[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 82 (Monday, May 1, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20285-20287]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08809]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 150105004-5355-01]
RIN 0648-XF377


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery; Possession and Trip Limit Implementation for the 
Common Pool Fishery

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; possession and trip limit implementation.

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SUMMARY: This action sets the initial possession and trip limits for 
Northeast multispecies common pool vessels for the 2017 fishing year. 
The regulations authorize the Regional Administrator to implement trip 
limits for common pool vessels in order to prevent exceeding the 
pertinent common pool quotas. This action is intended to optimize the 
harvest of Northeast regulated multispecies.

DATES: The possession and trip limit implementation is effective at 
0001 hours on May 1, 2017, through April 30, 2018.

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 (RA) to implement possession and trip limits 
for common pool vessels in order to prevent the overharvest of common 
pool quotas. Effective May 1, 2017, this action sets the initial 
possession and trip limits for the 2017 fishing year, as summarized in 
Tables 1 and 2 below. These possession and trip limits were developed 
after considering any changes to the common pool quota, preliminary 
2017 sector rosters, and 2016 catch rates. These adjustments are 
intended to facilitate optimized harvest of the common pool quotas and 
prevent early trimester closures.
    The initial 2017 possession and trip limits are the same as the 
initial 2016 limits, with the exception of four stocks (Georges Bank 
(GB) cod, Gulf of Maine (GOM) haddock, Southern New England/Mid-
Atlantic (SNE/MA) yellowtail flounder, and witch flounder). The initial 
possession and trip limit for GB cod outside the Eastern U.S./Canada 
area and witch flounder are reduced relative to initial 2016 possession 
and trip limits to prevent early stock area closures in Trimester 1 as 
occurred in 2016. For GOM haddock and SNE/MA yellowtail flounder, the 
initial 2017 limits are higher than the initial 2016 limits to allow 
additional opportunities given that quota utilization was low for these 
stocks in 2016.
    For Handgear A and Handgear B vessels, possession and trip limits 
for GB and GOM cod are tied to the possession and trip limits for 
groundfish days-at-sea (DAS) vessels. The default cod trip limit is 300 
lb (136 kg) for Handgear A vessels and 75 lb (34 kg) for Handgear B 
vessels. If the GOM or GB cod landing limit for vessels fishing on a 
groundfish DAS drops below 300 lb (136 kg), then the respective 
Handgear A cod trip limit must be reduced to the same limit. Similarly, 
the Handgear B trip limit must be adjusted proportionally (rounded up 
to the nearest 25 lb (11 kg)) to the DAS limit. This action sets the 
trip limit of GOM cod to 25 lb (11 kg) per DAS, up to 100 lb (45 kg) 
per trip for vessels fishing on a groundfish DAS, which is 97 percent 
lower than the default limit specified in the regulations for these 
vessels (800 lb (363 kg) per DAS). As a result, the Handgear A and 
Handgear B trip limit for GOM cod is 25 lb (11 kg) per trip. This 
action sets the possession and trip limit of GB cod at 250 lb (136 kg) 
per DAS, up to 500 lb (227 kg) per trip for vessels fishing on a 
groundfish DAS outside the Eastern U.S./Canada Area. As a result, the 
Handgear A trip limit for GB cod is also set at 250 lb (136 kg) per 
trip, and the Handgear B trip limit is 25 lb (11 kg) per 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, vessel monitoring system catch reports, and 
other available information and, if necessary, we will make additional 
adjustments to common pool management measures.

 Table 1--Initial 2016 and Initial 2017 Common Pool Possession and Trip
                                 Limits
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Stock                2016 Trip limit       2017 Trip limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod (outside Eastern U.S./ 500 lb (227 kg) per   250 lb (113 kg) per
 Canada Area).                 DAS, up to 2,500 lb   DAS, up to 500 lb
                               per (1,134 kg) per    per (227 kg) per
                               trip.                 trip.
GB Cod (inside Eastern U.S./  100 lb (45 kg) per    100 lb (45 kg) per
 Canada Area).                 DAS, up to 500 lb     DAS, up to 500 lb
                               (227 kg) per trip.    (227 kg) per trip.
GOM Cod.....................  25 lb (11 kg) per     25 lb (11 kg) per
                               DAS, up to 100 lb     DAS, up to 100 lb
                               (45 kg) per trip.     (45 kg) per trip.
GB Haddock..................  100,000 lb (45,359    100,000 lb (45,359
                               kg) per trip.         kg) per trip.
GOM Haddock.................  200 lb (91 kg) per    500 lb (227 kg) per
                               DAS up to 600 lb      DAS up to 1,000 lb
                               (272 kg) per trip.    (454 kg) per trip.
GB Yellowtail Flounder......  100 lb (45 kg) per    100 lb (45 kg) per
                               trip.                 trip.
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder..  250 lb (113 kg) per   500 lb (227 kg) per
                               DAS, up to 500 lb     DAS, up to 1,000 lb
                               (227 kg) per trip.    (454 kg) per trip.
Cape Cod (CC)/GOM Yellowtail  750 lb (340 kg) per   750 lb (340 kg) per
 Flounder.                     DAS up to 1,500 lb    DAS up to 1,500 lb
                               (680 kg) per trip.    (680 kg) per trip.
American plaice.............  1,000 lb (454 kg)     1,000 lb (454 kg)
                               per trip.             per trip.
Witch Flounder..............  250 lb (113 kg) per   150 lb (68 kg) per
                               trip.                 trip.
GB Winter Flounder..........  250 lb (113 kg) per   250 lb (113 kg) per
                               trip.                 trip.
GOM Winter Flounder.........  2,000 lb (907 kg)     2,000 lb (907 kg)
                               per trip.             per trip.
SNE/MA Winter Flounder......  2,000 lb (907 kg)     2,000 lb (907 kg)
                               per DAS, up to        per DAS, up to
                               4,000 lb (1,814 kg)   4,000 lb (1,814 kg)
                               per trip.             per trip.

