Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Framework Adjustment 72

• Citation: 91 FR 49358
• Published date: 04 August 2026
• FR Document: 2026-15784
• Pages: 49358-49371
• Section: Rules and Regulations
• Issuer: Commerce Department,National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

49358

Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 148 / Tuesday, August 4, 2026 / Rules and Regulations

3

Minimum test pressure is not applicable to those cylinders and tubes requalified using ultrasonic examination (UE).

4

This provision does not apply to cylinders used for carbon dioxide, fire extinguisher, or other industrial gas service.

(b) DOT 3A or 3AA cylinders. (1) A

cylinder conforming to specification

DOT 3A or 3AA with a water capacity

of 56.7 kg (125 lb.) or less that is

removed from any cluster, bank, group,

rack, or vehicle each time it is filled,

may be requalified every ten years

instead of every five years, provided the

cylinder conforms to all of the following

conditions:

(i) The cylinder was manufactured

after December 31, 1945.

(ii) The cylinder is used exclusively

for air; argon; cyclopropane; ethylene;

helium; hydrogen; krypton; neon;

nitrogen; nitrous oxide; oxygen; sulfur

hexafluoride; xenon; chlorinated

hydrocarbons, fluorinated

hydrocarbons, liquefied hydrocarbons,

and mixtures thereof that are

commercially free from corroding

components; permitted mixtures of

these gases (see § 173.301(d) of this

subchapter); and permitted mixtures of

these gases with up to 30 percent by

volume of carbon dioxide, provided the

gas has a dew point at or below minus

(52 °F) at 1 atmosphere.

(iii) [Reserved]

(iv) The cylinder is dried immediately

after hydrostatic testing to remove all

traces of water.

(v) The cylinder is not used for

underwater breathing.

(vi) Each cylinder is stamped with a

five-pointed star at least one-fourth of

an inch high immediately following the

test date.

(2) A cylinder conforming to

specification DOT 3A or 3AA with a

water capacity of 56.7 kg (125 lb.) or less

that is not removed from any cluster,

bank, group, rack, or vehicle each time

it is filled, may be requalified by either

hydrostatic testing and visual inspection

described in § 180.205 or by ultrasonic

examination (UE) every ten years

instead of every five years, provided the

cylinder conforms to all of the following

conditions:

(i) The cylinder was manufactured

after December 31, 1945.

(ii) The cylinder is used exclusively

for air; argon; helium; oxygen; nitrogen;

neon; tetrafluoromethane (CF4);

hydrogen; deuterium; mixtures of

hydrogen, argon, helium, oxygen, and/

or nitrogen; mixtures of argon, xenon,

and/or neon; mixtures of krypton and

neon; mixtures of hydrogen, argon,

helium, and/or nitrogen; and mixtures

containing deuterium, provided all gas

mixtures have a dew point at or below

minus (52 °F) at 1 atmosphere.

(iii) Carbon dioxide in any

concentration cannot be added to

cylinders in the bundle.

(iv) Gases that are toxic and/or

corrosive cannot be added to cylinders

in the bundle.

(v) If requalified by hydrostatic

pressure testing, the cylinder is dried

immediately after testing to remove all

traces of water.

(vi) The cylinder is not used for

underwater breathing.

(vii) Each cylinder is stamped with a

five-pointed star at least one-fourth of

an inch high immediately following the

test date.

(3) If, since the last required

requalification, a cylinder has not been

used exclusively for the gases

specifically identified in paragraph

(b)(1)(ii) of this section, but currently

conforms with all other provisions of

paragraph (b)(1) of this section, it may

be requalified every 10 years instead of

every five years, provided it is first

requalified and examined as prescribed

by § 173.302a(b)(2), (3) and (4) of this

subchapter.

(4) Except as specified in paragraph

(b)(3) of this section, if a cylinder,

marked with a star, is filled with a

compressed gas other than as specified

in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section, the

star following the most recent test date

must be obliterated. The cylinder must

be requalified five years from the

marked test date, or prior to the first

filling with a compressed gas, if the

required five-year requalification period

has passed.

* * * * *

Issued in Washington, DC, on July 31,

2026, under the authority delegated in 49

CFR 1.97.

Paul J. Roberti,

Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous

Materials Safety Administration.

[FR Doc. 2026–15819 Filed 8–3–26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 260729–0180]

RIN 0648–BO27

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act

Provisions; Fisheries of the

Northeastern United States; Northeast

Multispecies Fishery; Framework

Adjustment 72

AGENCY

: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION

: Interim final rule; request for

comments.

