    [Federal Register Volume 90, Number 84 (Friday, May 2, 2025)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 18804-18819]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 2025-07635]

    =======================================================================
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------

    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    50 CFR Part 648

    [Docket No. 250424-0072]
    RIN 0648-BN64

    Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
    Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast
    Multispecies Fishery; Fishing Year 2025 Measures

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

    ACTION: Temporary rule; emergency action; request for comments.

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

    SUMMARY: This temporary rule implements emergency measures under the
    authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
    Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) to revise portions of the fishing year 2025
    provisions in the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
    This action is necessary to address an emergency presented by a gap of
    approved specifications and other measures for fishing year 2025, based
    on the most recent fisheries data and scientific information, during
    consideration of two actions to the amend the FMP that would transition
    conservation and management of Atlantic cod from two biological stock
    units to four biological stock units. This temporary rule is intended
    to mitigate economic harm to the Northeast multispecies fishery
    participants by establishing fish stock quotas and related measures
    that allow the fishery to operate while preventing overfishing.

    DATES: This action is effective May 1, 2025, through October 28, 2025.
    Comments must be received by June 2, 2025.

    ADDRESSES: NMFS developed a Supplemental Impact Report (SIR) for the
    Environmental Assessments (EA) for Framework Adjustments 65 and 66 to
    the Northeast Multispecies FMP that describes the impact that the
    measures in this temporary rule would have on the human environment.
    Copies of the SIR and the Regulatory Impact Review of this rulemaking
    are available on the internet at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/new-england-mid-atlantic. Copies of each sector's operations
    plan and contracts for fishing years 2025-2026; the Sector Operations
    Plan, Contract, and EA requirements

    [[Page 18805]]

    guidance document for fishing years 2025-2026; and other supporting
    documents are available from the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional
    Fisheries Office website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/new-england-mid-atlantic. Copies of supporting sector documents are
    available from Heather Nelson at heather.nelson@noaa.gov. Copies of
    Amendment 25 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP and the EAs for
    Framework Adjustments 65, 66, and 69 are available from Dr. Cate
    O'Keefe, Executive Director, New England Fishery Management Council, 50
    Water Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. The Council's documents
    are also accessible via the internet at: http://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/northeast-multispecies or http://www.regulations.gov.
        You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-
    2025-0020, by the following method:
         Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
    comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Visit https://www.regulations.gov and type NOAA-NMFS-2025-0020 in the Search box.
    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 by NMFS. 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. NMFS will accept anonymous
    comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
    anonymous).

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Grant, Fishery Policy Analyst,
    phone: 978-281-9145; email: Mark.Grant@noaa.gov.

    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Summary of Measures

        This action temporarily implements management measures to revise
    some fishing year 2025 provisions in the Northeast Multispecies FMP.
    This action establishes annual catch limits (ACL) and total allowable
    catches (TAC), and approves Northeast multispecies sector operations
    plans and sector allocations that will allow the fishery to operate
    during the 2025 fishing year (beginning May 1, 2025). These and several
    other measures are necessary to address the potential for serious
    conservation and management problems by ensuring that the fishery can
    operate beginning May 1, 2025, without causing overfishing.
        The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) has
    transmitted Amendment 25 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP (Amendment
    25) to the Secretary of Commerce for review (90 FR 11246, March 5,
    2025). If approved, Amendment 25 would revise the stocks of Atlantic
    cod managed in the Northeast Multispecies FMP. That action was
    developed to incorporate the best scientific information available into
    the FMP. The intended effect of Amendment 25 is to revise the FMP to
    manage Atlantic cod in U.S. waters as four stocks rather than two. The
    Council has also submitted Framework Adjustment 69 to the Northeast
    Multispecies FMP (Framework 69) to NMFS for review. If Amendment 25 is
    approved, Framework 69 would be necessary to respond to updated
    scientific information and to achieve the goals and objectives of the
    FMP, as well as implementing other measures that 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.
        To ensure that the fishery can operate beginning May 1, 2025,
    without causing overfishing, this temporary rule:
         Sets fishing year 2025 ACLs for Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod,
    Georges Bank (GB) cod, and GB haddock;
         Sets fishing year 2025 TACs for Eastern GB cod and Eastern
    GB haddock that are shared stocks between the United States and Canada;
         Confirms projected fishing year 2025 specifications for
    other Northeast multispecies stocks that were previously published in
    Framework Adjustments 65 and 66 (88 FR 56527, August 18, 2023; 89 FR
    35755, May 2, 2024, respectively);
         Approves Northeast multispecies sector operations plans
    and allocates annual catch entitlements (ACE) to the sectors;
         Prohibits recreational fishing vessels from possessing GB
    cod;
         Prohibits commercial fishing vessels fishing under the
    common pool management program from possessing GB cod; and
         Sets trimester TACs and possession limits for commercial
    vessels fishing under the common pool management program.

    Background

        This action is necessary to address an emergency arising from the
    gap of approved specifications and other measures for fishing year
    2025, based on the most recent scientific information, stemming from
    the transition from two stocks of Atlantic cod to four stocks, which is
    the subject of Amendment 25 and Framework 69. This action allows for
    completion of the normal rulemaking process for Amendment 25 and
    Framework 69 without prejudicing an approval or disapproval
    determination of those actions. The actions recommended by the Council
    in Amendment 25 and Framework 69 will not be able to proceed through
    the notice and comment rulemaking process toward approval or
    disapproval prior to the beginning of the Northeast multispecies
    fishing year on May 1, 2025. Absent this emergency action, the lack of
    measures to facilitate commercial and recreational fishing that are
    based on the most recent scientific information and that are effective
    on May 1, 2025, would create severe economic harm to the Northeast
    multispecies fishery participants. Without implementation of
    specifications and their accompanying allocations for the 2025 fishing
    year, as provided in this emergency action, there would be no
    allocations for GOM cod and GB cod, which would prevent commercial and
    recreational fishery access to Atlantic cod and other groundfish
    species.
        NMFS recognizes that the delay in full consideration of Amendment
    25 and Framework 69 prevents a decision and full implementation of
    these actions before May 1, 2025. This emergency rule ensures that the
    fishery can operate at the start of the fishing year on May 1 in an
    efficient manner consistent with scientifically based management
    measures that are necessary for preventing overfishing and achieving
    optimum yield. NMFS also recognizes that fully transitioning management
    from two stock units of cod to the four stock units proposed in
    Amendment 25 in the middle of the fishing year would create significant
    administrative challenges and disruptions to NMFS, the sectors, and
    fishery participants. Therefore, although NMFS has not yet made a
    decision to approve, disapprove, or partially approve Amendment 25 or
    Framework 69, should the Amendment be approved before then, NMFS does
    not intend to implement the management transition to the proposed four
    stocks of cod until May 1, 2026. If Amendment 25 and Framework 69 are
    fully approved, NMFS would work with

