Rule2025-03192
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery; 2025 Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Specifications
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
February 27, 2025
Effective
March 31, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2025, from President Donald J. Trump, entitled "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review," published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2025, this action delays the effective date of the final rule NMFS published in the Federal Register on December 13, 2024, regarding the finalization of the 2025 Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishery specifications.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 38 (Thursday, February 27, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 38 (Thursday, February 27, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 10798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-03192]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 250224-0027]
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; delay of effective date.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2025, from
President Donald J. Trump, entitled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending
Review,'' published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2025, this
action delays the effective date of the final rule NMFS published in
the Federal Register on December 13, 2024, regarding the finalization
of the 2025 Atlantic deep-sea red crab fishery specifications.
DATES: As of February 27, 2025, the effective date of the final rule
implementing the specifications for the 2025 Atlantic deep-sea red crab
fishery that published on December 13, 2024, at 89 FR 100919, is
delayed until March 31, 2025.
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 Fishery Management Plan 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,
which consisted of an ABC, an ACL, and a TAL of 2,000 metric tons (4.41
million pounds). 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 reviewed available 2023 and 2024 fishery information
against the projected 2025 specifications. There was no quota overages,
nor was there any new biological information that would require
altering the projected 2025 specifications published in 2024. Based on
that information, on December 13, 2024, we published a final rule
finalizing specifications for fishing year 2025, as projected in the
2024 specifications rule.
On January 20, 2025, the White House issued a memorandum
instructing Federal agencies to temporarily postpone the effective date
for 60 days after January 20, 2025, of any rules that had published in
the Federal Register but not yet taken effect, for the purpose of
``reviewing any questions of fact, law, and policy that the rules may
raise'' (90 FR 8249, January 28, 2025). In accordance with this
memorandum, this action delays the effective date of the final rule
NMFS published on December 13, 2024, at 89 FR 100919, until March 31,
2025.
Because of this delay, the final 2025 red crab specifications will
not be in in place by the start of the fishing year on March 1, 2025.
The regulations at 50 CFR 648.260(a)(6)(iv) specify that if the final
specifications are not published in the Federal Register for the start
of the fishing year, the previous year's specifications shall remain in
effect until superseded by the final rule implementing the current
year's specifications. As such, the 2024 red crab specifications of an
ABC, an ACL, and a TAL of 2,000 metric tons will remain in effect.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 24, 2025.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-03192 Filed 2-26-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 27, 2025.
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.