Rule2021-18566
Fisheries Off West Coast States; Modification of the West Coast Salmon Fisheries; Inseason Action #25
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 30, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces one inseason action in the 2021 ocean salmon fisheries. This inseason action modified the fishing days per calendar week in the recreational ocean salmon fishery in the area from Queets River, WA, to Leadbetter Point, WA (Westport subarea).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 165 (Monday, August 30, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 165 (Monday, August 30, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48343-48344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18566]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 210505-0101; RTID 0648-XB310]
Fisheries Off West Coast States; Modification of the West Coast
Salmon Fisheries; Inseason Action #25
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason modification of 2021 management measures.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces one inseason action in the 2021 ocean salmon
fisheries. This inseason action modified the fishing days per calendar
week in the recreational ocean salmon fishery in the area from Queets
River, WA, to Leadbetter Point, WA (Westport subarea).
DATES: This inseason action became applicable on August 6, 2021, and
remains in effect until superseded or modified.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannon Penna at 562-676-2148, email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a4f7ccc5cacacbca8ad4c1cacac5e4cacbc5c58ac3cbd2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="36655e5758585958184653585857765859575718515940">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The 2021 annual management measures for ocean salmon fisheries (86
FR 26425, May 14, 2021), announced management measures for the
commercial and recreational fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada
border to the U.S./Mexico border, effective from 0001 hours Pacific
Daylight Time (PDT), May 16, 2021, until the effective date of the 2022
management measures, as published in the Federal Register. NMFS is
authorized to implement inseason management actions to modify fishing
seasons and quotas as necessary to provide fishing opportunity while
meeting management objectives for the affected species (50 CFR
660.409). Inseason actions in the salmon fishery may be taken directly
by NMFS (50 CFR 660.409(a)--Fixed inseason management provisions) or
upon consultation with the Chairman of the Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council) and the appropriate State Directors (50 CFR
660.409(b)--Flexible inseason management provisions).
Management of the salmon fisheries is generally divided into two
geographic areas: North of Cape Falcon (NOF) (U.S./Canada border to
Cape Falcon, OR) and south of Cape Falcon (Cape Falcon, OR, to the
U.S./Mexico border). The action described in this document affected the
NOF recreational salmon fishery, as set out under the heading Inseason
Action.
Consultation on this inseason action occurred on August 3, 2021.
Representatives from NMFS, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
(WDFW), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and Council
staff participated in the consultation.
This inseason action was announced on NMFS' telephone hotline and
U.S. Coast Guard radio broadcast on the date of the consultations (50
CFR 660.411(a)(2)).
Inseason Action
Inseason Action #25
Description of the action: Inseason action #25 modified the fishing
days per calendar week in the NOF recreational salmon fishery in the
Westport subarea from five days per week (Sunday through Thursday) to
seven days per week, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 6, 2021.
Effective date: Inseason action #25 took effect on August 6, 2021,
and remains in effect until superseded.
Reason and authorization for the action: The 2021 management
measures opened the recreational ocean salmon fishery in the Westport
subarea seven days per week between June 19-26, 2021, and five days per
week (Sunday through Thursday) between June 27-September 15, 2021 (86
FR 26425, May 14, 2021). The intent of limiting the fishing days per
calendar week starting June 27, 2021, was to sustain season length.
However, in the first six weeks of recreational fishing in the Westport
subarea, June 19 through July 25 and with just over a month left in the
season, only 9 percent of the subarea's coho salmon quota and 31
percent of the subarea's Chinook salmon guideline were landed.
Consistent with preseason planning and management objectives, inseason
action #25 was taken to provide greater fishing opportunity for the
public to access the available coho salmon quota and Chinook salmon
guideline and to provide economic benefit to the fishery dependent
community. Based on landings to date, anticipated fishing effort, and
projected catch, this action is not expected to result in reducing
season length.
The NMFS West Coast Region Regional Administrator (RA) considered
the landings of Chinook and coho salmon in the NOF recreational salmon
fishery to date, fishery effort to date as well as anticipated under
the proposal,
[[Page 48344]]
and the recreational Chinook salmon guideline and coho salmon quotas
remaining. The RA determined that inseason action #25 was necessary to
meet preseason planning and management objectives to allow access to
available salmon quota and support the economy of fishery dependent
communities while remaining consistent with the applicable salmon
management and conservation objectives. The modification of
recreational fishing days per calendar week is authorized by 50 CFR
660.409(b)(1)(iii).
Consultation date and participants: Consultation on inseason action
#25 occurred on August 3, 2021. Representatives from NMFS, WDFW, ODFW,
and the Council participated in this consultation.
All other restrictions and regulations remain in effect as
announced for the 2021 ocean salmon fisheries (86 FR 26425, May 14,
2021), as modified by previous inseason action (86 FR 34161, June 29,
2021; 86 FR 37249, July 15, 2021; 86 FR 40182, July 28, 2021; 86 FR
43967, August 11, 2021).
The NMFS West Coast Region RA determined that this inseason action
was warranted based on the best available information on Pacific salmon
abundance forecasts, landings to date, and anticipated fishery effort
and projected catch. The states manage the fisheries in state waters
adjacent to the areas of the U.S. exclusive economic zone (3-200
nautical miles (5.6-370.4 kilometers) off the coasts of the states of
Washington, Oregon, and California) consistent with these Federal
actions. As provided by the inseason notice procedures at 50 CFR
660.411, actual notice of the described regulatory action was given,
prior to the time the action was effective, by telephone hotline
numbers 206-526-6667 and 800-662-9825, and by U.S. Coast Guard Notice
to Mariners broadcasts on Channel 16 VHF-FM and 2182 kHz.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). This action is
authorized by 50 CFR 660.409, which was issued pursuant to section
304(b) of the MSA, and is exempt from review under Executive Order
12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), there is good cause to waive
prior notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as
notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment on this
action was impracticable because NMFS had insufficient time to provide
for prior notice and the opportunity for public comment between the
time Chinook and coho salmon abundance, catch, and effort information
was developed and fisheries impacts were calculated, and the time the
fishery modifications had to be implemented in order to ensure that
fisheries are managed based on the best scientific information
available. As previously noted, actual notice of the regulatory action
was provided to fishers through telephone hotline and radio
notification. This action complies with the requirements of the annual
management measures for ocean salmon fisheries (86 FR 26425, May 14,
2021), the FMP, and regulations implementing the FMP under 50 CFR
660.409 and 660.411.
There is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day
delay in effective date, as a delay in effectiveness of this action
would restrict fishing at levels inconsistent with the goals of the FMP
and the current management measures.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 24, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-18566 Filed 8-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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