    [[Page 18806]]

    the Council to ensure a complete and effective transition to four
    stocks for the 2026 fishing year.
        This action is intended to mitigate significant economic harm and
    prevent overfishing by establishing ACLs, approving Northeast
    multispecies sector operations plans and allocating ACEs that allow the
    sector fishery to operate during the 2025 fishing year, and setting
    recreational and commercial common pool trip limits and prohibitions
    necessary to prevent overfishing. Without these provisions, vessels
    enrolled in sectors (responsible for 96 percent of commercial
    groundfish catch) would be unable to fish during the 2025 fishing year,
    which would result in substantial adverse economic impacts on vessel
    owners and operators, dealers, and the fishing communities that rely on
    them. Recreational fishery and commercial common pool measures in this
    action are necessary to allow those fisheries to operate while
    preventing overfishing of Atlantic cod. These temporary measures are
    designed to allow fishing beginning on May 1 under conditions that
    afford the time necessary to consider comments submitted on whether to
    approve or disapprove Amendment 25 and Framework 69 without prejudicing
    NMFS' determinations. Comments for either Amendment 25 of Framework 69
    may be submitted for consideration as instructed under those actions. A
    full discussion of the justification of this emergency action follows a
    description of this action's measures.

    Atlantic Cod Stocks

        On March 5, 2025, NMFS published a Notice of Availability for
    Amendment 25 (90 FR 11246) and provided a 60-day comment period through
    May 5, 2025, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Amendment 25
    recommends revising the Northeast Multispecies FMP to include four cod
    biological stock units: Eastern GOM (EGOM) cod; Western GOM (WGOM) cod;
    GB cod; and Southern New England (SNE) cod.
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR02MY25.000

        The Council developed Framework 69 in coordination with Amendment
    25 to specify status determination criteria (SDC), overfishing limits
    (OFL), acceptable biological catches (ABC), and ACLs; and include other
    management measures for each of the four new cod stocks. In December
    2024, the Council adopted Framework Adjustment 69 to the Northeast
    Multispecies FMP to recommend to NMFS the annual specifications for
    fishing year 2025.
        While NMFS is reviewing Amendment 25 and Framework 69, the
    Northeast Multispecies FMP continues to include two cod stocks: GOM cod
    and GB cod. There are no approved specifications for the existing two
    stocks of Atlantic cod for 2025. In the absence of specifications, the
    Northeast Multispecies FMP includes provisions, at 50 CFR 648.90(a)(3),
    for setting default specifications for up to 6 months. The default
    measures are designed to prevent overfishing while achieving optimum
    yield on a continuing basis by temporarily allowing fishing to occur at
    levels that are expected to prevent overfishing until more permanent
    levels are implemented. To that end, the default catch limits are set
    at the lesser of 75 percent of the previous year's specifications or
    the Council's recommended specifications for the current year.
        An exact comparison between 75 percent of last fishing year's
    (2024) U.S. ABCs for GB cod and GOM cod and the Council's recommended
    U.S. ABCs for EGOM cod, WGOM cod, SNE cod, and the new GB cod is not
    possible. However, NMFS compared 75 percent of the U.S. ABC for 2024
    GOM cod (413 mt) to the Council's recommended 2025 U.S. ABCs for EGOM
    (48 mt) and WGOM (387), and 75 percent of the U.S. ABC for 2024 GB cod
    (401 mt) to the Council's recommended 2025 U.S. ABCs for SNE cod (22mt)
    and the new GB cod (397 mt). The default allocations of 75 percent
    would exceed the Council's recommended U.S. ABC for the proposed four
    stocks of Atlantic cod in Framework 69, and the default allocations of
    75 percent would also exceed the Council's recommended 2025 U.S. ABCs
    when converted to the current two stocks (see table 1). The overall cod
    catch, when the four cod U.S. ABCs recommended by the Council are
    combined and allocated to GOM cod and GB cod, represents a 50-percent
    reduction in cod quotas overall from the 2024 fishing year for the two
    cod stocks. The Council's recommended 2025 limits

    [[Page 18807]]

    are based on the best scientific information available and reflect the
    biological conditions of the four stocks and the levels of catch that
    are expected to prevent overfishing. To ensure this action prevents
    overfishing while it is in effect, and to be consistent with the
    Northeast Multispecies FMP's default specification provisions, in this
    action NMFS is setting fishing year 2025 specifications for the
    existing GB cod and GOM cod stocks based on an application of the
    Council-recommended four Atlantic cod ABCs.
        The Council's recommended limits incorporate an apportionment of
    catch history (for the purpose of allocating the commercial sub-ACLs)
    from the two stocks to the four that approximates the commercial
    fishery's operations under two stocks. In this action, NMFS applies the
    Council-recommended apportionment method to derive two ABCs for
    Atlantic cod. The apportionment for GOM cod in this emergency action
    includes the Council's recommended EGOM ABC, 68 percent of the
    Council's recommended WGOM commercial ABC, and 100 percent of the
    Council's recommended WGOM recreational ABC. The GB cod quota in this
    emergency action includes the Council's recommended SNE cod ABC, the
    Council's recommended GB cod ABC, and 32 percent of the Council's
    recommended WGOM commercial ABC (this excludes the recreational portion
    of the WGOM total ABC). This calculation results in 2025 U.S. ABCs of
    345 mt for GOM cod and 194 mt for GB cod (see table 1).

