80 FR 68267 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 213 (November 4, 2015)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 213 (November 4, 2015)
| Page Range | 68267-68267 | |
| FR Document | 2015-28071 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 213 (Wednesday, November 4, 2015)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 68267] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-28071] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 140918791-4999-02] RIN 0648-XE296 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention of sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2015 total allowable catch of sablefish allocated to vessels using trawl gear in the West Yakutat District of the GOA will be reached. DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 30, 2015, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2015. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh Keaton, 907-586-7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (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 total allowable catch (TAC) of sablefish allocated to vessels using trawl gear in the West Yakutat District of the GOA is 220 metric tons (mt) as established by the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA (80 FR 10250, February 25, 2015). In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(2), the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 2015 TAC of sablefish allocated to vessels using trawl gear in the West Yakutat District of the GOA will be reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring that sablefish caught by vessels using trawl gear in the West Yakutat District of the GOA be treated as prohibited species in accordance with Sec. 679.21(b). 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 prohibiting the retention of sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in the West Yakutat District of the GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of October 28, 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 Sec. 679.21 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: October 30, 2015. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2015-28071 Filed 10-30-15; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 213 / Wednesday, November 4, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 68267
281–9260, or access DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the
hmspermits.noaa.gov, for updates on Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS
quota monitoring and inseason National Oceanic and Atmospheric (Regional Administrator), has
adjustments. Administration determined that the 2015 TAC of
sablefish allocated to vessels using trawl
Classification 50 CFR Part 679 gear in the West Yakutat District of the
The Assistant Administrator for [Docket No. 140918791–4999–02] GOA will be reached. Therefore, NMFS
NMFS (AA) finds that it is impracticable is requiring that sablefish caught by
RIN 0648–XE296 vessels using trawl gear in the West
and contrary to the public interest to
provide prior notice of, and an Yakutat District of the GOA be treated
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
opportunity for public comment on, this as prohibited species in accordance
Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish in the West
action for the following reasons: with § 679.21(b).
Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska
The regulations implementing the Classification
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
2006 Consolidated HMS FMP and Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and This action responds to the best
Amendments provide for inseason Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), available information recently obtained
retention limit adjustments to respond Commerce. from the fishery. The Assistant
to the unpredictable nature of BFT ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
availability on the fishing grounds, the (AA), finds good cause to waive the
migratory nature of this species, and the SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention requirement to provide prior notice and
regional variations in the BFT fishery. of sablefish by vessels using trawl gear opportunity for public comment
Affording prior notice and in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
opportunity for public comment to of Alaska (GOA). This action is U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
implement the quota transfer for the necessary because the 2015 total impracticable and contrary to the public
remainder of 2015 is impracticable as it allowable catch of sablefish allocated to interest. This requirement is
vessels using trawl gear in the West impracticable and contrary to the public
would preclude NMFS from acting
Yakutat District of the GOA will be interest as it would prevent NMFS from
promptly to allow continued harvest of
reached. responding to the most recent fisheries
BFT that are available on the fishing
grounds via a quota transfer from the DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska data in a timely fashion and would
Harpoon and Reserve categories to the local time (A.l.t.), October 30, 2015, delay prohibiting the retention of
General category. The delay would through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, sablefish by vessels using trawl gear in
preclude the fishery from harvesting 2015. the West Yakutat District of the GOA.
BFT that are available on the fishing FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh NMFS was unable to publish a notice
grounds and that might otherwise Keaton, 907–586–7228. providing time for public comment
become unavailable during a delay. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS because the most recent, relevant data
Therefore, the AA finds good cause manages the groundfish fishery in the only became available as of October 28,
under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) to waive prior GOA exclusive economic zone 2015.
notice and the opportunity for public according to the Fishery Management The AA also finds good cause to
comment. For all of the above reasons, Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of waive the 30-day delay in the effective
there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North date of this action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d) to waive the 30-day delay in Pacific Fishery Management Council 553(d)(3). This finding is based upon
effectiveness. under authority of the Magnuson- the reasons provided above for waiver of
Stevens Fishery Conservation and prior notice and opportunity for public
This action is being taken under comment.
Management Act. Regulations governing
§ 635.27(a)(9) and is exempt from This action is required by § 679.20
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance
review under Executive Order 12866. with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 and § 679.21 and is exempt from review
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679. under Executive Order 12866.
et seq. The 2015 total allowable catch (TAC) Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 30, 2015.
of sablefish allocated to vessels using
trawl gear in the West Yakutat District Dated: October 30, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes, of the GOA is 220 metric tons (mt) as Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable established by the final 2015 and 2016 Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. harvest specifications for groundfish of Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–28070 Filed 10–30–15; 4:15 pm] the GOA (80 FR 10250, February 25, [FR Doc. 2015–28071 Filed 10–30–15; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 2015). BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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Document Created: 2018-03-01 11:27:43
Document Modified: 2018-03-01 11:27:43
| 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 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 30, 2015, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2015. | |
| Contact | Josh Keaton, 907-586-7228. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 68267 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XE29 |
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