[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 7, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 76696-76701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24468]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 231101-0256]
RIN 0648-BM12


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; Amendment 52

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 52 to the 
Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South 
Atlantic (FMP), as submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management 
Council (the Council). For golden tilefish, this final rule revises the 
annual catch limits (ACLs), commercial longline component fishing 
season, and recreational accountability measures (AMs). For blueline 
tilefish, this final rule reduces the recreational bag limit, modifies 
the possession limits, and revises the recreational AMs. In addition, 
Amendment 52 updates the acceptable biological catch (ABC), overfishing 
limit (OFL), and annual optimum yield (OY). The purpose of this final 
rule and Amendment 52 is to respond to the most recent stock assessment 
for golden tilefish, and to prevent recreational landings from 
exceeding the recreational ACLs for golden tilefish and blueline 
tilefish.

DATES: This final rule is effective December 7, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of Amendment 52, which includes a fishery 
impact statement and a regulatory impact review, may be obtained from 
the Southeast Regional Office website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/amendment-52-changes-catch-levels-allocations-accountability-measures-and-management.

[[Page 76697]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karla Gore, telephone: 727-824-5305, 
or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The South Atlantic snapper-grouper fishery, 
which includes golden tilefish and blueline tilefish, is managed under 
the FMP. The FMP was developed by the Council and implemented through 
regulations at 50 CFR part 622 under the authority of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