                                                      Table 1--2025 Atlantic Cod Quotas Calculated Using Council's Recommendations in Framework 69
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                        Dividend
                        Stock                       U.S. ABC- 4   Commercial sub- Apportionment (%)  commercial sub-  Recreational     U.S. ABC- 2      Total ABC                 Stock
                                                      stocks            ABC                                ABC           sub-ABC         stocks
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    EGOM Cod....................................              48  ..............  .................  ..............  ..............             345             345  GOM cod.
    WGOM Cod....................................             387             281                 68             191             106
                                                                                                 32              90  ..............             194             509  GB cod.
    GB Cod......................................              82  ..............  .................  ..............  ..............
    SNE Cod.....................................              22  ..............  .................  ..............  ..............
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Prohibition of GB Cod Possession by Recreational Vessels

        This action prohibits possession of GB cod by recreational vessels.
    The Northeast Multispecies FMP includes recreational sub-ACLs for GOM
    cod and GOM haddock. Recreational catch of GB cod would contribute to
    catch in the State Waters sub-component and the Other sub-component.
    The interim GB cod sub-components in this rule are very low at a
    combined 47 mt (103,617 lb), which cannot support a directed
    recreational cod fishery. The default recreational possession limit for
    GB cod is five fish per person per day, with a closed season from June
    1 through August 31. Prohibiting possession of GB cod by private
    recreational vessels and for-hire recreational vessels is necessary to
    prevent overfishing of GB cod.

    Prohibition of GB Cod Possession by Commercial Vessels Fishing in the
    Common Pool

        This action prohibits possession of GB cod by commercial vessels
    fishing in the common pool. The interim common pool sub-ACL for GB cod
    in this rule is extremely low at 4 mt (8,818 lb), which cannot support
    a directed common pool cod fishery. The default common pool possession
    limits range between 75 lb (34 kg) and 2,000 lb (907 kg) per day.
    Similar to the measure described above for the recreational fishery,
    prohibiting commercial possession of GB cod by common pool vessels is
    necessary to prevent overfishing of GB cod.

    GB Haddock

        This action temporarily sets the 2025 U.S. ABC for GB haddock at
    1,556 mt, consistent with the Council's recommendation in Framework 69,
    to prevent overfishing. Framework 66 set the GB haddock catch limit for
    fishing year 2025 based on stock assessments completed in 2023.
    However, a new stock assessment completed in 2024 resulted in the
    Council recommending a new 2025 U.S. ABC in Framework 69 that is 78
    percent lower than the U.S. ABC previously projected for 2025 (1,556 mt
    vs. 7,058 mt). The U.S. ABC for 2025 projected in Framework 66 (7,058
    mt) is only 12 percent less than the overfishing limit (8,034 mt)
    identified in the 2024 assessment. The Canadian share of the 2025 total
    ABC is 5,854 mt, based on the U.S./Canada process described below;
    therefore, in combination with Canadian catch, maintaining the U.S. ABC
    projected by Framework 66 for fishing year 2025 could allow overfishing
    and must be changed, at least temporarily, by this emergency action to
    prevent overfishing while providing an opportunity for full
    consideration of Framework 69 measures and public comments.

    Fishing Year 2025 Shared U.S./Canada Quotas

        Consistent with setting ABCs for GB cod and GB haddock, this action
    also temporarily sets new TACs for two of the U.S./Canada stocks:
    Eastern GB cod and Eastern GB haddock (see table 2). The TAC for
    Eastern GB haddock is consistent with the recommendations of the joint
    U.S./Canada Transboundary Management Guidance Committee (TMGC) that
    recommends shared quotas for transboundary stocks each year. The TMGC
    did not come to an agreement on a shared quota for Eastern GB cod, but,
    in Framework 69, the Council adopted a TAC for the U.S. fishery that
    would remain under the ABC for GB cod after accounting for estimated
    Canadian catch. This emergency action implements the same TACs as the
    Council recommended in Framework 69. Although GB yellowtail flounder is
    also within the process of setting catch limits for U.S./Canada shared
    stocks, NMFS is not including GB yellowtail flounder in this action,
    because the catch limits implemented by Framework 66 for fishing year
    2025 would not allow overfishing.

     Table 2--2025 Fishing Year 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...................  No agreement...........  7,410 mt...............  168 mt.
    U.S. Quota...........................  82 mt..................  1,556 mt (21 percent)..  71 mt (42 percent).

    [[Page 18808]]

    Canadian Quota.......................  370 mt (catch estimated  5,854 mt (79 percent)..  97 mt (58 percent).
                                            to be 315 mt).
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        These 2025 U.S. quotas for Eastern GB cod and Eastern GB haddock
    would represent 46-percent and 50-percent decreases, respectively,
    compared to 2024. The GB yellowtail flounder is unchanged from 2024.
    For a more detailed discussion of the TMGC's 2025 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/.

    Catch Limits for Fishing Year 2025

    Summary of the 2025 Catch Limits

        This action temporarily implements specifications for the remaining
    17 stocks of Northeast multispecies for fishing year 2025 that were
    published in Frameworks 65 and 66, pending further consideration in
    Framework 69. Table 3 provides an overview of which framework set the
    catch limit for each stock, as well as when the stock was most recently
    assessed. Tables 4 through 9 show the catch limits for the 2025 fishing
    year, including the common pool trimester TACs for allocated stocks
    (except for SNE/Mid-Atlantic (MA) winter flounder) and incidental catch
    TACs for certain stocks of concern. A summary of the basis for how
    these catch limits were developed, including the distribution to the
    various fishery components, was provided in the Framework 65 and
    Framework 66 proposed rules (May 31, 2023, 88 FR 34810; and March 22,
    2024, 89 FR 20412, respectively) and is not repeated here. While the
    catch limits for GB cod, GOM cod, and GB haddock are based on those
    proposed in Framework 69, the distribution of those catch limits to
    various fishery components is consistent with the process followed in
    Framework 66.

             Table 3--Basis of Interim Catch Limits for May 1, 2025
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Basis of catch        Basis of catch
                Stock                 limit: action       limit: assessment
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    GB Cod......................  Framework 69                          2024
                                   (proposed and
                                   translated from 4
                                   stocks to 2).
    GOM Cod.....................  Framework 69                          2024
                                   (proposed and
                                   translated from 4
                                   stocks to 2).
    GB Haddock..................  Framework 69                          2024
                                   (proposed).
    GOM Haddock.................  Framework 66 (2024).                  2022
    GB Yellowtail Flounder......  Framework 66 (2024).                  2023
    SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder..  Framework 65 (2023).                  2022
    CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder..  Framework 65 (2023).                  2022
    American Plaice.............  Framework 65 (2023).                  2022
    Witch Flounder..............  Framework 65 (2023).                  2022
    GB Winter Flounder..........  Framework 65 (2023).                  2022
    GOM Winter Flounder.........  Framework 65 (2023).                  2022
    SNE/MA Winter Flounder......  Framework 65 (2023).                  2022
    Redfish.....................  Framework 66 (2024).                  2023
    White Hake..................  Framework 66 (2024).                  2022
    Pollock.....................  Framework 65 (2023).                  2022
    N Windowpane Flounder.......  Framework 66 (2024).                  2023
    S Windowpane Flounder.......  Framework 66 (2024).                  2023
    Ocean Pout..................  Framework 65 (2023).                  2022
    Atlantic Halibut............  Framework 66 (2024).                  2022
    Atlantic Wolffish...........  Framework 65 (2023).                  2022
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    N = northern; S = southern; SNE/MA = Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic;
      CC/GOM = Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine.

