Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Catch Sharing Plan; Fisheries Off West Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Specifications and Management Measures; Inseason Adjustments, 20304-20314 [05-7721]
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20304
§ 535.704
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 74 / Tuesday, April 19, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
Filing of minutes.
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(d) Exemptions. For parties to
agreements subject to this section, the
following exemptions shall apply:
(1) Minutes of meetings between
parties are not required to reflect
discussions of matters set forth in
§ 535.408(b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(4)(iii),
(b)(4)(iv), (b)(4)(v), and (b)(4)(vi);
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I 3. In appendix A to part 535, amend
FMC Form–150 by revising the
paragraph in part 2(B) of section III and
the heading of section V to read as
follows:
Appendix A to Part 535—Information
Form and Instructions Information
Form Instructions
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FMC Form–150
OMB Control No. 3072–0045
FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION
INFORMATION FORM FOR AGREEMENTS
BETWEEN OR AMONG OCEAN COMMON
CARRIERS
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Part 2 Vessel Calls
(A) * * *
(B) Narrative statement on significant
changes in vessel calls: llllllllll
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Section V
Part 1 Contact Persons and Certification
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Bryant L. VanBrakle,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05–7741 Filed 4–18–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6730–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
The amendments to § 660.384
are effective May 1, 2005. The inseason
adjustment to the annual management
measures for Pacific halibut fisheries are
effective from April 14, 2005, until the
effective date of the 2006 annual
management measures, which will be
published in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Plan,
Environmental Assessment (EA)/
Regulatory Impact Review (RIR)/Initial
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA),
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
(FRFA) and Categorical Exclusion (CE)
are available from D. Robert Lohn,
Regional Administrator, Northwest
Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way
NE, Seattle, WA 98115–0070. Electronic
copies of the Plan, including proposed
changes for 2005, and of the EA/RIR/
IRFA are also available at the NMFS
Northwest Region website: https://
www.nwr.noaa.gov, click on ‘‘Pacific
Halibut.’’
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jamie Goen or Yvonne deReynier
(Northwest Region, NMFS), phone: 206–
526–6150, fax: 206–526–6736 or e-mail:
jamie.goen@noaa.gov or
yvonne.dereynier@noaa.gov.
50 CFR Parts 300 and 660
[Docket No. 050125016–5097–02; I.D.
011805C]
RIN 0648–AS61
Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Catch
Sharing Plan; Fisheries Off West Coast
States and in the Western Pacific;
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery;
Specifications and Management
Measures; Inseason Adjustments
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
AGENCY:
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Administrator
for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), on behalf of
the International Pacific Halibut
Commission (IPHC), publishes annual
management measures to govern the
Pacific halibut fishery. These measures
are promulgated as regulations by the
IPHC and accepted by the Secretary of
State. The AA announces modifications
to the Catch Sharing Plan (Plan) for Area
2A and implementing regulations for
2005, and announces approval of the
Area 2A Plan. The AA also announces
related changes to management
measures in the recreational Pacific
Coast groundfish fisheries, which are
authorized by the Pacific Coast
Groundfish Fishery Management Plan
(FMP). These actions are intended to
enhance the conservation of Pacific
halibut and groundfish and further the
goals and objectives of the Pacific
Fishery Management Council (Pacific
Council).
DATES:
Section III
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Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
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The IPHC
manages Pacific halibut in waters off
Alaska, British Columbia, and the U.S.
West Coast. On January 18–21, 2005, the
IPHC held its annual meeting in
Victoria, B.C., and recommended its
bilateral regulations for 2005. The
Secretary of State of the United States
has accepted the 2005 IPHC regulations
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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under section 4 of the Northern Pacific
Halibut Act (Halibut Act, 16 U.S.C. 773–
773k). For U.S. waters, NMFS works
with the North Pacific and Pacific
Fishery Management Councils to set
area-specific fishery management
measures. IPHC refers to waters off the
U.S. West Coast (Washington, Oregon,
and California) as ‘‘Area 2A.’’ In
addition, regulations governing the
retention of groundfish in the
recreational halibut fishery in Area 2A
are included in the Pacific coast
groundfish regulations at Title 50 in the
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part
660, subpart G, which regulates fishing
for over 80 species of groundfish off the
coasts of Washington, Oregon, and
California. Groundfish specifications
and management measures are
developed by the Pacific Council, and
are implemented by NMFS. The Pacific
coast groundfish specifications and
management measures for 2005–2006
were codified at 50 CFR part 600,
subpart G and published in the Federal
Register as a proposed rule on
September 21, 2004 (69 FR 56550), and
as a final rule on December 23, 2004 (69
FR 77012), and as subsequently
amended through inseason action.
On February 7, 2005, NMFS
published a proposed rule to revise the
Area 2A Plan for Pacific halibut and to
implement the portions of the revised
Plan that are not implemented in the
IPHC regulations (70 FR 6395). A
complete description of the Pacific
Council recommended changes to the
Plan and management measures were
published in the proposed rule for this
action. NMFS requested comment on
the proposed rule through March 16,
2005. On February 25, 2005, NMFS
published a final rule (70 FR 9242) to
implement the IPHC′s recommendations
and to announce fishery regulations for
U.S. waters off Alaska and fishery
regulations for treaty commercial and
ceremonial and subsistence fisheries
and some regulations for non-treaty
commercial fisheries for U.S. waters off
the West Coast. None of the Pacific
Council′s proposed 2005 revisions to the
Plan addressed either the treaty fisheries
or the non-treaty commercial fisheries.
As described in the proposed rule,
there was confusion over the Pacific
Council′s recommendation to prohibit
the retention of all groundfish, except
sablefish when allowed by groundfish
regulation, in the Columbia River
fishery during all days and in the
Central Coast fisheries during ‘‘alldepth’’ days. The confusion was over
how it would apply to the Columbia
River subarea, which is shared by
Washington and Oregon. At their
November 1–5, 2004, meeting, the
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Pacific Council adopted a
recommendation for ‘‘Sub-areas south of
Leadbetter Point, Washington’’ that
stated ‘‘No groundfish retention except
sablefish allowed during the all-depth
fishery if halibut are on-board the vessel
except south of Humbug Mt.’’ After the
November meeting it became apparent
that various Council participants were
confused as to exactly where this
prohibition would apply. Because of the
introductory description (Sub-areas
south of Leadbetter Point, Washington),
some thought it applied in the entire
Columbia River area and the Oregon
Central Coast subarea. However, others
thought this measure would only apply
off Oregon because it was introduced by
Oregon and had not been discussed in
Washington State meetings with
Washington fishermen, and because one
purpose was to allow dockside
enforcement during the groundfish
closure seaward of 40 fm (73 m), which
is only in place off of Oregon. In the
proposed rule, NMFS concluded the
two possible ways to implement this
provision in the Columbia River subarea
would be to apply the groundfish
retention prohibition to all halibut
fishing in the Columbia River subarea or
only to vessels that land halibut in
Oregon.
Therefore, NMFS requested that the
Pacific Council clarify this
recommendation at their March 6–11,
2005, meeting in Sacramento, CA.
NMFS scheduled the public comment
period on the proposed rule to end on
March 16, 2005, after the Pacific
Council′s March meeting. At their
March 2005 meeting, the Pacific Council
recommended and NMFS is
implementing in this final rule for the
halibut regulations and in this inseason
action for the groundfish regulations (1)
a prohibition on the landing of all
groundfish, except sablefish when
allowed by groundfish regulation, in the
Columbia River recreational fishery
when halibut are onboard the vessel and
(2) a prohibition on the retention of all
groundfish, except sablefish when
allowed by groundfish regulation, in the
Central Coast recreational fisheries
during ‘‘all depth’’ days when halibut
are onboard the vessel.
This final rule announces approval of
revisions to the Area 2A Plan and
implements the Area 2A Pacific halibut
Plan and management measures for
2005. These halibut management
measures are effective until superceded
by the 2006 halibut management
measures that will be published in the
Federal Register.
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Comments and Responses
During the comment period on the
proposed rule for implementing the
Area 2A Plan, NMFS received three
letters of comment, two of those letters
were from the Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(ODFW). The letters from WDFW and
ODFW, commenting on the season
dates, are addressed below in the
section on the Plan for Area 2A.
Comment 1: The commenter opposed
NMFS proposal to remove the minimum
length requirement for sport halibut
caught south of Leadbetter Point, WA,
stating that this requirement is an
important conservation measure,
balancing the overall ecosystem. The
commenter voiced a concern that
removing the minimum length
requirement would cause a decline in
halibut populations.
Response: Sport fishing for halibut off
the Oregon coast has been managed
with a 32–inch (81–cm) minimum size
limit since 1989. In the Columbia River
area (shared between Washington and
Oregon), the sport fishery for halibut has
been managed with a 32 inch (81 cm)
size limit since 2002. Off Washington,
there has not been a size limit for sport
halibut fisheries since at least 1988.
