90 FR 42 pgs. 11232-11233 - Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Closure of the General Category January Through March Fishery for 2025
Type: RULEVolume: 90Number: 42Pages: 11232 - 11233
Pages: 11232, 11233Docket number: [Docket No. 220919-0193; RTID 0648-XE643]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2025-03549 Filed 2-28-25; 4:15 pm]
Agency: Commerce Department
Sub Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 635
[Docket No. 220919-0193; RTID 0648-XE643]
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fisheries; Closure of the General Category January Through March Fishery for 2025
AGENCY:
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION:
Temporary rule; closure.
SUMMARY:
NMFS closes the General category fishery for Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the January through March time period. The General category may only retain, possess, or land large medium and giant ( i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 centimeters (cm) curved fork length (CFL) or greater) BFT when the fishery is open. This action applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT. During the closure, fishermen aboard General category permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs. On June 1, 2025, the fishery will reopen automatically.
DATES:
Effective 11:30 p.m., local time, February 28, 2025, through March 31, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Larry Redd, Jr. larry.redd@noaa.gov, or Becky Curtis, becky.curtis@noaa.gov, by email, or by phone at 301-427-8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Atlantic BFT fisheries are managed under the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (HMS FMP) and its amendments, pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. ) and consistent with the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA; 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. ). ATCA is the implementing statute for binding recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The HMS FMP and its amendments are implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 635. Section 635.27(a) divides the U.S. BFT quota, established by ICCAT and as implemented by the United States among the various domestic fishing categories, per the allocations established in the HMS FMP and its amendments. NMFS is required under the Magnuson-Stevens Act at 16 U.S.C. 1854(g)(1)(D) to provide U.S. fishing vessels with a reasonable opportunity to harvest quotas under relevant international fishery agreements such as the ICCAT Convention, which is implemented domestically pursuant to ATCA.
Under §?635.28(a)(1), NMFS files a closure action with the Office of the Federal Register for publication when a BFT quota (or subquota) is reached or is projected to be reached. Retaining, possessing, or landing BFT under that quota category is prohibited on or after the effective date and time of a closure action for that category until the opening of the relevant subsequent quota period or until such date as specified.
As described in §?635.27(a), the current baseline U.S. BFT quota is 1,316.14 metric tons (mt) (not including the 25 mt ICCAT allocated to the United States to account for bycatch of BFT in pelagic longline fisheries in the Northeast Distant Gear Restricted Area per §?635.27(a)(3)). The General category baseline quota is 710.7 mt. The General category baseline quota is suballocated to different time periods. Relevant to this action, the baseline subquota for the January through March time period is 37.7 mt. On January 13, 2025, NMFS adjusted the January through March subquota to be 58.2 mt (90 FR 2638).
Closure of the January Through March 2025 BFT General Category Fishery
To date, reported landings for the BFT General category January through March time period total 115.8 mt. Based on these landings data, including average daily catch rates, as well as anticipated favorable fishing conditions in the coming days, NMFS has determined that the adjusted January through March time period subquota of 58.2 mt has been reached and exceeded. Therefore, retaining, possessing, or landing large medium or giant ( i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) CFL or greater) BFT by persons aboard vessels permitted in the Atlantic Tunas General category and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels (while fishing commercially) must cease at 11:30 p.m. local time on February 28, 2025. The BFT General category will automatically reopen June 1, 2025, for the June through August 2025 time period with a retention limit of three large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip. On July 1, 2025, the retention limit on open days will decrease to one large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip through August 31. This action applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT and is taken consistent with the regulations at §?635.28(a)(1).
During the closure, fishermen aboard General category permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of the catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs described at §?635.26(a). All BFT that are released must be handled in a manner that will maximize their survival, and without removing the fish from the water, consistent with requirements at §?635.21(a)(1). For additional information on safe handling, see the "Careful Catch and Release" brochure available at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/outreach-and-education/careful-catch-and-release-brochure/.
Monitoring and Reporting
[top] NMFS will continue to monitor the BFT fisheries closely. Per §?635.5(b)(2)(i)(A), dealers are required to submit landing reports within 24 hours of receiving BFT. Late reporting by dealers compromises NMFS' ability to timely implement actions such as quota and retention limit adjustments, as well as closures, and may result in enforcement actions. Additionally, and
After the fishery reopens on June 1, depending on the level of fishing effort and catch rates of BFT at that time, and after consideration of all the criteria specified at §?635.27(a)(7), NMFS may determine that additional adjustments are necessary to ensure available subquotas are not exceeded or to enhance scientific data collection from, and fishing opportunities in, all geographic areas. If needed, subsequent adjustments will be published in the Federal Register . In addition, fishermen may access https://hmspermits.noaa.gov, for updates on quota monitoring and inseason adjustments.
Classification
NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1855(d)) and regulations at 50 CFR part 635, and this action is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
The Assistant Administrator for NMFS (AA) finds that pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior notice of, and an opportunity for public comment on, this action because it is impracticable and contrary to the public interest for the following reasons. Specifically, the regulations implementing the HMS FMP and amendments provide for inseason retention limit adjustments and fishery closures to respond to the unpredictable nature of BFT availability on the fishing grounds, the migratory nature of this species, and the regional variations in the BFT fishery. Providing for prior notice and an opportunity to comment is impracticable and contrary to the public interest as this fishery is currently underway and, based on the most recent landings information, the available time period subquota is has been reached and exceeded. Delaying this action could result in BFT landings that exceed the adjusted January through March time period subquota, which may result in future potential quota reductions for other BFT categories, depending on the magnitude of a potential overharvest. Taking this action does not raise conservation and management concerns and would support effective management of the BFT fishery. NMFS notes that the public had an opportunity to comment on the underlying rulemakings that established the U.S. BFT quota and the inseason adjustment and closure criteria.
For all of the above reasons, the AA also finds that pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), there is good cause to waive the 30-day delay in effective date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 28, 2025.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-03549 Filed 2-28-25; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P