SUMMARY

: NMFS issues this interim

final rule to implement Framework

Adjustment 72 (Framework 72) to the

Northeast Multispecies Fishery

Management Plan (FMP), specifically to

implement status determination criteria

for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder,

set catch limits for multispecies

(groundfish) stocks, and revise the

process for setting recreational measures

for Atlantic cod and haddock. This

action is necessary to respond to

updated scientific information and to

achieve the goals and objectives of the

FMP. The measures are intended to help

prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished

stocks, achieve optimum yield, and

ensure that management measures are

based on the best scientific information

available.

DATES

: Effective August 4, 2026.

Comments must be received by 5 p.m.

EST on September 3, 2026.

ADDRESSES

: A plain language summary

of this interim final rule is available at:

https://www.regulations.gov/docket/

NOAA-NMFS-2026-0859. You may

submit comments, identified by NOAA–

NMFS–2026–0859, by the following

method:

Electronic Submission: Submit all

electronic public comments via the

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to

https://www.regulations.gov and type

NOAA–NMFS–2026–0859 in the Search

box (note: copying and pasting the

FDMS Docket Number directly from this

document may not yield search results).

Click on the ‘‘Comment’’ icon, complete

the required fields, and enter or attach

your comments.

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Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 148 / Tuesday, August 4, 2026 / Rules and Regulations

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

considered. All comments received are

a part of the public record and will

generally be posted for public viewing

on https://www.regulations.gov without

change. All personal identifying

information (e.g., name, address),

confidential business information, or

otherwise sensitive information

submitted voluntarily by the sender will

be publicly accessible. You may submit

anonymous comments by entering ‘‘N/

A’’ in the required fields if you wish to

remain anonymous.

Copies of Framework Adjustment 72,

including the Supplemental Information

Report (SIR), the Regulatory Impact

Review, and supporting documents

prepared by the New England Fishery

Management Council (Council) in

support of this action, are available from

Dr. Cate O’Keefe, Executive Director,

New England Fishery Management

Council, 50 Water Street, Mill 2,

Newburyport, MA 01950. The

supporting documents are also

accessible via the internet at: http://

www.nefmc.org/management-plans/

northeast-multispecies or http://

www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

: Liz

Sullivan, Fishery Policy Analyst, phone:

978–282–8493; email: Liz.Sullivan@

noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

:

Summary of Approved Measures

The Northeast Multispecies FMP

specifies the management measures for

13 groundfish species. The FMP was

prepared by the Council and is

implemented by NMFS through

regulations at 50 CFR part 648,

consistent with the requirements of the

Magnuson-Stevens Act. The groundfish

fishery includes recreational and

commercial components, and the

members of the commercial fishery

choose whether to fish as part of the

sector program or the common pool.

Annually, the commercial groundfish

fishery has a value of approximately $40

million (ex-vessel revenue from the

most recent complete fishing year).

Recreational fisheries, including the

recreational groundfish fishery,

contribute substantial value to the

regional and national economies.

This action implements Framework

72 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP.

The New England Fishery Management

Council reviewed the regulations

included in this rulemaking and

deemed them consistent with, and

necessary to implement, Framework 72

in a March 16, 2026, letter from Council

Chairman Daniel Salerno to Regional

Administrator Michael Pentony. Under

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act

(Magnuson-Stevens Act, or Act), on

behalf of the Secretary of Commerce, the

Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries

Office’s Regional Administrator

approves, disapproves, or partially

approves measures that the Council

proposes, based on consistency with the

Act and other applicable law.

To help ensure that Framework 72 is

implemented as early as possible in the

2026 fishing year, which began May 1,

2026, NMFS is implementing

Framework 72 through this interim final

rule, which is effective upon

publication. NMFS is also affording the

public the opportunity to comment on

this action by accepting public comment

until September 3, 2026. NMFS will

review all of the comments received on

this interim final rule. If substantive

comments are received, and NMFS

determines that changes to the rule are

appropriate in response, NMFS will

publish a new final rule.

NMFS has approved and is

implementing all of the measures in

Framework 72, as recommended by the

Council. Framework 72:

•Incorporates status determination

criteria (SDC) for Georges Bank (GB)

yellowtail flounder provided by the

most recent stock assessment;

•Sets shared United States/Canada

quotas for GB yellowtail flounder and

eastern GB cod and haddock for fishing

year 2026;

•Sets specifications, including catch

limits for 12 groundfish stocks: GB cod,

GB haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder

for fishing year 2026; and Southern New

England/Mid-Atlantic (SNE/MA)

yellowtail flounder, Cape Cod/Gulf of

Maine (CC/GOM) yellowtail flounder,

GB winter flounder, GOM winter

flounder, SNE/MA winter flounder,

redfish, white hake, ocean pout, and

wolffish for fishing years 2026–2030;

and

•Modifies the regulatory process for

the Regional Administrator to set

recreational measures for cod and

haddock stocks that do not have a

recreational sub-annual catch limit

(ACL).

