Rule2023-20705
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2023 Recreational Harvest Closure of Hogfish Off Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina in the South Atlantic
Primary source
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Published
September 25, 2023
Effective
September 26, 2023
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the recreational harvest of hogfish off Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS estimates that recreational landings of hogfish harvested off Georgia through North Carolina have exceeded the recreational annual catch limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for hogfish in the EEZ off Georgia through North Carolina to protect the hogfish resource.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 184 (Monday, September 25, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 184 (Monday, September 25, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 65627]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20705]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 160906822-7547-02; RTID 0648-XD370]
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2023 Recreational
Harvest Closure of Hogfish Off Georgia, South Carolina, and North
Carolina in the South Atlantic
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 (AM) for the
recreational harvest of hogfish off Georgia, South Carolina, and North
Carolina in the South Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS
estimates that recreational landings of hogfish harvested off Georgia
through North Carolina have exceeded the recreational annual catch
limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS closes the recreational sector for hogfish
in the EEZ off Georgia through North Carolina to protect the hogfish
resource.
DATES: This temporary rule is effective from September 26, 2023,
through December 31, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Helies, NMFS Southeast Regional
Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#026470636c692c6a676e6b6771426c6d63632c656d74"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84e2f6e5eaefaaece1e8ede1f7c4eaebe5e5aae3ebf2">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery in the South
Atlantic EEZ includes hogfish and is managed under the Fishery
Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic
Region (FMP). The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and NMFS
prepared the FMP, and NMFS implements the FMP under the authority of
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
In the South Atlantic EEZ, hogfish are managed as two separate
stocks: one stock that exists off Georgia, South Carolina, and North
Carolina (Georgia-North Carolina), and another stock that exists off
the Florida Keys and east Florida. This temporary rule applies only to
the recreational harvest of hogfish in the EEZ off Georgia-North
Carolina.
The recreational ACL for hogfish off Georgia-North Carolina is 988
fish (50 CFR 622.193(u)(1)(iii)(B)). The AMs for hogfish off Georgia-
North Carolina require NMFS to close the recreational harvest for the
remainder of the fishing year if landings reach or are projected to
reach the recreational ACL (50 CFR 622.193(u)(1)(ii)(A)). The NMFS
Southeast Fisheries Science Center estimates that recreational landings
of hogfish harvested from the EEZ off Georgia-North Carolina have
reached and likely exceeded the recreational ACL. Therefore, this
temporary rule implements the AM to close the recreational harvest of
hogfish in the EEZ off Georgia-North Carolina for the remainder of the
fishing year, which continues through December 31, 2023. During this
recreational closure, the recreational bag and possession limits for
hogfish off Georgia-North Carolina in or from South Atlantic EEZ are
zero fish.
The recreational harvest for hogfish off Georgia-North Carolina for
the 2024 fishing year will open again on January 1.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.193(u)(1)(ii)(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), there is 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
recreational ACL and AMs for hogfish was already 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 hogfish off Georgia-
North Carolina. The recreational ACL for hogfish off Georgia-North
Carolina in the South Atlantic has been reached and likely exceeded,
and prior notice and opportunity for public comment would require more
time and result in further recreational harvest in excess of the
established ACL.
For the reasons just stated, there is also 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: September 20, 2023.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-20705 Filed 9-20-23; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 25, 2023.
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