[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 86 (Thursday, May 2, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 35755-35766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09569]
[[Page 35755]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 240429-0120]
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: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This action approves and implements Framework Adjustment 66 to
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This rule
sets catch limits for 8 of the 20 multispecies stocks, modifies the
accountability measure (AM) implementation catch threshold for Atlantic
halibut, and makes a temporary modification to the AM implementation
catch threshold for the scallop fishery for Georges Bank (GB)
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 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: Effective May 2, 2024.
ADDRESSES: 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 Approved Measures
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) adopted
Framework Adjustment 66 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP on December
7, 2023. The Council submitted Framework 66, including an environmental
assessment (EA), for NMFS approval on February 16, 2024. NMFS published
a proposed rule for Framework 66 on March 22, 2024 (89 FR 20412), with
a 15-day comment period that closed on April 8, 2024.
Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act) and on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, the
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office's Regional Administrator
(Regional Administrator) approves, disapproves, or partially approves
measures that the Council proposes, based on consistency with the
Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable law. NMFS reviews recommended
specifications and proposed measures for consistency with the fishery
management plan, plan amendments, the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other
applicable law, and publishes proposed regulations, solicits public
comment, and promulgates final regulations. Based on information
provided in the EA and considered during the preparation of this
action, and after consideration of comments, NMFS has approved all of
the measures in Framework 66 recommended by the Council, as described
below. The measures implemented in this final rule:
Set shared U.S./Canada quotas for 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 makes minor, clarifying regulatory changes that
are not part of Framework 66, but are implemented under section 305(d)
authority in the Magnuson-Stevens Act to make changes necessary to
carry out the FMP. NMFS is making these changes in conjunction with the
Framework 66 proposed measures for expediency purposes. These 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
As described in the proposed rule, eastern GB cod, eastern GB
haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder are jointly managed with Canada
under the United States/Canada Resource Sharing Understanding. This
action adopts shared U.S./Canada quotas for these stocks for fishing
year 2024 based on 2023 assessments and the recommendations of the
Transboundary Management Guidance Committee (TMGC) and consistent with
the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC)
recommendations. Framework 66 sets 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 2024 and 2025
shared U.S./Canada quotas, and each country's allocation, are listed in
table 1.
Table 1--2024 and 2025 Fishing Years U.S./Canada Quotas (metric tons (mt), live weight) and Percent of Quota
Allocated to Each Country
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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).
[[Page 35756]]
Canadian Quota....................... 369 (71 percent)....... 6,900 (69 percent)..... 97 (58 percent).
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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, NMFS 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 Catch Limits
This rule adopts 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 2024-2025 quotas for the remaining groundfish
stocks, other than GOM cod, based on assessments conducted in 2022, and
those remain in place. Framework 63 (87 FR 42375, July 15, 2022)
previously set the 2024 quota for GOM cod, based on an assessment
conducted in 2021, and that also remains in place. The catch limits
implemented in this action, including overfishing limits (OFL),
acceptable biological catches (ABC), and annual catch limits (ACL), are
listed in tables 2 through 10. A summary of how these catch limits were
developed, including the distribution to the various fishery
components, was provided in the proposed rule and in appendix II
(Calculation of Northeast Multispecies Annual Catch Limits, FY 2024-FY
2026) to the EA, and is not repeated here. The sector and common pool
sub-ACLs implemented in this action are based on fishing year 2024
potential sector contributions (PSC) and preliminary fishing year 2024
sector rosters.
Management Uncertainty Buffer for Sectors
NMFS approves the measure in Framework 66 that removes 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. This
measure remains in place for the next 2 fishing years unless the
Council adopts, and NMFS approves and implements, new specifications
for fishing year 2025 based on updated assessments.
Amendment 23 (87 FR 75852, December 9, 2022) implemented a measure
to remove the management uncertainty buffer for the sector sub-ACL for
each allocated groundfish stock in years that the ASM coverage target
is set at 100 percent, unless otherwise warranted. On February 20,
2024, the Regional Administrator announced the preliminary ASM coverage
target of 100 percent and nothing has changed since that announcement
to require a lower ASM coverage target. Therefore, in this action, NMFS
is removing the management uncertainty buffer for each allocated stock
for all sectors for the entirety of the 2024 fishing year. If the
Regional Administrator makes a final determination with a lower ASM
coverage target, the sectors' buffers will not be reinstated. Because
the removal of the buffer is dependent on the annual determination of
the ASM coverage target and consideration of its merit, the
determination regarding the buffer in fishing year 2025 would be made
in a future action.
