Rule2021-18679
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate Complex; Rescission of Control Dates
Primary source
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Published
August 31, 2021
Effective
August 31, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces the rescission of the July 30, 2009, and March 31, 2014, skate wing and bait fishery control dates. The New England Fishery Management Council has decided to discontinue development of limited access alternatives for both the skate wing and skate bait fisheries as part of Amendment 5 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan. The Council also stated that the existing control dates for each sector of the fishery are too outdated to be used should the Council reconsider limited access for the skate fisheries in the future and has requested that NMFS rescind both control dates. This notification informs stakeholders and the public of this decision, and that July 30, 2009, and March 31, 2014, are no longer considered dates for entry into the bait and skate wing fisheries, respectively.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 166 (Tuesday, August 31, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 31, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 48608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18679]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
RIN 0648-XB238
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Skate
Complex; Rescission of Control Dates
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notification of rescinded control dates.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the rescission of the July 30, 2009, and March
31, 2014, skate wing and bait fishery control dates. The New England
Fishery Management Council has decided to discontinue development of
limited access alternatives for both the skate wing and skate bait
fisheries as part of Amendment 5 to the Northeast Skate Complex Fishery
Management Plan. The Council also stated that the existing control
dates for each sector of the fishery are too outdated to be used should
the Council reconsider limited access for the skate fisheries in the
future and has requested that NMFS rescind both control dates. This
notification informs stakeholders and the public of this decision, and
that July 30, 2009, and March 31, 2014, are no longer considered dates
for entry into the bait and skate wing fisheries, respectively.
DATES: The rescission of skate wing and bait fishery control dates is
effective August 31, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Ferrio, Fishery Policy
Analyst, (978) 281-9180.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The New England Fishery Management Council
manages a complex of seven skate species (barndoor, clearnose, little,
rosette, smooth, thorny, and winter skate) through the Northeast Skate
Complex Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Under this FMP, skates are
harvested and managed within two targeted fishery sectors, one for use
as food (the wing fishery) and one for use as bait in other fisheries
(the bait fishery). Currently, all skate permits are open access and
may be obtained anyone with a valid commercial operator's permit.
NMFS announced a control date of July 30, 2009, for the bait sector
of the fishery (74 FR 37977; July 30, 2009) during the initial
development of Amendment 3 to the Skate FMP. At that time, the Council
was concerned about the possibility of increased effort by new entrants
into the skate bait fishery, and therefore, considered developing a
limited access program for that sector only. The notification
announcing the control date intended to promote public awareness of
potential eligibility criteria for access to the fishery and possible
implementation of a limited-entry management plan. Although Amendment 3
(75 FR 34049; June 16, 2010) did not end up establishing limited entry
for the bait fishery, the July 30, 2009 control date remained on record
for future use.
On March 31, 2014, NMFS announced a separate control date for the
wing fishery at the Council's request (79 FR 18002; March 31, 2014).
This notification was not tied to a specific regulatory action or
amendment at the time, but was intended as a preliminary step toward
preparing for a limited entry program for the overall skate fishery and
announcing these possibilities to the public.
In 2016, the Council began developing Amendment 5 to the Skate FMP,
which included consideration of limited access for both the bait and
wing sectors of the fishery. However, at its meeting in April 2021, the
Council decided to discontinue development of all limited access
alternatives in this amendment in favor of other management strategies
to address latent effort. In conjunction with that decision, the
Council also determined that both control dates for the wing and bait
skate fisheries are outdated should a limited access program be
reconsidered in the future. As a result, at its following meeting in
June 2021, the Council voted to request NMFS rescind the existing
control dates for the skate FMP. Therefore, NMFS announces the
rescission of the July 30, 2009, control date with respect to the skate
bait fishery; and the March 31, 2014, control date with respect to the
skate wing fishery.
The Council decided to not develop a limited entry management
system for the Skate FMP in Amendment 5. However, if the Council
chooses to pursue limited access in the future, it will consider new
control dates for these fisheries.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 25, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-18679 Filed 8-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 31, 2021.
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