[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 244 (Thursday, December 23, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 72859-72863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27773]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 211217-0262; RTID 0648-XX072]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; 2022 and Projected 
2023 Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Specifications

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces 2022 and projected 2023 specifications for the 
summer flounder, scup, and black sea fisheries. The implementing 
regulations for the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery 
Management Plan require us to publish specifications for the upcoming 
fishing year for each of these species. This action is intended to 
inform the public of the specifications for the start of the 2022 
fishing year for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass.

DATES: This rule is effective January 1, 2022.

ADDRESSES: A Supplemental Information Report (SIR) was prepared for the 
2022-2023 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass specifications. 
Copies of the SIR are available on request from Dr. Christopher M. 
Moore, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 
Suite 201, 800 North State Street, Dover, DE 19901. The SIR is also 
accessible via the internet at https://www.mafmc.org/s/SFSBSB_2022-2023_specs_SIR_final.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Keiley, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
(978) 281-9116.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

General Background

    The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the 
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) cooperatively 
manage the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The 
Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) 
outlines the Council's process for establishing specifications. The FMP 
requires NMFS to set an acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch 
limit (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), commercial quotas,

[[Page 72860]]

recreational harvest limit (RHL), and other management measures, for 
each species for 1 to 3 years at a time. This action implments 2022 and 
projects 2023 ABCs, as well as the recreational and commercial ACLs, 
ACTs, commercial quotas, and RHLs for all three species, consistent 
with the recommendations made by the Commission's Summer Flounder, 
Scup, and Black Sea Bass Board (Board) and the Council at their joint 
August 2021 meeting.
    The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) met on July 22, 
2021, to review the results of the 2021 management track stock 
assessments and recommend 2022 and 2023 ABCs for all three species; 
specific recommendations are discussed below.

Final 2022-2023 Specifications

Summer Flounder Specifications

    This action approves the Council and Board recommended 2022-2023 
summer flounder catch and landings limits as shown in Table 1. The 
recommendations are based on the most recent (2021) stock assessment 
and the application of the Council's risk policy. For summer flounder, 
this results in a 22-percent increase in the recommended 2022 and 2023 
ABC over the 2021 ABC. The proposed rule (November 24, 2021; 86 FR 
67014) and Section 5.2 of the Council's SIR provides information on how 
the specifications were calculated.

   Table 1--Summary of 2022 and Projected 2023 Summer Flounder Fishery
                             Specifications
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Specifications                   Mil lb.       Metric ton
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overfishing Limit (OFL).................     2022: 36.28    2022: 16,458
                                             2023: 34.98    2023: 15,865
ABC.....................................           33.12          15,021
Commercial ACL = ACT....................           18.48           8,382
Commercial Quota........................           15.53           7,046
Recreational ACL = ACT..................           14.64           6,639
RHL.....................................           10.36           4,697
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The final state summer flounder commercial quotas take into account 
any overages that occurred during the 2020 or current fishing year, 
through October 31, as described at 50 CFR 648.103(b)(2). The final 
2022 state-by-state summer flounder commercial quotas are provided in 
Table 2.

  Table 2--Final 2022 Summer Flounder State-by-State Commercial Quotas
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Final 2022      Final 2022
                  State                     quotas (lb)     quotas (mt)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ME......................................          24,488           11.11
NH......................................          19,990            9.07
MA......................................       1,391,846          631.33
RI......................................       2,238,216        1,015.24
CT......................................         956,043          433.65
NY......................................       1,470,779          667.13
NJ......................................       2,337,728        1,060.38
DE......................................         -19,173           -8.70
MD......................................         935,226          424.21
VA......................................       2,776,242        1,259.28
NC......................................       3,361,569        1,524.78
                                         -------------------------------
    Total...............................      15,512,127        7,036.18
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Summed not including Delaware.

    This action makes no changes to the current commercial management 
measures, including the minimum fish size (14-inch (36-cm) total 
length), gear requirements, and possession limits. Changes to 2022 
recreational management measures (bag limits, size limits, and seasons) 
are not considered in this action but will be considered by the Board 
and Council later this year when additional data are available for 
2021.

