Rule2021-24605
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2021 Commercial Accountability Measure and Closure of the Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina Hogfish Stock in the South Atlantic
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
November 10, 2021
Effective
November 10, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) applicable to the commercial harvest of hogfish in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina (Georgia-North Carolina) for the 2021 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS estimates that commercial landings of the Georgia- North Carolina hogfish stock have reached the sector's annual catch limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for the Georgia-North Carolina hogfish stock on November 10, 2021. This closure is necessary to protect the hogfish resource.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 215 (Wednesday, November 10, 2021)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 10, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 62492-62493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-24605]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160906822-7547-02; RTID 0648-XB566]
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2021 Commercial
Accountability Measure and Closure of the Georgia, South Carolina, and
North Carolina Hogfish Stock in the South Atlantic
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) applicable to
the commercial harvest of hogfish in the South Atlantic exclusive
economic zone (EEZ) off Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina
(Georgia-North Carolina) for the 2021 fishing year through this
temporary rule. NMFS estimates that commercial landings of the Georgia-
North Carolina hogfish stock have reached the sector's annual catch
limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for the
Georgia-North Carolina hogfish stock on November 10, 2021. This closure
is necessary to protect the hogfish resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, November 10,
2021, until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Vara, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#204d4152590e56415241604e4f41410e474f56"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="86ebe7f4ffa8f0e7f4e7c6e8e9e7e7a8e1e9f0">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic includes hogfish and is managed under the Fishery Management
Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region
(FMP). The FMP was prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery Management
Council 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.
On August 24, 2017, NMFS implemented management measures for
hogfish through a final rule for Amendment 37 to the FMP (82 FR 34584;
July 25, 2017). For South Atlantic hogfish, that final rule set
management and AMs as two stocks: Georgia, South Carolina, and North
Carolina (Georgia-North Carolina), and Florida Keys/East Florida
(Florida Keys-East Florida). It also specified fishing levels and AMs
for those stocks, according to each sector. The commercial inseason AM
for Georgia-North Carolina states that if commercial landings reach or
are projected to reach the commercial ACL, then the commercial sector
will be closed for the remainder of the fishing year (50 CFR
622.193(u)(1)(i)(A)).
The commercial ACL for the Georgia-North Carolina hogfish stock is
23,456 lb (10,639 kg), round weight (50 CFR 622.193(u)(1)(iii)(A)). The
NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center indicates that the commercial
ACL for the Georgia-North Carolina hogfish stock has been reached.
Therefore, this temporary rule implements an AM to close the commercial
sector of the Georgia-North Carolina hogfish stock for the remainder of
the 2021 fishing year. As a result, the 2021 commercial harvest for the
Georgia-North Carolina hogfish stock in Federal waters of the South
Atlantic EEZ will be closed effective 12:01 a.m., local time, November
10, 2021. During the closure, the recreational bag and possession
limits for the Georgia-North Carolina hogfish stock in or from South
Atlantic Federal waters is two fish per person, per day.
All sale or purchase of hogfish in or from Federal waters of the
South Atlantic off Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina is
prohibited, and harvest or possession of this species is limited to the
bag and possession limits while the recreational sector is open. These
bag and possession limits apply to the Georgia-North Carolina hogfish
stock on board a vessel for which a valid Federal commercial or charter
vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been
issued, without regard to where such species were harvested, i.e., in
state or Federal waters (50 CFR 622.193(u)(1)(i)(A)).
[[Page 62493]]
Commercial harvest for the 2022 fishing year for the Georgia-North
Carolina hogfish stock in South Atlantic Federal waters will open at
12:01 a.m., local time, on January 1, 2022.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 50 CFR
622.193(u)(1)(i)(A), which was issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is exempt from review under Executive Order
12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the NMFS Assistant Administrator
(AA) finds good cause to waive prior notice and an opportunity for
public comment on this action, as notice and comment are unnecessary
and contrary to the public interest. Such procedures are unnecessary
because the rule that established the commercial ACL and AMs for
hogfish has already been subject to notice and comment, and all that
remains is to notify the public of the closure. Such procedures are
contrary to the public interest because of the need to immediately
implement this action to protect the Georgia-North Carolina hogfish
stock. The commercial ACL for the Georgia-North Carolina hogfish stock
in the South Atlantic has been reached and prior notice and opportunity
for public comment would require time, resulting in a harvest well in
excess of the established commercial ACL.
For the aforementioned reasons, the AA also finds good cause to
waive the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of this action under 5
U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 5, 2021.
Ngagne Jafnar Gueye,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-24605 Filed 11-5-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on November 10, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.