80 FR 13788 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish Managed Under the Individual Fishing Quota Program
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 51 (March 17, 2015)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 51 (March 17, 2015)
| Page Range | 13788-13788 | |
| FR Document | 2015-06064 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 51 (Tuesday, March 17, 2015)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 13788] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-06064] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 141021887-5172-02 and 140918791-4999-02] RIN 0648-XD818 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish Managed Under the Individual Fishing Quota Program AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; opening. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The season will open 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 14, 2015, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 7, 2015. This period is the same as the 2015 commercial halibut fishery opening dates adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission. The IFQ and CDQ halibut season is specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures. DATES: Effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 14, 2015, until 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 7, 2015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907-586-7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning in 1995, fishing for Pacific halibut and sablefish with fixed gear in the IFQ regulatory areas defined in 50 CFR 679.2 has been managed under the IFQ Program. The IFQ Program is a regulatory regime designed to promote the conservation and management of these fisheries and to further the objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act. Persons holding quota share receive an annual allocation of IFQ. Persons receiving an annual allocation of IFQ are authorized to harvest IFQ species within specified limitations. Further information on the implementation of the IFQ Program, and the rationale supporting it, are contained in the preamble to the final rule implementing the IFQ Program published in the Federal Register, November 9, 1993 (58 FR 59375) and subsequent amendments. This announcement is consistent with Sec. 679.23(g)(1), which requires that the directed fishing season for sablefish managed under the IFQ Program be specified by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and announced by publication in the Federal Register. This method of season announcement was selected to facilitate coordination between the sablefish season, chosen by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and the halibut season, adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC). The directed fishing season for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the IFQ Program will open 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 14, 2015, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 7, 2015. This period runs concurrently with the IFQ season for Pacific halibut announced by the IPHC. The IFQ halibut season will be specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62. 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 opening of the sablefish fishery thereby increasing bycatch and regulatory discards between the sablefish fishery and the halibut fishery, and preventing the accomplishment of the management objective for simultaneous opening of these two fisheries. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of March 11, 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. 679.23 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: March 12, 2015. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015-06064 Filed 3-12-15; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![13788 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 51 / Tuesday, March 17, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
3 For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean
perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see §§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish
TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Ber-
ing Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). Aleutian Islands
Greenland turbot, ‘‘other flatfish,’’ Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ‘‘other
rockfish,’’ skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program.
4 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent)
and second for the incidental catch allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: Inshore—50
percent; catcher/processor—40 percent; and motherships—10 percent. Under § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands sub-
area pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (2,400
mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery.
5 The BS Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the combined BSAI ABC to account for the State of Alaska’s (State) guideline harvest
level in State waters of the Bering Sea subarea. The AI Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the combined BSAI ABC to account for
the State guideline harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea.
6 ‘‘Flathead sole’’ includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder).
7 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole,
arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Alaska plaice.
8 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
9 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker
rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at § 679.2 (BS=Bering Sea subarea, AI=Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI=Eastern Aleutian dis-
trict, CAI=Central Aleutian district, WAI=Western Aleutian district.)
[FR Doc. C1–2015–05041 Filed 3–16–15; 8:45 am] regulatory areas defined in 50 CFR 679.2 Classification
BILLING CODE 1505–01–D has been managed under the IFQ
Program. The IFQ Program is a This action responds to the best
regulatory regime designed to promote available information recently obtained
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE the conservation and management of from the fishery. The Assistant
these fisheries and to further the Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric (AA), finds good cause to waive the
Administration objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management requirement to provide prior notice and
Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut opportunity for public comment
50 CFR Part 679 pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
Act. Persons holding quota share receive
[Docket No. 141021887–5172–02 and an annual allocation of IFQ. Persons U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
140918791–4999–02] impracticable and contrary to the public
receiving an annual allocation of IFQ
RIN 0648–XD818 are authorized to harvest IFQ species interest. This requirement is
within specified limitations. Further impracticable and contrary to the public
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic information on the implementation of interest as it would prevent NMFS from
Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish Managed the IFQ Program, and the rationale responding to the most recent fisheries
Under the Individual Fishing Quota data in a timely fashion and would
supporting it, are contained in the
Program delay the opening of the sablefish
preamble to the final rule implementing
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries the IFQ Program published in the fishery thereby increasing bycatch and
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Federal Register, November 9, 1993 (58 regulatory discards between the
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), FR 59375) and subsequent amendments. sablefish fishery and the halibut fishery,
Commerce. and preventing the accomplishment of
This announcement is consistent with the management objective for
ACTION: Temporary rule; opening. § 679.23(g)(1), which requires that the simultaneous opening of these two
SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed directed fishing season for sablefish fisheries. NMFS was unable to publish
fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the IFQ Program be a notice providing time for public
managed under the Individual Fishing specified by the Administrator, Alaska comment because the most recent,
Quota (IFQ) Program and the Region, and announced by publication relevant data only became available as
Community Development Quota (CDQ) in the Federal Register. This method of of March 11, 2015.
Program. The season will open 1200 season announcement was selected to
The AA also finds good cause to
hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March facilitate coordination between the
waive the 30-day delay in the effective
14, 2015, and will close 1200 hours, sablefish season, chosen by the
date of this action under 5 U.S.C.
A.l.t., November 7, 2015. This period is Administrator, Alaska Region, and the
the same as the 2015 commercial 553(d)(3). This finding is based upon
halibut season, adopted by the
halibut fishery opening dates adopted the reasons provided above for waiver of
International Pacific Halibut
by the International Pacific Halibut prior notice and opportunity for public
Commission (IPHC). The directed comment.
Commission. The IFQ and CDQ halibut fishing season for sablefish with fixed
season is specified by a separate gear managed under the IFQ Program This action is required by § 679.23
publication in the Federal Register of will open 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 14, and is exempt from review under
annual management measures. 2015, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., Executive Order 12866.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 7, 2015. This period runs Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
March 14, 2015, until 1200 hours, A.l.t.,
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
concurrently with the IFQ season for Dated: March 12, 2015.
November 7, 2015. Pacific halibut announced by the IPHC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily H. Menashes,
The IFQ halibut season will be specified
Obren Davis, 907–586–7228. Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
by a separate publication in the Federal
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
Register of annual management
in 1995, fishing for Pacific halibut and [FR Doc. 2015–06064 Filed 3–12–15; 4:15 pm]
measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.
sablefish with fixed gear in the IFQ BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:20 Mar 16, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\17MRR1.SGM 17MRR1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_13839/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2015-12-18 12:01:12
Document Modified: 2015-12-18 12:01:12
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Rules and Regulations | |
| Action | Temporary rule; opening. | |
| Dates | Effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 14, 2015, until 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 7, 2015. | |
| Contact | Obren Davis, 907-586-7228. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 13788 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XD81 |
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