2021-05463. Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; 2021 Re-Opening and Subsequent Closure of the Commercial Longline Fishery for South Atlantic Golden Tilefish

AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Temporary rule; re-opening and subsequent closure.

SUMMARY:

NMFS announces the re-opening of the commercial longline component for golden tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic through this temporary rule. NMFS closed the commercial longline component on February 10, 2021; however, subsequent commercial longline landings data for golden tilefish indicate the commercial longline annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2021 fishing year has not yet been reached. Therefore, NMFS re-opens the commercial longline component for golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ for 11 days beginning on March 20, 2021, to allow the commercial longline ACL to be harvested. After the 11 days, NMFS closes the commercial longline component to protect the golden tilefish resource.

DATES:

This temporary rule is effective from 12:01 a.m. eastern time on March 20, 2021, until 12:01 a.m. eastern time on January 1, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Vara, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, telephone: [phone], email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The snapper-grouper fishery of the South Atlantic includes golden tilefish and 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 (Council) and is implemented by NMFS under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) by regulations at 50 CFR part 622.

The commercial sector for golden tilefish comprises the longline and hook-and-line components. The commercial golden tilefish ACL is allocated 75 percent to the longline component and 25 percent to the hook-and-line component. The commercial ACL (equivalent to the commercial quota) is 331,740 lb (150,475 kg) gutted weight, and the longline component quota of that ACL is 248,805 lb (112,856 kg) gutted weight (50 CFR 622.190(a)(2)(iii)).

Under 50 CFR 622.193(a)(1)(ii), NMFS is required to close the commercial longline component for golden tilefish when the longline component's commercial quota specified under 50 CFR 622.190(a)(2)(iii) is reached or is projected to be reached by filing a notification to that effect with the Office of the Federal Register. After that closure, golden tilefish may not be commercially fished or possessed by a vessel with a golden tilefish longline endorsement. NMFS previously determined that the commercial quota for the golden tilefish longline component in the South Atlantic would be reached by February 10, 2021. Therefore, NMFS published a temporary rule to close the commercial longline component for South Atlantic golden tilefish from February 10, 2021, through the end of the 2021 fishing year (86 FR 8876; February 10, 2021). However, subsequent data indicate that the commercial longline quota for golden tilefish has not been met.

In accordance with 50 CFR 622.8(c), NMFS temporarily re-opens the commercial longline component for golden tilefish on March 20, 2021. The commercial longline component will remain open for 11 days to allow for the commercial longline quota to be reached. The commercial longline component for golden tilefish will be closed from 12:01 a.m. eastern time on March 31, 2021, until January 1, 2022, the start of the next fishing year. NMFS has determined that this re-opening will allow for an additional opportunity to commercially harvest the golden tilefish longline component quota while minimizing the risk of exceeding the commercial sector's ACL.

The operator of a vessel with a valid Federal commercial vessel permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper and a valid commercial longline endorsement for golden tilefish having golden tilefish on board must have landed and bartered, traded, or sold such golden tilefish prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern time on March 31, 2021. During the subsequent commercial longline closure, golden tilefish may still be commercially harvested using hook-and-line gear while the hook-and-line component is open. However, a vessel with a golden tilefish longline endorsement is not eligible to fish for or possess golden tilefish using hook-and-line gear under the hook-and-line commercial trip limit, as specified in 50 CFR 622.191(a)(2)(ii). During the commercial longline closure, the recreational bag limit and possession limits specified in 50 CFR 622.187(b)(2)(iii) and (c)(1), respectively, apply to all harvest or possession of golden tilefish in or from the South Atlantic EEZ by a vessel with a golden tilefish longline endorsement.

The sale or purchase of longline-caught golden tilefish taken from the South Atlantic EEZ is prohibited during the commercial longline closure, as specified in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1). The prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to the sale or purchase of longline-caught golden tilefish that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to 12:01 a.m. eastern time on March 31, 2021, and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor. Additionally, the recreational bag and possession limits and the prohibition on sale and purchase during the commercial closure apply to a person on board a vessel with a golden tilefish longline endorsement, regardless of whether the golden tilefish are harvested in state or Federal waters, as specified in 50 CFR 622.190(c)(1).

Classification

NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.8(c), issued pursuant to section 304(b), 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 is unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such procedures are unnecessary because the regulations associated with the commercial re-opening of the golden tilefish longline component have already been subject to notice and public comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the re-opening. Such procedures are contrary to the public interest because of the need to immediately implement the reopening to allow the longline component of the golden tilefish commercial sector the opportunity to maximize their allowed harvest of golden tilefish and to achieve optimum yield in this fishery. Such procedures also are contrary to the public interest because of the need to implement the closure and protect the golden tilefish resource and minimize the risk of exceeding the sector's ACL.

For the aforementioned reasons, the Acting Assistant Administrator for NMFS also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the effectiveness of this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: March 11, 2021.

Jennifer M. Wallace,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.