[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 57 (Friday, March 22, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20412-20422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06103]



[[Page 20412]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 240318-0082]
RIN 0648-BM71


Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast 
Multispecies Fishery; Framework Adjustment 66

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: This action proposes to approve and implement Framework 
Adjustment 66 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. 
This rule proposes to set catch limits for 8 of the 20 multispecies 
stocks, modify the accountability measure trigger for Atlantic halibut, 
and make a temporary modification to the accountability trigger for the 
scallop fishery for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder. This action is 
necessary to respond to updated scientific information and to achieve 
the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan. The proposed 
measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished 
stocks, achieve optimum yield, and ensure that management measures are 
based on the best scientific information available.

DATES: Comments must be received by 5 p.m. EST on April 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2023-0153, 
by the following method:
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and type NOAA-NMFS-2023-0153 in the Search box 
(note: copying and pasting the FDMS Docket Number directly from this 
document may not yield search results). Click on the ``Comment'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered. All comments received are a part of the public 
record and will generally be posted for public viewing on https://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business 
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily 
by the sender will be publicly accessible. You may submit anonymous 
comments by entering ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to 
remain anonymous.
    Copies of Framework Adjustment 66, including the draft 
Environmental Assessment, the Regulatory Impact Review, and the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis prepared by the New England Fishery 
Management Council in support of this action, are available from Dr. 
Cate O'Keefe, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management 
Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. The supporting 
documents are also accessible via the internet at: http://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/northeast-multispecies or http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Liz Sullivan, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
phone: 978-282-8493; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Summary of Proposed Measures

    This action would implement the management measures in Framework 
Adjustment 66 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP). The New England Fishery Management Council reviewed the proposed 
regulations and deemed them consistent with, and necessary to 
implement, Framework 66 in a January 16, 2024, letter from Council 
Chairman Eric Reid to Regional Administrator Michael Pentony. Under the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, on behalf of 
the Secretary of Commerce, the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries 
Office's Regional Administrator approves, disapproves, or partially 
approves measures that the Council proposes, based on consistency with 
the Act and other applicable law. NMFS reviews proposed regulations for 
consistency with the fishery management plan, plan amendments, the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable law. The Regional 
Administrator is seeking comments on these proposed regulations and 
intends to promulgate the final regulations after careful consideration 
of any submitted comments. Through Framework 66, the Council proposes 
to:
     Set shared U.S./Canada quotas for Georges Bank (GB) 
yellowtail flounder and eastern GB cod and haddock for fishing years 
2024 and 2025;
     Set specifications, including catch limits for eight 
groundfish stocks: redfish, northern windowpane flounder, and southern 
windowpane flounder for fishing years 2024-2026, and GB cod, GB 
haddock, Gulf of Maine (GOM) haddock, GB yellowtail flounder, and white 
hake for fishing years 2024-2025;
     Make a minor adjustment to the subcomponent quotas for GOM 
cod and adjust the amount set aside for Canadian catch for Atlantic 
halibut;
     Remove the management uncertainty buffer for sectors for 
GOM haddock and white hake, if the at-sea monitoring (ASM) target 
coverage level is set at 90 percent or greater for the 2024 and 2025 
fishing years;
     Modify the catch threshold for implementing the Atlantic 
halibut accountability measures (AM); and
     Temporarily modify the catch threshold for implementing 
the scallop fishery's AM for GB yellowtail flounder.
    This action also proposes minor, clarifying regulatory changes that 
are not part of Framework 66, but that may be considered and 
implemented under section 305(d) authority in the Magnuson-Stevens Act 
to make changes necessary to carry out the FMP. NMFS is proposing these 
changes in conjunction with the Framework 66 proposed measures for 
expediency purposes. These proposed changes are described below under 
the heading, Minor, Clarifying Regulatory Changes under Secretarial 
Authority.

Fishing Years 2024 and 2025 Shared U.S./Canada Quotas

Management of Transboundary Georges Bank Stocks

    Eastern GB cod, eastern GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder are 
jointly managed with Canada under the United States/Canada Resource 
Sharing Understanding. The Transboundary Resource Assessment Committee 
(TRAC) is the scientific arm of the Understanding and is tasked with 
assessing the shared stocks and providing information necessary to 
support management of shared resources by the Transboundary Management 
Guidance Committee (TMGC). The TMGC is a government-industry committee 
made up of representatives from the United States and Canada that acts 
to provide management guidance for U.S. and Canadian domestic 
management authorities. For historical information about the TMGC see: 
http://www.bio.gc.ca/info/intercol/tmgc-cogst/index-en.php. Each year, 
the TMGC recommends a shared quota for each stock based on the most 
recent stock

[[Page 20413]]

information and the TMGC's harvest strategy. The TMGC's harvest 
strategy for setting catch levels is to maintain a low to neutral risk 
(less than 50 percent) of exceeding the fishing mortality limit for 
each stock. The harvest strategy also specifies that, when stock 
conditions are poor, fishing mortality should be further reduced to 
promote stock rebuilding. The shared quotas are allocated between the 
United States and Canada based on a formula that considers historical 
catch (10-percent weighting) and the current resource distribution (90-
percent weighting).
    For GB yellowtail flounder, the Council's Scientific and 
Statistical Committee (SSC) also recommends an acceptable biological 
catch (ABC) for the stock. The ABC is typically used to inform the U.S. 
TMGC's discussions with Canada for the annual shared quota. Although 
the stock is jointly managed with Canada, and the TMGC recommends 
annual shared quotas, the Council may not set catch limits that would 
exceed the SSC's recommendation. The SSC does not recommend ABCs for 
eastern GB cod and haddock because they are management units of the 
total GB cod and haddock stocks. The SSC recommends overall ABCs for 
the total GB cod and haddock stocks. The shared U.S./Canada quota for 
eastern GB cod and haddock is included in these overall ABCs, and must 
be consistent with the SSC's recommendation for the total GB stocks.

2024 and 2025 U.S./Canada Quotas

    The TRAC assessed the three transboundary stocks in July 2023, and 
detailed summaries of these assessments can be found at: https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/assessments/trac/. The TMGC met in September 2023 to 
recommend shared quotas for 2024 based on the updated assessments, the 
Council adopted the TMGC's recommendations in Framework 66. Framework 
66 proposes to set the same shared quotas for a second year (i.e., for 
fishing year 2025) as placeholders, with the expectation that those 
quotas will be reviewed annually and new recommendations will be 
received from the TMGC. The proposed 2024 and 2025 shared U.S./Canada 
quotas, and each country's allocation, are listed in table 1.

