[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 24, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 49960-49962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20248]
[[Page 49960]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 190913-0028]
RIN 0648-BJ21
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; correcting amendments.
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SUMMARY: This action contains corrections to the final rules related to
2019-2020 Biennial Harvest Specifications and Management Measures for
groundfish harvested in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the coasts
of Washington, Oregon, and California published on December 12, 2018,
and May 10, 2019. These corrections are necessary so the regulations
accurately implement the Pacific Fishery Management Council's intent.
DATES: This correction is effective September 24, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Hooper, phone: 206-526-6117 or
email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS published a final rule on December 12,
2018, (83 FR 63970), that implemented the 2019-2020 harvest
specifications and management measures for groundfish harvested in the
U.S. exclusive economic zone off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and
California. That final rule was effective January 1, 2019. After
publication of the final rule, the need for four corrections was noted
by NMFS.
This action corrects: (1) The definition of groundfish for
nearshore rockfish south of 40[deg]10' N latitude; (2) the depth
restrictions in the Cowcod Conservation Area; (3) language describing
the use of small footrope gear inside the Columbia and Klamath River
Salmon Conservation Zones; and (4) the 2019 yellowtail rockfish
allocations north of 40[deg]10' N latitude.
Corrections
The final rule for the 2019-2020 groundfish harvest specifications
and management measures (83 FR 63970; December 12, 2018) contained an
error in the amendatory instructions for the definition of
``Groundfish'' in 50 CFR 660.11. In adding new subparagraphs to
describe stock complex changes, the portion of the definition for
nearshore rockfish south of 40[deg]10' N latitude was inadvertently
deleted. This rule restores the deleted text. The substance of the text
is unchanged from what was previously in the regulations.
The final rule contained a revision to the depth boundary within
which commercial fixed gear and recreational gear is allowed to operate
in the Western Cowcod Conservation Area. Fishing was permitted
shoreward of the 20 fathom (fm) (36.6 m) depth contour prior to the
2019-2020 biennial harvest specifications final rule. The final rule
revised the depth boundary to allow fishing shoreward of the 40 fm (73
m) depth contour. In the regulations for this change at Sec. Sec.
660.230(d)(10)(ii) and 660.330(d)(11)(ii), NMFS did not explicitly
describe how the 40 fm (73 m) depth contour is delineated, or cross
reference the depth contour definition in existing regulations. This
rule corrects these regulations to note that a coordinate list
describing the 40 fm (73 m) depth contour can be found in Sec. 660.71.
The final rule also contained an error at Sec. 660.130(c)(2)(iii)
when describing use of small footrope gear inside the Columbia and
Klamath River Salmon Conservation Zones. In the rule, NMFS
inadvertently substituted the word ``required'' for ``prohibited'' when
describing the use of selective flatfish trawl (SFFT), a type of small
footrope trawl gear, in the area. The final rule for a separate action,
revising Federal regulations that restricted the use and configuration
of bottom and midwater trawl gear for vessels fishing under the Pacific
Coast Groundfish Fishery's Trawl Rationalization Program (83 FR 62269;
December 3, 2018), also erroneously used the word ``required'' rather
than ``prohibited.'' Language describing the use of small footrope
trawl gear, inside the Columbia and Klamath River Salmon Conservation
Zones is being corrected to state that small footrope trawl gears other
than SFFT are ``prohibited,'' consistent with the Pacific Fishery
Management Council's intent for regulations in this area.
The final rule for Annual Specifications and Management Measures
for the 2019 Tribal and Non-Tribal Fisheries for Pacific Whiting (84 FR
20578; May 10, 2019) inadvertently changed the yellowtail rockfish
allocation north of 40[deg]10' N latitude at Table 1b to Part 600,
Subpart C. The Pacific Whiting specifications final rule incorrectly
stated the yellowtail rockfish fishery harvest guideline (HG) as
4,951.9 metric tons (mt), as well as the trawl and non-trawl
allocations as 4,357.7 mt and 594.2 mt respectively. To be consistent
with the yellowtail rockfish allocations established in the final rule
for the 2019-2020 groundfish harvest specifications and management
measures (83 FR 63970), this rule corrects the fishery HG to 5,233.9
mt, as well as the trawl and non-trawl allocations to 4,605.8 mt and
678.1 mt respectively.
All of these corrections are consistent with the Pacific Fishery
Management Council action for the 2019-2020 groundfish harvest
specifications and are minor corrections to correctly implement the
Council's intent in their final action taken in 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 related to the December 12,
2018, final rule. Immediate correction of the errors is necessary to
prevent confusion among participants in the fishery that could result
in issues with enforcement of area management. To effectively correct
the errors, the changes in this action must be effective upon
publication as the fishery has already begun. Thus, there is not
sufficient time for notice and comment. In addition, notice and comment
is unnecessary because this notice makes only minor changes to correct
inadvertent errors related to the December 12, 2018, final rule. These
corrections will not affect the results of analyses conducted to
support management decisions in the Pacific coast groundfish fishery.