Background

    The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that NMFS and the regional 
fishery management councils prevent overfishing and achieve, on a 
continuing basis, the OY from federally managed fish stocks. These 
mandates are intended to ensure that fishery resources are managed for 
the greatest overall benefit to the Nation, particularly with respect 
to providing food production and recreational opportunities, and 
protecting marine ecosystems. To further this goal, the Magnuson-
Stevens Act requires fishery managers to minimize bycatch and bycatch 
mortality to the extent practicable.
    On August 3, 2023, NMFS published a notice of availability for 
Amendment 52 and requested public comment (88 FR 51255). On August 24, 
2023, NMFS published a proposed rule for Amendment 52 and requested 
public comment (88 FR 57916). NMFS approved Amendment 52 on October 30, 
2023. The proposed rule and Amendment 52 outline the rationale for the 
actions contained in this final rule. A summary of the management 
measures described in Amendment 52 and implemented by this final rule 
is provided below.
    All weights described in this final rule are in gutted weight 
unless otherwise specified.
    The South Atlantic stock of golden tilefish was first assessed 
through the Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) process in 
2004 (SEDAR 4). In response to the assessment, the Council submitted 
management measures in Amendment 13C to the FMP. The final rule to 
implement Amendment 13C specified a commercial quota for golden 
tilefish of 295,000 lb. (133,810 kg); a commercial trip limit for 
golden tilefish of 4,000 lb (1,814 kg), and, if 75 percent of the quota 
is landed on or before September 1, then a reduction of the trip limit 
to 300 lb (136 kg); and a recreational bag limit of one golden tilefish 
per person per day included within the five-grouper aggregate bag limit 
(71 FR 55096, September 21, 2006). The Council submitted sector 
allocations for golden tilefish in Amendment 17B to the FMP, allocating 
97 percent of the ACL to the commercial sector and 3 percent of the ACL 
to the recreational sector. In addition, for golden tilefish, the final 
rule for Amendment 17B specified: a total ACL of 291,566 lb (132,252 
kg), a commercial ACL of 282,819 lb (128,285 kg), and a recreational 
ACL of 1,578 fish; commercial and recreational AMs; and a longline 
endorsement for the commercial component of golden tilefish (75 FR 
82280, December 30, 2010).
    In 2011, a new stock assessment was completed for golden tilefish 
(SEDAR 25 2011) and the Council submitted Regulatory Amendment 12 to 
the FMP in response to the assessment. In the final rule for Regulatory 
Amendment 12, the total ACL was set at 558,036 lb. (253,121 kg), the 
existing allocations were applied to revise the sector ACLs to 541,295 
lb (245,527 kg) for the commercial sector and 3,019 fish for the 
recreational sector, and the recreational annual catch target and 
sector AMs were revised (77 FR 61295, October 9, 2012). In Amendment 
18B to the FMP, the golden tilefish commercial ACL was divided between 
two commercial fishing gear components, assigning 75 percent of the ACL 
to the longline component with a 4,000 lb (1,814 kg) trip limit and 25 
percent of the ACL to the hook-and-line component with a 500 lb (227 
kg) trip limit (78 FR 23858, April 23, 2013).
    In 2016, an update to the SEDAR 25 stock assessment indicated that 
golden tilefish were undergoing overfishing (SEDAR 25 Update 2016). 
Following two interim rules that took action to reduce overfishing (83 
FR 65, January 2, 2018; 83 FR 28387, June 19, 2018), the final rule for 
Regulatory Amendment 28 to the FMP implemented long-term measures that 
reduced the golden tilefish ACLs. The existing allocations were applied 
to revise the sector ACLs to 331,740 lb (150,475 kg) for the commercial 
sector (further divided with 75 percent to the longline component and 
25 percent to the hook-and-line component) and 2,316 fish for the 
recreational sector (83 FR 62508, December 4, 2018).
    The Council submitted Amendment 52 in response to a new stock 
assessment for golden tilefish. The new assessment, SEDAR 66, was 
completed in 2020 and it indicated that the stock was not undergoing 
overfishing and was not overfished. SEDAR 66 includes recreational 
landings estimates using the Marine Recreational Information Program 
(MRIP) Fishing Effort Survey (FES) as discussed below. The revised 
catch levels recommended by the Council in Amendment 52 and in this 
final rule are based on their Scientific and Statistical Committee's 
(SSC) recommended ABC and the results of SEDAR 66. The Council received 
the results of the assessment and the SSC's recommendations for the OFL 
and ABC at the June 2021 Council meeting.
    In response to golden tilefish commercial longline vessel 
fishermen's concerns about avoiding oversupplying the market in the 
first part of January and allowing such vessels to remain fishing for 
golden tilefish during the Lenten season when prices tend to be 
relatively high, this final rule changes the starting date of the 
fishing season for the commercial longline component from January 1st 
to January 15th.
    For blueline tilefish managed under the FMP, recreational landings 
exceeded the recreational ACL every year from 2015-2020. Revising 
certain management measures for blueline tilefish is expected to help 
keep the recreational sector within its ACL. The most recent stock 
assessments for blueline tilefish were completed in 2017 and did not 
indicate that the stock was undergoing overfishing or was being 
overfished.
    The Council and NMFS intend that the actions in Amendment 52 and 
this final will achieve OY while minimizing, to the extent practicable, 
adverse social and economic effects.

Management Measures Contained in This Final Rule

    For golden tilefish, this final rule revises the sector ACLs, 
commercial component quotas, commercial longline component fishing 
season, and recreational AMs. For blueline tilefish, this final rule 
revises the recreational bag and possession limits and recreational 
AMs.

Golden Tilefish Total ACL

    As implemented through Regulatory Amendment 28 to the FMP, the 
current total ACL and annual OY for golden tilefish are equal to the 
current ABC of 342,000 lb. (155,129 kg.) (83 FR 62508, December 4, 
2018). In Amendment 52, the ABC is revised based on SEDAR 66 and the 
recommendation of the SSC, and the ABC, ACL, and annual OY is set equal 
to each of these values.
    Amendment 52 revises the total ACL and annual OY equal to the 
recommended ABC of 435,000 lb (197,313 kg) for 2023; 448,000 lb 
(203,209 kg) for 2024; 458,000 lb (207,745 kg) for 2025; 466,000 lb

[[Page 76698]]

(211,374 kg) for 2026 and subsequent fishing years.