     Table 1--Proposed 2024 and 2025 Fishing Years U.S./Canada Quotas (mt, live weight) and Percent of Quota
                                            Allocated to Each Country
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Quota                       Eastern GB cod         Eastern GB haddock     GB yellowtail flounder
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Shared Quota...................  520....................  10,000.................  168.
U.S. Quota...........................  151 (29 percent).......  3,100 (31 percent).....  71 (42 percent).
Canadian Quota.......................  369 (71 percent).......  6,900 (69 percent).....  97 (58 percent).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The proposed 2024 U.S. quotas for the eastern GB cod and GB haddock 
would represent 12-percent and 104-percent increases, respectively, 
compared to 2023; the proposed GB yellowtail flounder would represent a 
33-percent decrease. For a more detailed discussion of the TMGC's 2024 
catch advice, including a description of each country's quota share, 
see the TMGC's guidance document that is posted at: https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/.
    The regulations implementing the U.S./Canada Resource Sharing 
Understanding at 50 CFR 648.85(a) require deducting any overages of the 
U.S. quota for eastern GB cod, eastern GB haddock, or GB yellowtail 
flounder from the U.S. quota in the following fishing year. If catch 
information for the 2023 fishing year indicates that the U.S. fishery 
exceeded its quota for any of the shared stocks, we will reduce the 
respective U.S. quotas for the 2024 fishing year in a future management 
action, as close to May 1, 2024, as possible. If any fishery that is 
allocated a portion of the U.S. quota exceeds its allocation and causes 
an overage of the overall U.S. quota, the overage reduction would be 
applied only to that fishery's allocation in the following fishing 
year. This ensures that catch by one component of the overall fishery 
does not negatively affect another component of the overall fishery.

Catch Limits for Fishing Years 2024-2026

Summary of the Proposed Catch Limits

    Tables 2 through 12 show the proposed catch limits for the 2024-
2026 fishing years. A brief summary of how these catch limits were 
developed is provided below. More details on the proposed catch limits 
for each groundfish stock can be found in appendix II (Calculation of 
Northeast Multispecies Annual Catch Limits, FY 2024--FY 2026) to the 
Framework 66 Environmental Assessment (see ADDRESSES for information on 
how to get this document).
    Through Framework 66, the Council proposes to adopt catch limits 
for redfish, northern windowpane flounder, and southern windowpane 
flounder for the 2024-2026 fishing years, based on stock assessments 
completed in 2023, and catch limits for GB cod, GB haddock, GOM 
haddock, GB yellowtail flounder, and white hake for fishing years 2024-
2025. Framework 65 (86 FR 40353; July 28, 2021) previously set 2024 
quotas for redfish, northern windowpane flounder, and southern 
windowpane flounder based on assessments conducted in 2020, and those 
would remain in place. Framework 63 (87 FR 42375; July 15, 2022) 
previously set the 2023-2024 quota for GOM cod, based on an assessment 
conducted in 2021, and that would also remain in place. Table 2 
provides an overview of which catch limits, if any, would change, as 
proposed in Framework 66, as well as when the stock was most recently 
assessed. Table 3 provides the percent change in the 2024 catch limit 
compared to the 2023 fishing year.

      Table 2--Changes to Catch Limits, as Proposed in Framework 66
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Most recent      Proposed change in
             Stock                 assessment          Framework 66
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod.........................            2021  New 2024 U.S. ABC.
GOM Cod........................            2021  Adjust sub-components,
                                                  2024 catch limit set
                                                  by Framework 63.
GB Haddock.....................            2022  New 2024-2025 U.S. ABC.

[[Page 20414]]

 
GOM Haddock....................            2022  New 2024-2025 ABC.
GB Yellowtail Flounder.........            2022  New 2024-2025 ABC.
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder.....            2022  No change: 2024-2025
                                                  catch limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder.....            2022  No change: 2024-2025
                                                  catch limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
American Plaice................            2022  No change: 2024-2025
                                                  catch limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
Witch Flounder.................            2022  No change: 2024-2025
                                                  catch limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
GB Winter Flounder.............            2022  No change: 2024-2025
                                                  catch limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
GOM Winter Flounder............            2022  No change: 2024-2025
                                                  catch limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
SNE/MA Winter Flounder.........            2022  No change: 2024-2025
                                                  catch limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
Redfish........................            2023  New 2024-2026 ABC.
White Hake.....................            2022  New 2024-2025 ABC.
Pollock........................            2022  No change: 2024-2025
                                                  catch limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
N. Windowpane Flounder.........            2023  New 2024-2026 ABC.
S. Windowpane Flounder.........            2023  New 2024-2026 ABC.
Ocean Pout.....................            2022  No change: 2024-2025
                                                  catch limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
Atlantic Halibut...............            2022  Adjust Canadian catch
                                                  estimate, 2024 catch
                                                  limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
Atlantic Wolffish..............            2022  No change: 2024-2025
                                                  catch limits set by
                                                  Framework 65.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
N = northern; S = southern; SNE = Southern New England; MA = Mid-
  Atlantic.


                             Table 3--Proposed Fishing Years 2024-2026 Overfishing Limits and Acceptable Biological Catches
                                                                    [mt, live weight]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                         2024              Percent              2025                      2026
                            Stock                             -------------------------- change from ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                   OFL        U.S. ABC       2023         OFL        U.S. ABC       OFL        U.S. ABC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod.......................................................          UNK          535            3          UNK  ...........  ...........  ...........
GOM Cod......................................................          980          551            0  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
GB Haddock...................................................       17,768        7,058          -41       15,096        5,382  ...........  ...........
GOM Haddock..................................................        2,651        2,406           -4        2,549        2,312  ...........  ...........
GB Yellowtail Flounder.......................................          UNK           71          -33          UNK           71  ...........  ...........
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder...................................           89           40            0          345           40  ...........  ...........
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder...................................        1,279          992          -11        1,184          915  ...........  ...........
American Plaice..............................................        7,091        5,520           -3        6,763        5,270  ...........  ...........
Witch Flounder...............................................          UNK        1,256            0          UNK        1,256  ...........  ...........
GB Winter Flounder...........................................        2,153        1,549           -9        2,100        1,490  ...........  ...........
GOM Winter Flounder..........................................        1,072          804            0        1,072          804  ...........  ...........
SNE/MA Winter Flounder.......................................        1,425          627            0        1,536          627  ...........  ...........
Redfish......................................................       11,041        8,307          -17       10,982        8,273       11,177        8,418
White Hake...................................................        2,607        1,934            5        2,591        1,921  ...........  ...........
Pollock......................................................       18,208       13,940           -7       17,384       13,294  ...........  ...........
N. Windowpane Flounder.......................................          UNK          136          -15          UNK          136          UNK          136
S. Windowpane Flounder.......................................          284          213          -45          284          213          284          213
Ocean Pout...................................................          125           87            0          125           87  ...........  ...........
Atlantic Halibut.............................................          UNK           78           -9          UNK           78  ...........  ...........
Atlantic Wolffish............................................          124           93            0          124           93  ...........  ...........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNK = Unknown.
Note: An empty cell indicates no overfishing limit (OFL)/ABC is adopted for that year. These catch limits would be set in a future action.

