Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 177 (Tuesday, September 13, 2016)


[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 13, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 62833-62834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21941]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 150916863-6211-02]
RIN 0648-XE867


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 unused rock sole Community Development
Quota (CDQ) for yellowfin sole CDQ acceptable biological catch (ABC)
reserves in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This
action is necessary to allow the 2016 total allowable catch of
yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area
to be harvested.

DATES: Effective September 13, 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 rock sole and yellowfin sole CDQ reserves specified in the
BSAI are 6,160 metric tons (mt), and 15,773 mt as established by the
final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI
(81 FR 14773, March 18, 2016) and following revision (81 FR 48722, July
26, 2016). The 2016 rock sole and yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves are
11,078 mt and 6,879 mt as established by the final 2016 and 2017
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (81 FR 14773, March
18, 2016) and following revision (81 FR 48722, July 26, 2016).
The Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association has
requested that NMFS exchange 700 mt of rock sole CDQ reserves for 700
mt of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves under Sec. 679.31(d). Therefore,
in accordance with Sec. 679.31(d), NMFS exchanges 700 mt of rock sole
CDQ reserves for 700 mt of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves in the BSAI.
This action also decreases and increases the TACs and CDQ 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 following revision (81 FR 48722, July 26, 2016),
are 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 20,585 56,450 145,065
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 13,753 44,990 110,113
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative........................... 3,271 2,947 4,171 1,411 11,129 43,748
Alaska Seafood Cooperative.............................. 2,898 2,611 3,695 12,342 33,861 66,365
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Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.


[[Page 62834]]


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..................................................... 20,585 56,450 145,065 21,000 57,100 144,000
ABC surplus............................................. 45,665 104,650 66,635 43,580 87,900 59,500
ABC reserve............................................. 45,665 104,650 66,635 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................................ 40,408 92,872 60,456 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\................. 36,263 69,898 36,437 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 Aleutian Pribilof Island
Community Development Association in 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 1, 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 7, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-21941 Filed 9-12-16; 8:45 am]
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