[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 27, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14415-14416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03982]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 231101-0256; RTID 0648-XD672]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
2024 Recreational Closure for Golden Tilefish in the South Atlantic

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the 2024 recreational fishing season for golden 
tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. 
Announcing the length of the recreational season is the accountability 
measure (AM) for the recreational sector. NMFS estimates that 
recreational landings of golden tilefish will reach the recreational 
annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2024 fishing year by February 29, 
2024. Accordingly, NMFS announces the closure date for the recreational 
harvest of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ to protect the 
golden tilefish resource.

DATES: This temporary rule is effective from March 1, 2024, through 
December 31, 2024.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South 
Atlantic includes golden tilefish and is managed under the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic 
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council and NMFS, and 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.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 622.193(a)(2) specify the 2024 recreational 
ACL for golden tilefish of 2,635 fish, and the recreational AM. The 
recreational AM states that NMFS will project the length of the 
recreational fishing season for golden tilefish based on catch rates 
from the previous fishing year and announce the end date of the 
recreational season (50 CFR 622.193(a)(2)). The recreational season for 
golden tilefish started on

[[Page 14416]]

January 1, 2024. Data from the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center 
informed NMFS' projection that recreational landings will reach the 
recreational ACL for 2024 by the end of February. Therefore, NMFS 
announces that the end date of the recreational season for golden 
tilefish is February 29, 2024, and the recreational sector for golden 
tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ will be closed from March 1 through 
December 31, 2024. During the recreational closure, the bag and 
possession limits for golden tilefish in or from the South Atlantic EEZ 
are zero. The next recreational fishing year and season for golden 
tilefish begins on January 1, 2025.

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.193(a)(2), which was 
issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 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 are unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such 
procedures are unnecessary because the rule that established the 
recreational ACL and AM for golden tilefish has already been subject to 
notice and comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the 
end date of the recreational season. Such procedures are contrary to 
the public interest because of the need to immediately implement this 
action to protect the golden tilefish stock. The recreational ACL will 
soon be reached and prior notice and opportunity for public comment 
would require additional time, potentially resulting in a harvest well 
in excess of the established ACL.
    For the reasons just stated, there is also 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: February 22, 2024.
Everett Wayne Baxter,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-03982 Filed 2-23-24; 8:45 am]
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