Golden Tilefish Sector Allocations and ACLs

    Amendment 52 revises the sector allocations and this final rule 
revises the sector ACLs for golden tilefish. The current sector ACLs 
for golden tilefish are based on the commercial and recreational 
allocations of the total ACL at 97 percent and 3 percent, respectively. 
The current allocations are based on the allocation formula [ACL = 
((mean landings 2006-2008) * 0.5)) + ((mean landings 1986-2008) * 
0.5))] adopted by the Council in the Comprehensive ACL Amendment to the 
FMP, which considered past and present participation (77 FR 15915, 
March 16, 2012). The Council established those allocations based on 
balancing long-term catch history with more recent catch history and 
believed that approach to be a fair and equitable method to allocate 
fishery resources.
    The revised golden tilefish sector allocations in Amendment 52 
result in commercial and recreational allocations of 96.70 percent and 
3.30 percent, respectively. The revised sector allocations were 
determined by applying the allocation formula (described above) to the 
recreational MRIP FES estimates used in SEDAR 66. Utilizing these 
revised recreational estimates results in a slight shift of allocation 
to the recreational sector, with the percentages of annual catch 
increasing from the current 3 percent to the revised 3.30 percent. The 
limited recreational effort for, and harvest of, golden tilefish, were 
considered in determining that allocating 3.30 percent of the revised 
total ACL for golden tilefish to the recreational sector is a fair and 
equitable allocation that is reasonably calculated to promote 
conservation and does not give any entity an excessive share of harvest 
privileges based on the historical and current harvest of golden 
tilefish. In addition, this allocation division will encourage a 
rational and well-managed use of the golden tilefish resource, which 
optimizes social and economic benefits.
    This final rule revises the commercial ACLs (commercial sector 
hook-and-line and longline components combined) to 420,645 lb (190,801 
kg) for 2023; 433,216 lb (196,503 kg) for 2024; 442,886 lb (200,890 kg) 
for 2025; and 450,622 lb (204,399 kg) for the 2026 and subsequent 
fishing years.
    This final rule revises the recreational ACLs (in numbers of fish) 
to 2,559 for the 2023 fishing year; 2,635 for the 2024 fishing year; 
2,694 for the 2025 fishing year; 2,741 for the 2026 and subsequent 
fishing years.

Golden Tilefish Commercial Component Allocations

    As discussed above, the commercial ACL is allocated between two 
gear components: 25 percent is allocated to the hook-and-line component 
and 75 percent to the longline component (77 FR 23858, April 23, 2013). 
The allocation percentages between the hook-and-line and longline 
components were not modified in Amendment 52. However, this final rule 
revises the hook-and-line and longline component ACLs (quotas) based on 
the revised commercial ACL. The commercial hook-and-line ACL is 105,161 
lb (47,700 kg) for 2023; 108,304 lb (49,126 kg) for 2024; 110,722 lb 
(50,223 kg) for 2025; and 112,656 lb (51,100 kg) for 2026 and 
subsequent fishing years.
    The ACLs for the longline component are 315,484 lb (143,101 kg) for 
2023; 324,912 lb (147,378 kg) for 2024; 332,165 lb (150,668 kg) for 
2025; and 337,967 lb (153,299 kg) for the 2026 and subsequent fishing 
years.

Golden Tilefish Commercial Longline Component Fishing Season

    This final rule changes the start date for the fishing season for 
the commercial longline component from January 1st to January 15th. A 
closed season will be established for the commercial longline component 
annually from January 1 through January 14. Starting the commercial 
season on January 15th for the longline component will help to avoid 
oversupplying the market in the first part of January and should allow 
commercial longline vessels to remain fishing for golden tilefish 
during the Lenten season when prices tend to be relatively high.

