BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XD932]
Determination of Overfishing or an Overfished Condition
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: This action serves as a notice that NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of
Commerce (Secretary), has found that California Quillback rockfish and the Queets
spring/summer Chinook salmon stock are now overfished; Gulf of Mexico Lane snapper
is now subject to overfishing; and Atlantic mackerel and the Klamath River fall-run
Chinook salmon stock remain overfished. NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, is required
to provide this notice whenever it determines that a stock or stock complex is subject to
overfishing, overfished, or approaching an overfished condition.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diana Perry, (301)-427-7863.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 304(e)(2) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1854(e)(2),
NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary, must notify councils, and publish a notice 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 Klamath River fall-run Chinook salmon stock
remains overfished and the Queets spring/summer Chinook salmon stock is now
overfished. These determinations are based on assessments, completed in 2023, using
data from 2020-2022 for the Klamath River fall-run Chinook salmon stock and data from
2019-2021 for the Queets spring/summer Chinook salmon stock. These assessments

indicate that the 3-year geometric mean of the annual spawning escapement for each
stock is less than each stock’s minimum stock size threshold (MSST). NMFS continues
to work with the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) to rebuild the
Klamath River fall-run Chinook salmon stock and has notified the Pacific Council of the
requirement to rebuild the Queets spring/summer Chinook salmon stock.
NMFS has determined that California Quillback rockfish is now overfished. This
determination is based on the most recent assessment, completed in 2021 and using data
from 2020, which indicates that the spawning stock biomass is less than the MSST.
NMFS has notified the Pacific Council of the requirement to rebuild this stock.
NMFS has determined that Atlantic mackerel is still overfished. This
determination is based on the most recent assessment, completed in 2023 and using data
from 2022, which indicates that the spawning stock biomass is less than the MSST.
NMFS continues to work with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to rebuild
this stock.
NMFS has determined that Gulf of Mexico Lane snapper is now subject to
overfishing. Gulf of Mexico Lane snapper was not assessed in 2023, so landings data
from 2022 was compared to the overfishing limit to support the status determination of
subject to overfishing. NMFS has notified the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management
Council of its requirement to end overfishing.
Dated: June 25, 2024.
Lindsay Fullenkamp,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 2024-14307 Filed: 6/27/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 6/28/2024]