Overfishing Limits and Acceptable Biological Catches

    The overfishing limit (OFL) is calculated to set the maximum amount 
of fish that can be caught in a year, without constituting overfishing. 
The ABC is typically set lower than the OFL to account for scientific 
uncertainty. For GB cod, GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder, the 
total ABC is reduced by the amount of the Canadian quota (see table 1 
for the Canadian and U.S. shares of these stocks). Although the TMGC 
recommendations were only for fishing year 2024, the portion of the 
shared quota that would be allocated to Canada in fishing year 2024 was 
used to project the U.S. portions of the ABCs for these three stocks 
for 2025. This avoids artificially inflating the U.S. ABC up to the 
total ABC for the 2025 fishing year. The TMGC will make new 
recommendations for 2025, which would replace any quotas for these 
stocks set in this action. Additionally, although GB winter flounder, 
white hake, and Atlantic halibut are not jointly managed with Canada, 
there is some Canadian catch of these stocks. Because the total ABC 
must account for all sources of fishing mortality, expected Canadian 
catch of GB winter flounder (38 metric tons; mt), white hake (57 mt), 
and Atlantic halibut (82 mt) is deducted from the total ABC. The U.S. 
ABC is the amount available to the U.S. fishery after accounting for 
Canadian catch (see table 3). For stocks without Canadian catch, the 
U.S. ABC is equal to the total ABC.
    The OFLs are currently unknown for GB cod, GB yellowtail flounder, 
witch flounder, northern windowpane flounder, and Atlantic halibut. For 
2024, the SSC recommended maintaining the unknown OFL for GB yellowtail 
flounder and northern windowpane flounder. Empirical stock assessments 
are used for these five stocks, and these assessments can no longer 
provide quantitative estimates of the status

[[Page 20415]]

determination criteria, nor are they appropriate proxies for stock 
status determination able to be developed. For each of these stocks, 
the Council has relied on the SSC to provide advice on the likelihood 
of preventing overfishing and promoting rebuilding under the proposed 
ABCs. Based on the SSC's recommendation, we have preliminarily 
determined that these ABCs are based on the best scientific information 
available and therefore provide a sufficient limit for preventing 
overfishing and are consistent with the National Standards. This action 
does not propose any changes to the status determination criteria for 
these stocks.
GOM Haddock
    In Framework 65, the Council recommended specifications for GOM 
haddock for fishing years 2023-2025 based on 75 percent of the fishing 
mortality associated with maximum sustainable yield (FMSY). 
Subsequently, the Council requested that NMFS take emergency action to 
increase the fishing year 2023 ABC due to concerns about the 
significant decrease from 2022 and the potential economic impacts if 
the catch limit were reached earlier in the fishing year. As part of 
the final rule for Framework 65 (88 FR 56527; August 18, 2023), NMFS 
took emergency action, increasing the ABC to the level at 100 percent 
of FMSY. The ABC for GOM haddock under the emergency rule 
was in effect for 180 days and was scheduled to expire on February 14, 
2024. On January 9, 2024, we extended the emergency action for the 
remainder of the 2023 fishing year through April 30, 2024 (89 FR 1036).
    In Framework 66, the Council has recommended increasing the GOM 
haddock ABC to the level at 90 percent of FMSY for fishing 
years 2024 and 2025, based on the recommendation from the SSC. This 
would be a temporary modification to the standard FMSY 
scientific uncertainty buffer, until the time of the next management 
track assessment and update of catch advice. This advice takes into 
consideration the current status of the GOM haddock stock, which was 
last assessed in 2022 at 270 percent of the target biomass 
(BMSY), and seeks to strike a balance between the biological 
and economic considerations.
White Hake
    White hake is in a rebuilding plan, implemented in Framework 61 
(2021), which specifies setting the ABCs at 70 percent of 
FMSY. When the stock was assessed in 2022, it was determined 
to no longer be overfished, but has not yet rebuilt. In Framework 65 
(2023), the Council opted to set the ABC for a single year (2023) and 
therefore Framework 66 must set the ABCs for fishing years 2024 and 
2025. The SSC recommended modifying the rebuilding plan to allow the 
ABC to be set at 75 percent of FMSY for two years only (2024 
and 2025). In 2026, the rebuilding plan would revert to 70 percent of 
FMSY. The SSC recommended no other changes to the rebuilding 
plan, including the rebuilding timeline ending in 2031, because the 
stock is still projected to rebuild within that time.

Annual Catch Limits

Development of Annual Catch Limits
    The U.S. ABC for each stock is divided among the various fishery 
components to account for all sources of fishing mortality. An estimate 
of catch expected from state waters and the other sub-component (e.g., 
non-groundfish fisheries or some recreational groundfish fisheries) is 
deducted from the U.S. ABC. The remaining portion of the U.S. ABC is 
distributed to the fishery components that receive an allocation for 
the stock. Components of the fishery that receive an allocation have a 
sub-annual catch limit (sub-ACL) set by reducing their portion of the 
ABC (the sub-ABC) to account for management uncertainty and are subject 
to AMs if they exceed their respective catch limit during the fishing 
year. For GOM cod and haddock only, the U.S. ABC is first divided 
between the commercial and recreational fisheries, before being further 
divided into sub-components and sub-ACLs. This process is described 
fully in appendix II of the Framework 66 Environmental Assessment.
Sector and Common Pool Allocations
    For stocks allocated to sectors, the commercial groundfish sub-ACL 
is further divided into the non-sector (common pool) sub-ACL and the 
sector sub-ACL, based on the total vessel enrollment in sectors and the 
cumulative potential sector contributions (PSC) associated with those 
sectors. The preliminary sector and common pool sub-ACLs proposed in 
this action are based on fishing year 2023 PSCs and fishing year 2023 
sector rosters. All permits enrolled in a sector, and the vessels 
associated with those permits, have until April 30, 2024, to withdraw 
from a sector and fish in the common pool for the 2024 fishing year. In 
addition to the enrollment delay, all permits that change ownership 
after the roster deadline may join a sector (or change sector) through 
April 30, 2024. If changes to the sector rosters occur, updated catch 
limits will be announced as soon as possible in the 2024 fishing year 
to reflect the final sector rosters as of May 1, 2024.
Management Uncertainty Buffer for Sectors
    In Framework 66, the Council proposes to remove the management 
uncertainty buffer for the sector sub-ACL for GOM haddock and white 
hake, if the ASM coverage target is 90 percent or higher. If approved, 
this measure would remain in place for the next 2 fishing years, unless 
the Council sets new specifications for fishing year 2025 based on 
updated assessments. Based on the current assessment schedule, GOM 
haddock could receive new specifications for fishing year 2025, and in 
that situation, this measure would not apply in fishing year 2025 
unless the Council included it in that action. White hake is not 
scheduled to receive new specifications until fishing year 2026. The 
Council's goal is to mitigate the economic impacts of the ACLs for 
these two potentially constraining stocks by increasing the sector sub-
ACLs if the ASM coverage target is high enough to reduce uncertainty. 
Amendment 23 (87 FR 75852; December 9, 2022) implemented a measure to 
set the management uncertainty buffer for the sector sub-ACL for each 
allocated groundfish stock to zero. In years that the ASM coverage 
target is set at 100 percent, the management uncertainty buffer will 
default to zero for the sector sub-ACL for allocated stocks, unless the 
Council's consideration of the 100-percent coverage target warrants 
specifying a different management uncertainty buffer in order to 
prevent exceeding the sub-ACL. The process by which the Council 
evaluates and sets management uncertainty buffers was unchanged by 
Amendment 23, and the Council may adjust management uncertainty buffers 
in future actions.
    As established in Amendment 23, the ASM coverage target is 
dependent on the level of funding for ASM and observers, and NMFS must 
evaluate overall annual appropriations from Congress to finalize the 
ASM coverage target. NMFS must also provide the target as soon as it 
can each year so that sectors can establish their rosters and meet 
annual deadlines. Therefore, on February 20, 2024, the Regional 
Administrator announced that the preliminary fishing year 2024 ASM 
coverage target will be 100 percent. NMFS is currently evaluating 
whether the preliminary coverage target can be met given the level of 
2024 appropriations funding for reimbursing sectors for the cost of 
monitoring, and