This action also makes minor,

clarifying regulatory changes that are

not part of Framework 72, under section

305(d) authority in the Magnuson-

Stevens Act to make changes necessary

to carry out the FMP. NMFS is making

these changes in conjunction with the

Framework 72 measures for expediency

purposes. These changes are described

below under the heading, Minor,

Clarifying Regulatory Changes under

Secretarial Authority.

Status Determination Criteria

In 2024, the Northeast Fishery

Science Center (Center) completed a

research track assessment of GB

yellowtail flounder, which transitioned

the assessment to a Woods Hole

Assessment Model (WHAM). This

replaced the previous empirical

approach that had been used to set catch

advice for past fishing years. The 2025

management track assessment produced

revised SDCs for GB yellowtail flounder,

including revised numeric estimates.

Framework 72 incorporates the

previously revised SDCs for GB

yellowtail flounder, and provides

updated numerical estimates of these

criteria, in accordance with the results

and peer review recommendations of

the 2025 stock assessments (tables 1 and

2). These replace the ‘‘unknown’’ SDCs

for GB yellowtail flounder that had been

incorporated into the FMP by

Framework 53 (80 FR 25110, May 1,

2015).

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Fishing Year 2026 Shared United

States/Canada Quotas

Management of Transboundary Georges

Bank Stocks

Eastern GB cod, eastern GB haddock,

and GB yellowtail flounder are shared

stocks that are jointly managed with

Canada under the United States/Canada

Resource Sharing Understanding

(Understanding). As part of the

Understanding, the United States and

Canada consider the most recent stock

information and develop shared quotas

that are allocated between the United

States and Canada based on a formula

that considers historical catch (10-

percent weighting) and the current

resource distribution (90-percent

weighting). For historical information

about the Understanding, see: http://

www.bio.gc.ca/info/intercol/tmgc-cogst/

index-en.php.

A new approach called the Integration

of Science Advice for Transboundary

Stocks (ISATS) process was followed to

provide science advice to support the

decision-making process for the

management of the three transboundary

stocks. ISATS includes a meeting of the

stock assessment leads for both

countries, where the outcomes of the

United States and Canadian domestic

assessments are compiled into a joint

document, to be considered equally as

the basis for informing catch advice. In

2025, the U.S. GB yellowtail flounder

management track assessment was

conducted after the ISATS process and

results were considered directly.

For GB yellowtail flounder, the

Council’s Scientific and Statistical

Committee (SSC) also recommends an

acceptable biological catch (ABC) for the

stock. The ABC is typically used to

inform the development of the annual

shared quota. Although the stock is

jointly managed with Canada, the

Council may not recommend catch

limits that would exceed the SSC’s

recommendation. In 2025, the shared

quota for GB yellowtail flounder was

developed before the SSC had met to

discuss the stock, and the SSC took this

already-developed quota into

consideration when making its

recommendation to the Council. The

SSC does not recommend ABCs for

eastern GB cod and haddock because

they are management units of the total

GB cod and haddock stocks. The SSC

recommends overall ABCs for the total

GB cod and haddock stocks. The shared

United States/Canada quota for eastern

GB cod and haddock is included in

these overall ABCs and must be

consistent with the SSC’s

recommendation for the total GB stocks.

2026 United States/Canada Quotas

The United States and Canada

developed shared quotas for 2026 based

on the available domestic assessment

information from both countries. The

Council adopted these

recommendations in Framework 72

(table 3), and this action approves them.

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The 2026 U.S. quotas for the eastern

GB cod represent an 84-percent

increase, compared to 2025; the eastern

GB haddock and GB yellowtail flounder

quotas represent 36-percent and 68-

percent decreases, respectively. A more

detailed discussion of the 2026 catch

advice for shared stocks, including a

description of each country’s quota

share, is accessible online at: https://

www.nefmc.org/.

The regulations implementing the

United States/Canada Resource Sharing

Understanding at 50 CFR 648.85(a)

require deducting any overages of the

U.S. quota for eastern GB cod, eastern

GB haddock, or GB yellowtail flounder

from the U.S. quota in the following

fishing year. If catch information for the

2025 fishing year indicates that the U.S.

fishery exceeded its quota for any of the

shared stocks, NMFS will reduce the

respective U.S. quotas for the 2026

fishing year in a future action, as close

to May 1, 2026, as possible. If any

fishery that is allocated a portion of the

U.S. quota exceeds its allocation and

causes an overage of the overall U.S.

quota, the overage reduction would be

applied only to that fishery’s allocation

in the following fishing year. This

ensures that catch by one component of

the overall fishery does not negatively

affect another component of the overall

fishery.