Blueline Tilefish Recreational Bag and Possession Limits

    In August 2016, Regulatory Amendment 25 to the FMP established the 
current recreational bag limit of three fish per person per day (81 FR 
45245, July 13, 2016). As discussed above, recreational landings for 
blueline tilefish have exceeded the recreational ACL every year from 
2015-2020. This final rule reduces the recreational bag limit for 
blueline tilefish from three to two fish per person per day to help 
prevent recreational landings from exceeding the recreational ACL in 
future fishing years.
    Additionally, the captain and crew of a for-hire vessel with a 
valid Federal South Atlantic Charter/Headboat Snapper-Grouper Permit 
are currently allowed to retain bag limit quantities of all snapper-
grouper species during the open recreational season. In addition to 
reducing the recreational bag and possession limits to two fish per 
person per day, this final rule prohibits the retention of blueline 
tilefish by the captain and crew. A bag limit of two blueline tilefish 
per person per day and prohibiting retention of the bag limit by 
captain and crew will result in an overall 12.2 percent reduction in 
harvest for the recreational sector. The measures to reduce the 
blueline tilefish bag limit from three to two fish per person per day 
and prohibit the retention of the bag limit by for-hire captain and 
crew will, in combination, be expected to keep the recreational 
landings of blueline tilefish within the recreational ACL.

Golden Tilefish and Blueline Tilefish Recreational AMs

    This final rule also revises the recreational AMs for golden 
tilefish and blueline tilefish. The current recreational AMs for golden 
tilefish were established through the final rule for Amendment 34 to 
the FMP (81 FR 3731, January 22, 2016). The current recreational AMs 
for blueline tilefish were established through the final rule for 
Amendment 32 to the FMP (80 FR 16583, March 30, 2015). The current AMs 
for both species include an in-season closure for the remainder of the 
fishing year if recreational landings reach or are projected to reach 
their respective recreational ACL. The current post-season AMs state 
that if the recreational ACL is exceeded, then during the following 
fishing year recreational landings will be monitored for a persistence 
in increased landings. Additionally, during that following fishing 
year, if the total ACL is exceeded and the species is overfished, the 
length of the recreational fishing season is reduced and the 
recreational ACL is reduced by the amount of the recreational ACL 
overage.
    This final rule revises the recreational AMs for both golden 
tilefish and blueline tilefish to remove the current in-season closure 
if the recreational ACL is reached or is projected to be reached, and 
the post-season AM that is tied to the overfished status of the stock. 
The revised recreational AM will have NMFS projecting the length of the 
recreational season based on catch rates from the previous fishing year 
to determine when the recreational ACL would be expected to be met. 
NMFS will announce the length of the recreational season and its ending 
date annually in the Federal Register.
    The current AMs are being revised because of the delayed 
availability of

[[Page 76699]]

recreational landings information to use for in-season actions for 
species with short fishing seasons or relatively small amounts of fish. 
For blueline tilefish, the current recreational fishing season is 4 
months long, from May through August, and the recreational ACL for 
golden tilefish is 2,316 fish. In these circumstances, the current in-
season AMs will not be effective in keeping landings from exceeding the 
recreational ACL. As previously discussed, the recreational landings 
for blueline tilefish exceeded the recreational ACL every year from 
2015-2020. The golden tilefish recreational ACL has also frequently 
been exceeded, with the recreational sector exceeding its ACL every 
year since 2010, except for 2014 and 2017.
    The current post-season recreational AMs that would apply 
corrective action for ACL overages were not being triggered because 
they were tied to a determination that the stock was overfished, and 
neither blueline nor golden tilefish is considered to be overfished. 
Consequently, any overages of the recreational ACL would be likely to 
continue to occur.
    In addition, the Magnuson-Stevens Act Guidelines under National 
Standard 1 advise Councils to reevaluate the system of ACLs and AMs 
when overages of a stock's ACL occur more than once in 4 consecutive 
years. The purpose of the revised AMs is to prevent recreational 
landings from exceeding the respective recreational ACLs for both 
golden tilefish and blueline tilefish. The revised recreational AMs 
will be more effective at restraining landings to the recreational ACL. 
For blueline tilefish, Amendment 52 will both modify the recreational 
AM and reduce the recreational retention limit to further ensure 
recreational landings will not exceed the ACL. Amendment 52 and this 
final rule do not adjust the commercial AMs for either species.