[[Page 20416]]

will announce the final ASM coverage target in the final rule.
    If this measure removing the management uncertainty buffers for two 
stocks is approved, and the final ASM coverage target is set between 90 
and 99 percent, sectors' sub-ABCs for GOM haddock and white hake would 
not be reduced to account for the management uncertainty for fishing 
year 2024 (see table 5, bold stocks). The removal of the management 
uncertainty buffer for the sectors alone is not likely to cause the ABC 
or OFL to be exceeded. The fishery would remain accountable for 
remaining within the sub-ACLs allocated to it. Further, the revised 
management uncertainty buffers apply only to sectors and not to the 
common pool component of the fishery or other sub-ACLs or sub-
components for any stocks. In the case of GOM haddock, the recreational 
fishery and common pool fishery would both retain a management 
uncertainty buffer; for white hake, only the common pool fishery would 
have a management uncertainty buffer applied. Therefore, a certain 
level of uncertainty buffer will continue to exist for each stock's 
ACL.
    If the final ASM coverage target is set below 90 percent, this 
measure would not be in effect for fishing year 2024, and all stocks 
would have sectors' sub-ABCs reduced to account for management 
uncertainty (see table 4). If the final ASM coverage target is set at 
100 percent for fishing year 2024, sectors' sub-ABCs would not be 
reduced for any allocated stocks (see table 5). Table 6 displays the 
ACLs and sub-ACLs for all stocks with the management uncertainty buffer 
left in place for fishing year 2025, but this would be updated in a 
future action based on the coverage target for that fishing year.
Common Pool Total Allowable Catches
    The common pool sub-ACL for each allocated stock (except for 
Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA) winter flounder) is further 
divided into trimester total allowable catches (TACs). Table 8 
summarizes the common pool trimester TACs proposed in this action.
    Incidental catch TACs are also specified for certain stocks of 
concern (i.e., stocks that are overfished or subject to overfishing) 
for common pool vessels fishing in the special management programs 
(i.e., special access programs (SAP) and the Regular B Days-at-Sea 
(DAS) Program), in order to limit the catch of these stocks under each 
program. Tables 9 through 12 summarize the proposed Incidental Catch 
TACs for each stock and the distribution of these TACs to each special 
management program.

                                            Table 4--Proposed Catch Limits for the 2024 Fishing Year With Management Uncertainty Buffer Left in Place
                                                                                        [mt, live weight]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                       Midwater                              State
                              Stock                                Total ACL    Groundfish  Sector sub-  Common pool   Recreational      trawl      Scallop   Small-mesh  waters sub- Other sub-
                                                                                 sub-ACL        ACL        sub-ACL        sub-ACL       fishery     fishery    fisheries   component   component
                                                                       A to H    A + B + C            A            B               C           D           E           F           G           H
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod..........................................................          515          386          375           11  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          43          86
GOM Cod.........................................................          522          474          271           11             192  ..........  ..........  ..........          48           0
GB Haddock......................................................        6,702        6,571        6,422          149  ..............         131  ..........  ..........           0           0
GOM Haddock.....................................................        2,272        2,194        1,404           31             759          22  ..........  ..........          48         8.0
GB Yellowtail Flounder..........................................           68           56           53          3.0  ..............  ..........        11.0         1.3           0           0
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder......................................           38           33           25          8.1  ..............  ..........         2.7  ..........         0.2         2.0
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder......................................          946          876          828           48  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          30          40
American Plaice.................................................        5,247        5,192        5,046          145  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          28          28
Witch Flounder..................................................        1,196        1,146        1,104           41  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          19          31
GB Winter Flounder..............................................        1,503        1,488        1,442           45  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0          16
GOM Winter Flounder.............................................          772          607          519           88  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........         153        12.1
SNE/MA Winter Flounder..........................................          604          441          387           53  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          19         144
Redfish.........................................................        7,892        7,892        7,809           83  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0           0
White Hake......................................................        1,838        1,828        1,810           19  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0          10
Pollock.........................................................       13,299       12,184       12,070          114  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........         627         488
N. Windowpane Flounder..........................................          127           94           na           94  ..............  ..........          27  ..........         0.0         6.8
S. Windowpane Flounder..........................................          205           30           na           30  ..............  ..........          71  ..........         6.4          98
Ocean Pout......................................................           83           49           na           49  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0          34
Atlantic Halibut................................................           75           58           na           58  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          16         1.2
Atlantic Wolffish...............................................           87           87           na           87  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0           0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
na: not allocated to sectors.


