[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 247 (Thursday, December 27, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66638-66643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27922]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 180625576-8999-03]
RIN 0648-BH93


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2019-2020 Biennial Specifications and 
Management Measures; Correction

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

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: NMFS published a final rule on December 12, 2018, to establish 
the 2019-2020 harvest specifications and management measures for 
groundfish taken in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the coasts of 
Washington, Oregon, and California. That rule included modifications to 
depth contour coordinates used for area management, trip limits for a 
variety of fleets, and allocations to different fisheries within the 
Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries. This action corrects the order of 
two waypoints for the 150 fathom (274 m) depth line, corrects the trip 
limits for the limited entry fixed gear and open access fleets for 
Minor Nearshore Rockfish south of 42[deg] North latitude (N), and 
corrects the Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) allocations for 
2019 and 2020 for canary rockfish and shortspine thornyheads north of 
34[deg]27' N latitude. These corrections are necessary so that the 
implementing regulations are accurate and implement the action as 
intended by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council).

DATES: This correction is effective on January 1, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keeley Kent, phone: 206-526-4655, fax: 
206-526-6736, or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS published a final rule on December 12, 
2018 (83 FR 63970), that established the 2019-2020 harvest 
specifications and management measures for groundfish taken in the U.S. 
exclusive economic zone off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and 
California. That final rule is effective January 1, 2019.

Need for Correction

    The December 12, 2018, final rule adjusted the waypoints (latitude 
and longitude coordinates) for the 150

[[Page 66639]]

fathom (274 m) depth contour at Sec.  660.73(h). Two of these waypoints 
were inadvertently swapped. When mapped, this erroneous coordinates 
create a cross-over in the line. In order to properly approximate the 
150 fathom (274 m) contour in this area, paragraphs (282) and (283) 
will be switched.
    Additionally, in the December 12, 2018, final rule, the trip limits 
for both the limited entry fixed gear (LEFG) fisheries north of 
40[deg]10' N latitude and the open access (OA) fisheries north of 
40[deg]10' N latitude, the sublimit within the Minor Nearshore Rockfish 
stock complex trip limit was mistakenly modified from those in the 
proposed rule by adding blue/deacon rockfish to the sublimit south of 
42[deg] N latitude (83 FR 47416; September 19, 2018). This mistake was 
connected to changes to other trip limits due to the new stock complex 
for Oregon black, blue/deacon rockfish. The preamble to the final rule 
correctly notes that this stock complex is only off of Oregon, so the 
correct southern extent is 42[deg] N latitude, not 40[deg]10' N 
latitude. This action reverts the sublimits to what was originally 
proposed, correcting Table 12 (page 63978) and Table 13 (page 63980) in 
the preamble, and Table 2 North to Part 660, Subpart E and Table 3 
North to Part 660, Subpart F in the regulations. For the LEFG fisheries 
between 42[deg] and 40[deg]10' N latitude, no more than 1,200 pounds 
may be species other than black rockfish every two months within the 
Minor Nearshore Rockfish trip limit. Similarly, for the OA fisheries, 
between 42[deg] and 40[deg]10' N latitude, no more than 1,200 pounds 
may be species other than black rockfish every two months within the 
Minor Nearshore Rockfish trip limit. There is no additional sublimit 
for blue/deacon rockfish south of 42[deg] N latitude.
    Finally, the December 12, 2018, final rule and the September 19, 
2018, proposed rule (47416) included incorrect allocations to the 
Shorebased IFQ Program at Sec.  660.140(d)(1)(ii)(D). These mistakes 
were also in Table 9 of the final rule preamble (page 63975). The 2019 
and 2020 allocations for canary rockfish and for shortspine thornyhead 
north of 34[deg]27' N lat. were incorrect in the table in this 
paragraph. For canary rockfish, the deductions for exempted fishing 
permits from the ACL were calculated incorrectly, and when corrected 
result in slightly larger allocation for the Shorebased IFQ Program. 
The December 12, 2018, final rule set the allocations for canary 
rockfish in 2019 at 946.9 mt and in 2020 at 887.8 mt. This action 
correctly sets these allocations at 953.6 mt for 2019 and 894.3 mt for 
2020.
    For shortspine thornyhead north of 34[deg]27' N lat., improper 
application of the formula for dividing the trawl allocation resulted 
in an error in the Shorebased IFQ Program allocations. Under Amendment 
21 to the Groundfish Fishery Management Plan, once the harvest 
guideline for this species is determined, a formula is applied to split 
that catch limit between trawl and non-trawl fisheries. The trawl 
allocation is then split by deducting the at-sea set asides, and the 
remainder is allocated to the Shorebased IFQ Program. For 2019-2020, 
the at-sea set aside amount for shortspine thornyhead north of 
34[deg]27' N lat. was increased from 25 to 30 mt, which should have 
been deducted from the allocation to the Shorebased IFQ Program. In the 
December 12, 2018, final rule, the Shorebased IFQ Program allocation 
did not reflect this 5 mt increase. This action corrects this mistake 
by reducing the Shorebased IFQ Program allocation by 5 mt (0.3 percent 
of the total allocation). For 2019, the allocation is now 1,506.8 mt 
and for 2020, the allocation is now 1,493.5 mt.
    All of these corrections are consistent with the Council action for 
the 2019-2020 groundfish harvest specifications and are minor 
corrections to correctly implement the Council intent in their final 
action from June 2018.