The EA (see ADDRESSES for a copy) for
this action analyzed the impacts of
retaining the current size limit,
requiring fishery participants to release
any undersized halibut (Alternative 1),
versus eliminating the minimum size
limit for the sport fisheries south of
Leadbetter Point, WA (Alternative 2).
Area 2A sport halibut management
subareas south of Leadbetter Point, WA
include the Columbia River subarea
(Leadbetter Point, WA to Cape Falcon,
OR), the Central Coast subarea (Cape
Falcon, OR to Humbug Mountain, OR),
and the southern Oregon/California
subarea (south of Humbug Mountain,
OR). Based on the analysis in the EA
and on a recommendation from the
Pacific Council and originally from
ODFW, NMFS proposed to eliminate the
minimum size limit south of Leadbetter
Point, WA, in their proposed rule (70 FR
6395, February 7, 2005). This action is
intended to reduce the number of
halibut released and time on the water,
thus reducing incidental catch of
groundfish species without harming the
halibut population.
The halibut population in Area 2A is
a small portion of the overall halibut
stock off northern North America and is
thought to migrate down from breeding
grounds off Alaska and Canada. Annual
halibut harvest amounts are set by the
IPHC, which has a long history of
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conservative halibut management. The
IPHC surveys the halibut stock annually
to monitor biomass trends and adjusts
their total allowable catch to mirror
those trends. Neither retaining or
eliminating the minimum size limit will
have any effect on the amount of halibut
taken in Area 2A. Eliminating the
minimum size limit, however, could
have an effect on the number of halibut
taken in the sport fisheries south of
Leadbetter Point, WA, and on the sex
composition of the local halibut catch.
Because eliminating the minimum size
limit would allow the retention of
smaller-size halibut, a larger number of
halibut may be taken in the fishery
before the quota is reached than under
a larger size limit. Female halibut grow
at a faster rate and achieve greater
lengths at younger ages than male
halibut. Thus, a size-limited fishery may
catch a greater proportion of female
halibut and/or younger female than
male halibut. The Oregon/California
sport fishery allocation, however, is 0.36
percent of the overall North American
halibut harvest, and variations in the
size and sex of fish harvested in this
fishery are unlikely to affect the
abundance of Pacific halibut.
In addition, the South Washington
Coast subarea sport fishery average
halibut lengths in each year for 2001,
2002, and 2003 have been 37 in (93 cm),
39 in (98 cm), and 36 in (92 cm),
respectively. Average weights for these
same years have been 20.26 lb (9.2 kg),
20.62 lb (9.4 kg), and 17.42 lb (7.9 kg),
respectively. In the central Oregon
subarea sport fishery, average halibut
lengths in each year for 2001, 2002, and
2003 have been 41 in (104 cm), 41 in
(103 cm), and 40 in (101 cm),
respectively. Average weights for these
same years have been 23.1 lb (10.5 kg),
22.1 lb (10.0 kg) and 20.6 lb (9.3 kg).
Fish taken off southern Washington are
slightly smaller than those taken in the
size-limited Oregon coast fishery.
However, the average sizes for both
subareas are well over the 32 in (81 cm)
Oregon minimum size limit. Thus,
although removing the minimum size
limit from the sport fisheries south of
Leadbetter Point, WA, may have some
effect on the size composition of
retained halibut, that effect will likely
be minimal.
Catch Sharing Plan for Area 2
The Pacific Council′s Area 2A Plan
allocates the halibut catch limit for Area
2A among treaty Indian, non-treaty
commercial, and non-treaty sport
fisheries in and off Washington, Oregon,
and California. Those allocations were
described in the proposed rule for this
action (70 FR 6395, February 7, 2005).
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The Plan also includes many other
provisions regarding the distribution of
harvest in the area. For 2005, the Pacific
Council recommended changes to the
Plan to modify the Pacific halibut
fisheries in Area 2A in 2005 and beyond
pursuant to recommendations from
WDFW and ODFW. These changes to
the Plan will:
Allow remaining quota from
Washington′s south coast subarea to be
used to accommodate incidental catch
in the south coast nearshore fishery;
Allow quota projected to be unused to
be transferred from Oregon′s central
coast subarea to another subarea south
of Leadbetter Point, WA;
Revise the season structure for
Oregon′s all-depth spring and summer
sport fisheries;
Provide more flexibility for Oregon′s
inseason sport fishery management
(triggers for additional fishery openings
and bag limits in the all-depth summer
fishery);
Revise the public announcement
process for Oregon′s all-depth summer
sport fishery;
Revise the Columbia River subarea
quota contributions from Oregon/
California;
Remove the minimum length
requirement in all subareas south of
Leadbetter Point, WA;
Prohibit landing of groundfish, except
sablefish, in the Columbia River subarea
when halibut are onboard the vessel and
prohibit the retention of groundfish,
except sablefish, in Oregon′s Central
Coast subarea on ‘‘all-depth’’ days when
halibut are onboard the vessel;
Implement a closed area off Oregon′s
coast; and
Revise all coordinates from degrees
minutes seconds to degrees decimal
minutes.
NMFS has approved the proposed
changes to the Plan. Copies of the
complete Plan for Area 2A as modified
are available from the NMFS Northwest
Regional Office (see ADDRESSES).
The ODFW held a public workshop
(after the IPHC set the Area 2A quota)
in Newport, OR, on January 27, 2005, to
develop recommendations on the
opening dates of Oregon′s central coast
sport fisheries. WDFW held a public
workshop in Olympia, WA on February
4, 2005, to develop recommendations on
the opening dates of Washington′s Puget
Sound subarea sport fisheries; on
January 6 in Montesano, WA and
February 22 in Olympia, WA to discuss
the anticipated short season in
Washington′s north coast subarea sport
fishery; and February 8 in Montesano,
WA to discuss groundfish retention in
the Columbia River subarea sport
halibut fishery. The WDFW and ODFW
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sent letters to NMFS providing
recommendations on the opening dates
and season structure for managing the
sport fisheries under the 2005 quotas
consistent with the Plan.
WDFW recommended an April 14 to
June 20 season for eastern Puget Sound
and a May 26 to July 31 season for
western Puget Sound, 5 days per week
(closed Tuesday and Wednesday). The
recommended number of fishing days is
based on an analysis of past harvest
patterns in this fishery and meets the
requirements of the Plan for the overall
Puget Sound sport fishery subarea. For
the Washington North Coast subarea,
the Plan allows for a season opening
May 10 and continuing until the May
sub-quota is taken, 5 days per week
(closed Sunday and Monday), and a
second season opening June 16 and
continuing until the remaining quota is
projected to be taken, 5 days per week
(closed Sunday and Monday). For the
Washington South Coast subarea, the
Plan allows for a season opening May 1
and continuing until July 1 or until the
quota is taken, whichever is earlier, 5
days per week (closed Friday and
Saturday) in the offshore area and 7
days per week in the nearshore area.
Beginning July 1, and if quota remains,
the south coast subarea will be open 7
days per week in the offshore and
nearshore areas continuing until
September 30 or until the quota is taken,
whichever is earlier.
The Plan allows for a Columbia River
subarea season opening on May 1 and
continuing 7 days per week until
September 30 or until the quota has
been reached, whichever is earlier.
The Plan allows for an Oregon Central
Coast subarea nearshore fishery (inside
of a boundary line approximating the
40–fm (73–m) depth contour) season
opening on May 1 and continuing 7
days per week until October 31 or until
the sub-quota for that fishery is taken,
whichever is earlier. For the all-depth
fishery in that subarea, ODFW
recommended a 12–day spring season of
May 12–14, 19–21, June 2–4 and 9–11,
based on an analysis of past harvest
rates. If the spring season does not take
the entire spring sub-quota for this
subarea, ODFW recommended these
additional potential opening dates: June
30, July 1–2, 14–16, and 28–30. ODFW
further recommended re-opening the
all-depth fishery on Friday, August 5 to
take the summer sub-quota for this
subarea, if sufficient quota remains.
This summer fishery would remain
open every other Friday through Sunday
until the quota is taken, or October 31,
whichever is earlier. The Plan also
allows for an increase in the open days
and bag limits in the summer all-depth
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season if a certain amount of quota
remains after the first and third summer
all-depth openers. These
recommendations meet the
requirements of the Plan for this
subarea.
For the southernmost subarea, south
of Humbug Mountain, Oregon, the Plan
allows for opening this subarea on May
1 and continuing the season until
October 31, 7 days per week.
NMFS is implementing sport fishing
management measures in Area 2A
which are in accordance with the Plan
and based on recommendations from
the states.
NMFS Actions
For the reasons stated herein, NMFS
concurs with Pacific Council′s
recommendations. NMFS hereby
announces under authority of 16 U.S.C.
773–773k, the following changes to the
2005 annual halibut management
measures at 70 FR 9242 (February 25,
2005) to read as follows:
I 1. On page 9249, in the Federal
Register document published on
February 25, 2005, in Section 24, ‘‘Sport
Fishing for Halibut,’’ paragraph (4)(b) is
revised to read as follows:
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(b) The sport fishing subareas,
subquotas, fishing dates, and daily bag
limits are as follows, except as modified
under the inseason actions in Section
25. All sport fishing in Area 2A is
managed on a ‘‘port of landing’’ basis,
whereby any halibut landed into a port
counts toward the quota for the area in
which that port is located, and the
regulations governing the area of
landing apply, regardless of the specific
area of catch.