Table 2--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 ........... ...........
[[Page 35757]]
Atlantic Wolffish............................................ 124 93 0 124 93 ........... ...........
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UNK = Unknown; CC = Cape Cod; SNE/MA = Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic.
Note: An empty cell indicates no OFL/ABC is adopted for that year. These catch limits would be set in a future action.
Table 3--Catch Limits for the 2024 Fishing Year
[mt, live weight]
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Midwater Small- State
Stock Total ACL Groundfish Sector sub- Common pool Recreational trawl Scallop 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......................................................... 536 488 286 10 192 .......... .......... .......... 48 0
GB Haddock...................................................... 7,040 6,909 6,756 153 .............. 131 .......... .......... 0 0
GOM Haddock..................................................... 2,346 2,268 1,479 31 759 22 .......... .......... 48 8.0
GB Yellowtail Flounder.......................................... 70 58 55 3.3 .............. .......... 11.0 1.3 0 0
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder...................................... 40 35 27 7.6 .............. .......... 2.7 .......... 0.2 2.0
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder...................................... 990 921 881 39 .............. .......... .......... .......... 30 40
American Plaice................................................. 5,513 5,457 5,315 142 .............. .......... .......... .......... 28 28
Witch Flounder.................................................. 1,254 1,204 1,163 41 .............. .......... .......... .......... 19 31
GB Winter Flounder.............................................. 1,548 1,532 1,488 44 .............. .......... .......... .......... 0 16
GOM Winter Flounder............................................. 800 635 556 79 .............. .......... .......... .......... 153 12.1
SNE/MA Winter Flounder.......................................... 624 461 408 53 .............. .......... .......... .......... 19 144
Redfish......................................................... 8,303 8,303 8,226 77 .............. .......... .......... .......... 0 0
White Hake...................................................... 1,933 1,923 1,905 18 .............. .......... .......... .......... 0 10
Pollock......................................................... 13,934 12,818 12,696 122 .............. .......... .......... .......... 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 4--Catch Limits for the 2025 Fishing Year *
[mt, live weight]
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Midwater Small- State
Stock Total ACL Groundfish Sector sub- Common pool Recreational trawl Scallop 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 4,894 117 .............. 100 .......... .......... 0 0
GOM Haddock..................................................... 2,183 2,108 1,350 29 729 22 .......... .......... 46 8
GB Yellowtail Flounder.......................................... 69 56 53 3.3 .............. .......... 11 1.3 0 0
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder...................................... 38 33 26 7.6 .............. .......... 2.7 .......... 0.2 2.0
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder...................................... 873 808 772 36 .............. .......... .......... .......... 28 37
American Plaice................................................. 5,009 4,956 4,821 136 .............. .......... .......... .......... 26 26
Witch Flounder.................................................. 1,196 1,146 1,105 41 .............. .......... .......... .......... 19 31
GB Winter Flounder.............................................. 1,446 1,431 1,389 42 .............. .......... .......... .......... 0 15
GOM Winter Flounder............................................. 772 607 528 79 .............. .......... .......... .......... 153 12.1
SNE/MA Winter Flounder.......................................... 604 441 388 53 .............. .......... .......... .......... 19 144
Redfish......................................................... 7,859 7,859 7,783 77 .............. .......... .......... .......... 0 0
White Hake...................................................... 1,826 1,816 1,798 18 .............. .......... .......... .......... 0 10
Pollock......................................................... 12,683 11,619 11,503 117 .............. .......... .......... .......... 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
[[Page 35758]]
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
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na: not allocated to sectors.
* Northeast multispecies stocks not included in table 4 do not have catch limits approved or proposed for fishing year 2025.
Table 5--Catch Limits for the 2026 Fishing Year *
[mt, live weight]
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Midwater Small- State
Stock Total ACL Groundfish Sector sub- Common pool Recreational trawl Scallop 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 7,919 78 .............. .......... .......... .......... 0 0
N Windowpane Flounder........................................... 127 94 na 94 .............. .......... 27 .......... 0.0 7
S Windowpane Flounder........................................... 205 30 na 30 .............. .......... 71 .......... 6 98
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na: not allocated to sectors.