Catch Limits for Fishing Years 2026–

2030

Summary of the Catch Limits

Specifications are adopted for

multiple years. Any specifications for

fishing years beyond 2026 are

projections that will be considered and

reaffirmed or adjusted in the annual

framework for that fishing year.

Previously, specifications have been

adopted for 3 years, the Council’s

omnibus management flexibility

amendment (Amendment 26 to the

Northeast Multispecies FMP, 91 FR

27234, May 14, 2026) would increase

this duration to up to 5 years. To reflect

this, Framework 72 developed

specifications for fishing years 2026–

2030.

Tables 4 through 16 show the catch

limits for the 2026–2030 fishing years.

A brief summary of how these catch

limits were developed is provided

below. More details on the catch limits

for each groundfish stock can be found

in appendix II (Calculation of Northeast

Multispecies Annual Catch Limits, FY

2026–FY 2030) to the Framework 72 SIR

(see

ADDRESSES

for information on how

to get this document).

Through Framework 72, the Council

recommended catch limits, including

overfishing limits (OFLs), for GB cod,

GB haddock, GB yellowtail flounder for

fishing year 2026, and CC/GOM

yellowtail flounder, SNE/MA yellowtail

flounder, GB winter flounder, GOM

winter flounder, SNE/MA winter

flounder, white hake, redfish, ocean

pout, and Atlantic wolffish for the

2026–2030 fishing years, based on stock

assessments or data updates completed

in 2025. Specifications for the Atlantic

cod stocks were set in Amendment 25

(Revised) (91 FR 39529, June 30, 2026).

Framework 72 replaces the Amendment

25 (Revised) specifications for GB cod.

Catch limits for other groundfish stocks

were previously set by Framework 66

(89 FR 35755, May 2, 2024) and

Framework 69 (91 FR 11141, March 9,

2026). Table 4 provides an overview of

which catch limits change based on

Framework 72, as well as when the

stock was most recently assessed. Table

5 provides the percentage change in the

2026 catch limit compared to the 2025

fishing year.

All specifications projected for fishing

year 2026 in previous frameworks or

Amendment 25 (Revised) were

considered for reaffirmation or

adjustment, as warranted by the best

scientific information available in the

adopting framework/amendment, and

any updates in this action. The

previously projected and adopted

specifications are reaffirmed, consistent

with the considerations and

determinations in the adopting

frameworks and amendment, because

no new or updated scientific

information warranted changes to prior

adopted specifications.

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BILLING CODE 3510–22–C

Overfishing Limits and Acceptable

Biological Catches

The OFL is calculated to set the

maximum amount of fish that can be

caught in a year, without constituting

overfishing. The ABC is typically set

lower than the OFL to account for

scientific uncertainty. For GB cod, GB

haddock, and GB yellowtail flounder,

the total ABC is reduced by the amount

of the Canadian quota (see table 1 for

the Canadian and United States shares

of these stocks). Additionally, although

GB winter flounder, white hake, and

Atlantic halibut are not jointly managed

with Canada, there is some Canadian

catch of these stocks. Because the total

ABC must account for all sources of

fishing mortality, expected Canadian

catch of GB winter flounder (38 metric

tons; mt), white hake (57 mt), and

Atlantic halibut (71 mt) is deducted

from the total ABC. The United States

ABC is the amount available to the

domestic fishery after accounting for

Canadian catch (see table 3). For stocks

without Canadian catch, the United

States ABC is equal to the total ABC.

Annual Catch Limits

Development of Annual Catch Limits

The U.S. ABC for each stock is

divided among the various fishery

components to account for all sources of

fishing mortality. For stocks with a

recreational allocation, the U.S. ABC is

typically first divided between the

commercial and recreational fisheries,

before being further divided into sub-

components and sub-ACLs. An estimate

of catch expected from state waters and

the other sub-component (e.g., Federal

commercial non-groundfish fisheries

and some recreational groundfish

fisheries, if there is not a recreational

allocation) is deducted from the U.S.

ABC. The remaining portion of the U.S.

ABC is distributed to the fishery

components that receive an allocation

for the stock. Components of the fishery

that receive an allocation have a sub-

ACL set by reducing their portion of the

ABC (the sub-ABC) to account for

management uncertainty and are subject

to accountability measures (AM) if they

exceed their respective catch limit

during the fishing year. This process is

described fully in appendix II of the

Framework 72 SIR.

