[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 19, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 19513]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05766]



[[Page 19513]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 230914-0219; RTID 0648-XD744]


Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 
2024 Recreational Accountability Measure and Closure for Gag in the 
South Atlantic

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure for the recreational 
harvest of gag in South Atlantic Federal waters. NMFS projects that 
recreational landings of gag will reach the recreational annual catch 
limit (ACL) for the 2024 fishing year by June 15, 2024. Accordingly, 
NMFS announces the closure date for the recreational harvest of gag in 
South Atlantic Federal waters to protect the gag resource.

DATES: This temporary rule is effective from June 15, 2024, through 
December 31, 2024.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South 
Atlantic includes gag 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. All weights in this temporary rule 
are in gutted weight.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 622.193(c)(2) specify the 2024 recreational 
ACL for gag of 133,075 pounds (60,362 kilograms), and the recreational 
AMs. One of the recreational AMs state that if recreational landings of 
gag exceed its ACL, NMFS will reduce the length of the next 
recreational fishing season to prevent recreational landings from again 
exceeding the recreational ACL [50 CFR 622.193(c)(2)(ii)]. On October 
23, 2023, the effective date of the final rule to implement Amendment 
53 to the FMP, NMFS closed the recreational sector for the remainder of 
the year because recreational landings had exceeded the new 2023 
recreational ACL (88 FR 68497, October 4, 2023). Therefore, given the 
overage of the recreational ACL in 2023, NMFS is reducing the length of 
the 2024 recreational season to prevent the recreational ACL from being 
exceeded.
    The recreational season for gag will start on May 1, 2024. Data 
from the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center have informed NMFS' 
projection that recreational landings will reach the recreational ACL 
for 2024 after June 14. Therefore, NMFS announces that the recreational 
season for gag in South Atlantic Federal waters will be closed on June 
15, 2024, and continue through December 31, 2024. During the 
recreational closure, the bag and possession limits for gag in or from 
South Atlantic Federal waters are zero. The next recreational fishing 
season for gag begins on May 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(c)(2)(ii), 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 AMs for gag 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. Prior notice and opportunity for public 
comment on this action is contrary to the public interest because of 
the need to protect the South Atlantic gag resource. Additionally, 
providing as much advance notice to the public of this shortened 
fishing season and closure allows recreational fishermen, including 
charter vessel and headboat businesses, to prepare for the change to 
the recreational season for gag and to schedule or reschedule their 
trips.

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

    Dated: March 14, 2024.
Everett Wayne Baxter,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-05766 Filed 3-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P