(i) In Puget Sound and the U.S. waters
in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, east of a
line extending from 48°17.30′ N. lat.,
124°23.70′ W. long. north to 48°24.10′
N. lat., 124°23.70′ W. long., there is no
quota. This area is managed by setting
a season that is projected to result in a
catch of 64,800 lb (29 mt).
(A) The fishing season in eastern
Puget Sound (east of 123°49.50′ W.
long., Low Point) is April 14 through
June 20 and the fishing season in
western Puget Sound (west of
123°49.50′ W. long., Low Point) is May
26 through July 31, 5 days a week
(Thursday through Monday).
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut
of any size per day per person.
(ii) The quota for landings into ports
in the area off the north Washington
coast, west of the line described in
paragraph (4)(b)(i) of this section and
north of the Queets River (47°31.70′ N.
lat.), is 115,437 lb (52.4 mt).
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(A) The fishing seasons are:
(1) Commencing May 10 and
continuing 5 days a week (Tuesday
through Saturday) until 83,115 lb (37.7
mt) are estimated to have been taken
and the season is closed by the
Commission.
(2) From June 16, and continuing
thereafter for 5 days a week (Tuesday
through Saturday) until the overall
quota of 115,437 lb (52.4 mt) are
estimated to have been taken and the
area is closed by the Commission, or
until September 30, whichever occurs
first.
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut
of any size per day per person.
(C) A ‘‘C-shaped’’ yelloweye rockfish
conservation area southwest of Cape
Flattery is closed to sport fishing for
halibut. This area is defined by the
following coordinates in the order
listed:
48°18.00′ N. lat.; 125°18.00′ W. long.;
48°18.00′ N. lat.; 124°59.00′ W. long.;
48°11.00′ N. lat.; 124°59.00′ W. long.;
48°11.00′ N. lat.; 125°11.00′ W. long.;
48°04.00′ N. lat.; 125°11.00′ W. long.;
48°04.00′ N. lat.; 124°59.00′ W. long.;
48°00.00′ N. lat.; 124°59.00′ W. long.;
48°00.00′ N. lat.; 125°18.00′ W. long.;
and connecting back to 48°18.00′ N.
lat.; 125°18.00′ W. long.
(iii) The quota for landings into ports
in the area between the Queets River,
WA (47°31.70′ N. lat.) and Leadbetter
Point, WA (46°38.17′ N. lat.), is 50,146
lb (22.7 mt).
(A) The fishing season commences on
May 1 and continues 5 days a week
(Sunday through Thursday) in all
waters, except that in the area from
Queets River south to 47°00′00″ N. lat.
and east of 124°40′00″ W. long, the
fishing season commences on May 1
and continues 7 days a week. Beginning
July 1, the halibut fishery between
Queets River and Leadbetter Point will
be open 7 days per week. The fishery
will continue from May 1 until 50,146
lb (22.7 mt) are estimated to have been
taken and the season is closed by the
Commission, or until September 30,
whichever occurs first.
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut
of any size per day per person.
(iv) The quota for landings into ports
in the area between Leadbetter Point,
WA (46°38.17′ N. lat.) and Cape Falcon,
OR (45°46.00′ N. lat.), is 13,747 lb (6.2
mt).
(A) The fishing season commences on
May 1, and continues every day through
September 30, or until 13,747 lb (6.2 mt)
are estimated to have been taken and the
area is closed by the Commission,
whichever occurs first.
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut
of any size per day per person.
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(C) Landing Pacific Coast groundfish
is prohibited, except sablefish when
allowed by Pacific Coast groundfish
regulations, if halibut are on board the
vessel.
(v) The quota for landings into ports
in the area off Oregon between Cape
Falcon (45°46.00′ N. lat.) and Humbug
Mountain (42°40.50′ N. lat.), is 251,264
lb (114 mt).
(A) The fishing seasons are:
(1) The first season commences May
1 and continues every day through
October 31, in the area inside of a
boundary line approximating the 40–
fathom (73–m) depth contour, or until
the sub-quota for the central Oregon
inside 40–fm fishery (20,101 lb (9.1 mt))
or any inseason revised subquota is
estimated to have been taken and the
season is closed by the Commission,
whichever is earlier. The boundary line
approximating the 40–fathom (73–m)
depth contour between 45°46.00′ N. lat.
and 42°40.50′ N. lat. is defined by
straight lines connecting all of the
following points in the order stated:
(1) 45°46.00′ N. lat., 124°04.49′ W.
long.;
(2) 45°44.34′ N. lat., 124°05.09′ W.
long.;
(3) 45°40.64′ N. lat., 124°04.90′ W.
long.;
(4) 45°33.00′ N. lat., 124°04.46′ W.
long.;
(5) 45°32.27′ N. lat., 124°04.74′ W.
long.;
(6) 45°29.26′ N. lat., 124°04.22′ W.
long.;
(7) 45°20.25′ N. lat., 124°04.67′ W.
long.;
(8) 45°19.99′ N. lat., 124°04.62′ W.
long.;
(9) 45°17.50′ N. lat., 124°04.91′ W.
long.;
(10) 45°11.29′ N. lat., 124°05.19′ W.
long.;
(11) 45°05.79′ N. lat., 124°05.40′ W.
long.;
(12) 45°05.07′ N. lat., 124°05.93′ W.
long.;
(13) 45°03.83′ N. lat., 124°06.47′ W.
long.;
(14) 45°01.70′ N. lat., 124°06.53′ W.
long.;
(15) 44°58.75′ N. lat., 124°07.14′ W.
long.;
(16) 44°51.28′ N. lat., 124°10.21′ W.
long.;
(17) 44°49.49′ N. lat., 124°10.89′ W.
long.;
(18) 44°44.96′ N. lat., 124°14.39′ W.
long.;
(19) 44°43.44′ N. lat., 124°14.78′ W.
long.;
(20) 44°42.27′ N. lat., 124°13.81′ W.
long.;
(21) 44°41.68′ N. lat., 124°15.38′ W.
long.;
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(22) 44°34.87′ N. lat., 124°15.80′ W.
long.;
(23) 44°33.74′ N. lat., 124°14.43′ W.
long.;
(24) 44°27.66′ N. lat., 124°16.99′ W.
long.;
(25) 44°19.13′ N. lat., 124°19.22′ W.
long.;
(26) 44°15.35′ N. lat., 124°17.37′ W.
long.;
(27) 44°14.38′ N. lat., 124°17.78′ W.
long.;
(28) 44°12.80′ N. lat., 124°17.18′ W.
long.;
(29) 44°09.23′ N. lat., 124°15.96′ W.
long.;
(30) 44°08.38′ N. lat., 124°16.80′ W.
long.;
(31) 44°08.30′ N. lat., 124°16.75′ W.
long.;
(32) 44°01.18′ N. lat., 124°15.42′ W.
long.;
(33) 43°51.60′ N. lat., 124°14.68′ W.
long.;
(34) 43°42.66′ N. lat., 124°15.46′ W.
long.;
(35) 43°40.49′ N. lat., 124°15.74′ W.
long.;
(36) 43°38.77′ N. lat., 124°15.64′ W.
long.;
(37) 43°34.52′ N. lat., 124°16.73′ W.
long.;
(38) 43°28.82′ N. lat., 124°19.52′ W.
long.;
(39) 43°23.91′ N. lat., 124°24.28′ W.
long.;
(40) 43°20.83′ N. lat., 124°26.63′ W.
long.;
(41) 43°17.96′ N. lat., 124°28.81′ W.
long.;
(42) 43°16.75′ N. lat., 124°28.42′ W.
long.;
(43) 43°13.98′ N. lat., 124°31.99′ W.
long.;
(44) 43°13.71′ N. lat., 124°33.25′ W.
long.;
(45) 43°12.26′ N. lat., 124°34.16′ W.
long.;
(46) 43°10.96′ N. lat., 124°32.34′ W.
long.;
(47) 43°05.65′ N. lat., 124°31.52′ W.
long.;
(48) 42°59.66′ N. lat., 124°32.58′ W.
long.;
(49) 42°54.97′ N. lat., 124°36.99′ W.
long.;
(50) 42°53.81′ N. lat., 124°38.58′ W.
long.;
(51) 42°50.00′ N. lat., 124°39.68′ W.
long.;
(52) 42°49.14′ N. lat., 124°39.92′ W.
long.;
(53) 42°46.47′ N. lat., 124°38.65′ W.
long.;
(54) 42°45.60′ N. lat., 124°39.04′ W.
long.;
(55) 42°44.79′ N. lat., 124°37.96′ W.
long.;
(56) 42°45.00′ N. lat., 124°36.39′ W.
long.;
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(57) 42°44.14′ N. lat., 124°35.16′ W.
long.;
(58) 42°42.15′ N. lat., 124°32.82′ W.
long.;
(59) 42°40.50′ N. lat., 124°31.98′ W.
long.; and
(60) 42°38.82′ N. lat., 124°31.09′ W.
long.