[[Page 20286]]

 
Redfish.....................  Unlimited...........  Unlimited.
White hake..................  1,500 lb (680 kg)     1,500 lb (680 kg)
                               per trip.             per trip.
Pollock.....................  Unlimited...........  Unlimited.
Atlantic Halibut............  1 fish per trip.....  1 fish per trip.
Windowpane Flounder.........  Possession            Possession
Ocean Pout..................   Prohibited.           Prohibited.
Atlantic Wolffish...........
------------------------------------------------------------------------


 Table 2--Initial 2016 and Initial 2017 Fishing Year Cod Trip Limits for
        Handgear A, Handgear B, and Small Vessel Category Permits
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Initial 2016 trip     Initial 2017 trip
           Permit                     limit                 limit
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Handgear A GOM Cod..........  25 lb (11 kg) per     25 lb (11 kg) per
                               trip.                 trip.
Handgear A GB Cod...........  300 lb (136 kg) per   250 lb (113 kg) per
                               trip.                 trip.
Handgear B GOM Cod..........  25 lb (11 kg) per     25 lb (11 kg) per
                               trip.                 trip.
Handgear B GB Cod...........  25 lb (11 kg) per     25 lb (11 kg) per
                               trip.                 trip.
Small Vessel Category.......  300 lb of cod,        300 lb of cod,
                               haddock, and          haddock, and
                               yellowtail flounder   yellowtail flounder
                               combined;             combined;
                               additionally,         additionally,
                               vessels are limited   vessels are limited
                               to the common pool    to the common pool
                               DAS limit for all     DAS limit for all
                               stocks..              stocks.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As a reminder, Table 3 includes the common pool trimester Total 
Allowable Catches (TACs) for fishing year 2017. These trimester TACs 
are based on preliminary sector rosters. However, individual permit 
holders have until the end of the 2016 fishing year (April 30, 2017) to 
drop out of a sector and fish in the common pool fishery for the 2017 
fishing year. Therefore, it is possible that the sector and common pool 
catch limits, including the trimester TACs, may change due to changes 
in sector rosters. If changes to sector rosters occur, updated catch 
limits and/or possession and trip limits will be announced as soon as 
possible in the 2017 fishing year to reflect the final sector rosters 
as of May 1, 2017. The regulations also require that any overages of 
the common pool quota be deducted from the respective quota in the 
following fishing year. If final fishing year 2016 catch information 
indicates the common pool exceeded its quota for any stock, we would 
reduce the common pool quota, as required, in a future action.
    Additionally, we are working to publish a proposed rule for 
Framework Adjustment 56. If approved, Framework 56 would substantively 
increase the 2017 catch limit for witch flounder. In the Framework 56 
proposed rule, we intend to propose a change to the common pool trip 
limit for witch flounder consistent with the recommended quota 
increase.

                                      Table 3--Common Pool Trimester Total Allowable Catches for Fishing Year 2017
                                                                    [mt, live weight]
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                                                                        Percentage of quota                                    2017
                          Stock                          -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Trimester 1     Trimester 2     Trimester 3     Trimester 1     Trimester 2     Trimester 3
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GB Cod..................................................              25              37              38             2.9             4.4             4.5
GOM Cod.................................................              27              36              37             2.7             3.6             3.7
GB Haddock..............................................              27              33              40            84.3           103.0           124.8
GOM Haddock.............................................              27              26              47            10.0             9.6            17.3
GB Yellowtail Flounder..................................              19              30              52             0.8             1.3             2.2
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder..............................              21              37              42             7.2            12.7            14.4
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder..............................              35              35              30             5.5             5.5             4.7
American Plaice.........................................              24              36              40             5.2             7.8             8.7
Witch Flounder..........................................              27              31              42             2.3             2.7             3.6
GB Winter Flounder......................................               8              24              69             0.4             1.2             3.3
GOM Winter Flounder.....................................              37              38              25            12.6            12.9             8.5
Redfish.................................................              25              31              44            14.3            17.7            25.1
White Hake..............................................              38              31              31             9.8             8.0             8.0
Pollock.................................................              28              35              37            32.5            40.6            42.9
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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 contrary to the public 
interest. The regulations at Sec.  648.86(o) authorize the RA to adjust 
the Northeast multispecies possession and trip limits for common pool 
vessels in order to prevent the overharvest or underharvest of the 
pertinent common pool quotas. This action sets the initial common pool 
possession and trip limits on May 1, 2017, for the 2017 fishing year. 
The possession and trip limits

[[Page 20287]]

implemented through this action help to ensure that the Northeast 
multispecies common pool fishery may achieve the optimum yield (OY) for 
the relevant stocks, while controlling catch to help prevent inseason 
closures or quota overages. Delay of this action would leave the common 
pool fishery with no possession or trip limits to control catch and 
would likely lead to early closure of a trimester and quota overages. 
Any overage of catch must be deducted from the Trimester 3 quota, which 
could substantially disrupt the trimester structure and intent to 
distribute the fishery across the entire fishing year. An overage 
reduction in Trimester 3 would further reduce fishing opportunities for 
common pool vessels and likely result in early closure of Trimester 3.
    This would undermine management objectives of the Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan and cause unnecessary negative 
economic impacts to the common pool fishery.

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

    Dated: April 26, 2017.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-08809 Filed 4-27-17; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P