[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 207 (Tuesday, October 27, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 65663-65665]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27274]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 141021887-5172-02]
RIN 0648-XE272


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Exchange of 
Flatfish 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.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is exchanging allocations of Amendment 80 cooperative 
quota (CQ) for Amendment 80 acceptable biological catch (ABC) reserves. 
This action is necessary to allow the 2015 total allowable catch of 
flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin

[[Page 65664]]

sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area to be 
harvested.

DATES: Effective October 27, 2015, through December 31, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (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 2015 flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole Amendment 80 
allocations of the total allowable catch (TAC) specified in the BSAI 
are 11,035 metric tons (mt), 52,390 mt, and 118,962 mt as established 
by the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for groundfish in the 
BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015) and as revised (80 FR 60073, October 
5, 2015). The 2015 flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole 
Amendment 80 ABC reserves are 43,019 mt, 101,868 mt, and 82,051 mt as 
established by the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015) and as revised (80 
FR 60073, October 5, 2015).
    The Alaska Seafood cooperative has requested that NMFS exchange 600 
mt of flathead sole and 1,350 mt of rock sole Amendment 80 allocations 
of the TAC for 1,950 mt of yellowfin sole Amendment 80 ABC reserves 
under Sec.  679.91(i). Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  679.91(i), 
NMFS exchanges 600 mt of flathead sole and 1,350 mt of rock sole 
Amendment 80 allocations of the TAC for 1,950 mt of yellowfin sole 
Amendment 80 ABC reserves in the BSAI. This action also decreases and 
increases the TACs and Amendment 80 ABC reserves by the corresponding 
amounts. Tables 11 and 13 of the final 2015 and 2016 harvest 
specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015) 
and as revised (80 FR 60073, October 5, 2015) are further revised as 
follows:

 Table 11--Final 2015 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAS), and Amendment
  80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin
                                                    Sole Tacs
                                          [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                             Pacific ocean perch             Flathead    Rock  sole   Yellowfin
                                   ---------------------------------------     sole    -------------     sole
              Sector                  Eastern      Central      Western   -------------             ------------
                                      Aleutian     Aleutian     Aleutian                    BSAI
                                      District     District     District       BSAI                      BSAI
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC...............................        8,000        7,000        9,000       17,187       65,915      159,398
CDQ...............................          856          749          963        1,752        6,875       17,321
ICA...............................          100           75           10        5,000        8,000        5,000
BSAI trawl limited access.........          704          618          161            0            0       16,165
Amendment 80......................        6,340        5,558        7,866       10,435       51,040      120,912
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative.....        3,362        2,947        4,171        1,708       13,318       44,455
Alaska Seafood Cooperative........        2,978        2,611        3,695        8,727       37,722       76,457
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Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.


 Table 13--Final 2015 and 2016 ABC Surplus,Community Development Quota (CDQ) ABC Reserves, and Amendment 80 ABC Reserves in the BSAI for Flathead Sole,
                                                              Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                                2015 Flathead                      2015 Yellowfin     2016 Flathead                      2016 Yellowfin
                   Sector                           sole         2015 Rock  sole        sole              sole         2016 Rock  sole        sole
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ABC.........................................            66,130           181,700           248,800            63,711           164,800           245,500
TAC.........................................            17,187            65,915           159,398            24,250            69,250           149,000
ABC surplus.................................            48,943           115,785            89,402            39,461            95,550            96,500
ABC reserve.................................            48,943           115,785            89,402            39,461            95,550            96,500
CDQ ABC reserve.............................             5,324            12,567             9,301             4,222            10,224            10,326
Amendment 80 ABC reserve....................            43,619           103,218            80,101            35,239            85,326            86,175
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for 2015 \1\..             3,836            24,840            35,408               n/a               n/a               n/a
Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2015 \1\.....            39,783            78,378            44,693               n/a               n/a               n/a
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\1\ The 2016 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, 2015.

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 flatfish exchange by the Alaska Seafood cooperative the 
BSAI.

[[Page 65665]]

Since these fisheries are 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 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: October 22, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-27274 Filed 10-26-15; 8:45 am]
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