* Northeast multispecies stocks not included in table 5 do not have catch limits approved or proposed for fishing year 2026.
Table 6--Fishing Years 2024-2026 Common Pool Trimester TACs
[mt, live weight]
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2024 2025 2026
Stock ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trimester 1 Trimester 2 Trimester 3 Trimester 1 Trimester 2 Trimester 3 Trimester 1 Trimester 2 Trimester 3
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GB Cod........................... 3.1 3.8 4.3 ........... ........... ............ ........... ........... ...........
GOM Cod.......................... 4.8 3.2 1.8 ........... ........... ............ ........... ........... ...........
GB Haddock....................... 41.3 50.5 61.2 31.5 38.5 46.7 ........... ........... ...........
GOM Haddock...................... 8.2 7.9 14.3 7.9 7.6 13.8 ........... ........... ...........
GB Yellowtail Flounder........... 0.6 1.0 1.7 0.6 1.0 1.7 ........... ........... ...........
SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder....... 1.6 2.1 3.9 1.6 2.1 3.9 ........... ........... ...........
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder....... 22.5 10.2 6.7 20.7 9.4 6.2 ........... ........... ...........
American Plaice.................. 105.3 11.4 25.6 100.5 10.9 24.4 ........... ........... ...........
Witch Flounder................... 22.3 8.1 10.2 22.3 8.1 10.2 ........... ........... ...........
GB Winter Flounder............... 3.5 10.6 29.9 3.4 10.2 28.8 ........... ........... ...........
GOM Winter Flounder.............. 29.2 29.9 19.7 29.2 29.9 19.7 ........... ........... ...........
Redfish.......................... 19.3 23.9 33.9 19.2 23.8 33.7 19.5 24.2 34.4
White Hake....................... 6.8 5.6 5.6 6.8 5.5 5.5 ........... ........... ...........
Pollock.......................... 34.2 42.8 45.2 32.6 40.8 43.1 ........... ........... ...........
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Table 7--Common Pool Incidental Catch TACs for the 2024-2026 Fishing Years
[mt, live weight]
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Percentage of
Stock common pool sub- 2024 2025 2026
ACL
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GB Cod......................................... 1.68 0.19 .............. ..............
GOM Cod........................................ 1 0.10 .............. ..............
GB Yellowtail Flounder......................... 2 0.07 0.07 ..............
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder..................... 1 0.39 0.36 ..............
American Plaice................................ 5 7.12 6.79 ..............
Witch Flounder................................. 5 2.03 2.03 ..............
SNE/MA Winter Flounder......................... 1 0.53 0.53 ..............
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Table 8--Percentage of Incidental Catch TACs Distributed to Each Special
Management Program
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Regular B DAS Eastern U.S./CA
Stock program haddock SAP
(percent) (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GB Cod............................ 60 40
GOM Cod........................... 100 n/a
[[Page 35759]]
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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
n/a: not applicable.
Table 9--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 .............. .............. 0.08 .............. ..............
GOM Cod................................................. 0.10 .............. .............. n/a n/a n/a
GB Yellowtail Flounder.................................. 0.03 0.03 .............. 0.03 0.03 ..............
CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder.............................. 0.39 0.36 .............. n/a n/a n/a
American Plaice......................................... 7.12 6.79 .............. n/a n/a n/a
Witch Flounder.......................................... 2.03 2.03 .............. n/a n/a n/a
SNE/MA Winter Flounder.................................. 0.53 0.53 .............. n/a n/a n/a
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n/a: not applicable.
Table 10--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.................................. 0.05 0.11 0.11 0.11 0.05 0.11 0.11 0.11 ......... ......... ......... .........
American Plaice............................................. 0.92 2.06 2.06 2.06 0.88 1.97 1.97 1.97 ......... ......... ......... .........
Witch Flounder.............................................. 0.26 0.59 0.59 0.59 0.26 0.59 0.59 0.59 ......... ......... ......... .........
SNE/MA Winter Flounder...................................... 0.07 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.07 0.15 0.15 0.15 ......... ......... ......... .........