                                                     Table 4--Interim Catch Limits for the 2025 Fishing Year
                                                                        [Mt, live weight]
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                           Common                    Midwater               Small-       State
                 Stock                Total ACL   Groundfish    Sector   pool sub-   Recreational     trawl     Scallop      mesh     waters sub- Other sub-
                                                   sub-ACL     sub-ACL      ACL         sub-ACL      fishery    fishery    fisheries   component   component
                                         A to H    A + B + C          A          B               C          D          E           F           G           H
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    GB Cod.........................         186          140        136          4  ..............  .........  .........  ..........          16          31
    GOM Cod........................         327          297        170          6             120  .........  .........  ..........          30         0.0
    GB Haddock.....................       1,478        1,449      1,415         34  ..............         29  .........  ..........           0           0
    GOM Haddock....................       2,183        2,108      1,349         30             729         22  .........  ..........          46         7.6
    GB Yellowtail Flounder.........          69           56         53        3.3  ..............  .........       11.0         1.3         0.0         0.0
    SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder.....          38           33         26        7.7  ..............  .........        2.7  ..........         0.2         2.0
    CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder.....         873          808        768         41  ..............  .........  .........  ..........          28          37
    American Plaice................       5,009        4,957      4,819        138  ..............  .........  .........  ..........          26          26
    Witch Flounder.................       1,196        1,146      1,104         41  ..............  .........  .........  ..........          19          31
    GB Winter Flounder.............       1,446        1,431      1,389         42  ..............  .........  .........  ..........           0          15

    [[Page 18809]]

    GOM Winter Flounder............         772          607        525         82  ..............  .........  .........  ..........         153        12.1
    SNE/MA Winter Flounder.........         604          441        388         53  ..............  .........  .........  ..........          19         144
    Redfish........................       7,859        7,859      7,782         77  ..............  .........  .........  ..........           0           0
    White Hake.....................       1,825        1,816      1,798         18  ..............  .........  .........  ..........           0          10
    Pollock........................      12,683       11,619     11,502        117  ..............  .........  .........  ..........         598         465
    N Windowpane Flounder..........         127           94        n/a         94  ..............  .........         27  ..........         0.0         6.8
    S Windowpane Flounder..........         205           30        n/a         30  ..............  .........         71  ..........         6.4          98
    Ocean Pout.....................          83           49        n/a         49  ..............  .........  .........  ..........           0          34
    Atlantic Halibut...............          75           58        n/a         58  ..............  .........  .........  ..........          16         1.2
    Atlantic Wolffish..............          87           87        n/a         87  ..............  .........  .........  ..........           0           0
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    n/a: not allocated to sectors.

                              Table 5--Interim Fishing Year 2025 Common Pool Trimester TACs
                                                    [Mt, live weight]
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                           2025
                                  Stock                              -----------------------------------------------
                                                                        Trimester 1     Trimester 2     Trimester 3
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    GB Cod..........................................................             1.1             1.4             1.6
    GOM Cod.........................................................             3.1             2.1             1.1
    GB Haddock......................................................             9.2            11.2            13.6
    GOM Haddock.....................................................             8.0             7.7            14.0
    GB Yellowtail Flounder..........................................             0.6             1.0             1.7
    SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder......................................             1.6             2.2             3.9
    CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder......................................            23.1            10.6             6.9
    American Plaice.................................................           101.9            11.0            24.8
    Witch Flounder..................................................            22.7             8.3            10.3
    GB Winter Flounder..............................................             3.4            10.2            28.8
    GOM Winter Flounder.............................................            30.4            31.2            20.6
    Redfish.........................................................            19.2            23.8            33.8
    White Hake......................................................             6.8             5.5             5.5
    Pollock.........................................................            32.8            41.0            43.3
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Table 6--Interim Fishing Year 2025 Common Pool Incidental Catch TACs
                                [Mt, live weight]
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Percentage of
                   Stock                 common pool sub-         2025
                                               ACL
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    GB Cod............................               1.68               0.07
    GOM Cod...........................                  1               0.06
    GB Yellowtail Flounder............                  2               0.07
    CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder........                  1               0.41
    American Plaice...................                  5               6.89
    Witch Flounder....................                  5               2.07
    SNE/MA Winter Flounder............                  1               0.53
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Table 7--Percentage of Incidental Catch TACs Distributed to Each Special
                               Management Program
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Eastern U.S./CA
                   Stock                  Regular B DAS       haddock SAP
                                        program (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 18810]]

        Table 8--Interim Fishing Year 2025 Incidental Catch TACs for Each
                           Special Management Program
                                [Mt, live weight]
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Eastern U.S./
                   Stock                  Regular B DAS      Canada haddock
                                             program              SAP
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    GB Cod............................               0.04               0.03
    GOM Cod...........................               0.06                n/a
    GB Yellowtail Flounder............               0.03               0.03
    CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder........               0.41                n/a
    American Plaice...................               6.89                n/a
    Witch Flounder....................               2.07                n/a
    SNE/MA Winter Flounder............               0.53                n/a
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

                Table 9--Interim Fishing Year 2025 Regular B DAS Program Quarterly Incidental Catch TACs
                                                    [Mt, live weight]
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   2025
                                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------
                          Stock                         1st quarter     2nd quarter     3rd quarter     4th quarter
                                                       (13 percent)    (29 percent)    (29 percent)    (29 percent)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    GB Cod..........................................            0.01            0.01            0.01            0.01
    GOM Cod.........................................            0.01            0.02            0.02            0.02
    GB Yellowtail Flounder..........................            0.00            0.01            0.01            0.01
    CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder......................            0.05            0.12            0.12            0.12
    American Plaice.................................            0.90            2.00            2.00            2.00
    Witch Flounder..................................            0.27            0.60            0.60            0.60
    SNE/MA Winter Flounder..........................            0.07            0.15            0.15            0.15
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Sectors

