Rule2021-21719
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region; 2021-2022 Commercial Quota Reduction for King Mackerel in the Run-Around Gillnet Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico
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
October 5, 2021
Effective
January 18, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) through this temporary rule for commercial harvest of king mackerel in the southern zone of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) using run-around gillnet gear. NMFS has determined that landings of king mackerel harvested by run- around gillnet gear in the southern zone of the Gulf EEZ exceeded the commercial annual catch limit (ACL), equivalent to the commercial quota, in the 2020-2021 fishing year. Therefore, NMFS reduces the southern zone commercial ACL for king mackerel fishing using run-around gillnet gear in the Gulf EEZ during the 2021-2022 fishing year. This commercial ACL reduction is necessary to protect the Gulf king mackerel resource.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 190 (Tuesday, October 5, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 5, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 54871-54872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21719]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160426363-7275-02; RTID 0648-XB395]
Coastal Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and
Atlantic Region; 2021-2022 Commercial Quota Reduction for King Mackerel
in the Run-Around Gillnet Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; commercial quota reduction.
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SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) through this
temporary rule for commercial
[[Page 54872]]
harvest of king mackerel in the southern zone of the Gulf of Mexico
(Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) using run-around gillnet gear.
NMFS has determined that landings of king mackerel harvested by run-
around gillnet gear in the southern zone of the Gulf EEZ exceeded the
commercial annual catch limit (ACL), equivalent to the commercial
quota, in the 2020-2021 fishing year. Therefore, NMFS reduces the
southern zone commercial ACL for king mackerel fishing using run-around
gillnet gear in the Gulf EEZ during the 2021-2022 fishing year. This
commercial ACL reduction is necessary to protect the Gulf king mackerel
resource.
DATES: The temporary rule is effective from 6 a.m. local time on
January 18, 2022, through June 30, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelli O'Donnell, NMFS Southeast
Regional Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5338363f3f3a7d3c373c3d3d363f3f133d3c32327d343c25"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1b707e77777235747f7475757e77775b75747a7a357c746d">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The fishery for coastal migratory pelagic
fish in the Gulf includes king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and cobia,
and is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Coastal
Migratory Pelagic Resources of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Region
(FMP). The FMP was prepared by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic
Fishery Management Councils, and is implemented by NMFS under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622. All
weights for the Gulf migratory group of king mackerel (Gulf king
mackerel) described in this temporary rule apply as either round or
gutted weight.
The commercial ACL (equivalent to the commercial quota) for Gulf
king mackerel is divided into separate ACLs for hook-and-line and run-
around gillnet gear. The use of run-around gillnets for king mackerel
is restricted to the Gulf southern zone. The Gulf southern zone
includes the EEZ off Collier and Monroe Counties in south Florida. The
Gulf southern zone encompasses an area of the EEZ south of a line
extending due west from the boundary of Lee and Collier Counties on the
Florida west coast, and south of a line extending due east from the
boundary of Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties on the Florida east coast
(50 CFR 622.369(a)(1)(iii)).
For the 2020-2021 fishing season, the commercial gillnet quota for
Gulf king mackerel was 575,400 lb (260,997 kg). Regulations at 50 CFR
622.8(b) and 622.388(a)(1) require NMFS to close any component of the
king mackerel commercial sector when its respective quota has been
reached, or is projected to be reached, by filing a notification with
the Office of the Federal Register. On January 28, 2021, NMFS
determined that the 2020-2021 commercial gillnet quota had been
reached, and closed the commercial gillnet component for the remainder
of the 2020-2021 fishing year (86 FR 7815, February 2, 2021).
NMFS' most recent landings data for the 2020-2021 fishing year
indicate that the commercial gillnet component exceeded the 575,400-lb
(260,997-kg) quota by 11,920 lb (5,407 kg). The AM specified in 50 CFR
622.388(a)(1)(iii) states if commercial landings of king mackerel
caught by run-around gillnet gear exceed the commercial gillnet ACL,
then NMFS will reduce the commercial gillnet ACL in the following
fishing year by the amount of the ACL overage.
Prior to the application of the ACL reduction, the 2021-2022
commercial gillnet ACL for Gulf king mackerel in the southern zone is
575,400 lb (260,997 kg) (50 CFR 622.384(b)(1)(iii)(B)). The fishing
season for run-around gillnet gear is currently closed from July 1,
2021, through January 17, 2022, and will open at 6 a.m. on January 18,
2022. The 2021-2022 fishing year runs through June 30, 2022.
Consistent with the AM, NMFS reduces the 2021-2022 commercial
gillnet quota by the amount of the 2020-2021 commercial gillnet ACL
overage resulting in a run-around gillnet ACL of 563,480 lb (255,590
kg). If king mackerel commercial gillnet landings do not exceed the
adjusted ACL in the 2021-2022 fishing year, then in the 2022-2023
fishing year, the component's commercial quota will again be 575,400 lb
(260,997 kg) as specified in 50 CFR 622.384(b)(1)(iii)(B).
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.8(b) and
622.388(a)(1)(iii), which were issued pursuant to section 304(b), and
is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, because
prior notice and opportunity for public comment on this temporary rule
is unnecessary. Such procedure is unnecessary because the rule that
implemented the commercial ACL and the associated AM for the commercial
ACL reduction has already been subject to public notice and comment,
and all that remains is to notify the public of the commercial ACL
reduction.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: September 30, 2021.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-21719 Filed 9-30-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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