Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 211 (Tuesday, November 1, 2016)


[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 211 (Tuesday, November 1, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 75740-75741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26350]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 150916863-6211-02]
RIN 0648-XF009


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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS is exchanging unused flathead sole and 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 November 1, 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 CDQ reserves
specified in the BSAI are 1,233 metric tons (mt), 4,970 mt, and 17,562
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 72740, October 21, 2016). The 2016 flathead sole, rock
sole, and yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves are 5,856 mt, 12,268 mt, and
5,090 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 72740, October 21, 2016).
The Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association has requested
that NMFS exchange 73 mt of flathead sole and 606 mt of rock sole CDQ
reserves for 679 mt of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves under Sec.
679.31(d). Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.31(d), NMFS
exchanges 73 mt of flathead sole and 606 mt of rock sole CDQ reserves
for 679 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 72740, October 21, 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]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch Flathead sole Rock sole Yellowfin sole
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sector Eastern Central Western
Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian BSAI BSAI BSAI
District District District
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC..................................................... 7,900 7,000 9,000 16,013 54,329 151,758
CDQ..................................................... 845 749 963 1,160 4,364 18,241
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016 Flathead 2016 Yellowfin 2017 Flathead 2017 Yellowfin
Sector sole 2016 Rock sole sole sole 2017 Rock sole sole
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABC..................................................... 66,250 161,100 211,700 64,580 145,000 203,500
TAC..................................................... 16,013 54,329 151,758 21,000 57,100 144,000
ABC surplus............................................. 50,237 106,771 59,942 43,580 87,900 59,500
ABC reserve............................................. 50,237 106,771 59,942 43,580 87,900 59,500
CDQ ABC reserve......................................... 5,929 12,874 4,411 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

[[Page 75741]]


Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2016 \1\................. 40,163 70,923 31,512 n/a n/a n/a
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 Yukon Delta Fisheries
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
October 24, 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: October 27, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-26350 Filed 10-27-16; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P