 Filed 3-22-17; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P