                                         Table 5--Proposed Catch Limits for the 2024 Fishing Year With Management Uncertainty Buffer Removed for Sectors
                                                                                        [mt, live weight]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                       Midwater                              State
                              Stock                                Total ACL    Groundfish  Sector sub-  Common pool   Recreational      trawl      Scallop   Small-mesh  waters sub- Other sub-
                                                                                 sub-ACL        ACL        sub-ACL        sub-ACL       fishery     fishery    fisheries   component   component
                                                                       A to H    A + B + C            A            B               C           D           E           F           G           H
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod..........................................................          534          406          395           11  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          43          86
GOM Cod.........................................................          536          488          285           11             192  ..........  ..........  ..........          48           0

[[Page 20417]]

 
GB Haddock......................................................        7,040        6,909        6,761          149  ..............         131  ..........  ..........           0           0
GOM Haddock.....................................................        2,346        2,268        1,478           31             759          22  ..........  ..........          48         8.0
GB Yellowtail Flounder..........................................           70           58           55          3.0  ..............  ..........        11.0         1.3           0           0
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder......................................           40           35           27          8.1  ..............  ..........         2.7  ..........         0.2         2.0
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder......................................          990          920          872           48  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          30          40
American Plaice.................................................        5,512        5,457        5,312          145  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          28          28
Witch Flounder..................................................        1,254        1,204        1,163           41  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          19          31
GB Winter Flounder..............................................        1,548        1,532        1,487           45  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0          16
GOM Winter Flounder.............................................          800          635          546           88  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........         153        12.1
SNE/MA Winter Flounder..........................................          624          461          408           53  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          19         144
Redfish.........................................................        8,303        8,303        8,220           83  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0           0
White Hake......................................................        1,933        1,923        1,905           19  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0          10
Pollock.........................................................       13,934       12,819       12,705          114  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........         627         488
N. Windowpane Flounder..........................................          127           94           na           94  ..............  ..........          27  ..........         0.0         6.8
S. Windowpane Flounder..........................................          205           30           na           30  ..............  ..........          71  ..........         6.4          98
Ocean Pout......................................................           83           49           na           49  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0          34
Atlantic Halibut................................................           75           58           na           58  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          16         1.2
Atlantic Wolffish...............................................           87           87           na           87  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0           0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
na: not allocated to sectors.
For bold stocks, management uncertainty buffer would be removed if ASM target is 90 percent or higher. For all other allocated stocks, it is removed only if ASM target is 100.


                                                                   Table 6--Proposed Catch Limits for the 2025 Fishing Year *
                                                                                        [mt, live weight]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                       Midwater                              State
                              Stock                                Total ACL    Groundfish  Sector sub-  Common pool   Recreational      trawl      Scallop   Small-mesh  waters sub- Other sub-
                                                                                 sub-ACL        ACL        sub-ACL        sub-ACL       fishery     fishery    fisheries   component   component
                                                                       A to H    A + B + C            A            B               C           D           E           F           G           H
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Haddock......................................................        5,111        5,011        4,897          113  ..............         100  ..........  ..........           0           0
GOM Haddock.....................................................        2,183        2,108        1,350           30             729          22  ..........  ..........          46           8
GB Yellowtail Flounder..........................................           68           56           53          3.0  ..............  ..........          11         1.3           0           0
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder......................................           38           33           25          8.1  ..............  ..........         2.7  ..........         0.2         2.0
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder......................................          873          808          764           45  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          28          37
American Plaice.................................................        5,009        4,956        4,818          139  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          26          26
Witch Flounder..................................................        1,196        1,146        1,104           41  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          19          31
GB Winter Flounder..............................................        1,446        1,431        1,387           44  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0          15
GOM Winter Flounder.............................................          772          607          519           88  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........         153        12.1
SNE/MA Winter Flounder..........................................          604          441          387           53  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          19         144
Redfish.........................................................        7,859        7,859        7,777           82  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0           0
White Hake......................................................        1,825        1,816        1,797           19  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0          10
Pollock.........................................................       12,683       11,619       11,510          109  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........         598         465
N. Windowpane Flounder..........................................          127           94           na           94  ..............  ..........          27  ..........         0.0         6.8
S. Windowpane Flounder..........................................          205           30           na           30  ..............  ..........          71  ..........         6.4          98
Ocean Pout......................................................           83           49           na           49  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0          34
Atlantic Halibut................................................           75           58           na           58  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........          16         1.2
Atlantic Wolffish...............................................           87           87           na           87  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0           0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
na: not allocated to sectors.
* Northeast multispecies stocks not included in table 6 do not have catch limits approved or proposed for fishing year 2025.


[[Page 20418]]


                                                                   Table 7--Proposed Catch Limits for the 2026 Fishing Year *
                                                                                        [mt, live weight]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                       Midwater                              State
                              Stock                                Total ACL    Groundfish  Sector sub-  Common pool   Recreational      trawl      Scallop   Small-mesh  waters sub- Other sub-
                                                                                 sub-ACL        ACL         sub-ACL       sub-ACL       fishery     fishery    fisheries   component   component
                                                                       A to H    A + B + C            A            B               C           D           E           F           G           H
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Redfish.........................................................        7,997        7,997        7,913           84  ..............  ..........  ..........  ..........           0           0
N. Windowpane Flounder..........................................          127           94           na           94  ..............  ..........          27  ..........         0.0           7
S. Windowpane Flounder..........................................          205           30           na           30  ..............  ..........          71  ..........           6          98
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
na: not allocated to sectors.
* Northeast multispecies stocks not included in table 7 do not have catch limits approved or proposed for fishing year 2026.


                                          Table 8--Proposed Fishing Years 2024-2026 Common Pool Trimester TACs
                                                                    [mt, live weight]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      2024                                   2025                                   2026
               Stock                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Trimester 1  Trimester 2  Trimester 3  Trimester 1  Trimester 2  Trimester 3  Trimester 1  Trimester 2  Trimester 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod.............................          3.1          3.7          4.2  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
GOM Cod............................          5.2          3.5          1.9  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........  ...........
GB Haddock.........................         40.1         49.0         59.4         30.6         37.4         45.3  ...........  ...........  ...........
GOM Haddock........................          8.3          8.0         14.5          8.0          7.7         13.9  ...........  ...........  ...........
GB Yellowtail Flounder.............          0.6          0.9          1.5          0.6          0.9          1.5  ...........  ...........  ...........
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder.........          1.7          2.3          4.1          1.7          2.3          4.1  ...........  ...........  ...........
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder.........         27.6         12.6          8.2         25.5         11.6          7.6  ...........  ...........  ...........
American Plaice....................        107.5         11.6         26.2        102.6         11.1         25.0  ...........  ...........  ...........
Witch Flounder.....................         22.6          8.2         10.3         22.6          8.2         10.3  ...........  ...........  ...........
GB Winter Flounder.................          3.6         10.9         30.8          3.5         10.5         29.6  ...........  ...........  ...........
GOM Winter Flounder................         32.7         33.6         22.1         32.7         33.6         22.1  ...........  ...........  ...........
Redfish............................         20.7         25.7         36.4         20.6         25.5         36.3         21.0         26.0         36.9
White Hake.........................          7.1          5.8          5.8          7.0          5.7          5.7  ...........  ...........  ...........
Pollock............................         31.9         39.9         42.1         30.4         38.0         40.2  ...........  ...........  ...........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