Black Sea Bass Specifications

    This action approves the Council and Board recommended 2022-2023 
black sea bass catch and landings limits as shown in Table 3. The 
recommendations are based on the most recent (2021) stock assessment 
and the application of the Council's risk policy. This results in a 
2022 black sea bass ABC that is an 8-percent increase compared to 2021 
and a projected 2023 ABC that is a 5-percent decrease compared to 2021. 
The proposed rule and Section 5.2 of the Council's SIR provides 
information on how the specifications were calculated.

                    Table 3--2022 and Projected 2023 Black Sea Bass Catch and Landings Limits
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               2022                            2023
                 Specifications                  ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Mil lb.       Metric ton        Mil lb.       Metric ton
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OFL.............................................           19.26           8,735           17.01           7,716
ABC.............................................           18.86           8,555           16.66           7,557

[[Page 72861]]

 
Expected Commercial Discards....................            3.63           1,649            3.21           1,456
Expected Recreational Discards..................            2.02             917            1.79             810
Commercial ACL = ACT............................           10.10           4,583            8.93           4,048
Commercial Quota................................            6.47           2,934            5.71           2,592
Recreational ACL = ACT..........................            8.76           3,972            7.74           3,509
RHL.............................................            6.74           3,055            5.95           2,699
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This action does not change the 2022 commercial management measures 
for black sea bass, including the commercial minimum fish size (11-inch 
(27.94-cm) total length) and gear requirements.

Scup Specifications

    This action approves the Council and Board recommended 2022-2023 
scup catch and landings limits as shown in Table 4. The recommendations 
are based on the most recent (2021) stock assessment and the 
application of the Council's risk policy. This results in a 2022 ABC 
that is 8 percent less than the 2021 ABC; the projected 2023 ABC is 15 
percent less than the 2021 ABC. The proposed rule and Section 5.2 of 
the Council's SIR provides information on how the specifications were 
calculated.[FEDREG][VOL]*[/VOL][NO]*[/NO][DATE]*[/
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                         Table 4--2022 and Projected 2023 Scup Catch and Landings Limits
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                                                               2022                            2023
                 Specifications                  ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Mil lb.       Metric ton        Mil lb.       Metric ton
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OFL.............................................           32.56          14,770           30.09          13,648
ABC.............................................           32.11          14,566           29.67          13,460
Expected Commercial Discards....................            4.67           2,117            5.28           2,394
Expected Recreational Discards..................            0.99             447            1.12             506
Commercial ACL = ACT............................           25.05          11,361           23.15          10,499
Commercial Quota................................           20.38           9,245           17.87           8,105
Recreational ACL = ACT..........................            7.06           3,205            6.53           2,961
RHL.............................................            6.08           2,757            5.41           2,455
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The commercial scup quota is divided into three commercial fishery 
quota periods, as outlined in Table 5.

                       Table 5--Commercial Scup Quota Allocations for 2022 by Quota Period
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Quota Period                             Percent share        lb              mt
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winter I........................................................           45.11       9,194,201           4,170
Summer..........................................................           38.95       7,938,686           3,601
Winter II.......................................................           15.94       3,248,849           1,474
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           100.0      20,381,736           9,245
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The current quota period possession limits are not changed by this 
action and are outlined in Table 6.

                           Table 6--Commercial Scup Possession Limits by Quota Period
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Federal possession limits (per
                                                                                               trip)
                          Quota period                             Percent share -------------------------------
                                                                                        lb              kg
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winter I........................................................           45.11          50,000          22,680
Summer..........................................................           38.95             N/A             N/A
Winter II.......................................................           15.94          12,000           5,443
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................................           100.0             N/A             N/A
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 72862]]

    The Winter I possession limit will drop to 1,000 lb (454 kg) when 
80 percent of that period's allocation is landed. If the Winter I quota 
is not fully harvested, the remaining quota is transferred to Winter 
II. The Winter II possession limit may be adjusted (in association with 
a transfer of unused Winter I quota to the Winter II period) via 
notification in the Federal Register. The regulations specify that the 
Winter II possession limit increases consistent with the increase in 
the quota, as described in Table 7.

