Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 180 (Friday, September 16, 2016)


[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 180 (Friday, September 16, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63716-63717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22338]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 150916863-6211-02]
RIN 0648-XE878


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 2016 total allowable catch of
flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands management area to be harvested.

DATES: Effective September 16, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

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 2016 flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole Amendment 80
allocations of the total allowable catch (TAC) specified in the BSAI
are 13,753 metric tons (mt), 44,990 mt, and 110,113 mt as established
by the final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (81 FR 14773, March 18, 2016). The 2016 flathead sole, rock sole,
and yellowfin sole

[[Page 63717]]

Amendment 80 ABC reserves are 40,408 mt, 92,872 mt, and 60,456 mt as
established by the final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (81 FR 14773, March 18, 2016).
The Alaska Seafood cooperative has requested that NMFS exchange
3,900 mt of flathead sole and 1,025 mt of rock sole Amendment 80
allocations of the TAC for 4,925 mt of yellowfin sole Amendment 80 ABC
reserves under Sec. 679.91(i). Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.91(i), NMFS exchanges 3,900 mt of flathead sole and 1,025 mt of
rock sole Amendment 80 allocations of the TAC for 4,925 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 2016 and 2017
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (81 FR 14773, March
18, 2016) and as revised (81 FR 62833, September 13, 2016) are further
revised as follows:

Table 11--Final 2016 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 sole Rock sole Yellowfin sole
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Sector Eastern Central Western
Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian BSAI BSAI BSAI
District District District
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TAC..................................................... 7,900 7,000 9,000 16,685 55,425 149,990
CDQ..................................................... 845 749 963 1,832 5,460 16,473
ICA..................................................... 200 75 10 5,000 6,000 3,500
BSAI trawl limited access............................... 685 618 161 0 0 14,979
Amendment 80............................................ 6,169 5,558 7,866 9,853 43,965 115,038
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative........................... 3,271 2,947 4,171 1,411 11,129 43,748
Alaska Seafood Cooperative.............................. 2,898 2,611 3,695 8,442 32,836 71,290
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Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.


Table 13--Final 2016 and 2017 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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2016 Flathead 2016 Yellowfin 2017 Flathead 2017 Yellowfin
Sector sole 2016 Rock sole sole sole 2017 Rock sole sole
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ABC..................................................... 66,250 161,100 211,700 64,580 145,000 203,500
TAC..................................................... 16,685 55,425 149,990 21,000 57,100 144,000
ABC surplus............................................. 49,565 105,675 61,710 43,580 87,900 59,500
ABC reserve............................................. 49,565 105,675 61,710 43,580 87,900 59,500
CDQ ABC reserve......................................... 5,257 11,778 6,179 4,663 9,405 6,367
Amendment 80 ABC reserve................................ 44,308 93,897 55,531 38,917 78,495 53,134
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for 2016 \1\.............. 4,145 22,974 24,019 n/a n/a n/a
Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2016 \1\................. 40,163 70,923 31,512 n/a n/a n/a
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\1\ The 2017 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, 2016.

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. 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 September 7, 2016.
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: September 13, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-22338 Filed 9-15-16; 8:45 am]
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