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sector Annual Catch Entitlements (ACE)
On April 5, 2024, NMFS allocated stocks to each sector, based on
the fishing year 2024 catch limits set by prior frameworks (89 FR
23941, April 5, 2024). This rule updates the ACE allocated to sectors
based on the catch limits approved in Framework 66, fishing year 2024
PSC, and preliminary fishing year 2024 sector rosters. NMFS calculates
a sector's allocation for each stock by summing its members' PSC for
the stock and then multiplying that total percentage by the commercial
sub-ACL for that stock. The process for allocating ACE to sectors is
further described in the rule allocating ACE to sectors for fishing
year 2024 and is not repeated here (see 89 FR 23941, April 5, 2024).
Table 11 shows the cumulative PSC by stock for each sector for
fishing year 2024. Tables 12 and 13 show the ACEs allocated to each
sector for fishing year 2024, in pounds (lb) and mt, respectively. The
common pool sub-ACLs are included in tables 11 through 13 for
comparison. 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, all permits that change ownership after the roster deadline
of March 13, 2024, may join a sector through April 30, 2024. NMFS will
publish final sector and common pool sub-ACLs based on final 2024
rosters as soon as practicable after the start of the 2024 fishing
year.
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Modification to the Catch Thresholds for Implementing Accountability
Measures
As more fully described in the proposed rule, Framework 66 modifies
the catch threshold for implementing the Atlantic halibut AMs. In the
situation where the Atlantic halibut 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 make any changes to the AMs themselves, which are a
combination of a zero-possession limit and gear-area restrictions.
Framework 66 modifies the catch threshold for implementing the
scallop fishery's AMs for GB yellowtail flounder for the 2024 and 2025
fishing years, so that the AMs for GB yellowtail flounder would only be
implemented if the scallop fishery catch exceeds its sub-ACL by any
amount and the total ACL is also exceeded. Unless this 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. This temporary modification is more fully
described in the proposed rule.
Minor, Clarifying Regulatory Changes Under Secretarial Authority
Framework 66 makes minor, clarifying changes in the regulations.
Specifically, this action revises Sec. 648.90(a)(5)(i)(F) to
reorganize the section to improve clarity and readability regarding the
Atlantic halibut AMs.
Comments and Responses on Measures Proposed in the Framework 66
Proposed Rule
We received two comment submissions covering numerous issues
regarding the Framework 66 proposed rule from Northeast Seafood
Coalition (NSC) and a member of the public.
Specifications
Comment 1: NSC wrote in support of setting the ABC for white hake
at 75 percent of the fishing mortality associated with maximum
sustainable yield (FMSY) for two years, citing that this
will still allow for the stock to rebuild by 2031. NSC also supports
increasing the GOM haddock ABC to the level of 90 percent
FMSY for fishing years 2024 and 2026, given the healthy
population level and the potential economic impacts of a lower quota. A
member of the public wrote in support of all the catch limits proposed
in Framework 66.
Response 1: NMFS agrees and is approving the specifications as
proposed.
Comment 2: NSC expressed concern regarding the proposed shared
U.S./Canada quota for GB yellowtail flounder. NSC commented that the
calculation of this quota follows a harvest strategy known as the
Limiter Approach, designed to use data from three surveys. NSC noted
that, in recent years, there have been missing survey data. NSC claims
that the use of the Limiter Approach with missing survey data has not
been adequately addressed. NSC recommends that NMFS prioritize
scientific and management approaches that do not economically impact
the commercial fishery, but does not provide an alternative to the
quota that was recommended by the Council's SSC and by the TMGC, and
proposed in Framework 66.
Response 2: NSC is echoing the concerns that the SSC raised when it
made its recommendation of the shared U.S./Canada quota for GB
yellowtail flounder of 168 mt. In the SSC's September 15, 2023, report
to the Council, the SSC noted that it had previously accepted the use
of the Limiter Approach despite the recognized uncertainty from having
only two of the three surveys. In the last three years in which the
Limiter Approach was used without all three surveys, sensitivity
analyses were conducted to determine the potential impact of the
missing information. For 2023, no adjustment was made to the Limiter
Approach to account for the missing survey because these analyses
showed that the impact of missing that particular survey was minimal.