               Table 9--Proposed Common Pool Incidental Catch TACs for the 2024-2026 Fishing Years
                                                [mt, live weight]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Percentage of
                      Stock                         common pool        2024            2025            2026
                                                      sub-ACL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod..........................................            1.68            0.18  ..............  ..............
GOM Cod.........................................               1            0.11  ..............  ..............
GB Yellowtail Flounder..........................               2            0.06            0.06  ..............
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder......................               1            0.48            0.45  ..............
American Plaice.................................               5            7.27            6.94  ..............
Witch Flounder..................................               5            2.06            2.06  ..............
SNE/MA Winter Flounder..........................               1            0.53            0.53  ..............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Table 10--Percentage of Incidental Catch TACs Distributed to Each
                       Special Management Program
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Regular B DAS   Eastern U.S./
                  Stock                       program     CA haddock SAP
                                             (percent)       (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod..................................              60              40
GOM Cod.................................             100             n/a
GB Yellowtail Flounder..................              50              50
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder..............             100             n/a
American Plaice.........................             100             n/a
Witch Flounder..........................             100             n/a
SNE/MA Winter Flounder..................             100             n/a
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 20419]]


                          Table 11--Proposed Fishing Years 2024-2026 Incidental Catch TACs for Each Special Management Program
                                                                    [mt, live weight]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Regular B DAS program                      Eastern U.S./Canada haddock SAP
                          Stock                          -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               2024            2025            2026            2024            2025            2026
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod..................................................            0.11  ..............  ..............            0.07  ..............  ..............
GOM Cod.................................................            0.11  ..............  ..............             n/a             n/a             n/a
GB Yellowtail Flounder..................................            0.03            0.03  ..............            0.03            0.03  ..............
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder..............................            0.48            0.45  ..............             n/a             n/a             n/a
American Plaice.........................................            7.27            6.94  ..............             n/a             n/a             n/a
Witch Flounder..........................................            2.06            2.06  ..............             n/a             n/a             n/a
SNE/MA Winter Flounder..................................            0.53            0.53  ..............             n/a             n/a             n/a
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                Table 12--Proposed Fishing Years 2024-2026 Regular B DAS Program Quarterly Incidental Catch TACs
                                                                                        [mt, live weight]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 2024                                        2025                                        2026
                                                             -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Stock                                1st        2nd        3rd        4th        1st        2nd        3rd        4th        1st        2nd        3rd        4th
                                                               Quarter    Quarter    Quarter    Quarter    Quarter    Quarter    Quarter    Quarter    Quarter    Quarter    Quarter    Quarter
                                                                (13%)      (29%)      (29%)      (29%)      (13%)      (29%)      (29%)      (29%)      (13%)      (29%)      (29%)      (29%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod......................................................       0.01       0.03       0.03       0.03  .........  .........  .........  .........  .........  .........  .........  .........
GOM Cod.....................................................       0.01       0.03       0.03       0.03  .........  .........  .........  .........  .........  .........  .........  .........
GB Yellowtail Flounder......................................       0.00       0.01       0.01       0.01       0.00       0.01       0.01       0.01  .........  .........  .........  .........
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder..................................       0.06       0.14       0.14       0.14       0.06       0.13       0.13       0.13  .........  .........  .........  .........
American Plaice.............................................       0.94       2.11       2.11       2.11       0.90       2.01       2.01       2.01  .........  .........  .........  .........
Witch Flounder..............................................       0.27       0.60       0.60       0.60       0.27       0.60       0.60       0.60  .........  .........  .........  .........
SNE/MA Winter Flounder......................................       0.07       0.15       0.15       0.15       0.07       0.15       0.15       0.15  .........  .........  .........  .........
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Modification to the Accountability Measure Trigger for Atlantic Halibut

    As described above, for certain stocks, a portion of the ABC is set 
aside to account for an estimate of catch by Canadian fisheries. While 
this is not required by regulation, it has been the practice followed 
by the groundfish plan development team (PDT) and supported by the SSC 
and Council for many years. Once the Canadian catch estimate is 
removed, the resulting amount is called the U.S. ABC. The U.S. ABC is 
further reduced to provide a buffer for management uncertainty 
(approximately 5 percent), resulting in the ACL. Currently, if the ACL 
for Atlantic halibut is exceeded by more than the management 
uncertainty buffer (i.e., if the U.S. ABC is exceeded), the AMs for the 
stock are implemented.
    Framework 66 proposes to modify the catch threshold for 
implementing the Atlantic halibut AM. In the situation where the ACL is 
exceeded by more than the management uncertainty buffer, NMFS would 
take into account the landings from the Canadian fishery for the last 
calendar year and determine whether, when combined with the landings by 
U.S. fisheries (Federal and state), the total ABC had been exceeded as 
well. Framework 66 does not propose any changes to the AMs themselves, 
which are a combination of a zero-possession limit and gear-area 
restrictions.
    Considering Canadian landings on a calendar year (rather than the 
groundfish fishing year, which begins May 1) basis to determine if the 
total ABC was exceeded would be consistent with how the Canadian catch 
estimate is set and would ensure Canadian data is available and 
complete when a total catch evaluation would occur. While NMFS expects 
the practice followed by the PDT of accounting for Canadian catch as a 
part of specifications-setting will continue, the modification to this 
AM catch threshold would not apply in a situation where the U.S. ABC 
for Atlantic halibut had not been set based on the removal of the 
Canadian catch estimate from the total ABC.

Temporary Modification to the Catch Threshold for Scallop Fishery 
Accountability Measures

    The scallop fishery has sub-ACLs for GB yellowtail flounder. If the 
scallop fishery exceeds its sub-ACL, it is subject to AMs that, in 
general, restrict the scallop fishery in seasons and areas with high 
encounter rates for this stock. Framework 47 (77 FR 26104; May 2, 2012) 
set a policy for implementing scallop fishery AMs for groundfish 
stocks. Currently, the scallop fishery is subject to AMs for these 
stocks if either: (1) The scallop fishery exceeds its sub-ACL and the 
total ACL is exceeded; or (2) the scallop fishery exceeds its sub-ACL 
by 50 percent or more. This policy was intended to provide flexibility 
for the scallop fishery.
    Frameworks 56 (82 FR 35660; August 1, 2017) and 58 (84 FR 34799; 
July 19, 2019) previously made a change to the policy for GB yellowtail 
flounder to remove the second catch threshold for the 2017-18 and 2019-
20 fishing years, respectively. Framework 66 proposes to reinstate this 
provision for the 2024 and 2025 fishing years, so that the AMs for GB 
yellowtail flounder would only be implemented if scallop fishery catch 
exceeds its sub-ACL by any amount and the total ACL is also exceeded. 
Unless this proposed modification is extended in a future action, the 
underlying policy for implementing the scallop fishery's AM for GB cod 
would be in effect for catches in fishing year 2026 and beyond.
    In recent years, a significant portion of the overall ACL has 
remained uncaught as groundfish vessels have reduced their catch and 
avoided the stock. If catch leads to exceeding the total ACL, the 
appropriate AM (depending on the fishery or fisheries

[[Page 20420]]

that contributed to the overage) would be put in place to prevent 
subsequent ACL overages and correct the cause of the overage. This 
measure provides the scallop fishery with flexibility to adjust to 
current catch conditions and better achieve optimum yield while still 
providing an incentive to avoid yellowtail flounder.

