[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 2859-2860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00798]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No: 210325-0071; RTID 0648-XC678]


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring 
Fishery; 2023 Management Area 3 Possession Limit Adjustment

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; possession limit adjustment.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is implementing a 2,000-lb (907.2-kg) possession limit 
for Atlantic herring for Management Area 3. This is required because 
NMFS projects that herring catch from Area 3 will reach 98 percent of 
the Area's sub-annual catch limit before the end of the fishing year. 
This action is intended to prevent overharvest of herring in Area 3, 
which would result in additional catch limit reductions in a subsequent 
year.

[[Page 2860]]


DATES: Effective 00:01 hr local time, January 13, 2023, through 
December 31, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maria Fenton, Fishery Management 
Specialist, (978) 281-9196.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Regional Administrator of the Greater 
Atlantic Regional Office monitors herring fishery catch in each 
Management Area based on vessel and dealer reports, state data, and 
other available information. Regulations at 50 CFR 
648.201(a)(1)(i)(B)(2) require that NMFS implement a 2,000-lb (907.2-
kg) possession limit for herring for Area 3 beginning on the date that 
catch is projected to reach 98 percent of the sub-annual catch limit 
(ACL) for that area.
    Based on vessel reports, dealer reports, and other available 
information, the Regional Administrator projects that the herring fleet 
will have caught 98 percent of the Area 3 sub-ACL by January 10, 2023. 
Therefore, effective 00:01 hr local time January 13, 2023, through 
December 31, 2023, a person may not attempt or do any of the following: 
Fish for; possess; transfer; purchase; receive; land; or sell more than 
2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring per trip or more than once per calendar 
day in or from Area 3.
    Vessels that enter port before 00:01 local time on January 13, 
2023, may land and sell more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring from 
Area 3 from that trip, provided that catch is landed in accordance with 
state management measures. Vessels may transit or land in Area 3 with 
more than 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) of herring on board, provided that: The 
herring were caught in an area not subject to a 2,000-lb (907.2-kg) 
limit; all fishing gear is stowed and not available for immediate use; 
and the vessel is issued a permit appropriate to the amount of herring 
on board and the area where the herring was harvested.
    Also effective 00:01 hr local time, January 13, 2023, through 24:00 
hr local time, December 31, federally permitted dealers may not attempt 
or do any of the following: Purchase; receive; possess; have custody or 
control of; sell; barter; trade; or transfer more than 2,000 lb (907.2 
kg) of herring per trip or calendar day from Area 3, unless it is from 
a vessel that enters port before 00:01 local time on January 13, 2023 
and catch is landed in accordance with state management measures.
    This 2,000-lb possession limit bypasses the 40,000-lb (18,143.7-kg) 
possession limit that is required when NMFS projects that 90 percent of 
the sub-ACL will be caught. Regulations at Sec.  648.201(a)(1)(i)(B)(1) 
require NMFS to implement a 40,000-lb (18,143.7-kg) possession limit 
for herring for Area 3 beginning on the date that catch is projected to 
reach 90 percent of the herring sub-ACL for that area. Based on dealer 
reports, state data, and other available information, we estimate that 
90 percent of the Area 3 sub-ACL was harvested by January 9, 2023. 
However, due to the low 2023 sub-ACLs, the high volume nature of this 
fishery, and the progress of catch this fishing year, we project that 
98 percent of the sub-ACL in Area 3 will be harvested by January 10, 
2023. Implementing the 40,000-lb limit before the 2,000-lb limit is 
impracticable due to the small amount of time between the 90-percent 
and 98 percent catch projection dates and substantially increases the 
risk of exceeding the sub-ACL due to the low amount of available catch 
remaining under the sub-ACL. The limited time for the two different 
notices is logistically difficult and could result in substantial 
confusion. The limited time between projected dates and the relatively 
low available catch could also encourage significantly increased 
fishing effort if we first implemented the 40,000-lb limit in Area 3. 
This increase could require a quicker implementation of the 2,000 lb 
limit than possible. To minimize the chance of a potential sub-ACL 
overage occurring and to avoid incentivizing potential changes in 
fishing behavior that could contribute to an overage, NMFS is bypassing 
the 40,000-lb (18,143.7-kg) possession limit and implementing the 
2,000-lb (907.2-kg) possession limit in Area 3.
    The projected catch is 98 percent of the current Area 3 sub-ACL. 
The current Area 3 sub-ACL is equal to the 2023 Area 3 sub-ACL that was 
previously implemented through Framework Adjustment 8 to the Atlantic 
Herring Fishery Management Plan (FMP), which will remain in place until 
it is revised through the specification process. NMFS is working on 
implementing updated 2023 specifications as soon as practicable 
consistent with the specifications process.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.
    NMFS finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) to waive 
prior notice and the opportunity for public comment because it is 
unnecessary, contrary to the public interest, and impracticable. Ample 
prior notice and opportunity for public comment on this action has been 
provided for the required implementation of this action. The 
requirement to implement this possession limit was developed by the New 
England Fishery Management Council using public meetings that invited 
public comment on the measures when they were developed and considered 
along with alternatives. Further, the regulations requiring NMFS to 
implement this possession limit also were subject to public notice and 
opportunity to comment when they were first adopted in 2021. Herring 
fishing industry participants monitor catch closely and anticipate 
potential possession limit adjustments as catch totals approach Area 
sub-ACLs. The regulation provides NMFS with no discretion and is 
designed for implementation as quickly as possible to prevent catch 
from exceeding limits designed to prevent overfishing while allowing 
the fishery to achieve optimum yield.
    The 2023 herring fishing year began on January 1, 2023. Data 
indicating that the herring fleet will have landed at least 98 percent 
of the 2023 sub-ACL allocated to Area 3 only recently became available. 
High-volume catch and landings in this fishery can increase total catch 
relative to the sub-ACL quickly, especially in this fishing year where 
annual catch limits are unusually low. If implementation of this 
possession limit adjustment is delayed to solicit prior public comment, 
the 2023 sub-ACL for Area 3 will likely be exceeded; thereby 
undermining the conservation objectives of the Herring FMP. If sub-ACLs 
are exceeded, the excess must be deducted from a future sub-ACL and 
would reduce future fishing opportunities. The public expects these 
actions to occur in a timely way consistent with the FMP's objectives. 
For the reasons stated above, NMFS also finds good cause to waive the 
30-day delayed effectiveness in accordance with 5 U.S.C 553(d)(3).

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

    Dated: January 11, 2023.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-00798 Filed 1-12-23; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P