Sector and Common Pool sub-ACLs

For stocks allocated to sectors, the

commercial groundfish sub-ACL is

further divided into the non-sector

(common pool) sub-ACL and the sector

sub-ACL, based on the total vessel

enrollment in sectors and the

cumulative potential sector

contributions (PSC) associated with

those sectors. The sector and common

pool sub-ACLs implemented in this

action are based on fishing year 2026

PSCs and sector rosters. All permits

enrolled in a sector, and the vessels

associated with those permits, had until

April 30, 2026, to withdraw from a

sector and fish in the common pool for

the 2026 fishing year. In addition to the

enrollment delay, all permits that

changed ownership after the roster

deadline were permitted to join a sector

(or change sector) through April 30,

2026.

Management Uncertainty Buffer for

Sectors

As mentioned generally above,

management uncertainty is accounted

for in the setting of ACLs that are equal

to or lower than the ABC recommended

by the SSC. This difference between an

ABC and ACL or sub-ACL is known as

a management uncertainty buffer.

Without changing the process for setting

management uncertainty buffers,

Amendment 23 (87 FR 75852, December

9, 2022) implemented a measure to

adjust the management uncertainty

buffer for the sector sub-ACL for each

allocated groundfish stock to zero when

appropriate. In years that the at-sea

monitoring (ASM) coverage target is set

at 100 percent, the management

uncertainty buffer will default to zero

for the sector sub-ACL for allocated

stocks, unless the Council’s

consideration of the 100-percent

coverage target warrants specifying a

different management uncertainty buffer

in order to prevent exceeding the sub-

ACL. Based on Amendment 25

(Revised), this provision does not apply

for SNE cod.

As established in Amendment 23, the

ASM coverage target is dependent on

the level of funding for ASM and

observers, and NMFS must evaluate

overall annual appropriations from

Congress to finalize the ASM coverage

target. NMFS provides the target as soon

as it can each year so that sectors can

establish their rosters and meet annual

deadlines. On March 13, 2026, the

Regional Administrator announced that

the preliminary fishing year 2026 ASM

coverage target of 100 percent, and

nothing has changed since that

announcement to require a lower ASM

coverage target or to change the

determination that the coverage target

provides a basis for removing the

management uncertainty buffer.

Therefore, in this action, NMFS is

removing the management uncertainty

buffer for each allocated stock, other

than SNE cod, for all sectors for the

entirety of the 2026 fishing year.

Because removal of the buffer is

dependent on the annual determination

of the ASM coverage target and

consideration of its merit, the

determination regarding the buffer in

fishing years 2027 and beyond would be

made in a future action.

In Framework 72, the Council

recommended the removal of the

management uncertainty buffer for the

sector sub-ACL for white hake, if the

ASM coverage target is 90 percent or

higher, for each fishing year through

2030. The Council’s goal is to mitigate

the adverse economic impacts of the

ACLs for this potentially constraining

stock by increasing the sector sub-ACLs

if the ASM coverage target is high

enough to reduce uncertainty. While

this measure is moot for fishing year

2026, given this year’s 100-percent

coverage target, it is approved for the

future fishing years.

Table 6 provides the fishing year 2026

ACLs and sub-ACLs for all stocks with

the management uncertainty buffer

removed for sectors. Because the

removal of the management uncertainty

buffer for sectors is an annual decision,

tables 7–10 show the ACLs and sub-

ACLs for fishing years 2027–2030 with

the buffer left in place, and these would

be updated in a future action based on

the coverage target for that fishing year.

The removal of the management

uncertainty buffer for sectors alone is

not likely to cause the ABC or OFL to

be exceeded. The fishery remains

accountable for remaining within the

sub-ACLs allocated to it. Further, the

revised management uncertainty buffer

applies only to sectors and not to the

common pool component of the fishery

or other sub-ACLs or sub-components

for any stocks. Therefore, the

management uncertainty buffer

continues to exist for the stock’s ACL,

but the sector-specific buffer is

removed.

Sector Allocations for Fishing Year 2026

At the start of the 2026 fishing year,

NMFS allocated annual catch

entitlements (ACE) for the allocated

stocks to each sector, based on

preliminary sector rosters and the catch

limits set by prior frameworks and

default specifications for certain stocks.

