Rule2025-13002
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Blueline Tilefish Fishery; In-Season Adjustment to the Blueline Tilefish Commercial Possession Limit
Primary source
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Published
July 11, 2025
Effective
July 11, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS announces that the commercial per-trip possession limit for the blueline tilefish fishery in the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office Tilefish Management Unit (i.e., north of the Virginia/ North Carolina border) has been reduced for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. This announcement informs the public of the reduced blueline tilefish possession limit. This action is intended to prevent over-harvest of blueline tilefish commercial quota for the fishing year.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 131 (Friday, July 11, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 131 (Friday, July 11, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 30828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-13002]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 648
[Docket No. 250623-0112; RTID 0648-XE999]
Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Blueline Tilefish
Fishery; In-Season Adjustment to the Blueline Tilefish Commercial
Possession Limit
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; in-season adjustment.
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SUMMARY: NMFS announces that the commercial per-trip possession limit
for the blueline tilefish fishery in the Greater Atlantic Regional
Fisheries Office Tilefish Management Unit (i.e., north of the Virginia/
North Carolina border) has been reduced for the remainder of the 2025
fishing year. This announcement informs the public of the reduced
blueline tilefish possession limit. This action is intended to prevent
over-harvest of blueline tilefish commercial quota for the fishing
year.
DATES: Effective July 11, 2025 through December 31, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Rigdon, Fishery Management
Specialist, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3c515d484854594b124e555b5853527c52535d5d125b534a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8be6eaffffe3eefca5f9e2ecefe4e5cbe5e4eaeaa5ece4fd">[email protected]</span></a>, (978) 281-9336.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations for the blueline tilefish
fishery are at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations at Sec.
648.295(b)(2)(i) state that when NMFS projects that blueline tilefish
commercial catch will reach 70 percent of the total allowable landings
(TAL), the Regional Administrator may reduce the possession limit for
the commercial blueline tilefish fishery for the remainder of the
fishing year or until 100 percent of the TAL is landed. When this
occurs, the blueline tilefish possession limit is reduced from 500
pounds (lb) (226.7 kilograms (kg)) to 300 lb (136.1 kg) per trip in the
Tilefish Management Unit. Fish must have head and fins attached, but
may be gutted. NMFS monitors the blueline tilefish fishery catch based
on dealer reports, state data, and other available information.
The Regional Administrator has determined, based on dealer reports
and other available information, that the blueline tilefish commercial
fishery has landed 70 percent of the TAL. Upon publication of this
action in the Federal Register, vessels may not possess on board or
land more than 300 lb (136.1 kg) per trip of blueline tilefish in or
from the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office Tilefish Management
Unit through December 31, 2025.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). This action
implements provisions of 50 CFR 648.295, which were issued pursuant to
section 304(b) of the MSA, and is exempt from review under Executive
Order 12866.
NMFS finds good cause pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and (d)(3) to
waive prior notice and the opportunity for public comment and the
delayed effectiveness period because it would be contrary to the public
interest and impracticable. Data and other information indicating the
blueline tilefish commercial fishery will have landed 70 percent of the
TAL have only recently become available. Landings data are updated by
dealer reports on a weekly basis, and NMFS monitors data as catch
increases toward the limit. This action is routine and formulaic. The
regulations at Sec. 648.295(b)(2)(i) provide for such action to slow
down catch as the fishery approaches its TAL, reducing the likelihood
that the fishery will need to be shut down before the end of the
fishing year, and to help to ensure that blueline tilefish commercial
vessels do not exceed the 2025 TAL. If implementation of this action is
delayed, the TAL for the 2025 fishing year may be exceeded, thereby
undermining the conservation objectives of the Tilefish Fishery
Management Plan. In addition, the public had prior notice and full
opportunity to comment on this process when the provisions regarding
in-season adjustments and the 2025 quota levels were put in place (90
FR 27257, June 26, 2025).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: July 9, 2025.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-13002 Filed 7-10-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on July 11, 2025.
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