[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 13, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3723-3724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02193]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 160426363-7275-02]
RIN 0648-XG769


Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and 
Atlantic Region; 2018-2019 Commercial Run-Around Gillnet Closure for 
King Mackerel

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) through this 
temporary rule for commercial harvest of king mackerel in the southern 
zone of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) using 
run-around gillnet gear. NMFS has determined that the commercial annual 
catch limit (equivalent to the commercial quota) for king mackerel 
using run-around gillnet gear in the southern zone of the Gulf EEZ has 
been reached. Therefore, NMFS closes the southern zone to commercial 
king mackerel fishing using run-around gillnet gear in the Gulf EEZ on 
February 8, 2019. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf king 
mackerel resource.

DATES: The closure is effective from 12 p.m., eastern time, on February 
8, 2019, until 6 a.m., eastern time, on January 21, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelli O'Donnell, NMFS Southeast 
Regional Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The fishery for coastal migratory pelagic 
fish includes king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and cobia, and is 
managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal Migratory 
Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region (FMP). The 
FMP was prepared by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Councils and is implemented by NMFS under the authority of 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622. All weights for Gulf 
migratory group king mackerel (Gulf king mackerel) below apply as 
either round or gutted weight.
    King mackerel in the Gulf is divided into western, northern, and 
southern zones, which have separate commercial quotas. The southern 
zone for Gulf king mackerel encompasses an area of the EEZ south of a 
line extending due west from the boundary of Lee and Collier Counties 
on the Florida west coast, and south of a line extending due east from 
the boundary of Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties on the Florida east 
coast, which includes the EEZ off Collier and Monroe Counties in south 
Florida (50 CFR 622.369(a)(1)(iii)).
    The commercial quota for Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone is 
585,900 lb (265,760 kg) for vessels using run-around gillnet gear (50 
CFR 622.384(b)(1)(iii)(B)), for the current fishing year, July 1, 2018, 
through June 30, 2019.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 622.8(b) and 622.388(a)(1) require NMFS to 
close any component of the king mackerel commercial sector when its 
quota has been reached, or is projected to be reached, by filing a 
notification with the Office of the Federal Register. NMFS has 
determined that the Gulf king mackerel commercial quota for vessels 
using run-around gillnet gear in the southern zone has been reached. 
Accordingly, commercial fishing using such gear in the southern zone is 
closed at 12 p.m., eastern time, on February 8, 2019, until 6 a.m., 
eastern time, on January 21, 2020, the beginning of the next fishing 
season, i.e., the day after the 2020 Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal 
holiday. Vessel operators that have been issued

[[Page 3724]]

a Federal commercial permit to harvest Gulf king mackerel using run-
around gillnet gear in the southern zone must have landed ashore and 
bartered, traded, or sold such king mackerel prior to 12 p.m., eastern 
time, on February 8, 2019.
    Persons aboard a vessel for which a Federal commercial permit for 
Gulf king mackerel has been issued, except persons who also possess a 
king mackerel gillnet permit, may fish for or retain Gulf king mackerel 
harvested using hook-and-line gear in the southern zone unless the 
commercial quota for hook-and-line gear has been met and the hook-and-
line component of the commercial sector has been closed. In addition, 
as long as the recreational sector for Gulf king mackerel is open (50 
CFR 622.384(e)(1)), a person aboard a vessel that has a valid Federal 
commercial gillnet permit for king mackerel may continue to retain king 
mackerel under the bag and possession limits set forth in 50 CFR 
622.382(a)(1)(ii) and (a)(2).
    During the closure, Gulf king mackerel harvested using run-around 
gillnet gear in the southern zone may not be purchased or sold. This 
prohibition does not apply to Gulf king mackerel harvested using run-
around gillnet gear in the southern zone that were harvested, landed 
ashore, and sold prior to the closure and were held in cold storage by 
a dealer or processor (50 CFR 622.384(e)(2)).

Classification

    The Regional Administrator for the NMFS Southeast Region has 
determined this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and 
management of Gulf king mackerel and is consistent with the Magnuson-
Stevens Act and other applicable laws.
    This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.8(b) and 622.388(a)(1) and is 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
    These measures are exempt from the procedures of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act because the temporary rule is issued without prior 
notice and opportunity for public comment.
    This action responds to the best scientific information available. 
The NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (AA) finds that the need 
to immediately implement this action to close the commercial fishery 
component that uses run-around gillnet gear constitutes good cause to 
waive the requirements to provide prior notice and opportunity for 
public comment pursuant to the authority set forth in 5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(B), because prior notice and opportunity for public comment on 
this temporary rule is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. 
Such procedures are unnecessary because the rule implementing the 
commercial quota and the associated AM has already been subject to 
notice and comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the 
closure. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment is contrary to 
the public interest, because any delay in the closure of the commercial 
harvest could result in the commercial quota being exceeded. There is a 
need to immediately implement this action to protect the king mackerel 
resource, because the capacity of the fishing fleet allows for rapid 
harvest of the quota. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment 
on this action would require time and would potentially result in a 
harvest well in excess of the established quota.
    For the aforementioned reasons, the AA also finds good cause to 
waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).

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

    Dated: February 8, 2019.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-02193 Filed 2-8-19; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P