(2) The second season (spring season),
which is for the ‘‘all-depth’’ fishery, is
open on May 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21,
and June 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11. The
projected catch for this season is
173,372 lb (78.6 mt). If sufficient
unharvested catch remains for
additional fishing days, the season will
re-open. Dependent on the amount of
unharvested catch available, the
potential season re-opening dates will
be: June 30, and July 1, 2, 14, 15, 16, 28,
29, and 30. If NMFS decides inseason to
allow fishing on any of these re-opening
dates, notice of the re-opening will be
announced on the NMFS hotline (206)
526–6667 or (800) 662–9825. No halibut
fishing will be allowed on the reopening dates unless the date is
announced on the NMFS hotline.
(3) If sufficient unharvested catch
remains, the third season (summer
season), which is for the ‘‘all-depth’’
fishery, will be open August 5, 6, 7, 19,
20, and 21, September 2, 3, 4, 16, 17, 18,
30, and October 1, 2, 14, 15, 16, 28, 29,
and 30, or until the combined spring
season and summer season quotas in the
area between Cape Falcon and Humbug
Mountain, OR, totaling 231,163 lb
(104.9 mt), are estimated to have been
taken and the area is closed by the
Commission, whichever is earlier.
NMFS will announce on the NMFS
hotline in July whether the fishery will
re-open for the summer season in
August. No halibut fishing will be
allowed in the summer season fishery
unless the dates are announced on the
NMFS hotline. Additional fishing days
may be opened if a certain amount of
quota remains after August 7 and
September 4. If after August 7, greater
than or equal to 60,000 lbs (27.2 mt)
remains in the combined all-depth and
inside 40–fm (73–m) quota, the fishery
may re-open on August 12, 13, 14, 19,
20, 21, 26, 27, and 28 and September 2,
3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, and
30, and October 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16,
21, 22, 23, 28, 29, and 30 (every Friday
through Sunday versus every other
Friday through Sunday). If after
September 4, greater than or equal to
30,000 lbs (13.6 mt) remains in the
combined all-depth and inside 40–fm
(73–m) quota, the fishery may re-open
on September 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23,
24, 25, and 30, and October 1, 2, 7, 8,
9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, and 30
(every Friday through Sunday) with a
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14:37 Apr 18, 2005
Jkt 205001
bag limit of two fish of any size per
person, per day. NMFS will announce
on the NMFS hotline whether the
summer all-depth fishery will be open
on such additional fishing days and
what days will comprise such opening.
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut
of any size per day per person, unless
otherwise specified. NMFS will
announce on the NMFS hotline any bag
limit changes.
(C) During days open to all-depth
halibut fishing, no Pacific Coast
groundfish may be retained, except
sablefish when allowed by Pacific Coast
groundfish regulations, if halibut are on
board the vessel.
(D) When the all-depth halibut fishery
is closed and halibut fishing is
permitted only inshore of a boundary
line approximating the 40–fm (73–m)
depth contour, halibut possession and
retention by vessels operating offshore
of 40–fm (73–m) is prohibited.
(E) A yelloweye rockfish conservation
area off central Oregon is closed to sport
fishing for halibut. This area is defined
by the following coordinates in the
order listed:
(1) 44°37.46′ N. lat.; 124°24.92′ W.
long.;
(2) 44°37.46′ N. lat.; 124°23.63′ W.
long.;
(3) 44°28.71′ N. lat.; 124°21.80′ W.
long.;
(4) 44°28.71′ N. lat.; 124°24.10′ W.
long.;
(5) 44°31.42′ N. lat.; 124°25.47′ W.
long.;
(6) and connecting back to 44°37.46′
N. lat.; 124°24.92′ W. long.
(vi) In the area south of Humbug
Mountain, Oregon (42°40.50′ N. lat.) and
off the California coast, there is no
quota. This area is managed on a season
that is projected to result in a catch of
less than 7,984 lb (3.6 mt).
(A) The fishing season will commence
on May 1 and continue every day
through October 31.
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut
of any size per day per person.
*
*
*
*
*
I 2. On page 9250, in the Federal
Register document published on
February 25, 2005, Section 25, ‘‘Flexible
Inseason Management Provisions in
Area 2A’’ is revised to read as follows:
25. Flexible Inseason Management
Provisions in Area 2A
(1) The Regional Administrator,
NMFS Northwest Region, after
consultation with the Chairman of the
Pacific Fishery Management Council,
the Commission Executive Director, and
the Fisheries Director(s) of the affected
state(s), or their designees, is authorized
to modify regulations during the season
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after making the following
determinations.
(a) The action is necessary to allow
allocation objectives to be met.
(b) The action will not result in
exceeding the catch limit for the area.
(c) If any of the sport fishery subareas
north of Cape Falcon, OR are not
projected to utilize their respective
quotas by September 30, NMFS may
take inseason action to transfer any
projected unused quota to another
Washington sport subarea.
(d) If any of the sport fishery subareas
south of Leadbetter Point, WA are not
projected to utilize their respective
quotas by their season ending dates,
NMFS may take inseason action to
transfer any projected unused quota to
another Oregon sport subarea.
(2) Flexible inseason management
provisions include, but are not limited
to, the following:
(a) Modification of sport fishing
periods;
(b) Modification of sport fishing bag
limits;
(c) Modification of sport fishing size
limits;
(d) Modification of sport fishing days
per calendar week; and
(e) Modification of subarea quotas
north of Cape Falcon, OR.
(3) Notice procedures.
(a) Actions taken under this section
will be published in the Federal
Register.
(b) Actual notice of inseason
management actions will be provided by
a telephone hotline administered by the
Northwest Region, NMFS, at 206–526–
6667 or 800–662–9825 (May through
October) and by U.S. Coast Guard
broadcasts. These broadcasts are
announced on Channel 16 VHF-FM and
2182 kHz at frequent intervals. The
announcements designate the channel
or frequency over which the notice to
mariners will be immediately broadcast.
Since provisions of these regulations
may be altered by inseason actions,
sport fishers should monitor either the
telephone hotline or U.S. Coast Guard
broadcasts for current information for
the area in which they are fishing.
(4) Effective dates.
(a) Any action issued under this
section is effective on the date specified
in the publication or at the time that the
action is filed for public inspection with
the Office of the Federal Register,
whichever is later.
(b) If time allows, NMFS will invite
public comment prior to the effective
date of any inseason action filed with
the Federal Register. If the Regional
Administrator determines, for good
cause, that an inseason action must be
filed without affording a prior
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 74 / Tuesday, April 19, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
opportunity for public comment, public
comments will be received for a period
of 15 days after publication of the action
in the Federal Register.
(c) Any inseason action issued under
this section will remain in effect until
the stated expiration date or until
rescinded, modified, or superseded.
However, no inseason action has any
effect beyond the end of the calendar
year in which it is issued.
(5) Availability of data. The Regional
Administrator will compile, in aggregate
form, all data and other information
relevant to the action being taken and
will make them available for public
review during normal office hours at the
Northwest Regional Office, NMFS,
Sustainable Fisheries Division, 7600
Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA.
*
*
*
*
*
I 3. On page 9250, in the Federal
Register document published on
February 25, 2005, Section 26, ‘‘Fishery
Election in Area 2A’’ is revised to read
as follows:
26. Fishery Election in Area 2A
(1) A vessel that fishes in Area 2A
may participate in only one of the
following three fisheries in Area 2A:
(a) The sport fishery under Section 24;
(b) The commercial directed fishery
for halibut during the fishing period(s)
established in Section 8 and/or the
incidental retention of halibut during
the primary sablefish fishery described
at 50 CFR 660.372; or
(c) The incidental catch fishery during
the salmon troll fishery as authorized in
Section 8.
(2) No person shall fish for halibut in
the sport fishery in Area 2A under
Section 24 from a vessel that has been
used during the same calendar year for
commercial halibut fishing in Area 2A
or that has been issued a permit for the
same calendar year for the commercial
halibut fishery in Area 2A.
(3) No person shall fish for halibut in
the directed halibut fishery during the
fishing periods established in Section 8
and/or retain halibut incidentally taken
in the primary sablefish fishery in Area
2A from a vessel that has been used
during the same calendar year for the
incidental catch fishery during the
salmon troll fishery as authorized in
Section 8.
(4) No person shall fish for halibut in
the directed commercial halibut fishery
and/or retain halibut incidentally taken
in the primary sablefish fishery in Area
2A from a vessel that, during the same
calendar year, has been used in the
sport halibut fishery in Area 2A or that
is licensed for the sport charter halibut
fishery in Area 2A.