Management Measures in Amendment 52 Not Codified by This Final Rule

    In addition to the measures within this final rule, Amendment 52 
revises the OFL and updates other biological reference points and 
revises the ABC, OY, and sector allocations for golden tilefish.

Golden Tilefish ABC and Annual OY

    The current OFL and ABC are inclusive of MRIP Coastal Household 
Telephone Survey (CHTS) estimates of private recreational and charter 
landings. The Council's SSC reviewed the latest stock assessment (SEDAR 
66) and recommended new ABC levels as determined by SEDAR 66. The 
assessment and associated ABC recommendations incorporated the revised 
estimates for recreational catch and effort from the MRIP Access Point 
Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS) and the updated FES. MRIP began 
incorporating a new survey design for APAIS in 2013 and replaced the 
CHTS with FES in 2018. Prior to the implementation of MRIP in 2008, 
recreational landings estimates were generated using the Marine 
Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS). As explained in 
Amendment 52, total recreational fishing effort estimates generated 
from MRIP FES are generally higher than both the MRFSS and MRIP CHTS 
estimates. This difference in estimates is because MRIP FES is designed 
to measure fishing activity more accurately and not because there was a 
sudden increase in fishing effort. The MRIP FES is considered a more 
reliable estimate of recreational effort by the Council's SSC, the 
Council, and NMFS, and is a more robust method when compared to the 
MRIP CHTS method. The new ABC recommendations within Amendment 52 also 
represent the best scientific information available as determined by 
the SSC.
    The OY for golden tilefish will be specified on an annual basis and 
will be set equal to the ABC and total ACL in accordance with the 
guidance provided in the Magnuson-Stevens Act National Standard 1 
Guidelines at 50 CFR 600.310(f)(4)(iv).

Comments and Reponses

    NMFS received 11 comment submissions from individuals on the 
amendment and proposed rule for Amendment 52. Three comments were in 
support of the actions in Amendment 52, and NMFS agrees with those 
comments. Comments received that were outside the scope of the actions 
in Amendment 52 and the proposed rule included comments on offshore 
wind development and are not responded to in this final rule. Comments 
that opposed the actions in Amendment 52 and the proposed rule are 
summarized below, along with NMFS' responses. No changes were made to 
this final rule as a result of public comment.
    Comment 1: The revised allocation of golden tilefish between the 
commercial and recreational sector is extremely unfair. The commercial 
sector receives 96.7 percent of the total allocation and the 
recreational sector only receives 3.30 percent. Consideration should 
have been given to allocate a greater portion of the total ACL to the 
recreational sector.
    Response: NMFS disagrees that the allocations are unfair. In the 
golden tilefish fishery, the recreational sector accounts for a fairly 
constant but small portion of the harvest, given that golden tilefish 
is a deep-water species that is caught further from shore and in 
greater depths than most of the other species in the snapper grouper 
complex. The actions related to golden tilefish in Amendment 52 are 
responding to the most recent stock assessment for golden tilefish 
(SEDAR 66), which included the change to MRIP estimates from CHTS units 
to the new FES units. The recreational landings estimates have been 
revised to adopt the new FES methodology, and the conversion to FES 
units did not substantially change historical recreational landings for 
golden tilefish. However, with the change of MRIP from CHTS units to 
FES units, the allocation distribution between the commercial and 
recreational sectors needed to be recalculated based on the revised 
units. The allocation percentages were previously calculated by 
applying the formula: sector annual catch limit = ((mean landings 2006-
2008) * 0.5)) + ((mean landings 1986-2008) * 0.5). When the same 
allocation formula is applied using the new MRIP-FES data, the 
recreational allocation increases from 3 to 3.30 percent. The Council 
also considered the effects of the new catch limits, along with 
estimates of the commercial and recreational sectors' economic impacts, 
as measured by full-time equivalent jobs, income, value-added, and 
sales, as part of the allocation decision in Amendment 52. Considering 
the limited recreational effort for, and harvest of, golden tilefish, 
NMFS has determined that allocating 3.30 percent of the revised total 
ACL for golden tilefish to the recreational sector is a fair and 
equitable allocation that is reasonably calculated to promote 
conservation, and that does not give any entity an excessive share of 
harvest privileges, based on the historical and current harvest of 
golden tilefish. This allocation division encourages a rational and 
well-managed use of the golden tilefish resource.
    Comment 2: Recreational fishermen spend a significant amount of 
money on vessels, fuel, and gear to harvest golden tilefish and this 
should result in a greater allocation of the golden tilefish total ACL 
to the recreational sector. Also, a lower recreational allocation leads 
to shorter recreational seasons.
    Response: Although recreational fishing expenditures are meaningful 
to the estimation of economic impacts and the distribution of those 
impacts regionally and by industry, they are not,