        Northeast Multispecies FMP regulations provide that the Regional
    Administrator may approve sector operations plans and allocate ACEs to
    allow sectors to operate in the fishery. This emergency action
    temporarily approves sectors' 2025-2026 operations plans for the
    Northeast Multispecies FMP on an interim basis for fishing year 2025.
    NMFS approved 15 sectors to operate in fishing years 2023 and 2024, (88
    FR 26502, May 1, 2023; 89 FR 23941, April 5, 2024). Copies of the
    approved operations plans and contracts from fishing years 2023-2024
    are available at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/commercial-fishing/fishing-year-2024-sectors and from NMFS
    (see ADDRESSES). All 15 active sectors submitted operations plans and
    contracts for approval for fishing years 2025 and 2026. Sector
    exemptions are unchanged from fishing year 2024. This action
    temporarily approves measures submitted in these sector operations
    plans, including sector regulatory exemptions intended to provide
    additional operational flexibility, and at-sea monitoring (ASM) and
    electronic monitoring (EM) programs.
        Regional Administrator approval is required for sectors to receive
    their ACE for specific groundfish stocks. This action allocates a share
    of each allocated groundfish stock to each sector based on its members'
    landings history. Without this action, ACEs would not be allocated and
    sectors, and the vessels enrolled in them, would not be able to fish in
    the groundfish fishery or use approved regulatory exemptions for the
    2025 fishing year. Those vessels would be restricted to participating
    in other fisheries unless they opted to instead fish for the entire
    year under the common pool management measures for the groundfish
    fishery, which are more restrictive than the sector system. NMFS
    expects overall sector enrollment for fishing year 2025 to be similar
    to fishing years 2023 and 2024.
        The Northeast Multispecies FMP defines a sector as a group of
    persons holding limited access Northeast multispecies permits who have
    voluntarily entered into a contract and agree to certain fishing
    restrictions for a specified period of time, and which has been granted
    ACEs in order to achieve objectives consistent with applicable
    Northeast Multispecies FMP goals and objectives. Sectors are self-
    selecting, meaning participation is voluntary, and each sector can
    choose its members.
        The Northeast multispecies sector management system includes an
    annual allocation of available catch for a portion of the Northeast
    multispecies stocks to each approved sector. These annual sector
    allocations are known as ACE and are portions of a stock's ACL
    available to commercial Northeast multispecies sector vessels. A
    sector's ACE is based on the collective fishing history of the permits
    held by the sector's members. Sectors may receive allocations of large-
    mesh Northeast multispecies stocks, with the exception of Atlantic
    halibut, windowpane flounder, Atlantic wolffish, and ocean pout, which
    are non-allocated species managed under separate effort controls. A
    sector determines how to harvest its ACE. In addition to the sectors,
    there are several state-operated permit banks that each receive an
    allocation based on the fishing history of permits they hold.
    Allocations in state operated permit banks may be leased to fishermen
    enrolled in sectors. State-operated permit banks are no longer approved
    through the sector approval process, but current state-operated permit
    banks contribute to the total allocation under the sector system.

    Sector Operations Plans

        Sector operations plans contain the rules under which each sector
    will fish, and also provide the legal contract that binds each member
    to the sector for the length of the sector's operations plan. Each
    sector's operations plan, and each sector's members, must comply with
    the regulations governing sectors, found at Sec.  648.87. Sectors are
    also responsible for developing and implementing a monitoring program
    that meets the requirements at Sec.  648.11(l). For fishing year 2025,
    sector vessels may choose to use human ASM or the audit model EM

    [[Page 18811]]

    program to meet monitoring requirements, provided that the sector has a
    corresponding monitoring program approved as part of its operations
    plan.
        Prior to the 2025 fishing year, NMFS received sector operations
    plan submissions from these same sectors. The initial fishing years
    2025-2026 operations plans submitted by sectors do not request
    substantial changes from fishing years 2023-2024 final operations
    plans. All sectors that harvest fish included a NMFS-approved ASM
    program or EM program as part of their operations plans. NMFS did not
    receive any new operations plans for approval for fishing year 2025. As
    a result, this action approves all 15 sector operations plans on an
    interim basis for fishing year 2025.

    Sector Exemptions

        Because sectors elect to receive an allocation under a quota-based
    system, the Northeast Multispecies FMP grants sector vessels several
    universal exemptions from the FMP's effort controls. These universal
    exemptions are codified at Sec.  648.87(c)(2)(ii). Sectors may request
    additional exemptions annually as part of their sector operations plans
    to increase flexibility and fishing opportunities. The Northeast
    Multispecies FMP prohibits sectors from requesting exemptions from
    permitting restrictions, gear restrictions designed to minimize habitat
    impacts, and most reporting requirements.
        For fishing year 2025, sectors did not request any novel
    exemptions. NMFS previously granted 18 exemptions for fishing years
    2023 and 2024 (88 FR 26502; May 1, 2023). These previously approved
    exemptions are approved, on an interim basis, for all sectors that
    requested them in their operations plans.
        NMFS may revoke exemptions in-season if: It determines that the
    exemption jeopardizes management measures, Northeast Multispecies FMP
    objectives, or rebuilding efforts; the exemption results in unforeseen
    negative impacts on other managed fish stocks, habitat, or protected
    resources; the exemption causes enforcement concerns; catch from trips
    using the exemption cannot be adequately monitored; or a sector is not
    meeting certain administrative or operational requirements. If it
    becomes necessary to revoke an exemption, NMFS will do so through a
    process consistent with the existing regulations or in a separate
    rulemaking action, as appropriate.