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14:37 Apr 18, 2005
Jkt 205001
(5) No person shall retain halibut in
the salmon troll fishery in Area 2A as
authorized under Section 8 taken on a
vessel that, during the same calendar
year, has been used in the sport halibut
fishery in Area 2A, or that is licensed
for the sport charter halibut fishery in
Area 2A.
(6) No person shall retain halibut in
the salmon troll fishery in Area 2A as
authorized under Section 8 taken on a
vessel that, during the same calendar
year, has been used in the directed
commercial fishery during the fishing
periods established in Section 8 and/or
retain halibut incidentally taken in the
primary sablefish fishery for Area 2A or
that is licensed to participate in these
commercial fisheries during the fishing
periods established in Section 8 in Area
2A.
*
*
*
*
*
I 4. On page 9250, in the Federal
Register document published on
February 25, 2005, Section 27, ‘‘Area 2A
Non-Treaty Commercial Fishery Closed
Area’’ is revised to read as follows:
27. Area 2A Non-treaty Commercial
Fishery Closed Areas
Non-treaty commercial vessels
operating in the directed commercial
fishery for halibut in Area 2A are
required to fish outside of a closed area,
known as the Rockfish Conservation
Area (RCA), that extends along the coast
from the U.S./Canada border south to
40°10′ N. lat. Coordinates for the
specific closed area boundaries are as
follows:
(1) Between the U.S./Canada border
and 46°16′ N. lat., the eastern boundary
of the RCA is the shoreline.
(2) Between 46°16′ N. lat. and 40°10′
N. lat., the eastern, inshore boundary of
the RCA approximates the 30–fm (55–
m) depth contour. The boundary is
defined by straight lines connecting all
of the following points in the order
stated:
(1) 46°16.00′ N. lat., 124°13.05′ W.
long.;
(2) 46°07.00′ N. lat., 124°07.01′ W.
long.;
(3) 45°55.95′ N. lat., 124°02.23′ W.
long.;
(4) 45°54.53′ N. lat., 124°02.57′ W.
long.;
(5) 45°50.65′ N. lat., 124°01.62′ W.
long.;
(6) 45°48.20′ N. lat., 124°02.16′ W.
long.;
(7) 45°46.00′ N. lat., 124°01.86′ W.
long.;
(8) 45°43.47′ N. lat., 124°01.28′ W.
long.;
(9) 45°40.48′ N. lat., 124°01.03′ W.
long.;
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20309
(10) 45°39.04′ N. lat., 124°01.68′ W.
long.;
(11) 45°35.48′ N. lat., 124°01.89′ W.
long.;
(12) 45°29.81′ N. lat., 124°02.45′ W.
long.;
(13) 45°27.96′ N. lat., 124°01.89′ W.
long.;
(14) 45°27.22′ N. lat., 124°02.67′ W.
long.;
(15) 45°24.20′ N. lat., 124°02.94′ W.
long.;
(16) 45°20.60′ N. lat., 124°01.74′ W.
long.;
(17) 45°20.25′ N. lat., 124°01.85′ W.
long.;
(18) 45°16.44′ N. lat., 124°03.22′ W.
long.;
(19) 45°13.63′ N. lat., 124°02.70′ W.
long.;
(20) 45°11.04′ N. lat., 124°03.59′ W.
long.;
(21) 45°08.55′ N. lat., 124°03.47′ W.
long.;
(22) 45°02.82′ N. lat., 124°04.64′ W.
long.;
(23) 45°03.38′ N. lat., 124°04.79′ W.
long.;
(24) 44°58.06′ N. lat., 124°05.03′ W.
long.;
(25) 44°53.97′ N. lat., 124°06.92′ W.
long.;
(26) 44°48.89′ N. lat., 124°07.04′ W.
long.;
(27) 44°46.94′ N. lat., 124°08.25′ W.
long.;
(28) 44°42.72′ N. lat., 124°08.98′ W.
long.;
(29) 44°38.16′ N. lat., 124°11.48′ W.
long.;
(30) 44°33.38′ N. lat., 124°11.54′ W.
long.;
(31) 44°28.51′ N. lat., 124°12.03′ W.
long.;
(32) 44°27.65′ N. lat., 124°12.56′ W.
long.;
(33) 44°19.67′ N. lat., 124°12.37′ W.
long.;
(34) 44°10.79′ N. lat., 124°12.22′ W.
long.;
(35) 44°09.22′ N. lat., 124°12.28′ W.
long.;
(36) 44°08.30′ N. lat., 124°12.30′ W.
long.;
(37) 44°00.22′ N. lat., 124°12.80′ W.
long.;
(38) 43°51.56′ N. lat., 124°13.17′ W.
long.;
(39) 43°44.26′ N. lat., 124°14.50′ W.
long.;
(40) 43°33.82′ N. lat., 124°16.28′ W.
long.;
(41) 43°28.66′ N. lat., 124°18.72′ W.
long.;
(42) 43°23.12′ N. lat., 124°24.04′ W.
long.;
(43) 43°20.83′ N. lat., 124°25.67′ W.
long.;
(44) 43°20.49′ N. lat., 124°25.90′ W.
long.;
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19APR1
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(45) 43°16.41′ N. lat., 124°27.52′ W.
long.;
(46) 43°14.23′ N. lat., 124°29.28′ W.
long.;
(47) 43°14.03′ N. lat., 124°28.31′ W.
long.;
(48) 43°11.92′ N. lat., 124°28.26′ W.
long.;
(49) 43°11.02′ N. lat., 124°29.11′ W.
long.;
(50) 43°10.13′ N. lat., 124°29.15′ W.
long.;
(51) 43°09.27′ N. lat., 124°31.03′ W.
long.;
(52) 43°07.73′ N. lat., 124°30.92′ W.
long.;
(53) 43°05.93′ N. lat., 124°29.64′ W.
long.;
(54) 43°01.59′ N. lat., 124°30.64′ W.
long.;
(55) 42°59.73′ N. lat., 124°31.16′ W.
long.;
(56) 42°53.75′ N. lat., 124°36.09′ W.
long.;
(57) 42°50.00′ N. lat., 124°38.39′ W.
long.;
(58) 42°49.37′ N. lat., 124°38.81′ W.
long.;
(59) 42°46.42′ N. lat., 124°37.69′ W.
long.;
(60) 42°46.07′ N. lat., 124°38.56′ W.
long.;
(61) 42°45.29′ N. lat., 124°37.95′ W.
long.;
(62) 42°45.61′ N. lat., 124°36.87′ W.
long.;
(63) 42°44.28′ N. lat., 124°33.64′ W.
long.;
(64) 42°42.75′ N. lat., 124°31.84′ W.
long.;
(65) 42°40.50′ N. lat., 124°29.67′ W.
long.;
(66) 42°40.04′ N. lat., 124°29.19′ W.
long.;
(67) 42°38.09′ N. lat., 124°28.39′ W.
long.;
(68) 42°36.72′ N. lat., 124°27.54′ W.
long.;
(69) 42°36.56′ N. lat., 124°28.40′ W.
long.;
(70) 42°35.76′ N. lat., 124°28.79′ W.
long.;
(71) 42°34.03′ N. lat., 124°29.98′ W.
long.;
(72) 42°34.19′ N. lat., 124°30.58′ W.
long.;
(73) 42°31.27′ N. lat., 124°32.24′ W.
long.;
(74) 42°27.07′ N. lat., 124°32.53′ W.
long.;
(75) 42°24.21′ N. lat., 124°31.23′ W.
long.;
(76) 42°20.47′ N. lat., 124°28.87′ W.
long.;
(77) 42°14.60′ N. lat., 124°26.80′ W.
long.;
(78) 42°13.67′ N. lat., 124°26.25′ W.
long.;
(79) 42°10.90′ N. lat., 124°24.57′ W.
long.;
VerDate jul<14>2003
14:37 Apr 18, 2005
Jkt 205001
(80) 42°07.04′ N. lat., 124°23.35′ W.
long.;
(81) 42°02.16′ N. lat., 124°22.59′ W.
long.;
(82) 42°00.00′ N. lat., 124°21.81′ W.
long.;
(83) 41°55.75′ N. lat., 124°20.72′ W.
long.;
(84) 41°50.93′ N. lat., 124°23.76′ W.
long.;
(85) 41°42.53′ N. lat., 124°16.47′ W.
long.;
(86) 41°37.20′ N. lat., 124°17.05′ W.
long.;
(87) 41°24.58′ N. lat., 124°10.51′ W.
long.;
(88) 41°20.73′ N. lat., 124°11.73′ W.
long.;
(89) 41°17.59′ N. lat., 124°10.66′ W.
long.;
(90) 41°04.54′ N. lat., 124°14.47′ W.
long.;
(91) 40°54.26′ N. lat., 124°13.90′ W.
long.;
(92) 40°40.31′ N. lat., 124°26.24′ W.
long.;
(93) 40°34.00′ N. lat., 124°27.39′ W.
long.;
(94) 40°30.00′ N. lat., 124°31.32′ W.
long.;
(95) 40°28.89′ N. lat., 124°32.43′ W.
long.;
(96) 40°24.77′ N. lat., 124°29.51′ W.
long.;
(97) 40°22.47′ N. lat., 124°24.12′ W.
long.;
(98) 40°19.73′ N. lat., 124°23.59′ W.
long.;
(99) 40°18.64′ N. lat., 124°21.89′ W.
long.;
(100) 40°17.67′ N. lat., 124°23.07′ W.
long.;
(101) 40°15.58′ N. lat., 124°23.61′ W.
long.;
(102) 40°13.42′ N. lat., 124°22.94′ W.
long.; and
(103) 40°10.00′ N. lat., 124°16.65′ W.
long.