Minor, Clarifying Regulatory Changes Under Secretarial Authority

    Framework 66 would also make minor, clarifying changes in the 
regulations. Specifically, this action would revise 50 CFR 
648.90(a)(5)(i)(F) to reorganize the section to improve clarity and 
readability regarding the Atlantic halibut accountability measures.

Classification

    Pursuant to section 304(b)(1)(A) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the 
NMFS Assistant Administrator has made a preliminary determination that 
this proposed rule is consistent with Framework 66, other provisions of 
the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and other applicable law, subject to further 
consideration after public comment. In making the final determination, 
the Regional Administrator will consider the data, views, and comments 
received during the public comment period.
    NMFS finds that a 15-day comment period for this action provides a 
reasonable opportunity for public participation in this action, while 
also ensuring that the final specifications are in place at the start 
of the groundfish fishing year on May 1, 2024. Each year setting 
specifications occurs for some portion of the groundfish stocks. 
Stakeholders and industry groups are familiar with this process and 
expect modifications to occur regularly. Further, stakeholder and 
industry groups have been aware of this action and participated in its 
development in public meetings throughout the past year. Having a 15-
day comment period would improve the likelihood of implementing 
measures, if approved, on May 1, 2024. A prolonged comment period and 
subsequent potential delay in implementation would be contrary to the 
public interest, as it would leave in place default quotas for some 
stocks that do not already have specifications for fishing year 2024, 
rather than replacing them with the quotas proposed in this rule, which 
are based on the most recent, best available science. If the final rule 
is not implemented by May 1, the fishery would be operating under lower 
quotas for several stocks than those proposed in Framework 66, and an 
extended delay could limit economic opportunities for the fishery, as 
well as lead to confusion and uncertainty. Providing timely access to 
these stocks is also a potential safely issue. A significant portion of 
fishing activity occurs in early summer, due to better weather, and, 
for some smaller vessels, summer may be the only season in which they 
are able to participate in the fishery.
    This proposed rule has been determined to be not significant for 
purposes of Executive Order (E.O.) 12866.
    An Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) was prepared for 
this proposed rule, as required by section 603 of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 603. The IRFA describes the economic impact 
that this proposed rule would have on small entities, including small 
businesses, and also determines ways to minimize these impacts. The 
IRFA includes this CLASSIFICATION and the Summary of Proposed Measures 
sections of this proposed rule and analyses contained in Framework 66 
and its accompanying Environmental Assessment/Regulatory Impact Review/
IRFA. A copy of the full analysis is available from the Council (see 
ADDRESSES). A summary of the IRFA follows.

Description of the Reasons Why Action by the Agency Is Being Considered 
and Statement of the Objectives of, and Legal Basis for, this Proposed 
Rule

    This action proposes management measures, including annual catch 
limits, for the multispecies fishery in order to prevent overfishing, 
rebuild overfished groundfish stocks, and achieve optimum yield in the 
fishery, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act. A complete 
description of the action, why it is being considered, and the legal 
basis for this action are contained in Framework 66, and in the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this proposed rule under the 
Summary of Proposed Measures heading, and are not repeated here.

Description and Estimate of the Number of Small Entities to Which This 
Proposed Rule Would Apply

    This proposed rule would impact the commercial and recreational 
groundfish, Atlantic sea scallop, small-mesh multispecies, Atlantic 
herring, and large-mesh non-groundfish fisheries. Individually 
permitted vessels may hold permits for several fisheries, harvesting 
species of fish that are regulated by several different FMPs, beyond 
those impacted by the proposed action. Furthermore, multiple-permitted 
vessels and/or permits may be owned by entities affiliated by stock 
ownership, common management, identity of interest, contractual 
relationships, or economic dependency. For the purposes of the RFA 
analysis, the ownership entities, not the individual vessels, are 
considered to be the regulated entities.
    As of June 1, 2023, NMFS had issued 675 commercial limited-access 
groundfish permits associated with vessels (including those in 
confirmation of permit history (CPH)), 639 party/charter groundfish 
permits, 696 limited access and general category Atlantic sea scallop 
permits, 694 small-mesh multispecies permits, 73 Atlantic herring 
permits, and 752 large-mesh non-groundfish permits (limited access 
summer flounder and scup permits). Therefore, this action potentially 
regulates 3,529 permits. When accounting for overlaps between 
fisheries, this number falls to 2,029 permitted vessels. Each vessel 
may be individually owned or part of a larger corporate ownership 
structure and, for RFA purposes, it is the ownership entity that is 
ultimately regulated by the proposed action. Ownership entities are 
identified on June 1st of each year based on the list of all permit 
numbers, for the most recent complete calendar year, that have applied 
for any type of Greater Atlantic Region Federal fishing permit. The 
current ownership data set is based on calendar year 2022 permits and 
contains gross sales associated with those permits for calendar years 
2018 through 2022.
    For RFA purposes only, NMFS has established a small business size 
standard for businesses, including their affiliates, whose primary 
industry is commercial fishing (see 50 CFR 200.2). A business primarily 
engaged in commercial fishing (NAICS code 11411) is classified as a 
small business if it is independently owned and operated, is not 
dominant in its field of operation (including its affiliates), and has 
combined annual receipts not in excess of $11 million for all its 
affiliated operations worldwide. The determination as to whether the 
entity is large or small is based on the average annual revenue for the 
five years from 2018 through 2022. The Small Business Administration 
(SBA) has established size standards for all other major industry 
sectors in the U.S., including for-hire fishing (NAICS code 487210). 
These entities are classified as small businesses if combined annual 
receipts are not in excess of $8.0 million for all of an entity's 
affiliated operations. As with commercial fishing businesses, the 
annual average of the three most recent years (2018-2022) is utilized 
in determining annual receipts for

[[Page 20421]]

businesses primarily engaged in for-hire fishing.
    Based on the ownership data, 1,538 distinct business entities hold 
at least one permit that the proposed action potentially regulates. All 
1,538 business entities identified could be directly regulated by this 
proposed action. Of these 1,538 entities, 871 are commercial fishing 
entities, 291 are for-hire entities, and 376 did not have revenues 
(were inactive in 2022). Of the 871 commercial fishing entities, 860 
are categorized as small entities and 11 are categorized as large 
entities, per the NMFS guidelines. Furthermore, 520 of these commercial 
fishing entities held limited access groundfish permits, with 516 of 
these entities being classified as small businesses and 4 of these 
entities being classified as large businesses. All 291 for-hire 
entities are categorized as small businesses.

Description of the Projected Reporting, Record-Keeping, and Other 
Compliance Requirements of This Proposed Rule

    The proposed action does not contain any new collection-of-
information requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).

Federal Rules Which May Duplicate, Overlap, or Conflict With This 
Proposed Rule

    The proposed action does not duplicate, overlap, or conflict with 
any other Federal rules.

