Rule2022-14753
Fisheries Off West Coast States; Modification of the West Coast Salmon Fisheries; Inseason Actions #12 Through #15
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 12, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces four inseason actions in the 2022 ocean salmon fisheries. These inseason actions modify the commercial ocean salmon fisheries in the area from the United States (U.S.)/Canada border to Cape Falcon, Oregon.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 41260-41262]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14753]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 660
[Docket No. 220510-0113; RTID 0648-XC101]
Fisheries Off West Coast States; Modification of the West Coast
Salmon Fisheries; Inseason Actions #12 Through #15
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason modification of 2022 management measures.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces four inseason actions in the 2022 ocean salmon
fisheries. These inseason actions modify the commercial ocean salmon
fisheries in the area from the United States (U.S.)/Canada border to
Cape Falcon, Oregon.
DATES: The effective dates for the inseason actions are set out in this
document under the heading Inseason Actions and the actions remain in
effect until superseded or modified.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Preedeedilok at 562-980-4019,
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2a4e4b444b045a584f4f4e4f4f4e434645416a44454b4b044d455c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f397929d92dd83819696979696979a9f9c98b39d9c9292dd949c85">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The 2022 annual management measures for ocean salmon fisheries (87
FR 29690, May 16, 2022), announced management measures for the
commercial and recreational fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada
border to the U.S./Mexico border, effective from 0001 hours Pacific
Daylight Time (PDT), May 16, 2022, until the effective date of the 2023
management measures, as published in the Federal Register. NMFS is
authorized to implement inseason management actions to modify fishing
seasons and quotas as necessary to provide fishing opportunity while
meeting management objectives for the affected species (50 CFR
660.409). Inseason actions in the salmon fishery may be taken directly
by NMFS (50 CFR 660.409(a)--Fixed inseason management provisions) or
upon consultation with the Chairman of the Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Council), and the appropriate State Directors (50 CFR
660.409(b)--Flexible inseason management provisions).
Management of the salmon fisheries is divided into two geographic
areas: north of Cape Falcon (NOF) (U.S./Canada
[[Page 41261]]
border to Cape Falcon, OR), and south of Cape Falcon (SOF) (Cape
Falcon, OR, to the U.S./Mexico border). The actions described in this
document affect the NOF commercial salmon fishery, as set out under the
heading Inseason Action below.
Consultations with the Council Chairperson on these inseason
actions occurred on May 16, 2022; May 25, 2022; and June 9, 2022.
Representatives from NMFS, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife,
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Council staff participated
in these consultations.
These inseason actions were announced on NMFS' telephone hotline
and U.S. Coast Guard radio broadcast on the date of the consultations
(50 CFR 660.411(a)(2)).
Inseason Actions
Inseason Action #12
Description of the action: Inseason action #12 modifies the Chinook
salmon landing and possession limit for the commercial salmon troll
fishery in the area between Leadbetter Point and Queets River (Westport
subarea) to 150 Chinook salmon per vessel per week (Thursday-Wednesday)
starting 12:01 a.m. May 19, 2022.
Effective date: Inseason action #12 took effect on May 16, 2022 and
remains in effect until superseded.
Reason for the action: Inseason action #12 established a landing
and possession limit for the area between Leadbetter Point and Queets
River (Westport subarea), where it has not existed before, in response
to an increase in vessels entering the fishery and an increase in
Chinook salmon landings. The establishment of a landing and possession
limit in this area will preserve the length of the season and ensure
that the Chinook salmon quota is not exceeded.
Inseason Action #13
Description of the action: Inseason action #13 modifies the Chinook
salmon landing and possession limit for the commercial salmon troll
fishery across the entire NOF area, regardless of subarea, to: 40
Chinook salmon per vessel per week (Thursday-Wednesday) starting 12:01
a.m. May 26 through 11:59 p.m. June 8, 2022; and 20 Chinook salmon per
vessel per week (Thursday-Wednesday) starting 12:01 a.m. June 9 through
11:59 p.m. June 29, 2022.
Effective date: Inseason action #13 took effect on May 25, 2022,
and remains in effect until June 29, 2022.
Reason for the action: In the area NOF, there has been an increase
of vessels entering the fishery resulting in an overall increase in
Chinook salmon landings. The purpose of inseason #13 is to modify the
landing and possession limits for the entire area to avoid exceding the
quota set preseason.
Ineseason Action #14
Description of the action: Inseason action #14 modifes the Chinook
salmon landing and possession limit for the commercial salmon troll
fishery NOF from 20 Chinook salmon per vessel per week (Thursday-
Wednesday) to 25 Chinook salmon per vessel per week (Thursday-
Wednesday) starting at 12:01 a.m. on June 10, 2022.
Effective date: Inseason action #14 took effect on June 10, 2022,
and remains in effect until superseded.
Reason for the action: Due to increasing fuel prices and lowered
landing and possesion limit, there have been impacts on the economics
of the fishery and effort has declined. The increase in the landing and
possession limit will result in increased fishing interest and allow
greater access to approach the quota without exceeding it. The NOF May-
June commercial salmon fishery has a quota of 18,000 Chinook salmon. Of
that quota, 16,457 were caught, leaving a quota of 1,543 Chinook salmon
uncaught. Any remaining quota from the May-June fishery may be rolled
over to the July-September fishery on an impact-neutral basis.
Inseason Action #15
Description of the action: Inseason action #15 modifies the
commercial salmon troll fishery in the area NOF. Starting at 11:59 p.m.
on June 15, 2022, through June 30, 2022, this fishery is closed.
Effective date: Inseason action #15 took effect on June 15, 2022,
and remains in effect until June 30, 2022.
Reason for the action: The purposed of inseason action #15 is to
avoid exceeding the area of NOF quota for Chinook salmon.
The NMFS West Coast Regional Administrator (RA) considered the
landings of Chinook salmon to date, fishey catch and effort to date,
the amount of quota remaining, and the timing of the action relative to
the length of the season, and determined that these inseason actions
were necessary to avoid exceeding the subarea quotas set preseason,
provide greater fishing opportunity, and provide economic benefit to
the fishery dependent community. Inseason actions to modify quotas and/
or fishing seasons is authorized under 50 CFR 660.409(b)(1)(i).
All other restrictions and regulations remain in effect as
announced for the 2022 ocean salmon fisheries (87 FR 29690, May 16,
2022).
The RA determined that these inseason actions were warranted based
on the best available information on Pacific salmon abundance
forecasts, landings to date, anticipated fishery effort and projected
catch, and the other factors and considerations set forth in 50 CFR
660.409. The states manage the fisheries in state waters adjacent to
the areas of the U.S. exclusive economic zone (3-200 nautical miles
(5.6-370.4 kilometers) off the coasts of the states of Washington,
Oregon, and California) consistent with these Federal actions. As
provided by the inseason notice procedures at 50 CFR 660.411, actual
notice of the described regulatory action was given, prior to the time
the action was effective, by telephone hotline numbers 206-526-6667 and
800-662-9825, and by U.S. Coast Guard Notice to Mariners broadcasts on
Channel 16 VHF-FM and 2182 kHz.
Classification
NMFS issues these actions pursuant to section 305(d) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). These
actions are authorized by 50 CFR 660.409, which was issued pursuant to
section 304(b) of the MSA, and are exempt from review under Executive
Order 12866.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), there is good cause to waive
prior notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as
notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. Prior notice and opportunity for public comment on this
action was impracticable because NMFS had insufficient time to provide
for prior notice and the opportunity for public comment between the
time Chinook salmon abundance, catch, and effort information were
developed and fisheries impacts were calculated, and the time the
fishery modifications had to be implemented in order to ensure that
fisheries are managed based on the best scientific information
available and that fishery participants can take advantage of the
additional fishing opportunity these changes provide. As previously
noted, actual notice of the regulatory actions was provided to fishers
through telephone hotline and radio notification. These actions comply
with the requirements of the annual management measures for ocean
salmon fisheries (87 FR 29690, May 16, 2022), the Fishery Management
Plan (FMP), and regulations implementing the FMP under 50 CFR 660.409
and 660.411.
[[Page 41262]]
There is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day
delay in effective date, as a delay in effectiveness of this action
would restrict fishing at levels inconsistent with the goals of the FMP
and the current management measures.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 6, 2022.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-14753 Filed 7-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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