[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 61 (Thursday, April 1, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17080-17081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06702]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 130403320-4891-02]
RTID 0648-XA938


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2021-2022 Recreational 
Fishing Season for Black Sea Bass

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; recreational season length.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the length of the recreational fishing 
season for black sea bass in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the 
South Atlantic will extend throughout the species' 2021-2022 fishing 
year. Announcing the length of the recreational season for black sea 
bass is one of the accountability measures (AMs) for the recreational 
sector. This announcement allows recreational fishers to maximize their 
opportunity to harvest the recreational annual catch limit (ACL) for 
black sea bass during the fishing season while managing harvest to 
protect the black sea bass resource.

DATES: This rule is effective from 12:01 a.m. eastern time on April 1, 
2021, through March 31, 2022, unless changed by subsequent notification 
in the Federal Register.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery 
includes black sea bass south of 35[deg]15.19' N latitude 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 and 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 recreational fishing year for black sea bass is April 1 through 
March 31. The recreational AM for black sea bass requires that before 
the April 1 start date of each recreational fishing year, NMFS projects 
the length of the recreational fishing season based on when NMFS

[[Page 17081]]

projects the recreational ACL will be met, and announces the 
recreational season end date in the Federal Register (50 CFR 
622.193(e)(2)). The purpose of this AM is to have a more predictable 
recreational season length while still constraining harvest at the 
recreational ACL to protect the stock from experiencing adverse 
biological consequences.
    The recreational ACL for the 2021-2022 black sea bass fishing year 
is 310,602 lb (140,887 kg), gutted weight, 366,510 lb (166,246 kg), 
round weight (50 CFR 622.193(e)(2)).
    NMFS estimates that recreational landings of black sea bass for the 
2021-2022 fishing year will be less than the 2021-2022 recreational 
ACL. To make this determination, NMFS compared recreational landings in 
the last three fishing years when data were available to the 
recreational ACL for the 2021-2022 black sea bass fishing year. 
Recreational landings in the past three recent fishing seasons with 
available data have been below the ACL, and NMFS expects similar 
landings for the 2021-2022 fishing season. Therefore, because NMFS 
projects that the recreational landings will be less than the 2021-2022 
recreational ACL, NMFS does not expect to close the recreational sector 
during the fishing year and announces that the season end date for 
recreational fishing for black sea bass in the South Atlantic EEZ south 
of 35[deg]15.19' N latitude is March 31, 2022.

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.193(e)(2), which was 
issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempt from review under 
Executive Order 12866.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), 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 the public interest. 
Such procedures are unnecessary because the rule establishing the AM 
has already been subject to notice and comment. Such procedures are 
contrary to the public interest because of the need to immediately 
announce the notice of the recreational season length since the season 
starts April 1, 2021, and all that remains is to notify the public.
    For the aforementioned reasons, the Acting Assistant Administrator 
for NMFS 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: March 26, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-06702 Filed 3-29-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P