This rule updates the ACE allocated to

sectors based on final sector rosters and

the catch limits approved in Framework

72, including the revised GB cod ABC,

and based on the catch limits for EGOM

cod, WGOM cod, and SNE cod set by

Amendment 25 (Revised). NMFS

calculates a sector’s allocation for each

stock by summing its members’ PSC for

the stock and then multiplying that total

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percentage by the commercial sub-ACL

for that stock. The process for allocating

ACE to sectors is more fully described

in the final rule allocating ACE to

sectors for the start of the 2026 fishing

year (91 FR 22467, April 27, 2026) and

is not repeated here. Table 11 shows the

cumulative PSC by stock for each sector

for fishing year 2026. Tables 12 and 13

show the ACEs allocated to each sector

for fishing year 2026, in thousands of

pounds and metric tons, respectively.

NMFS has included the common pool

sub-ACLs in tables 11 through 13 for

comparison. NMFS uses final

allocations, along with later adjustments

including ACE transfers, reductions for

overages, or increases for carryover,

monitor sector catch.

Common Pool Total Allowable Catches

The common pool sub-ACL for each

allocated stock (except for SNE/MA

winter flounder) is further divided into

trimester total allowable catches (TACs).

Table 14 summarizes the common pool

trimester TACs set in this action.

Incidental catch TACs are also

specified for certain stocks of concern

(i.e., stocks that are overfished or subject

to overfishing) for common pool vessels

fishing in the special management

programs (i.e., special access programs

(SAP) and the Regular B Days-at-Sea

(DAS) Program), in order to limit the

catch of these stocks under each

program. Tables 15 and 16 summarize

the Incidental Catch TACs for each

stock and the distribution of these TACs

to each special management program.

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

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BILLING CODE 3510–22–C

Recreational Management Measures

Currently, the Regional Administrator

sets recreational measures (open season,

minimum fish size, and possession

limit) for stocks that have a recreational

sub-ACL (i.e., WGOM cod, SNE cod,

and GOM haddock) after consulting

with the Council, consistent with

regulations in the FMP and the

Administrative Procedure Act. This

process has been used to set recreational

measures since 2013. Framework 72

provides for this process to be used for

the two cod stocks and one haddock

stock that do not have a recreational

sub-ACL (i.e., GB haddock, GB cod, and

EGOM cod). This administrative change

to recreational management measures

setting is expected to result in more

consistent development and

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implementation of measures across

stocks that have recreational fisheries,

even if they do not have recreational-

specific allocations. Framework 72

makes no changes to the current

recreational measures for any cod or

haddock stock.

Minor, Clarifying Regulatory Changes

Under Secretarial Authority

This rule makes minor, clarifying

changes in the regulations. Specifically,

this action revises 50 CFR

648.89(b)(2)(ii) to add a single word to

improve clarity of the text. Additionally,

this action revises § 648.82(e)(1)(i) to

remove references to the regulations

detailing differential days-at-sea

accounting that were removed in a

previous action.

Classification

The NMFS Assistant Administrator

has determined that this interim final

rule is consistent with the FMP, other

provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens

Act, and other applicable law.

Executive Orders 12866 and 14192

This interim final rule has been

determined to be not significant for

purposes of Executive Order (E.O.)

12866. This rule is not an E.O. 14192

regulatory action because this rule is not

significant under E.O. 12866.

Executive Order 13175

NMFS has determined that this action

would not have a substantial direct

effect on one or more Indian Tribes, on

the relationship between the Federal

Government and Indian Tribes, or on

the distribution of power and

responsibilities between the Federal

Government and Indian Tribes.

Therefore, consultation with Tribal

officials under E.O. 13175 is not

required, and the requirements of

section (5)(b) and (c) of E.O. 13175 also

do not apply. A Tribal summary impact

statement under section (5)(b)(2)(B) and

(c)(2) of E.O. 13175 is not required and

has not been prepared.

Administrative Procedure Act

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there

is good cause to waive prior notice and

an opportunity for public comment on

the implementation of Framework 72, as

prior notice and comment would be

contrary to the public interest. The

delay caused by providing prior notice

and opportunity for public comment

would prevent affected entities from

being able to take advantage of an

overall increase in fishing capacity

during the extremely important summer

season.

The Northeast multispecies fishing

year started on May 1, 2026. Absent

implementation of this rule to adjust

Northeast multispecies catch allocations

for 2026, the fishery will continue to be

constrained to low rollover

specifications from 2025, many of

which are further reduced to 75 percent

of the 2025 specifications.

Implementing Framework 72

immediately and without prior notice

and the opportunity for public comment

is necessary to achieve optimum yield

in the northeast multispecies fishery.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery

Conservation and Management Act

requires conservation and management

measures to comply with ten National

Standards, the first one of which

mandates preventing overfishing while

achieving optimum yield on a

continuing basis. Thus, in the

groundfish sector fishery, catch

allocations for all Northeast

multispecies stocks are implemented

annually on the basis of the best

scientific information available. The

specifications for fishing year 2026

include the allocations for each species

adjusted by Framework 72 and the

removal of the management uncertainty

buffer for all stocks. These allocations

reflect a balance of interests consistent

with the national standards to comprise

the greatest benefit to the nation and

provide the increased fishing

opportunity to fishery participants that

is necessary for optimizing fishing

operations.