[[Page 76700]]

on their own, a measure of net economic benefits. NMFS conducted a 
cost-benefit analysis for Amendment 52 that examined the effects of the 
new catch limits and allocation and provided an estimate of the change 
in net economic benefits resulting from the actions in Amendment 52. 
This information, along with estimates of the commercial and 
recreational sectors' economic impacts, were considered as part of the 
allocation decision in Amendment 52. Further, the recreational 
allocation is actually increased by a small amount in Amendment 52 
compared to the status quo. The selected sector allocation in Amendment 
52 is expected to generate positive net economic benefits in the 
recreational sector relative to the current sector allocation.
    As previously explained, the final rule increases, rather than 
decreases, the recreational allocation and ACL. NMFS notes that this 
final rule removes the current inseason recreational closure based on 
the recreational ACL being reached or projected to be reached. Instead, 
the new recreational AM will have NMFS annually announce the length of 
the recreational fishing season based on catch rates from the previous 
season. The fishing season will start on January 1 and end on the date 
NMFS projects the recreational ACL will be met. Within Amendment 52, 
this recreational AM was determined to provide the most biological 
benefits to the stock by being the most likely to prevent recreational 
ACL overages. While the recreational season end date for golden 
tilefish may shift each year, announcing the length of the season at 
the beginning of the season would allow private anglers and for-hire 
businesses to plan their activities around the seasonal closure in 
advance.
    Comment 3: Adequate opportunities need to be provided for fishermen 
to express their views and concerns on the proposed actions through 
public hearings, surveys, interviews, focus groups, or other 
appropriate methods, specifically with regard to sector allocation.
    Response: NMFS agrees that opportunity for public comment is 
important during the development of an FMP amendment and specifically 
for Amendment 52. At its June 2021 meeting, the Council received the 
results of SEDAR 66 and the SSC's recommendations for the overfishing 
limit and ABC. While the Council then developed Amendment 52 during 
2021 and 2022, the public had opportunities to comment on the actions 
in Amendment 52 during the Council scoping process, during public 
hearings and Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel meetings, as well as during 
the Council meetings. A summary of the public comments received are 
included in Chapter 5 of the amendment, and all comments from the 
public were reviewed by the Council prior to its final action on 
Amendment 52. In addition, NMFS has also reviewed all public comments 
received on the notice of availability for Amendment 52 that was 
published in the Federal Register on August 8, 2023, with the public 
comment period open through October 2, 2023, and all public comments 
received on the proposed rule for Amendment 52 that was published in 
the Federal Register on August 23, 2023, with the public comment period 
open through September 25, 2023.
    Therefore, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other 
applicable law, NMFS has determined that fishermen and other members of 
the public have had numerous opportunities to review the actions in 
Amendment 52, including sector allocations, and provide comment.
    Comment 4: The rule should incorporate the best available science 
on climate change and its effects on the snapper-grouper fishery. The 
Council should develop adaptive management strategies to cope with the 
uncertainty and variability of the future climate conditions.
    Response: NMFS has determined that Amendment 52 contains the best 
scientific information available, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act. Within Amendment 52, Chapter 6 addresses the cumulative impacts of 
the actions in the amendment and includes a summary of known or 
possible climate change impacts in the South Atlantic region. As 
described in Amendment 52, climate change may impact snapper-grouper 
species in the future, but the level of impacts cannot be quantified at 
this time, nor is the time frame known in which these impacts would 
occur.
    Comment 5: Amendment 52 should revise the existing section on the 
social impact assessment to include more comprehensive and inclusive 
criteria that capture the diverse values and preferences of the 
fishermen and fishing communities, including subsistence and 
traditional fishermen.
    Response: Data are not readily available on values and preferences 
of fishermen and fishing communities. However, NMFS conducted a social 
impact assessment using the best scientific information available, 
which is included in Amendment 52. The social impact assessment in 
Amendment 52 includes the social environment, environmental justice, 
and social effects sections of the document. These sections within 
Chapters 3 and 4 of Amendment 52 include a description of the social 
characteristics of the fishery; community level data on fishing 
participants, community quotient-fishing landings and value (i.e., the 
share of each community's landings and ex-vessel values divided by the 
landings and values for the region), local quotient (i.e., the 
proportion of a community's commercial landings for a given species 
relative to commercial landings of all species by persons affiliated 
with that community during a given time period), fishing engagement and 
reliance, and social vulnerability indicators. In addition, within the 
discussion for each specific action in Amendment 52, the sections 
contain an analysis and description of the likely social changes due to 
the alternatives under consideration along with an evaluation of the 
potential social effects of the proposed actions in comparison to the 
status quo. As explained in the Response to Comment 3, snapper-grouper 
fishermen's and stakeholders' perspectives and input are gathered 
through the scoping and public comment process and were utilized in the 
evaluation and determination of social effects contained in Amendment 
52. NMFS has determined that social impact assessment in Amendment 52 
meets the requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable 
law.

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 Amendment 52, the FMP, other provisions of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act, the U.S. Constitution, and other applicable law.
    This final rule has been determined to be not significant for 
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    The Magnuson-Stevens Act provides the legal basis for this proposed 
rule. No duplicative, overlapping, or conflicting Federal rules have 
been identified.
    A description of this final rule, why it is being considered, and 
the purpose of this final rule are contained in the SUMMARY and 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION sections of this final rule. The objective of 
this final rule is to base conservation and management measures for 
golden and blueline tilefish on the best scientific information 
available and achieve OY, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and 
its National Standards.
    The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce 
certified

[[Page 76701]]

to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration 
(SBA) during the proposed rule stage that this action would not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
The factual basis for the certification was published in the proposed 
rule and is not repeated here. NMFS did not receive any comments from 
SBA's Office of Advocacy or the public regarding the certification in 
the proposed rule. As a result, a final regulatory flexibility analysis 
was not required and none was prepared.
    This final rule contains no information collection requirements 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 622

    Blueline tilefish, Commercial, Fisheries, Fishing, Golden tilefish, 
Recreational, South Atlantic.

    Dated: November 1, 2023.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, NMFS amends 50 CFR part 
622 as follows:

PART 622--FISHERIES OF THE CARIBBEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND SOUTH 
ATLANTIC

0
1. The authority citation for part 622 continues to read as follows:

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


0
2. In Sec.  622.183, add paragraph (b)(11) to read as follows:


Sec.  622.183  Area and seasonal closures.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (11) Golden tilefish commercial longline component. The golden 
tilefish commercial longline component in or from the South Atlantic 
EEZ is closed from January 1 through January 14, each year. During a 
closure, no vessel with a valid or renewable golden tilefish longline 
endorsement as described at 50 CFR 622.191(a)(2)(ii), and no person, 
may fish for, harvest, or possess golden tilefish from the South 
Atlantic EEZ with longline gear on board.


