[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 166 (Thursday, August 27, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51961-51962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21144]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 141021887-5172-02]
RIN 0648-XE143
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 pollock directed fishing allowance from the Aleutian
Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea directed fisheries. This
action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2015
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.), August 27, 2015,
until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.
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 2015 pollock
total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to the Aleut Corporation's
directed fishing allowance (DFA) is 12,146 metric tons (mt) as
established by the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015), and through
reallocation (80 FR 15695, March 25, 2015).
As of August 19, 2015, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator) has determined that 10,000 metric tons (mt) of
Aleut Corporation's DFA will not be harvested. Therefore, in accordance
with Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS reallocates 10,000 mt of Aleut
Corporation's DFA from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the 2015 Bering
Sea subarea allocations. The 10,000 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 2015 Bering
Sea pollock incidental catch allowance remains at 47,160 mt. As a
result, the harvest specifications for pollock in the Aleutian Islands
subarea included in the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015), and revised (80 FR
15695, March 25, 2015), are further revised as follows: 2,146 mt to
Aleut Corporation's DFA. Furthermore, pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5),
Table 4 of the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015), and revised (80 FR
15695, March 25, 2015), is further revised as follows to make 2015
pollock allocations consistent with this reallocation. This
reallocation results in an adjustment to the 2015 Aleut Corporation
allocation established at Sec. 679.20(a)(5).
[[Page 51962]]
Table 4--Final 2015 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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2015 A season \1\ 2015 B season
2015 -------------------------------- \1\
Area and sector Allocations SCA harvest ---------------
A season DFA limit \2\ B season DFA
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Bering Sea subarea TAC \1\...................... 1,324,454 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA......................................... 132,900 53,160 37,212 79,740
ICA \1\......................................... 47,160 n/a n/a n/a
AFA Inshore..................................... 572,197 228,879 160,215 343,318
AFA Catcher/Processors \3\...................... 457,758 183,103 128,172 274,655
Catch by C/Ps............................... 418,848 167,539 n/a 251,309
Catch by CVs \3\............................ 38,909 15,564 n/a 23,346
Unlisted C/P Limit \4\...................... 2,289 916 n/a 1,373
AFA Motherships................................. 114,439 45,776 32,043 68,664
Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\.................. 200,269 n/a n/a n/a
Excessive Processing Limit \6\.................. 343,318 n/a n/a n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA............................ 1,144,394 457,758 320,430 686,636
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC.................... 29,659 n/a n/a n/a
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC \1\................ 4,546 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA......................................... 0 0 n/a 0
ICA............................................. 2,400 1,200 n/a 1,200
Aleut Corporation............................... 2,146 2,146 n/a 0
Area harvest limit
541......................................... 8,898 n/a n/a n/a
542......................................... 4,449 n/a n/a n/a
543......................................... 1,483 n/a n/a n/a
Bogoslof District ICA \7\....................... 100 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 (4.0 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 (2,400 mt), is
allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed 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 pollock directed 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.
\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\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in
Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent
of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC.
\8\ 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
is currently open, 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 August 19, 2015.
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: August 21, 2015.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-21144 Filed 8-26-15; 8:45 am]
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