Rule2022-14499
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2022 Commercial Hook-and-Line Closure for South Atlantic Golden Tilefish
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
July 7, 2022
Effective
July 6, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial hook-and-line component of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS projects that commercial hook-and- line landings for golden tilefish will reach the commercial quota for the hook-and-line component by July 6, 2022. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial hook-and-line component for golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ on July 6, 2022. This closure is necessary to protect the golden tilefish resource.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 129 (Thursday, July 7, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 129 (Thursday, July 7, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40458-40459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14499]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 120404257-3325-02; RTID 0648-XC154]
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
2022 Commercial Hook-and-Line Closure for South Atlantic Golden
Tilefish
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial
hook-and-line component of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic
exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS projects that commercial hook-and-
line landings for golden tilefish will reach the commercial quota for
the hook-and-line component by July 6, 2022. Therefore, NMFS closes the
commercial hook-and-line component for golden tilefish in the South
Atlantic EEZ on July 6, 2022. This closure is necessary to protect the
golden tilefish resource.
DATES: This temporary rule is effective at 12:01 a.m., eastern time, on
July 6, 2022, until 12:01 a.m., eastern time, on January 1, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#deb8acbfb0b5f0b6bbb2b7bbad9eb0b1bfbff0b9b1a8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9cfaeefdf2f7b2f4f9f0f5f9efdcf2f3fdfdb2fbf3ea">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic includes golden tilefish 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 NMFS, 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 in this temporary rule are given in gutted weight.
[[Page 40459]]
The commercial sector for golden tilefish has two components, each
with its own quota: The hook-and-line and longline components (50 CFR
622.190(a)(2)). The golden tilefish commercial annual catch limit (ACL)
is allocated 25 percent to the hook-and-line component and 75 percent
to the longline component. The total commercial ACL (equivalent to the
commercial quota) for golden tilefish is 331,740 lb (150,475 kg), and
the hook-and-line component ACL is 82,935 lb (37,619 kg).
Under 50 CFR 622.193(a)(1)(i), NMFS is required to close the
commercial hook-and-line component for golden tilefish when its
commercial ACL has been reached, or is projected to be reached, by
filing such a notification with the Office of the Federal Register.
NMFS has determined that the commercial ACL for the golden tilefish
hook-and-line component in the South Atlantic will be reached by July
6, 2022. Accordingly, the commercial hook-and-line component of South
Atlantic golden tilefish is closed effective at 12:01 a.m., eastern
time, on July 6, 2022.
The commercial longline component for South Atlantic golden
tilefish also closed on March 16, 2022, and will remain closed for the
remainder of the current fishing year, through December 31, 2022 (87 FR
14419; March 15, 2022). Therefore, because the commercial longline
component is already closed, and NMFS is closing the commercial hook-
and-line component through this temporary rule, all harvest of South
Atlantic golden tilefish in the EEZ is limited to the recreational bag
and possession limits specified in 50 CFR 622.187(b)(2)(iii) and (c)(1)
as long as the recreational sector is open.
The operator of a vessel with a valid Federal commercial vessel
permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper having golden tilefish on
board harvested by hook-and-line must have landed and bartered, traded,
or sold such golden tilefish prior to 12:01 a.m., eastern time, on July
6, 2022. During the closure, the sale or purchase of golden tilefish
taken from the EEZ is prohibited. The prohibition on sale or purchase
does not apply to the sale or purchase of golden tilefish that were
harvested by hook-and-line, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01
a.m., eastern time, on July 6, 2022, and were held in cold storage by a
dealer or processor. For a person on board a vessel for which a Federal
commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for the South Atlantic
snapper-grouper fishery has been issued, the sale and purchase
provisions of the commercial closure for golden tilefish apply
regardless of whether the fish are harvested in state or Federal
waters, as specified in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1)(ii).
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.193(a)(1), 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), there is good cause to waive prior
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice
and comment is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such
procedures are unnecessary because the regulations associated with the
commercial closure of the golden tilefish hook-and-line component have
already been subject to notice and public 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 implement the closure and
protect the golden tilefish resource and minimize the risk of exceeding
the sector's ACL.
For the aforementioned reasons, the Acting Assistant Administrator
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: July 1, 2022.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-14499 Filed 7-1-22; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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