81 FR 14989 - 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 81, Issue 54 (March 21, 2016)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 54 (March 21, 2016)
| Page Range | 14989-14989 | |
| FR Document | 2016-06225 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 54 (Monday, March 21, 2016)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 14989] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-06225] [[Page 14989]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 150818742-6210-02 and 150916863-6211-02] RIN 0648-XE507 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 19, 2016, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 7, 2016. This period is the same as the 2016 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 19, 2016, until 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 7, 2016. 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 19, 2016, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 7, 2016. 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 14, 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. 679.23 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: March 15, 2016. Alan D. Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2016-06225 Filed 3-16-16; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 54 / Monday, March 21, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 14989
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE has been managed under the IFQ Classification
Program. The IFQ Program is a This action responds to the best
National Oceanic and Atmospheric regulatory regime designed to promote available information recently obtained
Administration the conservation and management of from the fishery. The Assistant
these fisheries and to further the Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA,
50 CFR Part 679 objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens (AA), finds good cause to waive the
[Docket No. 150818742–6210–02 and Fishery Conservation and Management requirement to provide prior notice and
150916863–6211–02] Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut opportunity for public comment
RIN 0648–XE507
Act. Persons holding quota share receive pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
an annual allocation of IFQ. Persons U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic receiving an annual allocation of IFQ impracticable and contrary to the public
Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish Managed are authorized to harvest IFQ species interest. This requirement is
Under the Individual Fishing Quota within specified limitations. Further impracticable and contrary to the public
Program information on the implementation of interest as it would prevent NMFS from
the IFQ Program, and the rationale responding to the most recent fisheries
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries supporting it, are contained in the data in a timely fashion and would
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and preamble to the final rule implementing delay the opening of the sablefish
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), fishery thereby increasing bycatch and
the IFQ Program published in the
Commerce. regulatory discards between the
Federal Register, November 9, 1993 (58
ACTION: Temporary rule; opening. FR 59375) and subsequent amendments. sablefish fishery and the halibut fishery,
and preventing the accomplishment of
SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed This announcement is consistent with
the management objective for
fishing for sablefish with fixed gear § 679.23(g)(1), which requires that the
simultaneous opening of these two
managed under the Individual Fishing directed fishing season for sablefish
fisheries. NMFS was unable to publish
Quota (IFQ) Program and the managed under the IFQ Program be
a notice providing time for public
Community Development Quota (CDQ) specified by the Administrator, Alaska
comment because the most recent,
Program. The season will open 1200 Region, and announced by publication relevant data only became available as
hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March in the Federal Register. This method of of March 14, 2016.
19, 2016, and will close 1200 hours, season announcement was selected to The AA also finds good cause to
A.l.t., November 7, 2016. This period is facilitate coordination between the waive the 30-day delay in the effective
the same as the 2016 commercial sablefish season, chosen by the date of this action under 5 U.S.C.
halibut fishery opening dates adopted Administrator, Alaska Region, and the 553(d)(3). This finding is based upon
by the International Pacific Halibut halibut season, adopted by the the reasons provided above for waiver of
Commission. The IFQ and CDQ halibut International Pacific Halibut prior notice and opportunity for public
season is specified by a separate Commission (IPHC). The directed comment.
publication in the Federal Register of fishing season for sablefish with fixed
annual management measures. This action is required by § 679.23
gear managed under the IFQ Program and is exempt from review under
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., will open 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 19, Executive Order 12866.
March 19, 2016, until 1200 hours, A.l.t., 2016, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t.,
November 7, 2016. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
November 7, 2016. This period runs
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: concurrently with the IFQ season for Dated: March 15, 2016.
Obren Davis, 907–586–7228. Pacific halibut announced by the IPHC. Alan D. Risenhoover,
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning The IFQ halibut season will be specified Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
in 1995, fishing for Pacific halibut and by a separate publication in the Federal National Marine Fisheries Service.
sablefish with fixed gear in the IFQ Register of annual management [FR Doc. 2016–06225 Filed 3–16–16; 4:15 pm]
regulatory areas defined in 50 CFR 679.2 measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62. BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
Lhorne on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:24 Mar 18, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\21MRR1.SGM 21MRR1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/81_FR_15043/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2016-03-19 01:00:37
Document Modified: 2016-03-19 01:00:37
| 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 19, 2016, until 1200 hours, A.l.t., November 7, 2016. | |
| Contact | Obren Davis, 907-586-7228. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 14989 | |
| RIN Number | 0648-XE50 |
2025 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR