Rule2024-20608
Pacific Halibut Fisheries of the West Coast; Inseason Action for the 2024 Area 2A Pacific Halibut Directed Commercial Fishery
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
September 11, 2024
Effective
September 24, 2024
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces inseason action for the 2024 Pacific halibut non-Tribal directed commercial fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. This action adds a fishing period, September 24 through September 26, 2024, with a fishing period catch limit of 1,800 pounds (0.82 metric tons (mt)) per vessel, dressed weight. This action is intended to provide opportunity to achieve the 2024 non-Tribal directed commercial fishery allocation.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 176 (Wednesday, September 11, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 176 (Wednesday, September 11, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 73602-73603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-20608]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 300
[Docket No. 240506-0128]
RTID 0648-XE279
Pacific Halibut Fisheries of the West Coast; Inseason Action for
the 2024 Area 2A Pacific Halibut Directed Commercial Fishery
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces inseason action for the 2024 Pacific halibut
non-Tribal directed commercial fishery in the International Pacific
Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. This action adds a
fishing period, September 24 through September 26, 2024, with a fishing
period catch limit of 1,800 pounds (0.82 metric tons (mt)) per vessel,
dressed weight. This action is intended to provide opportunity to
achieve the 2024 non-Tribal directed commercial fishery allocation.
DATES: Effective September 24, 2024, through December 7, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Fitch, West Coast Region,
NMFS, (360) 320-6549, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ed85888c9985889fc38b84998e85ad83828c8cc38a829b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b0d8d5d1c4d8d5c29ed6d9c4d3d8f0dedfd1d19ed7dfc6">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 10, 2024, NMFS published a final rule
implementing fishing periods (i.e. season dates) and fishing period
limits (i.e. catch limits), by vessel size class, for the IPHC Area 2A
Pacific halibut non-Tribal directed commercial fishery that operates
south of Point Chehalis, WA (lat. 46[deg]53.30' N) (89 FR 40417). The
Area 2A non-Tribal directed commercial fishery allocation is 249,338
pounds (113 mt), net weight (i.e., the weight of Pacific halibut that
is without gills and entrails, head-off, washed, and without ice and
slime) (89 FR 19275, March 18, 2024).
The initial fishing periods occurred on June 25-27 and July 9-11,
2024, with fishing period limits ranging from 1,800 pounds to 4,500
pounds (0.816 mt to 2.041 mt), dressed weight, varied by vessel size
class. A third fishing period occurred on August 6-8, 2024, with a
fishing period limit of 1,000 pounds (0.45 mt), dressed weight, for all
vessel size classes and a fourth fishing period occurred on August 27-
29, 2024, with a
[[Page 73603]]
fishing period limit of 1,400 pounds (0.82 mt). Landings information to
date indicates that sufficient allocation remains to warrant an
additional fishing period. Approximately 221,750 pounds (100.6 mt), net
weight, have been harvested of the 249,338-pound (113 mt) allocation
(89 percent), leaving 27,588 pounds (12.5 mt) remaining (11 percent).
NMFS is adopting an additional fishing period not previously
implemented in the final rule on May 10, 2024 (89 FR 40417), in
accordance with 50 CFR 300.63(e)(1)(iii). Fishing period limits
implemented through inseason action are equal across vessel size
classes and are based on the allocation estimated to be remaining and
the projected participation and catch rates in this additional fishing
period.
NMFS has determined the following inseason action is necessary to
meet the management objective of attaining the allocation, is not
anticipated to risk exceeding the allocation, and is consistent with
the inseason management provisions allowing for additional fishing
periods.
Inseason Action
This inseason action implements an additional fishing period,
beginning September 24, 2024 at 8 a.m. and ending on September 26, 2024
at 6 p.m. This inseason action also implements a fishing period catch
limit of 1,800 pounds (0.82 mt) per vessel, dressed weight (head-on,
with ice and slime), for all vessel size classes.
Notice of this additional fishing period and fishing period limit
will also be announced on the NMFS hotline at 206-526-6667 or 800-662-
9825.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to the Northern Pacific Halibut
Act of 1982. This action is taken under the regulatory authority at 50
CFR 300.63(e)(1)(iii), 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 would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest.
The California, Oregon, and Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife
provided estimated harvest data to NMFS inseason. As of September 4,
2024, the Area 2A non-Tribal directed commercial fishery had caught
only an estimated 89 percent of the fishery allocation. NMFS uses
current fishery harvest and participation estimates, and fishing period
catches from prior years, to determine if additional fishing periods
are necessary to reach the allocation, and to set fishing period limits
for those additional fishing periods. Given that harvest in the first
four fishing periods is estimated to be well below the allocation, a
fifth fishing period is considered necessary to maximize commercial
fishing opportunity to attain the allocation. This action should be
implemented as soon as possible for fishery participants to plan for
the additional fishing. This fishery has historically had 2 weeks
between fishing periods, or as close to 2 weeks between them as is
practicable. The fishery may close no later than December 7, 2024 (89
FR 19275, March 18, 2024). As such, implementing this action through
proposed and final rulemaking would limit the benefit this action would
provide to fishery participants. Without implementation of an
additional fishing period, the fishery allocation is unlikely to be
reached, limiting economic benefits to the participants and not meeting
the goals of the Catch Sharing Plan. It is necessary that this action
be implemented in a timely manner so that planning for the additional
fishing period can take place, and for business decision making by the
regulated public impacted by this action, which includes commercial
fishing operations and associated port businesses, among others. To
ensure the regulated public is fully aware of this action, notice of
this regulatory action will also be provided to fishery participants
through a telephone hotline, and via email news release. No aspect of
this action is controversial, and changes of this nature were
anticipated in the process described in regulations at 50 CFR
300.63(e)(1)(iii) and in the final rule (89 FR 40417, May 10, 2024).
For the reasons discussed above, there is also good cause under 5
U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to establish an effective date less than 30 days after
date of publication, as a delay in effectiveness of this action would
constrain fishing opportunity and be inconsistent with the goals of the
Catch Sharing Plan, as well as potentially limit the economic
opportunity intended by this rule to the associated fishing
communities. This inseason action is not expected to result in
exceeding the Area 2A Pacific halibut non-Tribal directed commercial
fishery allocation. NMFS regulations allow the Regional Administrator
to add fishing periods and set fishing period limits inseason, provided
that the action allows allocation objectives to be met and will not
result in exceeding the catch limit for the fishery. NMFS recently
received information on the progress of landings in the non-Tribal
directed commercial fishery, indicating an additional fishing period
with fishing period limits should be implemented in the fishery to
ensure optimal and sustainable harvest of the allocation. As stated
above, it is in the public interest that this action is not delayed,
because a delay in the effectiveness of this additional fishing period
would not allow the allocation objectives of the Area 2A Pacific
halibut non-Tribal directed commercial fishery to be met.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773-773k.
Dated: September 6, 2024.
Lindsay Fullenkamp,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-20608 Filed 9-10-24; 8:45 am]
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 September 11, 2024.
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.