[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 206 (Thursday, October 23, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63080-63081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25332]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 071106673-8011-02]
RIN 0648-XL44
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation
of Yellowfin Sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management
Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of the 2008
yellowfin sole total allowable catch (TAC) assigned to the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands trawl limited access sector to the Amendment 80
cooperative in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the 2008 total allowable
catch of yellowfin sole to be fully harvested.
DATES: Effective October 20, 2008, through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) prepared by the
North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations
governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at
subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The 2008 yellowfin sole TAC assigned to the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands trawl limited access sector is 44,512 metric tons (mt) and to
the Amendment 80 cooperative is 92,982 mt in the BSAI as established by
the 2008 and 2009 final harvest specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (73 FR 10160, February 26, 2008).
The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined that 6,000
mt of the yellowfin sole TAC assigned to the BSAI trawl limited access
sector will not be harvested. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.91(f), NMFS reallocates 6,000 mt of yellowfin sole from the BSAI
trawl limited access sector to the Amendment 80 cooperative in the
BSAI. In accordance with Sec. 679.91(f), NMFS will reissue cooperative
quota permits for the reallocated yellowfin sole following the
procedures set forth in Sec. 679.91(f)(3).
The harvest specifications for yellowfin sole included in the
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (73 FR 10160,
February 26, 2008) are revised as follows: 38,512 mt to the BSAI trawl
limited access sector and 98,982 mt to the Amendment 80 cooperative in
the in the BSAI. Table 7 is correctly revised and republished in its
entirety as follows:
TABLE 7-2008 AND 2009 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA (CDQ) RESERVES, INCIDENTAL CATCH AMOUNTS (ICAS), AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS
PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH, FLATHEAD SOLE, ROCK SOLE, AND YELLOWFIN SOLE TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch Flathead Rock sole Yellowfin sole
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sole --------------------------------------
Eastern Aleutian District Central Aleutian Western Aleutian ------------- BSAI BSAI
Sector ---------------------------- District District BSAI --------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
2008 2009 2008 and 2008 and 2008 2009
2008 2009 2008 2009 2009 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC 4,900 4,810 4,990 4,900 7,610 7,490 50,000 75,000 225,000 205,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CDQ 524 515 534 524 814 801 5,350 8,025 24,075 21,935
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ICA 100 100 10 10 10 10 4,500 5,000 2,000 2,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BSAI trawl limited 214 420 222 437 136 134 0 0 38,512 37,368
access
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 63081]]
Amendment 80 4,062 3,776 4,224 3,929 6,650 6,545 40,150 61,975 160,413 143,697
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amendment 80 2,154 0 2,240 0 3,526 0 4,392 14,972 61,431 0
limited access\1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amendment 80 1,908 0 1,984 0 3,124 0 35,758 47,003 98,982 0
cooperatives\1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\The 2009 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until
eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2008.
Classification
This action responds to the best available information recently
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA (AA), finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set
forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and
would delay the reallocation of yellowfin sole from the BSAI trawl
limited access sector to the Amendment 80 cooperative in the BSAI.
Since the fishery is currently open, it is important to immediately
inform the industry as to the revised allocations. Immediate
notification is necessary to allow for the orderly conduct and
efficient operation of this fishery, to allow the industry to plan for
the fishing season, and to avoid potential disruption to the fishing
fleet as well as processors. NMFS was unable to publish a notice
providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant
data only became available as of October 17, 2008.
The AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the
effective date of this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This finding is
based upon the reasons provided above for waiver of prior notice and
opportunity for public comment.
This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 20, 2008.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E8-25332 Filed 10-20-08; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S