0
3. In Sec.  622.187, add paragraph (b)(2)(iv) to read as follows:


Sec.  622.187  Bag and possession limits.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (iv) No more than two fish may be blueline tilefish. However, no 
blueline tilefish may be retained by the captain or crew of a vessel 
operating as a charter vessel or headboat. The bag limit for such 
captain and crew is zero.
* * * * *

0
4. In Sec.  622.190, revise paragraph (a)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  622.190  Quotas.

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (2) Golden tilefish--(i) Commercial sector (hook-and-line and 
longline components combined). (A) For the 2023 fishing year--420,645 
lb (190,801 kg).
    (B) For the 2024 fishing year--433,216 lb (196,503 kg).
    (C) For the 2025 fishing year--442,886 lb (200,890 kg).
    (D) For the 2026 and subsequent fishing years--450,622 lb (204,399 
kg).
    (ii) Hook-and-line component. (A) For the 2023 fishing year--
105,161 lb (47,700 kg).
    (B) For the 2024 fishing year--108,304 lb (49,126 kg).
    (C) For the 2025 fishing year--110,722 lb (50,223 kg).
    (D) For the 2026 and subsequent fishing years--112,656 lb (51,100 
kg).
    (iii) Longline component. (A) For the 2023 fishing year--315,484 lb 
(143,101 kg).
    (B) For the 2024 fishing year--324,912 lb (147,378 kg).
    (C) For the 2025 fishing year--332,165 lb (150,668 kg).
    (D) For the 2026 and subsequent fishing years--337,967 lb (153,299 
kg).
* * * * *

0
5. Amend Sec.  622.193 by revising paragraphs (a)(1)(iii) and (a)(2), 
adding paragraph (a)(3), and revising paragraph (z)(2) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  622.193  Annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures 
(AMs).

    (a) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (iii) If all commercial landings of golden tilefish, as estimated 
by the SRD, exceed the commercial ACL (including both the hook-and-line 
and longline component quotas) specified in Sec.  622.190(a)(2)(i), and 
the combined commercial and recreational ACL specified in paragraph 
(a)(3) of this section is exceeded during the same fishing year, and 
golden tilefish are overfished based on the most recent Status of U.S. 
Fisheries Report to Congress, the AA will file a notification with the 
Office of the Federal Register to reduce the commercial ACL for that 
following fishing year by the amount of the commercial ACL overage in 
the prior fishing year.
    (2) Recreational sector. The recreational ACL for golden tilefish 
is 2,559 fish for the 2023 fishing year; 2,635 fish for the 2024 
fishing year; 2,694 for the 2025 fishing year; 2,741 fish for the 2026 
and subsequent fishing years. NMFS will project the length of the 
recreational fishing season based on catch rates from the previous 
fishing year and when NMFS projects the recreational ACL specified in 
this paragraph (a)(2) is expected to be met, and annually announce the 
recreational fishing season end date in the Federal Register. On and 
after the effective date of the recreational closure notification, the 
bag and possession limit for golden tilefish in or from the South 
Atlantic EEZ is zero.
    (3) Combined commercial and recreational ACL. The combined 
commercial and recreational ACL is 435,000 lb (197,313 kg), gutted 
weight, for the 2023 fishing year; 448,000 lb (203,209 kg), gutted 
weight, for the 2024 fishing year; 458,000 lb (207,745 kg), gutted 
weight, for the 2025 fishing year; and 466,000 lb (211,374 kg), gutted 
weight, for the 2026 and subsequent fishing years.
* * * * *
    (z) * * *
    (2) Recreational sector. The recreational ACL for blueline tilefish 
is 116,820 lb (52,989 kg), round weight. NMFS will project the length 
of the recreational fishing season based on catch rates from the 
previous fishing year and when NMFS projects the recreational ACL 
specified in this paragraph (z)(2) is expected to be met, and annually 
announce the recreational fishing season end date in the Federal 
Register. On and after the effective date of the recreational closure 
notification, the bag and possession limit for blueline tilefish in or 
from the South Atlantic EEZ is zero.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2023-24468 Filed 11-6-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P