The SSC also noted that the Yellowtail Flounder Research Track
Stock Assessment was ongoing and evaluating alternative assessment
approaches for GB yellowtail flounder to replace, or improve upon, the
Limiter Approach. While the SSC acknowledged in its September 2023
report that fishing does not appear to be a ``major driver'' of stock
status currently, it also argued that for a stock that has experienced
overfishing historically and the causal mechanisms for lack of
rebuilding are ``difficult to know with certainty,'' and therefore, the
SSC advised caution when managing this stock. NMFS will continue to
support the yellowtail research track assessment process (Memorandum
from SSC to Dr. Cate O'Keefe, Council Executive Director, September 15,
2023).
Comment 3: NSC wrote in support of removing the management
uncertain buffer for sectors for GOM haddock and white hake for the
upcoming fishing year.
Response 3: NMFS agrees and is approving this measure.
Additionally, because the management uncertainty buffer by regulation
defaults to zero when the ASM coverage target is 100 percent, NMFS is
removing the management uncertainty buffer for each allocated stock for
all sectors for the entirety of the 2024 fishing year based on the
preliminary ASM coverage target of 100 percent.
Accountability Measure Modifications
Comment 4: NSC supports the modifications of catch threshold for
implementing AMs, for both Atlantic halibut and the scallop fishery's
catch of GB yellowtail flounder.
Response 4: NMFS agrees and is approving both measures.
Changes From the Proposed Rule
NMFS made one change to the proposed rule. The proposed rule's
section Annual Catch Limits included sector and common pool sub-ACLs
based on fishing year 2023 PSCs and final fishing year 2023 sector
rosters but did not include the PSCs and ACEs allocated to each sector.
This final rule updates the total ACLs and sector and common pool sub-
ACLs based on the ASM coverage target of 100 percent and the 2024 PSCs
and preliminary fishing year 2024 sector rosters, and includes the PSCs
and ACEs at the sector level.
Classification
NMFS is issuing this rule pursuant to sections 304(b)(3) and 305(d)
of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which provide specific authority for
implementing this action. Pursuant to section 305(d), this action sets
specifications for stocks managed by the Northeast Multispecies FMP as
recommended by the Council, in accordance with Sec. 648.90(a)(4),
makes minor, clarifying changes in the regulations for the Northeast
Multispecies FMP, and is necessary to carry out the Northeast
Multispecies FMP. The NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that
this final rule is consistent with Framework Adjustment 66, the
Northeast Multispecies FMP, other provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, and other applicable law.
This final rule has been determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order (E.O.) 12866, as amended by E.O. 14094.
This final rule
[[Page 35764]]
does not contain policies with federalism or takings implications as
those terms are defined in E.O. 13132 and E.O. 12630, respectively.
The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries finds that waiver of the
30-day delayed effectiveness of this action pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(1) and 553(d)(3) is justified. This action relies on the best
available science to set fishing year 2024 catch limits for groundfish
stocks and adopts several other measures to improve the management of
the groundfish fishery. This final rule must be implemented as soon as
possible to capture fully the conservation and economic benefits of
Framework 66 and avoid adverse economic impacts.
This action was developed by the New England Fishery Management
Council as part of the annual Framework Adjustment process, during
which final action was taken in December 2023. The Council submitted
the final Framework on February 16, 2024. Given the timing of the
Council process and submission, the earliest NMFS was able to publish a
proposed rule for Framework 66 was on March 22, 2024.
A delay in implementation of this rule increases negative economic
effects for regulated entities. Several stocks did not have 2024 quotas
set by a previous framework. A separate action implemented default
quotas for those stocks (75 percent of the 2023 quota). For several
stocks, the fishery is operating under lower quotas than those
implemented by this rule. A delay could limit economic opportunities
for the fishery, as well as lead to confusion and uncertainty. A delay
would also increase the administrative burden and costs for groundfish
sectors of tracking temporary quotas and coordinating fishing effort
relating to those quotas, and then having to reprogram their data
systems to adjust to the revised quotas. Providing timely access to
these stocks is also a potential safety 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.
Additionally, this rule contains no new measures (e.g., gear
requirements) for which regulated entities need time to prepare or
revise their current practices. Fishermen who are subject to this
action expect and need timely implementation to avoid adverse economic
impacts. This action is similar to the process used to set quotas every
1-2 years, approves all items as proposed, and contains only quotas and
minor adjustments to the management plan that were discussed at
multiple noticed meetings where the public was provided opportunity to
learn about the action, ask questions, and provide input into the
development of the measures. Affected parties and other interested
parties participated in this public process to develop this action and
desire implementation as close to the beginning of the fishing year on
May 1 as possible.