Classification

    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Assistant Administrator for 
Fisheries (AA) finds there is good cause to waive prior notice and an 
opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice and comment 
would be unnecessary and contrary to public interest. Notice and 
comment are unnecessary and contrary to the public interest because 
this action corrects inadvertent errors in the December 12, 2018, final 
rule. Immediate notice of the errors and correction is necessary to 
prevent confusion among participants in the fishery that could result 
in issues with enforcement of area management, as well as to allow the 
correct issuance of quota to the Shorebased IFQ Program for shortspine 
thornyheads and canary rockfish. To effectively correct the errors, the 
changes in this action must be effective on January 1, 2019, which is 
the effective date of the December 12, 2018, final rule. Thus, there is 
not sufficient time for notice and comment due to the imminent 
effective date of the December 12, 2018, final rule. In addition, 
notice and comment is unnecessary because this notice makes only minor 
changes to correct the final rule. These corrections will not affect 
the results of analyses conducted to support management decisions in 
the Pacific coast groundfish fishery.
    For the same reasons stated above, the AA has determined that good 
cause exists to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 553(d). This notice makes only minor corrections to the final 
rule which will be effective January 1, 2019. Delaying effectiveness of 
these corrections would result in conflicts in the regulations and 
confusion among fishery participants. Because prior notice and an 
opportunity for public comment are not required to be provided for this 
rule by 5 U.S.C. 553, or any other law, the analytical requirements of 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., are not 
applicable. Accordingly, no Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is required 
for this rule and none has been prepared.
    This final rule is not significant under Executive Order 12866.

Corrections

    Effective January 1, 2019, in FR. Doc. 2018-26602 at 83 FR 63970 in 
the issue of December 12, 2018:

0
1. On page 63994, in amendatory instruction 9, in the second column, 
Sec.  660.73(h)(282) and (283) are corrected to read as follows:


Sec.  660.73  [Corrected]

* * * * *
    (h) * * *
    (282) 34[deg]09.00' N lat., 120[deg]18.40' W long.;
    (283) 34[deg]11.07' N lat., 120[deg]25.03' W long.;
* * * * *

0
2. On page 64002, in amendatory instruction 14, in the third column, 
Sec.  660.140(d)(1)(ii)(D) is corrected to read as follows:


Sec.  660.140  [Corrected]

* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (ii) * * *
    (D) For the trawl fishery, NMFS will issue QP based on the 
following shorebased trawl allocations:

[[Page 66640]]



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                                                                                       2019            2020
                                                                                    Shorebased      Shorebased
                  IFQ species                                 Area                     trawl           trawl
                                                                                    allocation      allocation
                                                                                       (mt)            (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth flounder...........................  Coastwide.......................       12,735.10       10,052.30
Bocaccio......................................  South of 40[deg]10' N lat.......           800.7           767.1
Canary rockfish...............................  Coastwide.......................           953.6           894.3
Chilipepper...................................  South of 40[deg]10' N lat.......        1,838.30        1,743.80
COWCOD........................................  South of 40[deg]10' N lat.......             2.2             2.2
Darkblotched rockfish.........................  Coastwide.......................           658.4           703.4
Dover sole....................................  Coastwide.......................       45,979.20       45,979.20
English sole..................................  Coastwide.......................        9,375.10        9,417.90
Lingcod.......................................  North of 40[deg]10' N lat.......        2,051.90        1,903.40
Lingcod.......................................  South of 40[deg]10' N lat.......           462.5             386
Longspine thornyhead..........................  North of 34[deg]27' N lat.......        2,420.00        2,293.60
Minor Shelf Rockfish complex..................  North of 40[deg]10' N lat.......        1,155.20        1,151.60
Minor Shelf Rockfish complex..................  South of 40[deg]10' N lat.......           188.6           188.6
Minor Slope Rockfish complex..................  North of 40[deg]10' N lat.......        1,248.80        1,237.50
Minor Slope Rockfish complex..................  South of 40[deg]10' N lat.......          456.00           455.4
Other Flatfish complex........................  Coastwide.......................        5,603.70        5,192.40
Pacific cod...................................  Coastwide.......................        1,034.10        1,034.10
Pacific ocean perch...........................  North of 40[deg]10' N lat.......        3,697.30        3,602.20
Pacific whiting...............................  Coastwide.......................             TBD             TBD
Petrale sole..................................  Coastwide.......................        2,453.00        2,393.20
Sablefish.....................................  North of 36[deg] N; lat.........        2,581.30        2,636.80
Sablefish.....................................  South of 36[deg] N lat..........             834           851.7
Shortspine thornyhead.........................  North of 34[deg]27' N lat.......         1,506.8         1,493.5
Shortspine thornyhead.........................  South of 34[deg]27' N lat.......              50              50
Splitnose rockfish............................  South of 40[deg]10' N lat.......        1,646.70        1,628.70
Starry flounder...............................  Coastwide.......................           211.6           211.6
Widow rockfish................................  Coastwide.......................        9,928.80        9,387.10
YELLOWEYE ROCKFISH............................  Coastwide.......................             3.4             3.4
Yellowtail rockfish...........................  North of 40[deg]10' N lat.......        4,305.80        4,048.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


0
3. On page 64008, in amendatory instruction 20, Table 2 (North) to Part 
660, Subpart E is corrected to read as follows:

Table 2 (North) to Part 660, Subpart E--Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation 
Areas and Trip Limits for Limited Entry Fixed Gear North of 40[deg]10' 
N Lat. [Corrected]

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[[Page 66641]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR27DE18.042


[[Page 66642]]



0
4. On page 64011, in amendatory instruction 23, Table 3 (North) to Part 
660, Subpart F is corrected to read as follows:

Table 3 (North) to Part 660, Subpart F--Non-Trawl Rockfish Conservation 
Areas and Trip Limits for Open Access Gears North of 40[deg]10' N Lat. 
[Corrected]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR27DE18.043


[[Page 66643]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR27DE18.044


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

    Dated: December 19, 2018.
Donna S. Wieting,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-27922 Filed 12-26-18; 8:45 am]
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