    Sector Allocations for Fishing Year 2025

        The sector allocations in this rule are based on the interim catch
    limits implemented by this emergency action. NMFS calculates the
    sector's allocation for each stock by summing its members' potential
    sector contributions (PSC) for a stock and then multiplying that total
    percentage by the available commercial sub-ACL for that stock.
        At the time this rule was drafted, sectors had not yet submitted
    their rosters, and the 2024 sector rosters are the best available
    information to provide industry with ACE allocation estimates. Any
    permits that change ownership after the enrollment deadline established
    by the Regional Administrator retain the ability to join a sector
    through April 30, 2025. All permit holders who have joined a sector for
    fishing year 2025 have until April 30, 2025, to withdraw and instead
    elect to fish in the common pool, although sectors may specify a more
    restrictive withdrawal date for their members. NMFS will provide
    sectors with their final interim allocations, to the nearest pound,
    based on their final May 1 rosters. These interim final allocations,
    along with later adjustments including ACE transfers, reductions for
    overages, or increases for carryover, are used to monitor sector catch.
        Table 10 shows the preliminary cumulative PSC for each sector, by
    stock, for fishing year 2025 based on 2024 sector rosters. Tables 11
    and 12 show the interim ACEs allocated to each sector, in pounds and
    metric tons, respectively, for fishing year 2025, based on their
    fishing year 2024 rosters. The interim common pool sub-ACLs are also
    included in tables 11 and 12 for comparison.
        Instead of assigning separate PSCs for Eastern GB cod or Eastern GB
    haddock, a PSC is assigned to each permit for the GB cod stock and GB
    haddock stock. Each sector's GB cod and GB haddock allocations are then
    divided into an Eastern ACE and a Western ACE, based on each sector's
    percentage of the GB cod and GB haddock ACLs. For example, if a sector
    is allocated 4 percent of the GB cod ACL, the sector is allocated 4
    percent of the commercial Eastern GB cod TAC as its Eastern GB cod. The
    Eastern GB haddock allocations are determined in the same way. These
    amounts are then subtracted from the sector's overall GB cod and
    haddock allocations to determine its Western GB cod and haddock ACEs. A
    sector may only harvest its Eastern GB cod and haddock ACEs in the
    Eastern U.S./Canada Area.
        Each sector is required to ensure that it does not exceed its ACE
    during the fishing year. Sector vessels are required to retain all
    legal-sized allocated Northeast multispecies stocks, unless a sector is
    granted an exemption allowing its member vessels to discard legal-sized
    unmarketable fish at sea. Catch (defined as landings and discards) of
    all allocated Northeast multispecies stocks by a sector's vessels
    counts against the sector's allocation. Groundfish catch from a sector
    trip targeting non-groundfish species will be deducted from the
    sector's ACE because these are groundfish trips using gear capable of
    catching groundfish. Catch from a non-sector trip in an exempted
    fishery does not count against a sector's allocation and is assigned to
    a separate ACL sub-component to account for any groundfish bycatch that
    occurs in non-groundfish fisheries.
    BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

    [[Page 18812]]

    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR02MY25.001

    [[Page 18813]]

    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR02MY25.002

    [[Page 18814]]

    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR02MY25.003

    [[Page 18815]]

    Interim Possession Limits for Fishing Year 2025

        This action also temporarily implements common pool possession
    limits and trip limits for groundfish stocks because the measures set
    pursuant to Regional Administrator authority for fishing year 2024
    expire on April 30, 2025 (see table 13). Without setting new measures
    commensurate with the interim fishing year 2025 ACLs that are
    implemented by this action, the fishery would default to measures that
    could allow overfishing.
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR02MY25.004

    BILLING CODE 3510-22-C

    Closed Area II Yellowtail Flounder/Haddock Special Access Program

        The Regional Administrator is authorized, at Sec.  648.85(b)(vii),
    to determine the total number of common pool trips that may be declared
    into the Closed Area II Yellowtail Flounder/Haddock Special Access
    Program (SAP) to target yellowtail flounder. This action temporarily
    allocates zero trips for common pool vessels to target yellowtail
    flounder within the Closed Area II Yellowtail Flounder/Haddock SAP for
    fishing year 2025. As a result, this SAP is temporarily open only to
    target haddock. The SAP season will open August 1, 2025. Northeast
    multispecies vessels fishing in the SAP

    [[Page 18816]]

    must fish with a haddock separator trawl, a Ruhle trawl, or hook gear.
        The Regional Administrator determines the allocation of the total
    number of trips into the Closed Area II Yellowtail Flounder/Haddock SAP
    based on several criteria, including the GB yellowtail flounder catch
    limit and the amount of GB yellowtail flounder caught outside of the
    SAP. Allocating trips to target yellowtail flounder in the Closed Area
    II Yellowtail Flounder/Haddock SAP is discretionary if the available GB
    yellowtail flounder catch is insufficient to support at least 150 trips
    with a 15,000-lb (6,804-kg) trip limit, for a total catch of 2,250,000
    lb (1,020,600 kg). This calculation considers projected catch from all
    vessels from the area outside the SAP. Based on the fishing year 2025
    GB yellowtail flounder groundfish sub-ACL temporarily implemented by
    this action of 123,458.9 lb (56,000 kg), there is insufficient GB
    yellowtail flounder to allocate any trips to the SAP. Further, given
    the low GB yellowtail flounder catch limit, catch rates outside of this
    SAP are more than adequate to fully harvest the 2025 GB yellowtail
    flounder allocation.
        If approved, Framework Adjustment 69 would increase the 2025 GB
    yellowtail flounder sub-ACL from the amount implemented by this action.
    However, the size of that increase is not substantial. As a result,
    NMFS does not expect the final rule implementing Framework 69, if
    approved, to change the determination to allocate no trips to the SAP
    to target yellowtail flounder.

    Regular B DAS Program

        The Regional Administrator is authorized, at Sec.
    648.85(b)(6)(vi), to close the Regular B DAS program by prohibiting the
    use of Regular B DAS when the continuation of the program would
    undermine the achievement of the objectives of the Northeast
    Multispecies FMP or the Regular B DAS Program. One reason for
    terminating the program is an inability to constrain common pool
    catches to the Incidental Catch TACs.
        This action implements Common Pool Incidental Catch TACs for the
    Regular B DAS Program for the 2025 fishing year (table 8). These TACs
    are further divided into Quarterly Incidental Catch TACs (table 9) to
    be monitored and managed during each calendar quarter.
        Given that the Incidental Catch TACs allocated to the Regular B DAS
    Program for several stocks are very small, in-season management of the
    Regular B DAS Program is likely to be extremely difficult and
    impractical. Implementation of an in-season action to close the Regular
    B DAS Program once a Quarterly Incidental Catch TAC for a stock has
    been reached would not be possible to complete quickly enough to
    prevent further catch of that stock.
        As a result, it is unlikely that catch can be effectively limited
    to the Incidental Catch TACs during fishing year 2025, and operation of
    the program during the emergency rule period would undermine the
    achievement of the objectives of the Northeast Multispecies FMP and the
    Regular B DAS Program. This action temporarily closes the Regular B DAS
    Program and temporarily prohibits use of Regular B DAS. This applies to
    all vessels issued a limited access Northeast multispecies permit.

