[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 13, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8998-8999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04620]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 151211999-6343-02]
RIN 0648-XG836


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery; Gulf of Maine Cod and Witch Flounder Trip Limit 
Increases for the Common Pool Fishery

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.

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SUMMARY: This action increases the possession and trip limits of Gulf 
of Maine cod and witch flounder for Northeast multispecies common pool 
vessels for the remainder of the 2019 fishing year, in order to provide 
the common pool fishery greater opportunity to harvest, but not exceed, 
its annual quota for these stocks.

DATES: These possession and trip limit adjustments are effective March 
13, 2019, through April 30, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Spencer Talmage, Fishery Management 
Specialist, 978-281-9232.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Possession and Trip Limit Increase for Georges Bank Cod

    The regulations at Sec.  648.86(o) authorize the Regional 
Administrator to adjust the possession and trip limits for common pool 
vessels in order to help avoid overharvest or underharvest of the 
common pool quotas.
    Based on most recent catch information, the common pool fishery has 
caught 5.3 mt of Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod, or approximately 44.9 percent 
of its 11.9 mt annual quota. Additionally, the common pool fishery has 
caught 5.2 mt of witch flounder, or approximately 28.2 percent of its 
18.3 mt annual quota. At the current rate of fishing, the common pool 
fishery is not projected to fully harvest its annual quota for either 
stock by the end of the 2019 fishing year. Providing vessels an 
opportunity to possess and land greater amounts of catch should provide 
greater incentive to fish and more opportunity to catch available 
quota. Based on our review of past fishing effort, we project that a 
moderate increase in the possession and trip limit for each stock 
should provide additional fishing opportunities and flexibility to 
catch available quota while ensuring that the common pool does not 
exceed its annual quotas.
    Effective March 13, 2019, the possession and trip limits of GOM cod 
and witch flounder are increased, as summarized in Table 1.

                               Table 1--Current and New Possession and Trip Limits
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                Stock                           Permit                  Current                    New
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GOM cod..............................  A DAS..................  50 lb (23 kg) per DAS,   100 lb (45 kg) per DAS,
                                                                 up to 100 lb (45 kg)     up to 200 lb (91 kg)
                                                                 per trip.                per trip.
                                       Handgear A.............  50 lb (23 kg) per trip.  100 lb (45 kg) per
                                                                                          trip.
                                       Handgear B.............  25 lb (11 kg) per trip.  25 lb (11 kg) per trip.
                                       Small Vessel Category *  50 lb (23 kg) per trip.  100 lb (45 kg) trip.
Witch flounder.......................  A DAS..................  400 lb (181 kg) per      600 lb (272 kg) per
                                                                 trip.                    trip.
                                       Handgear A.............
                                       Handgear B.............

[[Page 8999]]

 
                                       Small Vessel Category..
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* The Small Vessel Category trip limit of 300 lb (136 kg) of cod, yellowtail flounder, and haddock combined
  remains in place.

    Weekly quota monitoring reports for the common pool fishery can be 
found on our website 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, VMS catch 
reports, and other available information and, if necessary, we will 
make additional adjustments to common pool management measures.

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 this action relieves possession and 
landing restrictions, and delayed implementation would be impracticable 
and contrary to the public interest.
    The regulations at Sec.  648.86(o) authorize the Regional 
Administrator to adjust the possession and trip limits for common pool 
vessels in order to help avoid overharvest or underharvest of the 
common pool quotas.
    The catch data used as the basis for this action only recently 
became available. The available analysis indicates that the increased 
possession and trip limit adjustments for GOM cod and witch flounder 
should help the fishery achieve the optimum yield (OY) for this stock. 
Any delay in this action would limit the benefits to common pool 
vessels that the increased landing and possession limits are intended 
to provide.
    The time necessary to provide for prior notice and comment, and a 
30-day delay in effectiveness, would keep NMFS from implementing the 
necessary possession and trip limit before the end of the fishing year 
on April 30, 2019, which could prevent the fishery from achieving the 
OY and cause negative economic impacts to the common pool fishery. This 
would undermine management objectives of the Northeast Multispecies 
Fishery Management Plan and cause unnecessary negative economic impacts 
to the common pool fishery. The public received prior notice and an 
opportunity to comment on the Regional Administrator's exercise of this 
authority. The fishing industry participants have experienced these 
adjustments and have become accustomed to this process. There is 
additional good cause to waive the delayed effective period because 
this action relieves restrictions on fishing vessels by increasing a 
trip limit.

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

    Dated: March 8, 2019.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-04620 Filed 3-12-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P