Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic; 2021 Recreational Accountability Measure and Closure for South Atlantic Golden Tilefish

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Temporary rule; closure.

SUMMARY:

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) applicable to recreational harvest of golden tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic for the 2021 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS estimates that recreational landings of golden tilefish in 2021 have exceeded the recreational annual catch limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS closes the golden tilefish recreational sector in the South Atlantic EEZ on September 20, 2021. This closure is necessary to protect the golden tilefish resource.

DATES:

This rule is effective 12:01 a.m., local time, September 20, 2021, until 12:01 a.m., local time, January 1, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Vara, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, telephone: 727-824-5305, email: mary.vara@noaa.gov.

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 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.

On January 4, 2019, NMFS implemented management measures for golden tilefish through a final rule for Amendment 28 to the Snapper-Grouper FMP (83 FR 233; December 4, 2018). That final rule set a recreational ACL of 2,316 fish (50 CFR 622.193(a)(2)(i)) and revised the recreational AM. The inseason recreational AM states that if recreational landings reach or are projected to reach the recreational ACL, then the recreational sector will be closed for the remainder of the fishing year (50 CFR 622.193(a)(2)(i)).

Landings data from the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center indicate that the golden tilefish recreational ACL of 2,316 fish has been reached. Therefore, this temporary rule implements an AM to close the golden tilefish recreational sector of the snapper-grouper fishery for the remainder of the 2021 fishing year. As a result, the recreational sector for golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ will be closed effective 12:01 a.m., local time September 20, 2021. The recreational sector for golden tilefish will open on January 1, 2022, the beginning of the 2022 fishing year and the recreational fishing season. During the closure, the bag and possession limits for golden tilefish in or from the South Atlantic EEZ are zero.

NMFS also closed the commercial sector for golden tilefish for the remainder of the 2021 fishing year (86 FR 29209; June 1, 2021). Therefore, as of the date of this recreational closure, all harvest and possession of golden tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ is prohibited.

Classification

NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 622.193(a)(2)(i), which was issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the NMFS Assistant Administrator (AA) finds good cause to waive prior notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice and comment are unnecessary and contrary to the public interest. Such procedures are unnecessary because the rule that established the recreational ACL and AM for golden tilefish has already been subject to notice and comment, and all that remains is to notify the public of the closure. Such procedures are contrary to the public interest because of the need to immediately implement this action to protect the golden tilefish stock. The recreational ACL has been reached and prior notice and opportunity for public comment would require time, potentially resulting in a harvest well in excess of the established ACL.

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).

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