[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 19, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 60168-60169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-27283]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

RIN 0648-BH07


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Vermilion Snapper Management 
Measures; Amendment 47

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Council) 
has submitted Amendment 47 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef 
Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), for review, approval, and 
implementation by NMFS. Amendment 47 would establish a proxy for the 
estimate of the stock maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and revise the 
stock annual catch limit (ACL) for Gulf vermilion snapper. The purpose 
of Amendment 47 is to ensure that the MSY and ACL values for vermilion 
snapper are consistent with the results of the most recent stock 
assessment.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before February 20, 
2018.

[[Page 60169]]


ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the amendment identified by 
``NOAA-NMFS-2017-0106'' by either of the following methods:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2017-0106, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Lauren Waters, Southeast 
Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).
    Electronic copies of Amendment 47, which includes an environmental 
assessment, a fishery impact statement, a Regulatory Flexibility Act 
analysis, and a regulatory impact review, may be obtained from the 
Southeast Regional Office website at: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/reef_fish/2017/am47/docs/PDFs/gulf_reef_am47_vermilion_final.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauren Waters, Southeast Regional 
Office, NMFS, telephone: 727-824-5305; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requires each regional 
fishery management council to submit any FMP or amendment to NMFS for 
review and approval, partial approval, or disapproval. The Magnuson-
Stevens Act also requires that NMFS, upon receiving an FMP or 
amendment, publish an announcement in the Federal Register notifying 
the public that the FMP or amendment is available for review and 
comment.
    The FMP being revised by Amendment 47 was prepared by the Council 
and implemented by NMFS through regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under 
the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Background

    The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires the Council to specify the MSY 
for managed stocks. The National Standard 1 Guidelines state that the 
Council should adopt a reasonable proxy for MSY if data are 
insufficient to estimate MSY directly.

Status of the Vermilion Snapper Stock

    Amendment 23 to the FMP established MSY for vermilion snapper as 
the yield associated with FMSY when the stock is at 
equilibrium, where F is defined as fishing mortality (70 FR 109; June 
8, 2005). The final rule for the Generic Annual Catch Limit (ACL) and 
Accountability Measures (AM) Amendment established the vermilion 
snapper stock ACL and set it equal to the ABC at 3.42 million lb (1.55 
million kg), round weight (76 FR 82044, December 29, 2011).
    In 2016, a standard assessment for vermilion snapper was conducted 
(SEDAR 45) and the stock status was evaluated using several MSY 
proxies. Under all proxies evaluated in SEDAR 45, overfishing was not 
occurring and the stock was not overfished. The Council's Scientific 
and Statistical Committee (SSC) determined that the most appropriate 
proxy for MSY is the yield when fishing at a mortality rate 
corresponding to 30 percent spawning potential ratio (F30% 
SPR).
    SEDAR 45 also included projections for the overfishing limit and 
the ABC. The SSC provided the Council two recommendations for ABC: One 
that is derived from fishing at 75 percent of the MSY proxy (F30% 
SPR) and results in a declining ABC from 2017 through 2021, and one 
that is derived using the average of 2017-2021 ABCs and results in a 
constant ABC. The two ABC recommendations are equivalent in terms of 
maintaining the stock status and the Council selected the constant 
catch scenario that yielded an ABC of 3.11 million lb (1.41 million 
kg).

Actions Contained in Amendment 47

    Amendment 47 includes measures to establish a proxy for the 
estimate of the stock MSY and revise the stock ACL for Gulf vermilion 
snapper consistent with the results of SEDAR 45 and the SSC's new ABC 
recommendation.

MSY Proxy

    For vermilion snapper, the Council's SSC recommended that a proxy 
be used for MSY. The Council's SSC recommended F30% SPR as 
the MSY proxy for SEDAR 45, and the Council agreed. Under this proxy, 
the stock is not overfished or undergoing overfishing.

Stock ACL

    The current ACL of 3.42 million lb (1.55 million kg), round weight, 
exceeds the ABCs recommended by the Council's SSC. Therefore, the 
Council determined that the ACL for vermilion snapper should be 
decreased to equal the constant catch ABC and Amendment 47 would set 
the stock ACL at 3.11 million lb (1.41 million kg), round weight.
    The current accountability measures for vermilion snapper require 
NMFS to close the commercial and recreational fishing seasons if the 
combined commercial and recreational landings reach or are projected to 
reach the stock ACL. Since 2013, combined landings have been less than 
3.00 million lb (1.36 million kg), round weight, every year. Therefore, 
NMFS does not expect the combined landings of vermilion snapper to 
reach the proposed stock ACL and result in a closure before the end of 
the fishing year.

Proposed Rule for Amendment 47

    A proposed rule that would implement Amendment 47 has been drafted. 
In accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS is evaluating the 
proposed rule to determine whether it is consistent with the FMP, the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law. If that determination 
is affirmative, NMFS will publish the proposed rule in the Federal 
Register for public review and comment.

Consideration of Public Comments

    The Council has submitted Amendment 47 for Secretarial review, 
approval, and implementation. Comments on Amendment 47 must be received 
by February 20, 2018. Comments received during the respective comment 
periods, whether specifically directed to Amendment 47 or the proposed 
rule, will be considered by NMFS in its decision to approve, partially 
approve, or disapprove Amendment 47 and will be addressed in the final 
rule.
    All comments received by NMFS on Amendment 47 or the proposed rule 
during their respective comment periods will be addressed in the final 
rule.

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

    Dated: December 14, 2017.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-27283 Filed 12-18-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P