    Justification for Emergency Action

        NMFS' policy guidelines for the use of emergency rules (62 FR
    44421; August 21, 1997) specify the following 3 criteria for emergency
    actions: (1) The emergency results from recent, unforeseen events or
    recently discovered circumstances; (2) the emergency presents serious
    conservation or management problems in the fishery; and (3) the
    emergency can be addressed through emergency regulations for which the
    immediate benefits outweigh the value of advance notice, public
    comment, and deliberative consideration of the impacts on participants
    to the same extent as would be expected under the normal rulemaking
    process. NMFS' policy guidelines further provide that emergency action
    is justified for certain situations in which emergency action would
    prevent significant direct economic loss, or to preserve a significant
    economic opportunity that otherwise might be foregone. NMFS has
    determined that an emergency exists that requires establishing fishery
    management measures for the fishing year beginning May 1, 2025, to
    prevent economic loss and preserve economic opportunity for the
    groundfish fishery for the reasons outlined below.

    The Emergency Results From Recent, Unforeseen Events or Recently
    Discovered Circumstances

        Amendment 25 and Framework 69 were developed in close coordination
    as part of the Council's Atlantic Cod Management Transition Plan. This
    plan was designed to result in a coordinated decision making for
    Amendment 25 and Framework 69 to be considered in time for approval or
    disapproval before the beginning of fishing year 2025. NMFS anticipated
    the development of these actions would proceed in accordance with the
    plan. It was not possible to complete the process for both Amendment 25
    and Framework 69 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP sooner because of
    the required notice and comment period prior to approval or
    disapproval. The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires a 60-day public comment
    period on a proposed amendment and requires that the Secretary inform
    the Council of the decision to approve, partially approve, or
    disapprove the amendment within 30 days of the end of that comment
    period. The Amendment 25 comment period ends on May 5, 2025. NMFS
    cannot render a final decision on the amendment, or on Framework 69,
    prior to this date. Therefore, it was not possible to approve these
    actions in time for the start of the Northeast multispecies fishing
    year on May 1, 2025. In the absence of Framework 69's specifications
    and other measures, vessels enrolled in groundfish sectors, which
    comprise the vast majority of the commercial groundfish fleet, would
    not be authorized to fish when the fishing year begins on May 1 without
    emergency action. Recreational fishery and common pool measures in this
    action also are necessary to allow those fisheries to operate while
    preventing overfishing of Atlantic cod.

    The Emergency Presents Serious Conservation or Management Problems in
    the Fishery

        Without implementation of specifications and their accompanying
    allocations, there would be no allocations for GOM cod and GB cod,
    which would prevent commercial and recreational fishery access to
    Atlantic cod and other groundfish species. This action is intended to
    mitigate significant economic harm and prevent overfishing by
    establishing ACLs, approving Northeast multispecies sector operations
    plans and allocating ACEs that allow the sector fishery to operate
    during the 2025 fishing year, and setting recreational and commercial
    common pool trip limits and prohibitions necessary to prevent
    overfishing. Without these provisions, vessels enrolled in sectors
    (responsible for 96 percent of commercial groundfish catch) would be
    unable to fish during the 2025 fishing year, which would result in
    substantial adverse economic impacts on vessel owners and operators,
    dealers, and the fishing communities that rely on them. Recreational
    fishery and common pool measures in this action are necessary to allow
    those fisheries to operate while preventing overfishing of Atlantic
    cod.

    [[Page 18817]]

    The Emergency Can Be Addressed Through Emergency Regulations for Which
    the Immediate Benefits Outweigh the Value of Advanced Notice, Public
    Comment, and Deliberative Consideration of the Impacts on Participants
    to the Same Extent as Would Be Expected Under the Normal Rulemaking
    Process

        This action is required to temporarily implement specifications
    that could remain in effect for up to 180 days from May 1, 2025,
    through October 31, 2025, unless replaced prior to, or extended past,
    October 31, 2025, by another action. This action is intended to
    mitigate significant economic harm and prevent overfishing, and allow
    for the normal rulemaking processes for Amendment 25 and Framework 69
    to proceed without prejudicing NMFS' approval or disapproval
    determinations. The measures implemented by this action will allow the
    groundfish fishery to operate and avoid substantial adverse economic
    impacts on vessel owners and operators, dealers, and the fishing
    communities that rely on them. Recreational fishery and common pool
    measures in this action are necessary to allow those fisheries to
    operate and avoid adverse economic impacts on the common pool and
    recreational communities while preventing overfishing of Atlantic cod.
        The immediate benefits of an operational fishery outweigh the value
    of advance notice, public comment, and deliberative consideration of
    the impacts on participants. Amendment 25 and Framework 69 are
    proceeding through the normal rulemaking process. This action is based
    on scientific determinations for four cod biological stock units and
    operational equivalent measures for two cod biological stock units that
    are designed to reflect status quo conditions to the extent practicable
    during the period this action is in effect. The measures in this action
    are temporary placeholders that allow an opportunity for full
    consideration of Amendment 25 and Framework 69. They maintain status
    quo conditions to the extent practicable that do not undermine or
    inadvertently preclude approval of Amendment 25 through Framework 69 in
    whole or in part. These interim measures would either be replaced by
    any approved measures, or they would be extended or extended with any
    necessary adjustments in case of disapproval in whole or in part.