Because specifications were not

implemented at the beginning of this

fishing year, May 1, 2026, pursuant to

the Northeast multispecies fishery

management plan regulations, default

specifications were automatically

reduced to 75 percent of the previous

year’s specifications for the Northeast

multispecies stocks that did not have

previously set specifications for 2026.

Those reduced specifications remain in

place until they are replaced through

implementation of new specifications

for this fishing year or October 31,

whichever is earlier. Default

specifications are set conservatively at

only a portion of the previous fishing

year’s specifications and are intended to

be only temporary stopgap measures

until the current year’s specifications

can be implemented based on the most

recent stock assessments and updated

fishery information from preceding

years.

In addition to an overall increase in

catch allocations, this year’s

specifications also include an additional

increase in catch allocations through the

removal of the management uncertainty

buffer for sectors. The management

uncertainty buffer is not necessary in

fishing year 2026 based on the 100-

percent fishery monitoring coverage

target, as specified in 50 CFR

648.90(a)(4)(i)(B). Based on an analysis

of the catch limits in Framework 72

being implemented at the beginning of

the fishing year, sector groundfish

revenues are expected to increase up to

$1.8 million from immediate removal of

the management uncertainty buffer

alone. Until Framework 72 is in effect,

the buffers remain in place and sector

participants cannot access the benefits

from this measure.

The changes to the quotas for various

stocks for this fishing year are especially

beneficial to fishery participants, while

maintaining all the conservation goals.

This is because the current default quota

for GB haddock has been a particularly

constraining stock for the fishery, and

the new quota will increase by 103

percent compared to the fishing year

2025 allocation. Under the Sector

program, which accounts for 98 percent

of the commercial fishery’s catch, the

current default for GB haddock has been

restricting fishing operations across all

stocks because sector vessels cannot fish

in a stock area without an allocation for

every species within that stock area. A

lack of allocation for one species halts

a vessel’s fishing in that area for any

species, unless the vessel owners pay to

lease additional quota.

The restrictive GB haddock default

limits require fishermen who have

exhausted their allocation to pay for

quota today that they will be able to

otherwise access at no cost once

Framework 72’s higher GB haddock

quota is in effect. The lease payments

they are making today will generally not

be recoverable even after allocations are

increased. After the higher allocations

are implemented, a sector may want or

need to lease allocation back to another

member or sector because the original

lease was not ultimately necessary.

However, lease prices for GB haddock

and other species’ catch limits often

decrease after the implementation of

increased catch limits, so leasing back to

another member or sector would result

in a net loss of funds for the sector

member or sector. Also, if a fisherman

cannot afford to pay for additional quota

or a fisherman attempts to avoid these

higher and potentially unnecessary

costs by not fishing, they lose

opportunities to fish until after

Framework 72 is in effect. In these

cases, this in effect acts as a temporary

fishing closure for such fishermen, and

these missed fishing opportunities

cannot be replaced.

Thus, while the new specifications

include decreased catch limits, in

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addition to the limits that are being

increased, the overall impact of the

specifications provides stable and

unfluctuating catch limits at the earliest

available opportunity. While the

decreased limits could potentially

constrain some fishing activity, the

greater availability of a higher value

stock (i.e., GB haddock) means the more

constrained stocks may be limited only

to when caught in pursuit of the higher

value or more available stock. Due to GB

haddock’s value and availability, faster

implementation of this fishing year’s

specifications allows more time for

fishing under more accurate and

beneficial market conditions.

Finally, losing fishing opportunities

during the summer months redirects

some fishing effort from warmer and

generally calmer weather into colder

and more hazardous weather. This is

particularly challenging for smaller

vessels, for which summer may be the

only season in which they are able to

participate in the fishery. Also,

providing more days in a fishing year

from which a fisherman can choose to

fish generally provides a greater

potential for choosing days with safer

conditions. Implementing the 2026

fishing year quotas as soon as possible

provides certainty and the greatest

amount of time possible within this

fishing year for participation.

For these reasons, there is good cause

to waive the prior notice and

opportunity for public comment for this

rule.

For these same reasons, there is good

cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) for the

measures in this final rule to become

effective immediately upon publication.