These corrections are consistent with the Pacific Fishery Management
Council's intent for regulations and the public expects the regulations
to be written as in the correction. No change in operating practices in
the fishery is required.
For the same reasons stated above, the AA has determined 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 was effective January 1, 2019. Delaying effectiveness of these
corrections would result in conflicts in the regulations and confusion
among fishery participants. Because prior
[[Page 49961]]
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.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 660
Fisheries, Fishing, and Indian Fisheries.
Dated: September 16, 2019.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 660 is
corrected by making the following correcting amendments:
PART 660--FISHERIES OFF WEST COAST STATES
0
1. The authority citation for 50 CFR part 660 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., and 16
U.S.C. 7001 et seq.
0
2. In Sec. 660.11, in the definition for ``Groundfish'', add paragraph
(7)(i)(D) to read as follows:
Sec. 660.11 General definitions.
* * * * *
Groundfish * * *
(7) * * *
(i) * * *
(D) South of 40[deg]10' N lat. (Southern California): Nearshore
rockfish are divided into three management categories:
(1) Shallow nearshore rockfish consists of black and yellow
rockfish, S. chrysomelas; China rockfish, S. nebulosus; gopher
rockfish, S. carnatus; grass rockfish, S. rastrelliger; kelp rockfish,
S. atrovirens.
(2) Deeper nearshore rockfish consists of black rockfish, S.
melanops; blue rockfish, S. mystinus; brown rockfish, S. auriculatus;
calico rockfish, S. dalli; copper rockfish, S. caurinus; deacon
rockfish, S. diaconus; olive rockfish, S. serranoides; quillback
rockfish, S. maliger; treefish, S. serriceps.
(3) California scorpionfish, Scorpaena guttata.
* * * * *
0
3. Revise Table 1b to part 660, subpart C, to read as follows:
Table 1b to Part 660, Subpart C--2019, Allocations by Species or Species Group
[Weight in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trawl Non-trawl
Stocks/stock complexes Area Fishery HG or ---------------------------------------------------------------
ACT a b % Mt % Mt
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Arrowtooth flounder....................... Coastwide................... 13,479.1 95 12,805.1 5 674.0
Big skate \a\............................. Coastwide................... 452.1 95 429.5 5 22.6
Bocaccio \a\.............................. S of 40[deg]10' N lat....... 2,050.9 39 800.7 61 1,250.2
Canary rockfish a d....................... Coastwide................... 1,382.9 72 999.6 28 383.3
Chilipepper............................... S of 40[deg]10' N lat....... 2,451.1 75 1,838.3 25 612.8
COWCOD a b................................ S of 40[deg]10' N lat....... 6.0 36 2.2 64 3.8
Darkblotched rockfish \c\................. Coastwide................... 731.2 95 694.6 5 36.6
Dover sole................................ Coastwide................... 48,404.4 95 45,984.2 5 2,420.2
English sole.............................. Coastwide................... 9,873.8 95 9,380.1 5 493.7
Lingcod................................... N of 40'10[deg] N lat....... 4,593.0 45 2,066.9 55 2,526.2
Lingcod................................... S of 40'10[deg] N lat....... 1,027.7 45 462.5 55 565.2
Longnose skate \a\........................ Coastwide................... 1,851.7 90 1,666.5 10 185.2
Longspine thornyhead...................... N of 34[deg]27' N lat....... 2,552.6 95 2,425.0 5 127.6
Pacific cod............................... Coastwide................... 1,093.8 95 1,039.1 5 54.7
Pacific whiting \g\....................... Coastwide................... 362,682.0 100 362,682.0 0 0.0
Pacific ocean perch \e\................... N of 40[deg]10' N lat....... 4,317.6 95 4,101.7 5 215.9
Petrale sole.............................. Coastwide................... 2,587.4 95 2,458.0 5 129.4
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish................................. N of 36[deg] N lat.......... NA See Table 1c
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish................................. S of 36[deg] N lat.......... 1,985.8 42 834.0 58 1,151.8
Shortspine thornyhead..................... N of 34[deg]27' N lat....... 1,617.7 95 1,536.8 5 80.9
Shortspine thornyhead..................... S of 34[deg]27' N lat....... 888.8 NA 50.0 NA 838.8
Splitnose rockfish........................ S of 40[deg]10' N lat....... 1,733.4 95 1,646.7 5 86.7
Starry flounder........................... Coastwide................... 433.2 50 216.6 50 216.6
Widow rockfish \f\........................ Coastwide................... 11,582.6 91 10,540.2 9 1,042.4
YELLOWEYE ROCKFISH........................ Coastwide................... 41.9 8 3.4 92 38.6
Yellowtail rockfish....................... N of 40[deg]10' N lat....... 5,233.9 88 4,605.8 12 628.1
Minor Shelf Rockfish North \a\............ N of 40[deg]10' N lat....... 1,977.1 60.2 1,190.2 39.8 786.9
Minor Shelf Rockfish South \a\............ S of 40[deg]10' N lat....... 1,545.9 12.2 188.6 87.8 1,357.3
Minor Slope Rockfish North................ N of 40[deg]10' N lat....... 1665.2 81 1,348.8 19 316.4
Minor Slope Rockfish South................ S of 40[deg]10' N lat....... 723.8 63 456.0 37 267.8
Other Flatfish............................ Coastwide................... 6,248.5 90 5,623.7 10 624.9
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\a\ Allocations decided through the biennial specificaton process.
