[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 110 (Thursday, June 6, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 48338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12373]



[[Page 48338]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 622

[Docket No. 120404257-3325-02; RTID 0648-XE009]


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

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial 
longline component of golden tilefish in South Atlantic Federal waters. 
Commercial landings of golden tilefish harvested by bottom longline 
gear are projected to reach the 2024 commercial quota for the longline 
component. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial longline component of 
golden tilefish in South Atlantic Federal waters. This closure is 
necessary to protect the golden tilefish resource.

DATES: This temporary rule is effective from June 8, 2024, through 
December 31, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack McGovern, NMFS Southeast Regional 
Office, telephone: 727-204-5518, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South 
Atlantic includes golden tilefish and is managed under the Fishery 
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic 
Region (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council (Council) and NMFS, and is implemented by NMFS under 
the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 
622.
    The commercial sector for golden tilefish has two components, each 
with its own quota: the longline and hook-and-line components [50 CFR 
622.190(a)(2)]. The commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for golden 
tilefish is allocated as 75 percent to the longline component and 25 
percent to the hook-and-line component. The total commercial ACL in 
2024, which is equivalent to the total commercial quota, is 433,216 
pounds (lb) or 196,503 kilograms (kg) in gutted weight. The longline 
component quota for 2024 is 324,912 lb (147,378 kg) in gutted weight 
[50 CFR 622.190(a)(2)(iii)(B)].
    Under 50 CFR 622.193(a)(1)(ii), NMFS is required to close the 
commercial longline component for the harvest of golden tilefish when 
its quota has been reached or is projected to be reached. After this 
closure, golden tilefish may not be commercially fished or possessed by 
a vessel with a South Atlantic golden tilefish longline endorsement. 
NMFS projects that commercial landings of golden tilefish harvested by 
bottom longline gear from South Atlantic Federal waters will reach the 
2024 component quota by June 8, 2024. Accordingly, the commercial 
longline component of South Atlantic golden tilefish is closed 
beginning on June 8, 2024, and will remain closed through the rest of 
the fishing year ending on December 31, 2024.
    The sale or purchase of longline-caught golden tilefish harvested 
from South Atlantic Federal waters is prohibited during the commercial 
longline closure. The operator of a vessel with a valid Federal 
commercial vessel permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper and a valid 
commercial longline endorsement for golden tilefish with golden 
tilefish on board must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such 
golden tilefish before June 8, 2024. The prohibition on sale or 
purchase does not apply to the sale or purchase of longline-caught 
golden tilefish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold before 
June 8, 2024, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor. 
Additionally, the recreational bag and possession limits and the sale 
and purchase prohibitions under the commercial quota closure apply to a 
person on board a vessel with a golden tilefish longline endorsement 
apply to the harvest of golden tilefish from state or Federal waters, 
as specified in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1).
    On March 1, 2024, NMFS also closed the recreational harvest of 
golden tilefish in the South Atlantic for the rest of 2024 (89 FR 
14415, February 27, 2024). Therefore, during the commercial longline 
closure and for the rest of 2024, all harvest or possession of golden 
tilefish in or from South Atlantic Federal waters or adjacent state 
waters is prohibited by a vessel with a golden tilefish longline 
endorsement.
    The 2025 fishing season for the commercial harvest of South 
Atlantic golden tilefish with bottom longline gear opens again on 
January 15, 2025 [50 CFR 622.183(b)(11)].
    During the commercial longline closure, golden tilefish may still 
be commercially harvested using hook-and-line gear on a vessel with a 
South Atlantic unlimited snapper-grouper commercial permit and without 
a longline endorsement until the hook-and-line quota specified in 50 
CFR 622.190(a)(2)(ii)(B) is reached. A vessel with a golden tilefish 
longline endorsement at any time during a fishing year is not eligible 
to fish for or possess golden tilefish using hook-and-line gear under 
the hook-and-line commercial trip limit, as specified in 50 CFR 
622.191(a)(2)(ii).

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.193(a)(1)(ii), 
issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempt from review under 
Executive Order 12866.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior 
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice 
and comment are unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such 
procedures are unnecessary because the regulations associated with the 
commercial closure of the golden tilefish longline component have 
already been subject to notice and public comment, and all that remains 
is to notify the public of the closure. Prior notice and opportunity 
for public comment on this action is contrary to the public interest 
because of the need to immediately implement the commercial longline 
component closure to protect the golden tilefish resource in the South 
Atlantic. The capacity of the longline fishing fleet allows for rapid 
harvest of the commercial longline component quota, and any delay in 
the commercial closure could result in the exceedance of the commercial 
longline component quota. Prior notice and opportunity for public 
comment would require time and would potentially result in a harvest 
that exceeds the commercial quota.
    For the reasons just stated, NMFS also finds good cause to waive 
the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of this action under 5 U.S.C. 
553(d)(3).

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

    Dated: May 31, 2024.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-12373 Filed 6-3-24; 4:15 pm]
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