(3) Between the U.S./Canada border
and 40°10′ N. lat., the western, offshore
boundary of the RCA approximates the
100–fm (183–m) depth contour. The
boundary is defined by straight lines
connecting all of the following points in
the order stated:
(1) 48°15.00′ N. lat., 125°41.00′ W.
long.;
(2) 48°14.00′ N. lat., 125°36.00′ W.
long.;
(3) 48°09.50′ N. lat., 125°40.50′ W.
long.;
(4) 48°08.00′ N. lat., 125°38.00′ W.
long.;
(5) 48°05.00′ N. lat., 125°37.25′ W.
long.;
(6) 48°02.60′ N. lat., 125°34.70′ W.
long.;
(7) 47°59.00′ N. lat., 125°34.00′ W.
long.;
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(8) 47°57.26′ N. lat., 125°29.82′ W.
long.;
(9) 47°59.87′ N. lat., 125°25.81′ W.
long.;
(10) 48°01.80′ N. lat., 125°24.53′ W.
long.;
(11) 48°02.08′ N. lat., 125°22.98′ W.
long.;
(12) 48°02.97′ N. lat., 125°22.89′ W.
long.;
(13) 48°04.47′ N. lat., 125°21.75′ W.
long.;
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*
*
*
*
*
Classification
This final rule has been determined to
be not significant for purposes of
Executive Order 12866 (E.O. 12866). In
addition, the groundfish inseason action
is taken under the authority of 50 CFR
660.370(c) and is exempt from review
under E.O. 12866.
The groundfish inseason action is
authorized by the Pacific Coast
groundfish FMP and its implementing
regulations, and is based on the most
recent data available. The aggregate data
upon which this action is based are
available for public inspection at the
Office of the Administrator, Northwest
Region, NMFS, (see ADDRESSES) during
business hours.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there
is good cause to waive prior notice and
an opportunity for public comment on
the changes to the groundfish
regulations, as notice and comment is
impracticable and unnecessary. Notice
and comment is impracticable because
changes to Washington and Oregon’s
recreational groundfish fishery
management measures to prohibit the
landing or retention of groundfish,
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except sablefish when halibut are
onboard the vessel, must be
implemented in a timely manner to be
effective when the sport halibut season
starts on May 1, 2005, in areas off
Washington and Oregon. Notice and
comment is unnecessary because public
notice and comment on this same
provision in the halibut regulations was
provided via the proposed rule for the
Pacific halibut fisheries, which was
published on February 7, 2005 (70 FR
6395). [NOTE: The proposed rule
published later than expected because,
as explained in the preamble, there was
confusion over the Pacific Council’s
recommendation to prohibit the
retention of all groundfish, except
sablefish when allowed by groundfish
regulation, in the Columbia River
fishery during all days and in the
Central Coast fisheries during ‘‘alldepth’’ days. NMFS was required to
coordinate with the states and Council
staff in an attempt to clarify the
Council’s recommendations. NMFS
decided to explain the issue in the
proposed rule and ask the Council to
clarify their recommendation at their
March meeting.] This notice implements
the same provision in both the halibut
and groundfish regulations.
The AA finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide a 30–day delay
in effectiveness (5 U.S.C. 553(d)). This
rule must be made effective for the first
opening of the 2005 Pacific halibut
fishing season on April 14, 2005. The
annual halibut quotas and many
management measures are determined
by an international commission, the
IPHC. Therefore, the AA cannot publish
a final rule until after the IPHC has
adopted the annual quotas and
management measures for the year. The
IPHC adopted annual quotas and
management measures for 2005 on
January 21, 2005. NMFS published a
proposed rule for 2005 on February 7,
2005, and provided a comment period
that ran until March 16, 2005, so that
the Pacific Council could provide a
clarification on one of its
recommendations. In addition, after the
IPHC meeting, the states hold public
meetings with their constituents on
which they base their recommendations
to NMFS. Therefore, there was not
sufficient time in which to draft and
publish the final rule in the Federal
Register and to allow for a 30–day delay
in effectiveness before the scheduled
April 14, 2005, start of the fishing
season.
Delaying the opening of the fishing
season would cause the Federal
regulations implemented for 2004 to
remain in place until they are replaced
by these regulations. Therefore, if there
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were a 30–day delay in effectiveness for
these regulations, the fishery would
operate under last year’s regulations for
the first few weeks of the fishery. The
start dates for most of the recreational
fisheries off Washington and Oregon are
slightly different in 2005 than they were
in 2004. For example, in Puget Sound,
the fishery started on May 6 in 2004, but
is scheduled to start on April 14 in
2005. A delay in effectiveness of this
rule would delay the season by a few
weeks, which could cause economic
harm to charter operators and lost
harvest opportunity to recreational
anglers due to a shorter season than
projected necessary to attain the quota
for this subarea. Because the number of
days set for the season is based on how
many days it would take to catch the
available quota, a shortened season may
not only keep anglers and charter
operators from achieving the quota, but
it would cause lost revenues from
charter trips already booked for the
beginning of the season. In addition,
recreational fisheries start dates
primarily differ from year to year
because the Plan has a long history of
managing the different subareas so that
fisheries occur on particular days of the
week. Thus, a Sunday through Thursday
fishery will always occur Sundays
through Thursdays, but will have
different calendar dates from year to
year. Although NMFS was able to
provide a public comment period
following the proposed rule (February 7,
2005 (70 FR 6395)), the agency did not
have time to publish a final rule and
allow a 30–day delay in effectiveness
period prior to April 14. The states of
Washington and Oregon have adopted
recreational halibut regulations that
match these regulations. A delay in
effectiveness of 30 days would cause the
state and Federal regulations to be in
conflict, would cause confusion in the
recreational fishing industry, and would
result in fishing seasons that differ from
the seasons carefully crafted by the
states, the industry, and the Pacific
Council. This delay could harm
commercial and recreational fishermen
by lost opportunity to harvest their
available 2005 quota. For the charter
industry, previously planned fishing
trips would have to be cancelled,
resulting in lost revenue, if the season
were delayed. In addition, conflicting
state and Federal regulations would
make enforcement of regulations
difficult and create public confusion.
For the reasons described above,
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), there is
good cause to waive the requirement to
provide a 30–day delay in effectiveness
of this rule so that this final rule may
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become effective in time for the first
recreational halibut fishing season on
April 14, 2005.
The recreational groundfish fishery
regulatory changes off Washington and
Oregon to prohibit the landing or
retention of groundfish, except sablefish
when halibut are onboard the vessel
will be effective May 1, 2005.
NMFS prepared a final regulatory
flexibility analysis (FRFA). The FRFA
incorporates the IRFA, a summary of the
significant issues raised by the public
comments in response to the IRFA, and
NMFS responses to those comments,
and a summary of the analyses
completed to support the action. A copy
of this analysis is available from the
NMFS (see ADDRESSES) and a summary
of the FRFA follows:
This rule is needed to implement the
Plan and annual domestic management
measures in Area 2A. The main
objective for the Pacific halibut fishery
in Area 2A is to manage fisheries to
remain within the TAC for Area 2A,
while also allowing each commercial,
recreational and tribal fishery to target
halibut in the manner most appropriate
for the user’s needs within that fishery.
This rule is intended to enhance the
conservation of Pacific halibut, to
protect yelloweye and other overfished
groundfish species from incidental
catch in the halibut fisheries, and to
provide greater angler opportunity
where available.
The agency received three letters of
comment on the proposed rule, but
none of the comments received
addressed the IRFA.
In determining the potential universe
of entities subject to this rule, NMFS
considered those entities to which this
rule applies. Although many small and
large nonprofit enterprises track
fisheries management issues on the
West Coast, the changes to the Plan and
annual management measures will not
directly affect those enterprises.
Similarly, although many fishing
communities are small governmental
jurisdictions, no direct regulations for
those governmental jurisdictions will
result from this rule. However,
charterboat operations and participants
in the non-treaty directed commercial
fishery off the coast of Washington and
Oregon are small businesses that are
directly regulated by this rule.
Approximately 700 vessels were
issued IPHC licenses to retain halibut in
2004. IPHC issues licenses for: the
directed commercial fishery in Area 2A,
including licenses issued to retain
halibut caught incidentally in the
primary sablefish fishery (215 licenses
in 2004); incidental halibut caught in
the salmon troll fishery (344 licenses in
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2004); and the charterboat fleet (138
licenses in 2004). No vessel may
participate in more than one of these
three fisheries per year. Individual
recreational anglers and private boats
are the only sectors that are not required
to have an IPHC license to retain
halibut.
