[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 217 (Friday, November 8, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 60344-60345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24410]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 130312235-3658-02; RTID 0648-XS015]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Snapper-Grouper Resources of the South Atlantic; Vermilion Snapper Trip 
Limit Reduction

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; trip limit reduction.

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SUMMARY: NMFS reduces the commercial trip limit for vermilion snapper 
in or from the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic to 
500 lb (227 kg), gutted weight, 555 lb (252 kg), round weight. This 
trip limit reduction is necessary to protect the South Atlantic 
vermilion snapper resource.

DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, November 11, 
2019, until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional 
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery in the South 
Atlantic includes vermilion snapper and is managed under the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic 
Region (FMP). The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council prepared 
the FMP. The FMP 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.
    The commercial ACL (commercial quota) for vermilion snapper in the 
South Atlantic is divided into two 6-month seasons, January through 
June, and July through December. For the July 1 through December 31, 
2019, fishing season, the commercial quota is 483,658 lb (219,384 kg), 
gutted weight; 536,860 lb (243,516 kg), round weight (50 CFR 
622.190(a)(4)(ii)(A)). As specified in 50 CFR 622.190(a)(4)(iii), any 
unused portion of the commercial quota from the January through June 
2019, fishing season will be added to the commercial quota for the July 
through December 2019, fishing season. The unused portion of the quota 
that was not harvested by the commercial sector during the January 
through June fishing season, totaled 25,645 lb (11,632 kg) gutted 
weight, 28,466 lb (12,912 kg), round weight, and was added to the July 
through December 2019 quota. This resulted in an adjusted commercial 
quota, for the July through December 2019 fishing season, of 509,303 lb 
(231,015 kg), gutted weight, 565,326 lb (256,428 kg), round weight.
    Under 50 CFR 622.191(a)(6)(ii), NMFS is required to reduce the 
commercial trip limit for vermilion snapper from 1,000 lb (454 kg), 
gutted weight, 1,110 lb (503 kg), round weight, to 500 lb (227 kg), 
gutted weight, 555 lb (252 kg), round weight, when 75 percent of the 
fishing season commercial quota is reached or projected to be reached, 
by filing a notification to that effect with the Office of the Federal 
Register. Based on current landings information, NMFS has determined 
that 75 percent of the available adjusted commercial quota for the July 
through December 2019 fishing season for vermilion snapper will be 
reached by November 11, 2019. Accordingly, NMFS is reducing the 
commercial trip limit for vermilion snapper to 500 lb (227 kg), gutted 
weight, 555 lb (252 kg), round weight, in or from the South Atlantic 
EEZ at 12:01 a.m., local time, on November 11, 2019. This reduced 
commercial trip limit will remain in effect until the start of the next 
commercial fishing season on January 1, 2020, or until the adjusted 
commercial quota is reached and the commercial sector closes, whichever 
occurs first.

[[Page 60345]]

Classification

    The Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NMFS, has determined 
this temporary rule is necessary for the conservation and management of 
South Atlantic vermilion snapper and is consistent with the Magnuson-
Stevens Act and other applicable laws.
    This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.191(a)(6)(ii) 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 
opportunity for prior notice and comment.
    This action responds to the best scientific information available. 
The Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries (AA) finds that the need 
to immediately implement this commercial trip limit reduction 
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 
establishing the trip limit has already been subject to notice and 
comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the trip limit 
reduction. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment is contrary 
to the public interest, because any delay in reducing the commercial 
trip limit could result in the commercial quota being exceeded. There 
is a need to immediately implement this action to protect the vermilion 
snapper resource, since the capacity of the fishing fleet allows for 
rapid harvest of the commercial quota. Prior notice and opportunity for 
public comment on this action would require time and increase the 
probability that the commercial sector could exceed its quota.
    For the aforementioned reasons, the AA also finds good cause to 
waive the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of this action under 5 
U.S.C. 553(d)(3).

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

    Dated: November 5, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-24410 Filed 11-5-19; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P