Rule2021-18724
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery; 2021 Illex Squid Quota Harvested
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 31, 2021
Effective
August 30, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
Federal Illex squid vessel permit holders are prohibited from fishing for, catching, possessing, transferring or landing more than 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) of Illex squid per trip, and from landing Illex squid more than once per calendar day. This prohibition is required when NMFS projects that 94 percent of the 2021 annual catch limit has been caught. This action is intended to prevent over-harvest of Illex squid for the fishing year.
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]
[Pages 48608-48609]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18724]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 210716-0148; RTID 0648-XB188]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Mackerel,
Squid, and Butterfish Fishery; 2021 Illex Squid Quota Harvested
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reduction of possession limit.
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SUMMARY: Federal Illex squid vessel permit holders are prohibited from
fishing for, catching, possessing, transferring or landing more than
10,000 lb (4,535 kg) of Illex squid per trip, and from landing Illex
squid more than once per calendar day. This prohibition is required
when NMFS projects that 94 percent of the 2021 annual catch limit has
been caught. This action is intended to prevent over-harvest of Illex
squid for the fishing year.
DATES: Effective 0001 hr local time, August 30, 2021, through December
31, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alyson Pitts, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9352.
[[Page 48609]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations for the Illex squid fishery are
at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations at Sec. 648.24(a)(2) require that
NMFS must prohibit Federal Illex squid vessel permit holders from
directed fishing when the Regional Administrator projects that 94
percent of the domestic annual harvest (DAH) quota is caught. Vessels
may not catch, possess, transfer, or land more than 10,000 lb (4,535
kg) of Illex squid per trip, or land Illex squid more than once per
calendar day. The Regional Administrator monitors the Illex squid
fishery catch based on dealer reports, state data, and other available
information. When 94 percent of the DAH has been reached, NMFS must
provide at least 72 hours of notice to the public that it made this
determination. NMFS must also publish the date that the catch is
projected to reach 94 percent of the quota and the date when
prohibitions on catch and landings for the remainder of the fishing
year become effective.
The Regional Administrator has determined, based on dealer reports
and other available information, that the Illex squid fleet will catch
94 percent of the total Illex squid DAH quota for the 2021 season
through December 31, 2021, by August 30, 2021. Therefore, effective
0001 August 30, 2021, federally permitted vessels may not fish for,
catch, possess, transfer, or land more than 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) of
Illex squid, and may not land Illex squid more than once per calendar
day. Vessels that have entered port before 0001 hr on August 30, 2021,
may offload and sell more than 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) of Illex squid from
that trip. Also, federally permitted dealers may not receive Illex
squid from federally permitted Illex squid vessels that harvest more
than 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) of Illex squid through 2400 hr, December 31,
2021, unless it is from a trip landed by a vessel that entered port
before 0001 hr on August 30, 2021.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR part 648, which was
issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
NMFS finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3) to waive prior notice and the opportunity for public comment
and the delayed effectiveness because it would be contrary to the
public interest and impracticable. Data and other information
indicating the Illex squid fleet will have landed at least 94 percent
of the 2021 DAH quota have only recently become available. Landings
data are updated on a weekly basis, and NMFS monitors catch data on a
daily basis as catch increases toward the limit. Further, high-volume
catch and landings in this fishery increases total catch relative to
the quota quickly. The regulations at Sec. 648.24(a)(2) require such
action to ensure that Illex squid vessels do not exceed the 2021 DAH
quota. If implementation of this action is delayed, the quota for the
2021 fishing year may be exceeded, thereby undermining the conservation
objectives of the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery
Management Plan. Also, the public had prior notice and full opportunity
to comment on this process when the provisions regarding closures and
the 2021 quota levels were put in place.
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. 2021-18724 Filed 8-26-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 31, 2021.
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