Vessels participating in the directed
commercial halibut fishery and
incidental halibut caught in the salmon
troll fishery are considered small
entities if their annual receipts do not
exceed $3.5 million. All of the vessels
that participate in the Pacific halibut
fisheries in Area 2A are considered
small businesses under Small Business
Administration guidance.
Specific data on the economics of
halibut charter operations are
unavailable. However, the Pacific States
Marine Fisheries Commission
(Commission) is completing a report on
the overall West Coast charterboat fleet.
In surveying charterboat vessels
concerning their operations in 2000, the
Commission estimated that there were
about 315 charterboat vessels in
operation off Washington and Oregon.
Compared with the 138 IPHC licenses in
2004, this estimate suggests that
approximately 44 percent of the
charterboat fleet participates in the
halibut fishery. The Commission has
developed preliminary estimates of the
annual revenues earned by this fleet and
they vary by size class of the vessels and
home state. Small charterboat vessels
range from 15 to 30 feet and typically
carry 5 to 6 passengers. Medium
charterboat vessels range from 31 to 49
feet in length and typically carry 19 to
20 passengers. (Neither state has large
vessels of greater than 49 feet in their
fleet.) Average annual revenues from all
types of recreational fishing,
whalewatching and other activities
ranged from $7,000 for small Oregon
vessels to $131,000 for medium
Washington vessels. These data confirm
that charterboat vessels qualify as small
entities under the Regulatory Flexibility
Act.
This rule does not impose any new
reporting or recordkeeping
requirements.
For each of the 2005 revisions, NMFS
is implementing a Plan or regulatory
revision intended to either improve
flexibility for anglers or ensure
consistency between Federal groundfish
and halibut regulations. NMFS does not
expect any significant economic impacts
for small entities from this proposed
rule. The NEPA analysis for this action
reviewed alternatives including no
action, adopting a closed area on
Stonewall Bank, prohibiting groundfish
retention in the Columbia River and
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20313
Oregon’s Central coast areas, and
removing the minimum length
requirement. The preferred alternatives,
which are part of the actions taken in
this final rule, were to adopt both a
closed area on Stonewall Bank and
prohibit groundfish retention in the
Columbia River and Oregon’s Central
coast areas as well as removing the
minimum length requirement. There
were no alternatives that could have
similarly improved angler enjoyment of
and participation in the fisheries while
simultaneously protecting halibut and
co-occurring groundfish species from
overharvest.
The changes to the Plan and domestic
management do not affect the process of
evaluating quota-attainment. The
changes to the Plan and domestic
management measures increase
flexibility in management and
opportunity to harvest available quota.
There are no large entities involved in
the halibut fisheries, therefore, none of
these changes to the Plan and domestic
management measures will have a
disproportionate negative effect on
small entities versus large entities. None
of these changes to the Plan and
domestic management measures will
significantly reduce profitability for
small entities. In fact, increasing
opportunity to harvest available sport
halibut quota may increase profitability
for some small entities.
Section 212 of the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of
1996 states that, for each rule or group
of related rules for which an agency is
required to prepare a FRFA, the agency
shall publish one or more guides to
assist small entities in complying with
the rule, and shall designate such
publications as ‘‘small entity
compliance guides.’’ The agency shall
explain the actions a small entity is
required to take to comply with a rule
or group of rules. As part of halibut
management in Area 2A, NMFS
maintains a toll-free telephone hotline
where members of the public may call
in to receive current information on
seasons and requirements to participate
in the halibut fisheries in Area 2A. This
hotline also serves as small entity
compliance guide. Copies of this final
rule are available from the NMFS
Northwest Regional Office upon request
(See ADDRESSES). To hear the small
entity compliance guide associated with
this final rule, call the NMFS hotline at
800–662–9825.
Pursuant to Executive Order 13175,
the Secretary of Commerce recognizes
the sovereign status and co-manager role
of Indian tribes over shared Federal and
tribal fishery resources. At section
302(b)(5), the Magnuson-Stevens
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Fishery Conservation and Management
Act establishes a seat on the Pacific
Council for a representative of an Indian
tribe with federally recognized fishing
rights from California, Oregon,
Washington, or Idaho.
The U.S. government formally
recognizes that the 12 Washington
Tribes have treaty rights to fish for
Pacific halibut. In general terms, the
quantification of those rights is 50
percent of the harvestable surplus of
Pacific halibut available in the tribes’
usual and accustomed (U and A) fishing
areas (described at 50 CFR 300.64). Each
of the treaty tribes has the discretion to
administer their fisheries and to
establish their own policies to achieve
program objectives. Accordingly, tribal
allocations and regulations, including
changes tothe Plan, have been
developed in consultation with the
affected tribe(s) and, insofar as possible,
with tribal consensus. This final rule
was developed after meaningful
consultation with the tribal
representative on the Council who has
agreed with the provisions that apply to
tribal vessels.
This final rule does not contain
policies with federalism implications
under Executive Order 13132.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 660
Administrative practice and
procedure, American Samoa, Fisheries,
Fishing, Guam, Hawaiian Natives,
Indians, Northern Mariana Islands,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
VerDate jul<14>2003
14:37 Apr 18, 2005
Jkt 205001
Dated: April 12, 2005.
John Oliver,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Operations, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
For the reasons set out in the preamble,
50 CFR part 660 is amended as follows:
I
PART 660—FISHERIES OFF WEST
COAST STATES AND IN THE
WESTERN PACIFIC
1. The authority citation for part 660
continues to read as follows:
I
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
2. In § 660.384, paragraphs (c)(1) and
(c)(2)(iii) are revised to read as follows:
I
§ 660.384 Recreational fishery
management measures.
*
*
*
*
*
(c) * * *
(1) Washington. For each person
engaged in recreational fishing in the
EEZ seaward of Washington, the
groundfish bag limit is 15 groundfish
per day, including rockfish and lingcod,
and is open year-round (except for
lingcod). In the Pacific halibut fisheries,
retention of groundfish is governed in
part by annual management measures
for Pacific halibut fisheries, which are
published in the Federal Register.
South of Leadbetter Point, WA to the
Washington/Oregon border, when
Pacific halibut are onboard the vessel,
landing groundfish, except sablefish, is
prohibited. The following sublimits and
closed areas apply: * * *
*
*
*
*
*
(2) * * *
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
(iii) Bag limits, size limits. The bag
limits for each person engaged in
recreational fishing in the EEZ seaward
of Oregon are two lingcod per day,
which may be no smaller than 24 in (61
cm) total length; and 8 marine fish per
day, which excludes Pacific halibut,
salmonids, tuna, perch species,
sturgeon, sanddabs, lingcod, striped
bass, hybrid bass, offshore pelagic
species and baitfish (herring, smelt,
anchovies and sardines), but which
includes rockfish, greenling, cabezon
and other groundfish species. The
minimum size limit for cabezon
retained in the recreational fishery is 16
in (41 cm) and for greenling is 10 in (26
cm). Taking and retaining canary
rockfish and yelloweye rockfish is
prohibited. In the Pacific halibut
fisheries, retention of groundfish is
governed in part by the Pacific halibut
regulations. South of the Washington/
Oregon border to Cape Falcon, OR,
when Pacific halibut are onboard the
vessel, landing groundfish, except
sablefish, is prohibited. South of Cape
Falcon, OR, to Humbug Mountain, OR,
when Pacific halibut are onboard the
vessel, retention of groundfish, except
sablefish, is prohibited during the
Central Coast sport halibut ‘‘all-depth’’
season days. ‘‘All-depth’’ season days
are established in the annual
management measures for Pacific
halibut fisheries, which are published in
the Federal Register and are announced
on the NMFS halibut hotline, 1–800–
662–9825.
[FR Doc. 05–7721 Filed 4–14–05; 3:08 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
E:\FR\FM\19APR1.SGM
19APR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 19, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20304-20314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7721]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Parts 300 and 660
[Docket No. 050125016-5097-02; I.D. 011805C]
RIN 0648-AS61
Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Catch Sharing Plan; Fisheries Off West
Coast States and in the Western Pacific; Pacific Coast Groundfish
Fishery; Specifications and Management Measures; Inseason Adjustments
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), on
behalf of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC),
publishes annual management measures to govern the Pacific halibut
fishery. These measures are promulgated as regulations by the IPHC and
accepted by the Secretary of State. The AA announces modifications to
the Catch Sharing Plan (Plan) for Area 2A and implementing regulations
for 2005, and announces approval of the Area 2A Plan. The AA also
announces related changes to management measures in the recreational
Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries, which are authorized by the Pacific
Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). These actions are
intended to enhance the conservation of Pacific halibut and groundfish
and further the goals and objectives of the Pacific Fishery Management
Council (Pacific Council).