\b\ The cowcod fishery harvest guideline is further reduced to an ACT of 6.0 mt.
\c\ Consistent with regulations at Sec. 660.55(c), 9 percent (62.5 mt) of the total trawl allocation for darkblotched rockfish is allocated to the
Pacific whiting fishery, as follows: 26.3 mt for the Shorebased IFQ Program, 15.0 mt for the MS sector, and 21.3 mt for the C/P sector. The tonnage
calculated here for the Pacific whiting IFQ fishery contributes to the total shorebased trawl allocation, which is found at Sec.
660.140(d)(1)(ii)(D).
\d\ 46 mt of the total trawl allocation of canary rockfish is allocated to the MS and C/P sectors, as follows: 30 mt for the MS sector, and 16 mt for
the C/P sector.
[[Page 49962]]
\e\ Consistent with regulations at Sec. 660.55(c), 17 percent (697.3 mt) of the total trawl allocation for Pacific ocean perch is allocated to the
Pacific whiting fishery, as follows: 292.9 mt for the Shorebased IFQ Program, 167.4 mt for the MS sector, and 237.1 mt for the C/P sector. The tonnage
calculated here for the Pacific whiting IFQ fishery contributes to the total shorebased trawl allocation, which is found at Sec.
660.140(d)(1)(ii)(D).
\f\ Consistent with regulations at Sec. 660.55(c), 10 percent (1,054 mt) of the total trawl allocation for widow rockfish is allocated to the whiting
fisheries, as follows: 442.7 mt for the shorebased IFQ fishery, 253 mt for the mothership fishery, and 358.4 mt for the catcher/processor fishery. The
tonnage calculated here for the whiting portion of the shorebased IFQ fishery contributes to the total shorebased trawl allocation, which is found at
Sec. 660.140(d)(1)(ii)(D).
\g\ Consistent with regulations at Sec. 660.55(i)(2), the commercial harvest guideline for Pacific whiting is allocated as follows: 34 percent
(123,312 mt) for the C/P Coop Program; 24 percent (87,044 mt) for the MS Coop Program; and 42 percent (152,326.5 mt) for the Shorebased IFQ Program.
No more than 5 percent of the Shorebased IFQ Program allocation (7,616 mt) may be taken and retained south of 42[deg] N lat. before the start of the
primary Pacific whiting season north of 42[deg] N lat.
0
4. In Sec. 660.130, revise paragraph (c)(2)(iii) to read as follows:
Sec. 660.130 Trawl fishery--management measures.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(2) * * *
(iii) Salmon conservation area restrictions. The use of small
footrope trawl, other than selective flatfish trawl gear, is prohibited
inside the Klamath River Salmon Conservation Zone (defined at Sec.
660.131(c)(1)) and the Columbia River Salmon Conservation Zone (defined
at Sec. 660.131(c)(2)).
* * * * *
0
5. In Sec. 660.230, revise paragraph (d)(10)(ii) to read as follows:
Sec. 660.230 Fixed gear fishery--management measures.
* * * * *
(d) * * *
(10) * * *
(ii) Fishing for rockfish and lingcod is permitted shoreward of the
boundary line approximating the 40 fm (73 m) depth contour within the
CCAs when trip limits authorize such fishing and provided a valid
declaration report as required at Sec. 660.13(d) has been filed with
NMFS OLE. Coordinates for the boundary line approximating the 40 fm (73
m) depth contour are listed in Sec. 660.71.
* * * * *
0
6. In Sec. 660.330, revise paragraph (d)(11)(ii) to read as follows:
Sec. 660.330 Open access fishery--management measures.
* * * * *
(d) * * *
(11) * * *
(ii) Fishing for rockfish and lingcod is permitted shoreward of the
boundary line approximating the 40 fm (73 m) depth contour within the
CCAs when trip limits authorize such fishing and provided a valid
declaration report as required at Sec. 660.13(d) has been filed with
NMFS OLE. Coordinates for the boundary line approximating the 40 fm (73
m) depth contour are listed in Sec. 660.71.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2019-20248 Filed 9-23-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P