[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 16 (Thursday, January 24, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 5143-5144]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01432]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 111213751-2102-02]
RIN 0648-XC441
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation
of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
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SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Aleut
Corporation's and the Community Development Quota pollock directed
fishing allowances from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea
subarea directed fisheries. These actions are necessary to provide
opportunity for harvest of the 2013 total allowable catch of pollock,
consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan
for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 24,
2013, until the effective date of the final 2013 and 2014 harvest
specifications for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish,
unless otherwise modified or superseded through publication of a
notification in the Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7269.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI exclusive economic zone 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
(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.
In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the portion of the 2013 pollock
total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to the Aleut Corporation's
directed fishing allowance (DFA) is 15,500 metric tons (mt) and the
Community Development Quota (CDQ) DFA is 1,900 mt as established by the
final 2012 and 2013 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI
(77 FR 10669, February 23, 2012), and as adjusted by an inseason
adjustment (78 FR 270, January 3, 2013).
As of January 17, 2013, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator) has determined that 10,500 mt of Aleut
Corporation's DFA and 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA in the Aleutian
Islands subarea will not be harvested. Therefore, in accordance with
Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS reallocates 10,500 mt of Aleut
Corporation's DFA and 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA from the Aleutian
Islands subarea to the 2013 Bering Sea subarea allocations. The 1,900
mt of pollock CDQ DFA is added to the 2013 Bering Sea CDQ DFA. The
remaining 10,500 mt of pollock is apportioned to the AFA Inshore sector
(50 percent), AFA catcher/processor sector (40 percent), and the AFA
mothership sector (10 percent). The 2013 Bering Sea subarea pollock
incidental catch allowance remains at 33,699 mt. As a result, the
harvest specifications for pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea
included in the final 2012 and 2013 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (77 FR 10669, February 23, 2012) are revised as
follows: 5,000 mt to Aleut Corporation's DFA and 0 mt to CDQ DFA.
Furthermore, pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5), Table 3 of the final 2012
and 2013 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (77 FR
10669, February 23, 2012), as adjusted by the inseason adjustment (78
FR 270, January 3, 2013), is revised to make 2013 pollock allocations
consistent with this reallocation. This reallocation results in
adjustments to the 2013 Aleut Corporation and CDQ pollock allocations
established at Sec. 679.20(a)(5).
Table 3--Final 2012 and 2013 Allocations of Pollock TACS to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed Fishing Allowances (DFA) \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
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2012 A season \1\ 2012 B season 2013 A season \1\ 2013 B season
2012 -------------------------------- \1\ 2013 -------------------------------- \1\
Area and sector Allocations SCA harvest ---------------- Allocations SCA harvest ---------------
A season DFA limit \2\ B season DFA A season DFA limit \2\ B season DFA
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Bering Sea subarea.............................................. 1,212,400 n/a n/a n/a 1,259,400 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA......................................................... 121,900 48,760 34,132 73,140 126,600 50,640 35,448 75,960
ICA \1\......................................................... 32,400 n/a n/a n/a 33,699 n/a n/a n/a
AFA Inshore..................................................... 529,050 211,620 148,134 317,430 549,551 219,820 153,874 329,730
AFA Catcher/Processors \3\...................................... 423,240 169,296 118,507 253,944 439,640 175,856 123,099 263,784
Catch by C/Ps................................................... 387,265 154,906 n/a 232,359 402,271 160,908 n/a 241,363
Catch by CVs \3\................................................ 35,975 14,390 n/a 21,585 37,369 14,948 n/a 22,422
Unlisted C/P Limit \4\.......................................... 2,116 846 n/a 1,270 2,198 879 n/a 1,319
AFA Motherships................................................. 105,810 42,324 29,627 63,486 109,910 43,964 30,775 65,946
Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\.................................. 185,168 n/a n/a n/a 192,343 n/a n/a n/a
Excessive Processing Limit \6\.................................. 317,430 n/a n/a n/a 329,730 n/a n/a n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA............................................ 1,058,100 423,240 296,268 634,860 1,099,101 439,640 307,748 659,461
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Aleutian Islands subarea\1\..................................... 6,600 n/a n/a n/a 6,600 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA......................................................... 0 0 n/a 0 0 0 n/a 0
ICA............................................................. 1,600 800 n/a 800 1,600 800 n/a 800
[[Page 5144]]
Aleut Corporation............................................... 5,000 5,000 n/a 0 5,000 5,000 n/a 0
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Bogoslof District ICA \7\....................................... 150 n/a n/a n/a 150 n/a n/a n/a
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\1\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (3 percent), is allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore sector--50
percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)--40 percent, and mothership sector--10 percent. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 60
percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1). Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ
directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (1,600 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is allocated 40
percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
\2\ In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining 12 percent of the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be
taken outside of SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If less than 28 percent of the annual DFA is taken inside the SCA before April 1, the remainder will be available to be
taken inside the SCA after April 1.
\3\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest only by eligible catcher vessels
delivering to listed catcher/processors.
\4\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processors sector's allocation of
pollock.
\5\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\6\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\7\ The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and are not apportioned by season or sector.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
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 AI pollock. Since the pollock fishery
opens January 20, 2013, it is important to immediately inform the
industry as to the final Bering Sea subarea pollock allocations.
Immediate notification is necessary to allow for the orderly conduct
and efficient operation of this fishery; allow the industry to plan for
the fishing season and avoid potential disruption to the fishing fleet
as well as processors; and provide opportunity to harvest increased
seasonal pollock allocations while value is optimum. NMFS was unable to
publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most
recent, relevant data only became available as of January 11, 2013.
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: January 18, 2013.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-01432 Filed 1-18-13; 4:15 pm]
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