Description of Significant Alternatives to the Proposed Action Which 
Accomplish the Stated Objectives of Applicable Statutes and Which 
Minimize Any Significant Economic Impact on Small Entities

    The economic impacts of each proposed measure are discussed in more 
detail in sections 6.5 and 7.12 of the draft Framework 66 Environmental 
Assessment (see ADDRESSES) and are not repeated here. We note that, 
overall, for the updated groundfish specifications and the 
modifications to the accountability measures in this proposed rule, the 
No Action alternative was the only other alternative considered by the 
Council. There are no significant alternatives that would minimize the 
economic impacts. The proposed action is predicted to generate $40.8 
million in gross revenues for the sector portion of the commercial 
groundfish trips. This amount is $20.4 million more than the amount of 
gross revenues under the No Action alternative, but $3.9 million less 
than the amount of gross revenues generated in fishing year 2022. Small 
entities engaged in common pool groundfish fishing are expected to be 
positively impacted by the proposed action as well, relative to the No 
Action alternative. Small entities engaged in the recreational 
groundfish fishery are likely to be negatively impacted by the decrease 
in the GOM haddock sub-ACL. Sub-ACL decreases for groundfish stocks 
allocated to the Atlantic sea scallop fishery and the large-mesh non-
groundfish fishery may negatively affect small entities engaged in 
those fisheries. The proposed temporary modification to the scallop 
fishery's AM trigger for GB yellowtail flounder for fishing years 2024 
and 2025 will reduce the likelihood of negative impacts to the scallop 
fishery.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 648

    Fisheries, Fishing, Recordkeeping, and reporting requirements.

    Dated: March 18, 2024.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, NMFS proposes to amend 50 
CFR part 648 as follows:

PART 648--FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

0
1. The authority citation for part 648 continues to read as follows:

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

0
2. In Sec.  648.90, revise paragraph (a)(5)(i)(F) and add paragraph 
(a)(5)(iv)(B) to read as follows:


Sec.  648.90  NE multispecies assessment, framework procedures and 
specifications, and flexible area action system.

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (5) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (F) Atlantic halibut. If NMFS determines, as described in paragraph 
(a)(5)(i)(D) of this section, that the overall ACL for Atlantic halibut 
is exceeded by catch from U.S. Federal and state fisheries by any 
amount greater than the management uncertainty buffer and, after 
accounting for the amount of landings of Atlantic halibut from Canadian 
fisheries, as appropriate, that the total ABC for Atlantic halibut has 
also been exceeded, the applicable AM shall be implemented as described 
in paragraph (a)(5)(i)(F)(1) of this section. If a sub-ACL for Atlantic 
halibut is allocated to another fishery, consistent with the process 
specified at Sec.  648.90(a)(4), and there are AMs for that fishery, 
the multispecies fishery AM shall only be implemented if the sub-ACL 
allocated to the multispecies fishery is exceeded (i.e., the sector and 
common pool catch for a particular stock, including the common pool's 
share of any overage of the overall ACL caused by excessive catch by 
other sub-components of the fishery pursuant to Sec.  648.90(a)(5), 
exceeds the common pool sub-ACL) and the overall ACL is also exceeded.
    (1) Description of AM. When the AM is implemented, any vessel 
issued a Federal permit for any fishery management plan may not fish 
for, possess, or land Atlantic halibut for the fishing year in which 
the AM is implemented, as specified in paragraph (a)(5)(i)(F) of this 
section, unless otherwise specified in paragraph (a)(5)(i)(F)(2) of 
this section. Additionally, the applicable AM areas, as defined in 
paragraph (a)(5)(i)(F)(4) of this section, shall be implemented as 
follows: Any vessel issued a limited access NE multispecies permit and 
fishing with trawl gear in the Atlantic Halibut Trawl Gear AM Area may 
only use a haddock separator trawl, as specified in Sec.  
648.85(a)(3)(iii)(A); a Ruhle trawl, as specified in Sec.  
648.85(b)(6)(iv)(J)(3); a rope separator trawl, as specified in Sec.  
648.84(e); or any other gear approved consistent with the process 
defined in Sec.  648.85(b)(6); except that selective trawl gear is not 
required in the portion of the Trawl Gear AM Area between 41 degrees 40 
minutes and 42 degrees from April 1 through July 31. When in effect, a 
limited access NE multispecies permitted vessel with gillnet gear may 
not fish or be in the Atlantic Halibut Fixed Gear AM Area from March 1 
through October 31, unless transiting with its gear stowed and not 
available for immediate use as defined in Sec.  648.2, or such gear was 
approved consistent with the process defined in Sec.  648.85(b)(6).
    (2) Vessels exempt from the no possession AM. Vessels issued only a 
charter/party permit, and/or an Atlantic highly migratory species 
angling permit, and/or an Atlantic highly migratory species charter/
headboat permit are exempt from the no possession AM. This exemption 
does not apply to any vessel that is issued any other permit that is 
subject to the AM. For example, a vessel issued a Northeast 
multispecies charter/party permit and a bluefish charter/party permit 
would be exempt from the no possession AM, but a vessel issued a 
Northeast multispecies charter/party permit and a commercial bluefish 
permit would not be exempt from the no possession AM.
    (3) Review of the AM. If the overall ACL is exceeded by more than 
20

[[Page 20422]]

percent, the Council shall revisit the AM in a future action.
    (4) Atlantic halibut AM area. The AM areas defined below are 
bounded by the following coordinates, connected in the order listed by 
rhumb lines, unless otherwise noted.

                  Table 1 to Paragraph (a)(5)(i)(F)(4)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Atlantic halibut trawl gear AM area
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Points                  N latitude            W longitude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...........................  42[deg]00'            69[deg]20'
2...........................  42[deg]00'            68[deg]20'
3...........................  41[deg]30'            68[deg]20'
4...........................  41[deg]30'            69[deg]20'
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                  Table 2 to Paragraph (a)(5)(i)(F)(4)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Atlantic halibut gillnet gear AM area
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Points                  N latitude            W longitude
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...........................  43[deg]10'            69[deg]40'
2...........................  43[deg]10'            69[deg]30'
3...........................  43[deg]00'            69[deg]30'
4...........................  43[deg]00'            69[deg]40'
------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *
    (iv) * * *
    (B) 2024 and 2025 fishing year threshold for implementing the 
Atlantic sea scallop fishery AM for GB yellowtail flounder. For the 
2024 and 2025 fishing years, if scallop fishery catch exceeds the GB 
yellowtail flounder sub-ACL specified in paragraph (a)(4) of this 
section, and total catch exceeds the overall ACL for that stock, then 
the applicable scallop fishery AM will take effect, as specified in 
Sec.  648.64 of the Atlantic sea scallop regulations. For the 2026 
fishing year and onward, the threshold for implementing scallop fishery 
AMs for GB yellowtail flounder will return to that listed in paragraph 
(a)(5)(iv)(A) of this section.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2024-06103 Filed 3-21-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P