[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 230 (Friday, November 29, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65788-65789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25829]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XV086]


Determination of Overfishing or an Overfished Condition

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This action serves as a notice that NMFS, on behalf of the 
Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), has found that Oregon cabezon is now 
subject to overfishing and Atlantic bluefish is now overfished. NMFS, 
on behalf of the Secretary, notifies the appropriate regional fishery 
management council (Council) whenever it determines that overfishing is 
occurring, a stock is in an overfished condition, or a stock is 
approaching an overfished condition.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Regina Spallone, (301) 427-8568.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 304(e)(2) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-
Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1854(e)(2), NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, 
must notify Councils, and publish in the Federal Register, whenever it 
determines that a stock or stock complex is subject to overfishing, 
overfished, or approaching an overfished condition.
    NMFS has determined that the Oregon stock of cabezon is now subject 
to overfishing. Catch data from 2017 for Oregon cabezon, finalized in 
2019, supports a determination that the stock is subject to overfishing 
because total catch in 2017 slightly exceeded the overfishing level. 
NMFS has informed the Pacific Fishery Management Council that it must 
set appropriate annual catch limits to end and prevent overfishing for 
this stock.

[[Page 65789]]

    NMFS has also determined that Atlantic bluefish is now overfished. 
The most recent assessment for bluefish, finalized in 2019 and using 
data through 2018, indicates that the stock is overfished because the 
spawning stock biomass is less than the minimum stock size threshold. 
This assessment incorporated new data from the Marine Recreational 
Information Program which revised our understanding of the level of 
recreational catch, spawning stock biomass, fishing mortality, and 
recruitment. The new data indicate that bluefish spawning stock biomass 
has been below the overfished threshold since 2014. NMFS has informed 
the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council that it must develop a 
rebuilding plan for this stock.

    Dated: November 22, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-25829 Filed 11-27-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P