          Table 7--Potential Increase in Winter II Possession Limits Based on the Amount of Unused Scup Rolled Over From Winter I to Winter II
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  Initial Winter II possession             Rollover from Winter I to Winter II             Increase in initial Winter II    Final Winter II possession
             limit              ---------------------------------------------------------        possession limit            limit after rollover from
--------------------------------                                                         --------------------------------      Winter I to Winter II
                                               lb                          kg                                            -------------------------------
       lb              kg                                                                       lb              kg              lb              kg
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      12,000           5,443                      0-499,999                 0-226,796               0               0          12,000           5,443
      12,000           5,443                500,000-999,999           226,796-453,592           1,500             680          13,500           6,123
      12,000           5,443            1,000,000-1,499,999           453,592-680,388           3,000           1,361          15,000           6,804
      12,000           5,443            1,500,000-1,999,999           680,389-907,184           4,500           2,041          16,500           7,484
      12,000           5,443          * 2,000,000-2,500,000         907,185-1,133,981           6,000           2,722          18,000           8,165
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* This process of increasing the possession limit in 1,500-lb (680-kg) increments would continue past 2,500,000 lb (1,122,981 kg), but we end here for
  the purpose of this example.

    This action does not change the 2022 commercial management measures 
for scup, including the minimum fish size (9-inch (22.9-cm) total 
length), gear requirements, and quota period possession limits. As with 
summer flounder and black sea bass, potential changes to the 
recreational measures (bag limits, size limits, and seasons) for 2022 
will be considered later this year when additional data are available 
for 2021.

Comments and Responses

    We received one comment on the proposed rule (November 24, 2021; 86 
FR 67014). The comment was from the State of New York and the New York 
State Department of Environmental Conservation (hereinafter referenced 
as ``New York''). New York's comment comprises a cover letter and seven 
attachments. The attachments were the comment letters and supporting 
documents that New York previously submitted in response to the 
proposed rule for the 2020-2021 Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass, 
and Bluefish Specifications (84 FR 36046; July 26, 2019) and the 
proposed rule for Amendment 21 to the FMP (85 FR 48660; August 12, 
2020). Similar to arguments made in ongoing litigation, New York 
contends that the revised allocations and resulting quotas are not in 
accordance with Magnuson-Stevens Act's National Standards 2, 4, 5, and 
7. NMFS' responses to New York's previously submitted comments can be 
found in the final rules for those two actions (84 FR 54041; October 9, 
2019, and 85 FR 80661; December 14, 2020) and are not repeated here. 
The state commercial summer flounder allocation formula is established 
in the regulations at 50 CFR 648.102(c), and as such must be followed 
in setting the quotas in this specifications action. Deviating from 
this formula would require a rulemaking to modify the current 
regulations, which is beyond the scope of this action.

Changes From the Proposed Rule

    As described in the proposed rule, the summer flounder 
specifications in this final rule incorporate overage information to 
calculate the final state quotas that was not available previously.

Classification

    Pursuant to section 304(b)(3) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the NMFS 
Assistant Administrator has determined that this final rule is 
consistent with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass FMP, 
other provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries finds that the need to 
implement these measures in a timely manner constitutes good cause, 
under the authority contained in 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), to waive the 30-
day delay in effective date of this action. This action implements 2022 
specifications for the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass 
fisheries. These specifications should be effective by the start of the 
fishing year on January 1, 2022, and must be published on or before 
December 31, 2021.
    This rule is being issued at the earliest possible date. 
Preparation of the proposed rule was dependent on the Council's 
submission of the SIR. NMFS received the final version of the SIR on 
November 5, 2021. Preparation of the final rule is also dependent on 
the analysis of commercial summer flounder landings for the prior 
fishing year (2020) and the current fishing year through October 31, 
2021, to determine whether any overages have occurred and adjustments 
are needed to the final state quotas. This process is codified in the 
summer flounder regulations and, therefore, cannot be performed 
earlier. Annual publication of the summer flounder quotas prior to the 
start of the fishing year, by December 31, is required by Court Order 
in North Carolina Fisheries Association v. Daley.
    The 30-day delay in implementation for this rule is also 
unnecessary because this rule contains no new measures (e.g., requiring 
new nets or equipment) for which regulated entities need time to 
prepare or revise their current practices.This final rule is exempt 
from review under Executive Order 12866.
    The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce 
certified to theChief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration during the proposedrule stage that this action would not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantialnumber of small 
entities. The factual basis for the certification was published in 
theproposed rule and is not repeated here. No comments were received 
regarding thiscertification. As a result, a regulatory flexibility 
analysis was not required and none wasprepared.
    This final rule contains no information collection requirements 
under thePaperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

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


[[Page 72863]]


    Dated: December 17, 2021.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs,National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-27773 Filed 12-22-21; 8:45 am]
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