Section 553(d)(1) of the Administrative Procedure Act permits that
the 30-day delay in effectiveness be waived for substantive rules that
relieve a restriction (5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1)). Once this rule goes into
effect, all fisherman impacted by the action will be under new quota
limits that increase their opportunity to fish. Until the rule is in
effect, those fishermen are effectively restricted in their opportunity
to fish. Therefore, waiving the 30-day delay for this rule would
relieve the restriction on the fishermen. Additionally, relieving the
restriction on catch from application of the management uncertainty
buffer increases available quota and provides economic opportunities,
operational flexibility, and prevents potential earlier closures of
fisheries.
In sum, a delay in implementation of this action would greatly
diminish the benefits of these specifications and other approved
measures. For these reasons, a 30-day delay in the effectiveness of
this rule is impracticable and contrary to the public interest.
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
Section 604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) requires
Federal agencies to prepare a Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
(FRFA) for each final rule that describes the economic impact of this
action on small entities (5 U.S.C. 604). The FRFA includes a summary of
significant issues raised by public comments, the analyses contained in
Framework 66 and its accompanying Environmental Assessment, Regulatory
Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), the
IRFA summary in the proposed rule, as well as the summary provided
below. A statement of the necessity for and for the objectives of this
action are contained in Framework 66 and in the preamble to this final
rule, and is not repeated here.
A Summary of the Significant Issues Raised by the Public in Response to
the IRFA, a Summary of the Agency's Assessment of Such Issues, and a
Statement of Any Changes Made in the Final Rule as a Result of Such
Comments
NMFS received one comment expressing concern about the economic
impacts of this action and has summarized the comments in the comments
and responses section of this rule. None of the comments received were
directly related to the IRFA, or provided information that changed the
conclusions of the IRFA. The Chief Counsel for the Office of Advocacy
of the Small Business Administration (SBA) did not file any comments.
NMFS made no changes to the proposed rule measures.
Description and Estimate of the Number of Small Entities to Which the
Rule Would Apply
The final rule impacts the 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, even beyond those impacted by the 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 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
[[Page 35765]]
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 (North American Industry Classification
System (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 2018 through 2022. The 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 most recent years (2018-2022) is utilized in determining annual
receipts for businesses primarily engaged in for-hire fishing.
Based on the ownership data, 1,538 distinct business entities hold
at least one permit that this action regulates. All 1,538 business
entities identified could be directly regulated by this action. Of
these 1,538 entities, 871 are commercial fishing entities, 291 are for-
hire entities, and 376 did not have revenues (i.e., 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 Final Rule
The action does not contain any new collection-of-information
requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act.
Description of the Steps the Agency Has Taken To Minimize the
Significant Economic Impact on Small Entities Consistent With the
Stated Objectives of Applicable Statutes
The economic impacts of each measure are discussed in more detail
in sections 6.5 and 7.12 of the Framework 66 Environmental Assessment
(see ADDRESSES) and are not repeated here. NMFS notes that, overall,
for the updated groundfish specifications and the modifications to the
AMs in this final 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 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 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 temporary modification to the
scallop fishery's AM implementation catch threshold for GB yellowtail
flounder for fishing years 2024 and 2025 will reduce the likelihood of
negative impacts to the scallop fishery.
Small Entity Compliance Guide
Section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness
Act of 1996 states that, for each rule or group of related rules for
which an agency is required to prepare a FRFA, the agency will publish
one or more guides to assist small entities in complying with the rule
and will designate such publications as ``small entity compliance
guides'' that will explain the actions a small entity is required to
take to comply with a rule or group of rules. As part of this
rulemaking process, a bulletin to permit holders that also serves as a
small entity compliance guide was prepared. This final rule and the
guide (i.e., bulletin) will be sent via email to the Greater Atlantic
Regional Fisheries Office Northeast multispecies fishery email list, as
well as the email lists for the scallop and herring fisheries, which
receive an allocation of some groundfish stocks. The final rule and the
guide are available from NMFS at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/northeast-multispecies-management-plan. Hard copies of
the guide and this final rule will be available upon request (see
ADDRESSES).
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 648
Fisheries, Fishing, Recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
Dated: April 29, 2024.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, NMFS amends 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),
[[Page 35766]]
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 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. 2024-09569 Filed 5-1-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P