[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 9, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 12882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5360]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 622
[Docket No. 040205043-4043-01]
RIN 0648-XA229
Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic;
Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; Closure
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
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SUMMARY: NMFS closes the commercial sector for golden tilefish in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. This closure is
necessary to protect the golden tilefish resource.
DATES: This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, March 9, 2011,
until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Bruger, telephone: 727-824-
5305, fax: 727-824-5308, e-mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The snapper-grouper fishery of the South
Atlantic is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-
Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP). The FMP was
prepared by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and is
implemented under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act by regulations at 50 CFR part 622.
The commercial quota for golden tilefish in the South Atlantic is
282,819 lb (128,284 kg) for the current fishing year, January 1 through
December 31, 2011, as specified in 50 CFR 622.42(e)(2).
Under 50 CFR 622.43(a), NMFS is required to close the commercial
sector for golden tilefish when its quota has been reached, or is
projected to be reached, by filing a notification to that effect with
the Office of the Federal Register. NMFS has determined that the
commercial quota for South Atlantic golden tilefish will have been
reached by March 9, 2011. Accordingly, the commercial sector for South
Atlantic golden tilefish is closed effective 12:01 a.m., local time,
March 9, 2011, until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2012.
The operator of a vessel with a valid commercial vessel permit for
South Atlantic snapper-grouper having golden tilefish onboard must have
landed and bartered, traded, or sold such golden tilefish prior to
12:01 a.m., local time, March 9, 2011. During the closure, the bag
limit and possession limits specified in 50 CFR 622.39(d)(1)(ii) and
(d)(2), respectively, apply to all harvest or possession of golden
tilefish in or from the South Atlantic EEZ, and the sale or purchase of
golden tilefish taken from the EEZ is prohibited. The prohibition on
sale or purchase does not apply to the sale or purchase of golden
tilefish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01
a.m., local time, March 9, 2011, and were held in cold storage by a
dealer or processor. For a person on board a vessel for which a Federal
commercial or charter vessel/headboat permit for the South Atlantic
snapper-grouper fishery has been issued, the sale and purchase
provisions of the commercial closure for golden tilefish would apply
regardless of whether the fish are harvested in State or Federal
waters, as specified in 50 CFR 622.43(a)(5)(ii).
Classification
This action responds to the best available information recently
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA, (AA), finds that the need to immediately implement this action to
close the commercial sector for golden tilefish constitutes good cause
to waive the requirements to provide prior notice and opportunity for
public comment pursuant to the authority set forth in 5 U.S.C.
553(b)(B), as such procedures would be unnecessary and contrary to the
public interest. Such procedures would be unnecessary because the rule
itself has been subject to notice and comment, and all that remains is
to notify the public of the closure.
Allowing prior notice and opportunity for public comment is
contrary to the public interest because of the need to immediately
implement this action to protect the fishery since the capacity of the
fishing fleet allows for rapid harvest of the quota. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment would require time and would potentially
result in a harvest well in excess of the established quota.
For the aforementioned reasons, the AA also finds good cause to
waive the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of this action under 5
U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
This action is taken under 50 CFR 622.43(a) and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 4, 2011.
Margo Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-5360 Filed 3-4-11; 4:15 pm]
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