Rule2024-29451
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery; 2025 Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Specifications
Primary source
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Published
December 13, 2024
Effective
March 1, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS is finalizing specifications for the 2025 Atlantic deep- sea red crab fishery, including an annual catch limit and total allowable landings limit. This action is necessary to fully implement previously projected allowable red crab harvest levels that will prevent overfishing and allow harvesting of optimum yield. This action is intended to establish the allowable 2025 harvest levels, consistent with the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 240 (Friday, December 13, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 240 (Friday, December 13, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 100919-100920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29451]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 241210-0319; RTID 0648-XE309]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Deep-Sea
Red Crab Fishery; 2025 Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Specifications
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is finalizing specifications for the 2025 Atlantic deep-
sea red crab fishery, including an annual catch limit and total
allowable landings limit. This action is necessary to fully implement
previously projected allowable red crab harvest levels that will
prevent overfishing and allow harvesting of optimum yield. This action
is intended to establish the allowable 2025 harvest levels, consistent
with the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
DATES: The final specifications for the 2025 Atlantic deep-sea red crab
fishery are effective from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caroline Potter, Fishery Resource
Management Specialist, (978) 281-9325.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishery is
managed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council). The
Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab FMP includes a specification process that
requires the Council to recommend an acceptable biological catch (ABC),
an annual catch limit (ACL), and total allowable landings (TAL) every 4
years. Collectively, these are the red crab specifications. Prior to
the start of fishing year 2024, the Council recommended specifications
for the 2024-2027 fishing years (table 1).
Table 1--Council-Approved 2024-2027 Red Crab Specifications
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Millions of pounds
Metric tons (lb)
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Acceptable Biological Catch.... 2,000 4.41
Annual Catch Limit............. 2,000 4.41
Total Allowable Landings....... 2,000 4.41
------------------------------------------------------------------------
On February 8, 2024, NMFS published a final rule implementing the
Council-recommended specifications for the 2024 fishing year, effective
through February 28, 2025, and projecting the fishery's specifications
for 2025 through 2027 (89 FR 8557). At the end of each fishing year, we
evaluate catch information and determine if the quota has been
exceeded. If a quota is exceeded, the regulations at 50 CFR 648.262(b)
require a pound-for-pound reduction in a subsequent fishing year. We
have reviewed available 2023 and 2024 fishery information against the
projected 2025 specifications. There have been no quota overages, nor
is there any new biological information that would require altering the
projected 2025 specifications published in 2024. Based on this
information, we are finalizing specifications for fishing year 2025, as
projected in the 2024 specifications rule, and outlined above in table
1. These specifications are not expected to result in overfishing and
adequately account for scientific uncertainty. NMFS will provide notice
of the final 2026-2027 specifications, and any necessary reductions,
prior to the start of each respective fishing year.
Classification
NMFS is issuing this rule pursuant to 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act (MSA), which authorizes the Secretary to implement
management measures necessary to carry out an approved fishery
management plan. Red crab specifications are implemented pursuant to
the regulations at 50 CFR 648.260 that were approved and implemented by
NMFS in Amendment 3 to the FMP (76 FR 60379; September 29, 2011). The
NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this final rule is
consistent with the Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab FMP, the 2024-2027
Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab specifications, and other applicable law.
This final rule is exempt from review under Executive Order (E.O.)
12866.
NMFS has determined that this action would not have a substantial
direct effect on one or more Indian Tribes, on the relationship between
the Federal Government and Indian Tribes, or on
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the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal
Government and Indian Tribes; therefore, consultation with Tribal
officials under E.O. 13175 is not required, and the requirements of
sections (5)(b) and (5)(c) of E.O. 13175 also do not apply. A Tribal
summary impact statement under section (5)(b)(2)(B) and section
(5)(c)(2)(B) of E.O. 13175 is not required and has not been prepared.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), we find good cause to waive prior
public notice and opportunity for public comment on the catch limit and
allocation adjustments, because allowing time for notice and comment
would be contrary to the public interest. The proposed rule for the
2024-2027 specifications, pursuant to the process described in the red
crab regulations (Sec. 648.260), provided the public with the
opportunity to comment on the specifications, including the projected
2025 through 2027 specifications (88 FR 83893, December 1, 2023). We
received no comments on the proposed rule announcing the projected
2025-2027 specifications and this final rule contains no changes from
the projected 2025 specifications that were included in both the
December 1, 2023, proposed rule and the February 8, 2024, final rule
(89 FR 8557). Through both the proposed rule for the 2024-2027
specifications and the final rule for the 2024 specifications, we
alerted the public that we would conduct a review of the latest
available catch information in each of the interim years of the multi-
year specifications and announce the final quota prior to the March 1
start of the fishing year. Thus, the proposed and final rules that
contained the projected 2025-2027 specifications provided a full
opportunity for the public to comment on the substance and process of
this action.
The Chief Counsel for Regulation, Department of Commerce,
previously certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small
Business Administration (SBA) that the 2024-2027 red crab
specifications would not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities. Implementing the 2025
specifications will not change the conclusions drawn in that previous
certification to the SBA. No comments were received regarding this
prior certification. As a result, no new regulatory flexibility
analysis is required and none has been prepared.
This action does not contain a collection of information
requirement for purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: December 10, 2024.
Samuel D. Rauch, III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-29451 Filed 12-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 13, 2024.
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