80 FR 36250 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 121 (June 24, 2015)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 121 (June 24, 2015)
| Page Range | 36250-36250 | |
| FR Document | 2015-15504 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 2015)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 36250] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-15504] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 141021887-5172-02] RIN 0648-XD996 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel 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; closure. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the Central Aleutian district (CAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2015 total allowable catch (TAC) of Atka mackerel in this area allocated to vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), June 20, 2015, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive economic zone 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 TAC of Atka mackerel, in the CAI, allocated to vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery was established as a directed fishing allowance of 1,511 metric tons by the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015). In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance has been reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Atka mackerel in the CAI by vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. After the effective dates of this closure, the maximum retainable amounts at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip. 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 a 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 closure of the Atka mackerel directed fishery in the CAI for vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of June 18, 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: June 19, 2015. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015-15504 Filed 6-19-15; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![36250 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 121 / Wednesday, June 24, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
NOAA (AA), finds that the need to Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), amounts at § 679.20(e) and (f) apply at
immediately implement this action to Commerce. any time during a trip.
close the commercial sector for dolphin ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
constitutes good cause to waive the Classification
requirements to provide prior notice SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed This action responds to the best
and opportunity for public comment fishing for Atka mackerel in the Central available information recently obtained
pursuant to the authority set forth in 5 Aleutian district (CAI) of the Bering Sea from the fishery. The Assistant
U.S.C. 553(b)(B), as such procedures are and Aleutian Islands management area Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,
unnecessary and contrary to the public (BSAI) by vessels participating in the
interest. Such procedures are (AA) finds good cause to waive the
BSAI trawl limited access fishery. This requirement to provide prior notice and
unnecessary because the rule itself has action is necessary to prevent exceeding
been subject to notice and comment, opportunity for public comment
the 2015 total allowable catch (TAC) of
and all that remains is to notify the pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
Atka mackerel in this area allocated to
public of the closure. Such procedures vessels participating in the BSAI trawl U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such a requirement
are contrary to the public interest limited access fishery. is impracticable and contrary to the
because of the need to immediately public interest. This requirement is
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local
implement this action to protect impracticable and contrary to the public
dolphin since the capacity of the fishing time (A.l.t.), June 20, 2015, through interest as it would prevent NMFS from
fleet allows for rapid harvest of the 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2015.
responding to the most recent fisheries
commercial ACL. Prior notice and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: data in a timely fashion and would
opportunity for public comment would Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228. delay the closure of the Atka mackerel
require time and would potentially SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS directed fishery in the CAI for vessels
result in a harvest well in excess of the manages the groundfish fishery in the participating in the BSAI trawl limited
established commercial ACL. BSAI exclusive economic zone access fishery. NMFS was unable to
For the aforementioned reasons, the according to the Fishery Management publish a notice providing time for
AA also finds good cause to waive the Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea public comment because the most
30-day delay in the effectiveness of this and Aleutian Islands Management Area recent, relevant data only became
action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific available as of June 18, 2015. The AA
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Fishery Management Council under also finds good cause to waive the 30-
Dated: June 19, 2015. authority of the Magnuson-Stevens day delay in the effective date of this
Emily H. Menashes, Fishery Conservation and Management action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Act. Regulations governing fishing by finding is based upon the reasons
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP
provided above for waiver of prior
appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600
[FR Doc. 2015–15510 Filed 6–19–15; 4:15 pm] notice and opportunity for public
and 50 CFR part 679.
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P comment.
The 2015 TAC of Atka mackerel, in
the CAI, allocated to vessels This action is required by § 679.20
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE participating in the BSAI trawl limited and is exempt from review under
access fishery was established as a Executive Order 12866.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric directed fishing allowance of 1,511 Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Administration metric tons by the final 2015 and 2016
harvest specifications for groundfish in Dated: June 19, 2015.
50 CFR Part 679 the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015). Emily H. Menashes,
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
[Docket No. 141021887–5172–02]
the Regional Administrator finds that Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
RIN 0648–XD996 this directed fishing allowance has been [FR Doc. 2015–15504 Filed 6–19–15; 4:15 pm]
reached. Consequently, NMFS is BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic prohibiting directed fishing for Atka
Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the mackerel in the CAI by vessels
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands participating in the BSAI trawl limited
Management Area access fishery.
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries After the effective dates of this
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and closure, the maximum retainable
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:13 Jun 23, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\24JNR1.SGM 24JNR1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_36371/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2015-12-15 14:08:57
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 14:08:57
| 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; closure. | |
| Dates | Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), June 20, 2015, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2015. | |
| Contact | Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 36250 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XD99 |
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