[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 245 (Friday, December 21, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 65574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27689]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 180209147-8509-02]
RIN 0648-XG674


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Small-Mesh 
Multispecies Fishery; Inseason Adjustment to the Southern Red Hake 
Possession Limit

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the commercial per-trip possession limit 
for southern red hake has been reduced for the remainder of the 2018 
fishing year. Regulations governing the small-mesh multispecies fishery 
require this action to prevent the southern red hake total allowable 
landing limit from being exceeded. This announcement also informs the 
public of the reduced southern red hake possession limit.

DATES: Effective December 26, 2018, through April 30, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Ferrio, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the red hake fishery 
are found at 50 CFR part 648. The small-mesh multispecies fishery is 
managed primarily through a series of exemptions from the Northeast 
Multispecies Fisheries Management Plan. The regulations describing the 
process to adjust inseason commercial possession limits of southern red 
hake are described in Sec.  648.86(d)(4) and Sec.  648.90(b)(5). These 
regulations require the NMFS Regional Administrator, Greater Atlantic 
Region, to reduce the southern red hake per-trip possession limit from 
5,000 lb (2,268 kg) to the incidental limit of 400 lb (181 kg) when 
landings have been projected to reach or exceed 90 percent of the total 
allowable landings (TAL), unless such a reduction is expected to 
prevent the TAL from being reached. The final rule implementing the 
small-mesh multispecies specifications for 2018-2020 (83 FR 27713; June 
14, 2018) set the southern red hake inseason adjustment threshold for 
the 2018 fishing year as 605,169 lb (274,500 kg); 90 percent of the 
southern red hake TAL for the year.
    Based on commercial landings data reported through December 8, 
2018, the southern red hake fishery is projected to reach 90 percent of 
the TAL on or around December 26, 2018. NMFS is required to reduce the 
commercial southern red hake possession limit when 90 percent of the 
TAL is projected to be reached, to prevent the TAL from being exceeded. 
We do not anticipate that this reduced possession limit will prevent 
the TAL from being achieved. Therefore, effective December 26, 2018, no 
person may possess on board or land more than 400 lb (181 kg) of 
southern red hake per trip for the remainder of the fishing year (i.e., 
through April 30, 2019).

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 
under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior notice and the opportunity for 
public comment because it would be contrary to the public interest. 
This action reduces the per-trip possession limit for southern red hake 
to the incidental limit of 400 lb (181 kg) until April 30, 2019, under 
current small-mesh multispecies fishery regulations. The regulations at 
Sec.  648.86(d) require such action to ensure that commercial small-
mesh multispecies vessels do not exceed the TAL set for the southern 
red hake stock. If implementation of this reduction was delayed to 
solicit prior public comment, the southern red hake TAL for this 
fishing year may be exceeded, thereby undermining the conservation 
objectives of the Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. 
Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Assistant Administrator 
further finds good cause to waive the 30-day delayed effectiveness 
period for the reason stated above.

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

    Dated: December 18, 2018.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-27689 Filed 12-18-18; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P