    Classification

        The Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, has
    determined that this rule is necessary to respond to an emergency
    situation and is consistent with the national standards and other
    provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable laws. The
    rule may be extended for a period of not more than 186 days as provided
    under section 305(c)(3)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
        Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the Acting Assistant Administrator
    for Fisheries, NOAA, finds that it would be impracticable and contrary
    to the public interest to provide for prior notice and public comment.
    This emergency action is necessary to relieve restrictions on the
    fishing industry and mitigate significant economic harm, while also
    preventing overfishing as required by statute. These temporary measures
    provide commercial and recreational fisheries, and fishing communities,
    economic stability, and regulatory predictability on an interim basis.
    Allowing even a 15-day comment period would delay this action's
    effective date past the beginning of the fishing year.
        Delaying this action beyond May 1 would disrupt commercial and
    recreational fishing planning and operations, and cause confusion that
    would be inefficient and detrimental to fishing communities. Any delay
    in these emergency measures jeopardizes the commercial fishery's
    ability to operate under the sector system, which constitutes 96
    percent of all commercial groundfish catch. A delay would require
    sector vessels to end any trip at sea and land before May 1. It would
    require anyone who fishes (including landing a trip presently underway
    after May 1), even for a single trip before this rule's effective date,
    to fish under more restrictive common pool limits for the entirety of
    the fishing year. Measures in this action also facilitate common pool
    and recreational fishery operations in a manner that prevents
    overfishing. Furthermore, the government is accepting public comment on
    this interim emergency action for 30 days from publication and will
    consider those comments in any future decision to revise or extend this
    interim emergency action. Given the need to implement these measures at
    the beginning of the fishing year on May 1 to prevent the serious
    adverse economic impacts that a delay would cause, the Acting Assistant
    Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds for good cause that prior
    notice and the opportunity for public comment would be impracticable
    and contrary to the public interest.
        This rule is not subject to the 30-day delayed effectiveness
    provision of the Administrative Procedure Act, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
    553(d)(1), because this rule relieves restrictions that would prevent
    sector fishery members from fishing. To avoid this prohibition, sector
    members would be required to choose to fish outside the sector system
    for the entire year. These vessels would lose the numerous regulatory
    exemptions from effort controls that are granted to vessels fishing
    under the sector system and that would subject them to more
    restrictions.
        For the same reasons stated above (in the discussion of 5 U.S.C.
    553(b)(B)) and the following additional reasons, NOAA also finds good
    cause to waive the 30-day delay in the effective date, and implement
    this action immediately upon publication, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
    553(d)(3). Commercial fishing vessel and Federal dealer operations
    benefit from both continuity and certainty. The sector fishery has
    operated for fifteen years under the sector system that provides them
    with well-known regulatory exemptions to restrictions that are provided
    by this action. Vessels do not need time to prepare for the
    implementation of this emergency rule, and instead need the immediate
    implementation of these measures to authorize them to fish consistent
    with their operations over the last 15 years. Finally, May represents
    the safest weather for fishing and corresponds with increased seasonal
    demand for seafood.
        This action is being taken pursuant to the emergency provision of
    the Magnuson-Stevens Act and is exempt from OMB review. This is not a
    regulatory action pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14192. This
    temporary rule for an emergency action is exempt from the procedures of
    the Regulatory Flexibility Act because the rule is issued without
    opportunity for prior notice and opportunity for public comment.
        This temporary rule for an emergency action contains no information
    collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
        I have determined that this action would not have a substantial
    direct effect on one or more Indian tribes, on the relationship between
    the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of
    power and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian
    tribes; therefore, consultation with tribal officials under E.O. 13175
    is not required, and the requirements of sections (5)(b) and (5)(c) of
    E.O. 13175 also do not apply. A tribal summary impact statement under
    section (5)(b)(2)(B) and section (5)(c)(2)(B) of E.O. 13175 is not
    required and has not been prepared.
        In the interest of receiving public input on this action, the SIR
    analyzing this action is available to the public (see

    [[Page 18818]]

    ADDRESSES) and this temporary rule solicits public comment (see DATES).

    List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 648

        Fisheries, Fishing, Recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

        Dated: April 28, 2025.
    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.  648.14, add paragraph (k)(16)(iii)(C) to read as follows:

    Sec.  648.14  Prohibitions

    * * * * *
        (k) * * *
        (16) * * *
        (iii) * * *
        (C) If the vessel is a private recreational fishing vessel, fail to
    comply with the seasonal closure for cod or haddock described in Sec.
    648.89(c)(1) or, if the vessel has been issued a charter/party permit
    or is fishing under charter/party regulations, fail to comply with the
    seasonal closure for cod or haddock described in Sec.  648.89(c)(2).
    * * * * *

    0
    3. Amend Sec.  648.89 by revising Table 2 to Paragraph (c)(1)(i), and
    Table 3 to Paragraph (c)(2) to read as follows:

    Sec.  648.89  Recreational and charter/party vessel restrictions.

    * * * * *
        (c) * * *
        (1) * * *
        (i) * * *

                                             Table 2 to Paragraph (c)(1)(i)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Stock                       Open season             Possession limit           Closed season
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    GB Cod..............................  CLOSED.................  No Retention.............  All Year.
    GOM Cod.............................  September 1-October 31.  1........................  May 1-August 31;
                                                                                               November 1-April 30.
    GB Haddock..........................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    GOM Haddock.........................  May 1-February 28 (or    15.......................  March 1-March 31.
                                           29); April 1-30.
    GB Yellowtail Flounder..............  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder..........  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder..........  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    American Plaice.....................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    Witch Flounder......................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    GB Winter Flounder..................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    GOM Winter Flounder.................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    SNE/MA Winter Flounder..............  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    Redfish.............................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    White Hake..........................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    Pollock.............................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    Northern Windowpane Flounder........  CLOSED.................  No retention.............  All Year.
    Southern Windowpane Flounder........  CLOSED.................  No retention.............  All Year.
    Ocean Pout..........................  CLOSED.................  No retention.............  All Year.
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Atlantic Halibut....................                     See paragraph (c)(3) of this section.
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Atlantic Wolffish...................  CLOSED.................  No retention.............  All Year.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    * * * * *
        (2) * * *

                                               Table 3 to Paragraph (c)(2)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Stock                       Open season             Possession limit           Closed season
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    GB Cod..............................  CLOSED.................  No Retention.............  All Year.
    GOM Cod.............................  September 1-October 31.  1........................  May 1-August 31.
                                                                                               November 1-April 30.
    GB Haddock..........................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    GOM Haddock.........................  May 1-February 28 (or    15.......................  March 1-March 31.
                                           29) April 1-30.
    GB Yellowtail Flounder..............  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder..........  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder..........  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    American Plaice.....................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    Witch Flounder......................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    GB Winter Flounder..................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    GOM Winter Flounder.................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    SNE/MA Winter Flounder..............  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    Redfish.............................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    White Hake..........................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    Pollock.............................  All Year...............  Unlimited................  N/A.
    N Windowpane Flounder...............  CLOSED.................  No retention.............  All Year.
    S Windowpane Flounder...............  CLOSED.................  No retention.............  All Year.
    Ocean Pout..........................  CLOSED.................  No retention.............  All Year.
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    [[Page 18819]]

    Atlantic Halibut....................                             See Paragraph (c)(3).
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Atlantic Wolffish...................  CLOSED.................  No retention.............  All Year.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    * * * * *
    [FR Doc. 2025-07635 Filed 4-29-25; 4:15 pm]
    BILLING CODE 3510-22-P