In addition, many of these measures

relieve a restriction, pursuant to 5

U.S.C. 553(d)(1). Most of the allocations

implemented through this rule are an

increase over the current limits and

setting the management uncertainty

buffer at zero increases the allocation for

all stocks. Therefore, the increased

specifications and removal of the

uncertainty buffer increases fishing

opportunity for industry, thereby

relieving current restrictions.

Although the rule will decrease the

catch limit for a few stocks, it would be

contrary to the public interest to

implement allocation adjustments at

different times. Implementing new catch

limits, whether increasing or decreasing,

in a piecemeal manner, would create

confusion and add to the already

ongoing difficult disruption to business

planning and quota leasing markets

arising from the current default

specifications. And because the

regulated community is expecting these

decreases, sectors are already managing

to the lower quotas. There is therefore

no advantage to the regulated

community for delaying

implementation; fishery participants do

not need to prepare to come into

compliance and will not be able to

maximize fishing opportunity for the

stocks with quotas that are decreasing.

In addition, there is potential danger of

overfishing these stocks, which could

then lead to the need for more

restrictive conservation methods in

future fishing years. Delaying the

effective date of the lower quotas

therefore offers no advantage for sector

preparation, and immediate

implementation does not disadvantage

the non-fishing industry public in any

way.

Stakeholder and industry groups have

been aware of and have participated in

the public meetings on Framework 72’s

development. Stakeholders voiced their

strong support to have Framework 72

effective without delay. Public

comments submitted in response to the

Amendment 25 (Revised) proposed rule

from industry groups, individual

fishermen, and non-governmental

organizations also urged quick

implementation of both Amendment 25

(Revised) and Framework 72.

Commenters noted that immediate

implementation of both would provide

economic and conservation benefits

while averting the adverse economic

and conservation impacts on fishery

participants, fishing communities, and

Northeast multispecies stocks that

would result if these rulemakings were

delayed. (Amendment 25 (Revised) was

implemented on June 30, 2026 (91 FR

39529)). NMFS also has received

correspondence citing a critical need for

immediately implementing the new

catch limits in Framework 72.

NMFS is inviting public comments on

this interim final rule. NMFS will

consider responding to any comments

in a subsequent final rule, if warranted.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

Because prior notice and opportunity

for public comment are not required for

this rule by 5 U.S.C. 553, or any other

law, the analytical requirements of the

Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601

et seq., are inapplicable.

Paperwork Reduction Act

This final rule contains no

information collection requirements

under the Paperwork Reduction Act of

1995.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 648

Fisheries, Fishing, Recordkeeping,

and reporting requirements.

Dated: July 29, 2026.

Samuel D. Rauch III,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for

Regulatory Programs, National Marine

Fisheries Service.

For the reasons stated in the

preamble, NMFS amends 50 CFR part

648 as follows:

PART 648—FISHERIES OF THE

NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

■1. The authority citation for part 648

continues to read as follows:

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

■2. In § 648.82, revise paragraph

(e)(1)(i) to read as follows:

§ 648.82 Effort-control program for NE

multispecies vessels.

* * * * *

(e) * * *

(1) * * *

(i) Common pool vessels. For a

common pool vessel, Category A DAS

shall accrue in 24-hr increments. For

example, a vessel that fished from 6 a.m.

to 10 p.m. would be charged 24 hr of

Category A DAS, not 16 hr; a vessel that

fished for 25 hr would be charged 48 hr

of Category A instead of 25 hr.

* * * * *

■3. In § 648.89, revise paragraphs

(b)(2)(ii) and (g) to read as follows:

§ 648.89 Recreational and charter/party

vessel restrictions.

* * * * *

(b) * * *

(2) * * *

(ii) Transiting. If the minimum size

specified for cod and haddock differ

between stock areas, vessels in

possession of cod or haddock that meet

the minimum size specified for fish

caught in one stock area, as specified in

§ 648.88, may transit a different stock

area with that cod and haddock,

provided all bait and hooks are removed

from fishing rods, and any cod and

haddock on board has been gutted and

stored.

* * * * *

(g) Regional Administrator authority

for cod and haddock recreational

measures. The Regional Administrator,

after consultation with the NEFMC, may

adjust recreational measures for cod and

haddock stocks that do not have a

recreational allocation to set consistent

measures with other stock areas, as

appropriate. Appropriate measures,

including adjustments to fishing

seasons, minimum fish sizes, or

possession limits, may be implemented

in a manner consistent with the

Administrative Procedure Act, with the

final measures published in the Federal

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Register prior to the start of the fishing

year when possible. Separate measures may be implemented for the private and charter/party components of the

recreational fishery.

* * * * *

[FR Doc. 2026–15784 Filed 8–3–26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

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