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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 39 / Tuesday, March 2, 2021 / Proposed Rules
landings of CMP species by these vessels were entirely of CMP species harvested from the MPAs, the average adverse economic impact of the proposed rule would be $2,948 annually per vessel for 77 CMP federally permitted vessels. However, that is highly unlikely. The MPAs are small and represent a relatively small percentage of the Gulf EEZ. MadisonSwanson is 115 nmi2 394 km2 and Steamboat Lumps is 104 nmi2 357
km2. Moreover, the MPAs are considered as relatively poor destinations for successful surface trolling. Therefore, NMFS expects any adverse economic impact of a yearround surface trolling prohibition on the 74 small commercial fishing businesses to be minimal.
Currently, possession of Gulf reef fish year-round or any other species of fish from November through April, including CMP species, is prohibited in the MPAs, except on a vessel in transit with fishing gear appropriately stowed.
Under the proposed rule, the possession of any species of Gulf reef fish would be prohibited year-round in the MPAs, except for a vessel with a valid Federal commercial Gulf reef fish permit, which is required to have an operating satellite-based VMS, that is in transit with fishing gear stowed.
Under the proposed rule, the 411
small businesses that operate the 587
for-hire fishing vessels that have a forhire reef fish permit, but do not have a Gulf commercial reef fish permit, would no longer be able to transit through the MPAs with reef fish onboard. It is unknown how many, if any, of the 587
for-hire vessels transit through the MPAs with reef fish onboard. However, because of the relatively small size of the MPAs and the distance between them, NMFS expects that any of those vessels could relatively easily avoid transiting through the MPAs if they have reef fish on board and any additional cost to transit around the MPAs would be minimal.
From the above, NMFS expects any impacts from the proposed rule on small businesses in the commercial fishing and for-hire fishing industries to be minimal. Therefore, NMFS concludes that this proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. As a result, an initial regulatory flexibility analysis is not required and none has been prepared.
This proposed rule contains no information collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

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16:34 Mar 01, 2021

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List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 622
Fisheries, Fishing, Gulf of Mexico, Marine protected area, Reef fish.
Dated: February 22, 2021.
Samuel D. Rauch, III, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service.

For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 622 is proposed to be amended as follows:
PART 622FISHERIES OF THE
CARIBBEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND
SOUTH ATLANTIC
1. The authority citation for part 622
continues to read as follows:

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

2. Amend 622.34 by:
a. Revising paragraph a introductory text and paragraphs a2 and 3, and b. Removing paragraphs a5 and 6.
The revisions read as follows:

622.34 Seasonal and area closures designed to protect Gulf reef fish.

a Closure provisions applicable to the Madison and Swanson sites, Steamboat Lumps, and the Edges. For the purpose of this paragraph a, fish means finfish, mollusks, crustaceans, and all other forms of marine animal and plant life other than marine mammals and birds. The provisions of this paragraph a do not apply to Atlantic highly migratory species, such as tunas, billfishes, and oceanic sharks.
See 50 CFR part 635 for any provisions applicable to fishing for or possession of Atlantic highly migratory species in these areas.

2 Within the Madison and Swanson sites and Steamboat Lumps: Fishing is prohibited year-round; possession of Gulf reef fish is prohibited year-round except when such possession is on a vessel that has been issued a valid Federal commercial permit for Gulf reef fish, has an operating satellite-based VMS unit, and is in transit with fishing gear stowed as specified in paragraph a4 of this section; and possession of any non-Gulf reef fish species is prohibited year-round, except for such possession on a vessel in transit with fishing gear stowed as specified in paragraph a4 of this section.
3 Within the Edges during January through April each year, all fishing is prohibited and the possession of any fish species is prohibited, except for such possession on a vessel in transit with fishing gear appropriately stowed
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as specified in paragraph a4 of this section.

FR Doc. 202104178 Filed 3121; 8:45 am BILLING CODE 351022P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 622
Docket No. 2102240029
RIN 0648BK22

Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States; Amendment 12
National Marine Fisheries Service NMFS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA, Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; request for comments.
AGENCY:

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 12 to the Fishery Management Plan FMP for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery off the Atlantic States Dolphin Wahoo FMP, as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Council. This proposed rule would add bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel to the Dolphin Wahoo FMP
and designate them as ecosystem component EC species. The purpose of this proposed rule and Amendment 12
is to acknowledge the ecological role of bullet mackerel and frigate mackerel as forage fish and to achieve the ecosystem management objectives in the Dolphin Wahoo FMP.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 1, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the proposed rule, identified by NOAANMFS20200146, by either of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to https www.regulations.gov and enter NOAANMFS20200146, in the Search box. Click the Comment icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
Mail: Submit written comments to Nikhil Mehta, Southeast Regional Office, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be SUMMARY:

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