DATES: The amendments to Sec. 660.384 are effective May 1, 2005. The
inseason adjustment to the annual management measures for Pacific
halibut fisheries are effective from April 14, 2005, until the
effective date of the 2006 annual management measures, which will be
published in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Plan, Environmental Assessment (EA)/Regulatory
Impact Review (RIR)/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA),
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA) and Categorical Exclusion
(CE) are available from D. Robert Lohn, Regional Administrator,
Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115-0070.
Electronic copies of the Plan, including proposed changes for 2005, and
of the EA/RIR/IRFA are also available at the NMFS Northwest Region
website: https://www.nwr.noaa.gov, click on ``Pacific Halibut.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Goen or Yvonne deReynier
(Northwest Region, NMFS), phone: 206-526-6150, fax: 206-526-6736 or e-
mail: jamie.goen@noaa.gov or yvonne.dereynier@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The IPHC manages Pacific halibut in waters
off Alaska, British Columbia, and the U.S. West Coast. On January 18-
21, 2005, the IPHC held its annual meeting in Victoria, B.C., and
recommended its bilateral regulations for 2005. The Secretary of State
of the United States has accepted the 2005 IPHC regulations under
section 4 of the Northern Pacific Halibut Act (Halibut Act, 16 U.S.C.
773-773k). For U.S. waters, NMFS works with the North Pacific and
Pacific Fishery Management Councils to set area-specific fishery
management measures. IPHC refers to waters off the U.S. West Coast
(Washington, Oregon, and California) as ``Area 2A.'' In addition,
regulations governing the retention of groundfish in the recreational
halibut fishery in Area 2A are included in the Pacific coast groundfish
regulations at Title 50 in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part
660, subpart G, which regulates fishing for over 80 species of
groundfish off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California.
Groundfish specifications and management measures are developed by the
Pacific Council, and are implemented by NMFS. The Pacific coast
groundfish specifications and management measures for 2005-2006 were
codified at 50 CFR part 600, subpart G and published in the Federal
Register as a proposed rule on September 21, 2004 (69 FR 56550), and as
a final rule on December 23, 2004 (69 FR 77012), and as subsequently
amended through inseason action.
On February 7, 2005, NMFS published a proposed rule to revise the
Area 2A Plan for Pacific halibut and to implement the portions of the
revised Plan that are not implemented in the IPHC regulations (70 FR
6395). A complete description of the Pacific Council recommended
changes to the Plan and management measures were published in the
proposed rule for this action. NMFS requested comment on the proposed
rule through March 16, 2005. On February 25, 2005, NMFS published a
final rule (70 FR 9242) to implement the IPHC's recommendations and to
announce fishery regulations for U.S. waters off Alaska and fishery
regulations for treaty commercial and ceremonial and subsistence
fisheries and some regulations for non-treaty commercial fisheries for
U.S. waters off the West Coast. None of the Pacific Council's proposed
2005 revisions to the Plan addressed either the treaty fisheries or the
non-treaty commercial fisheries.
As described in the proposed rule, there was confusion over the
Pacific Council's recommendation to prohibit the retention of all
groundfish, except sablefish when allowed by groundfish regulation, in
the Columbia River fishery during all days and in the Central Coast
fisheries during ``all-depth'' days. The confusion was over how it
would apply to the Columbia River subarea, which is shared by
Washington and Oregon. At their November 1-5, 2004, meeting, the
[[Page 20305]]
Pacific Council adopted a recommendation for ``Sub-areas south of
Leadbetter Point, Washington'' that stated ``No groundfish retention
except sablefish allowed during the all-depth fishery if halibut are
on-board the vessel except south of Humbug Mt.'' After the November
meeting it became apparent that various Council participants were
confused as to exactly where this prohibition would apply. Because of
the introductory description (Sub-areas south of Leadbetter Point,
Washington), some thought it applied in the entire Columbia River area
and the Oregon Central Coast subarea. However, others thought this
measure would only apply off Oregon because it was introduced by Oregon
and had not been discussed in Washington State meetings with Washington
fishermen, and because one purpose was to allow dockside enforcement
during the groundfish closure seaward of 40 fm (73 m), which is only in
place off of Oregon. In the proposed rule, NMFS concluded the two
possible ways to implement this provision in the Columbia River subarea
would be to apply the groundfish retention prohibition to all halibut
fishing in the Columbia River subarea or only to vessels that land
halibut in Oregon.
Therefore, NMFS requested that the Pacific Council clarify this
recommendation at their March 6-11, 2005, meeting in Sacramento, CA.
NMFS scheduled the public comment period on the proposed rule to end on
March 16, 2005, after the Pacific Council's March meeting. At their
March 2005 meeting, the Pacific Council recommended and NMFS is
implementing in this final rule for the halibut regulations and in this
inseason action for the groundfish regulations (1) a prohibition on the
landing of all groundfish, except sablefish when allowed by groundfish
regulation, in the Columbia River recreational fishery when halibut are
onboard the vessel and (2) a prohibition on the retention of all
groundfish, except sablefish when allowed by groundfish regulation, in
the Central Coast recreational fisheries during ``all depth'' days when
halibut are onboard the vessel.
This final rule announces approval of revisions to the Area 2A Plan
and implements the Area 2A Pacific halibut Plan and management measures
for 2005. These halibut management measures are effective until
superceded by the 2006 halibut management measures that will be
published in the Federal Register.
Comments and Responses
During the comment period on the proposed rule for implementing the
Area 2A Plan, NMFS received three letters of comment, two of those
letters were from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)
and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The letters from
WDFW and ODFW, commenting on the season dates, are addressed below in
the section on the Plan for Area 2A.
Comment 1: The commenter opposed NMFS proposal to remove the
minimum length requirement for sport halibut caught south of Leadbetter
Point, WA, stating that this requirement is an important conservation
measure, balancing the overall ecosystem. The commenter voiced a
concern that removing the minimum length requirement would cause a
decline in halibut populations.
Response: Sport fishing for halibut off the Oregon coast has been
managed with a 32-inch (81-cm) minimum size limit since 1989. In the
Columbia River area (shared between Washington and Oregon), the sport
fishery for halibut has been managed with a 32 inch (81 cm) size limit
since 2002. Off Washington, there has not been a size limit for sport
halibut fisheries since at least 1988.
The EA (see ADDRESSES for a copy) for this action analyzed the
impacts of retaining the current size limit, requiring fishery
participants to release any undersized halibut (Alternative 1), versus
eliminating the minimum size limit for the sport fisheries south of
Leadbetter Point, WA (Alternative 2). Area 2A sport halibut management
subareas south of Leadbetter Point, WA include the Columbia River
subarea (Leadbetter Point, WA to Cape Falcon, OR), the Central Coast
subarea (Cape Falcon, OR to Humbug Mountain, OR), and the southern
Oregon/California subarea (south of Humbug Mountain, OR). Based on the
analysis in the EA and on a recommendation from the Pacific Council and
originally from ODFW, NMFS proposed to eliminate the minimum size limit
south of Leadbetter Point, WA, in their proposed rule (70 FR 6395,
February 7, 2005). This action is intended to reduce the number of
halibut released and time on the water, thus reducing incidental catch
of groundfish species without harming the halibut population.
The halibut population in Area 2A is a small portion of the overall
halibut stock off northern North America and is thought to migrate down
from breeding grounds off Alaska and Canada. Annual halibut harvest
amounts are set by the IPHC, which has a long history of conservative
halibut management. The IPHC surveys the halibut stock annually to
monitor biomass trends and adjusts their total allowable catch to
mirror those trends. Neither retaining or eliminating the minimum size
limit will have any effect on the amount of halibut taken in Area 2A.
Eliminating the minimum size limit, however, could have an effect on
the number of halibut taken in the sport fisheries south of Leadbetter
Point, WA, and on the sex composition of the local halibut catch.
Because eliminating the minimum size limit would allow the retention of
smaller-size halibut, a larger number of halibut may be taken in the
fishery before the quota is reached than under a larger size limit.
Female halibut grow at a faster rate and achieve greater lengths at
younger ages than male halibut. Thus, a size-limited fishery may catch
a greater proportion of female halibut and/or younger female than male
halibut. The Oregon/California sport fishery allocation, however, is
0.36 percent of the overall North American halibut harvest, and
variations in the size and sex of fish harvested in this fishery are
unlikely to affect the abundance of Pacific halibut.
In addition, the South Washington Coast subarea sport fishery
average halibut lengths in each year for 2001, 2002, and 2003 have been
37 in (93 cm), 39 in (98 cm), and 36 in (92 cm), respectively. Average
weights for these same years have been 20.26 lb (9.2 kg), 20.62 lb (9.4
kg), and 17.42 lb (7.9 kg), respectively. In the central Oregon subarea
sport fishery, average halibut lengths in each year for 2001, 2002, and
2003 have been 41 in (104 cm), 41 in (103 cm), and 40 in (101 cm),
respectively. Average weights for these same years have been 23.1 lb
(10.5 kg), 22.1 lb (10.0 kg) and 20.6 lb (9.3 kg). Fish taken off
southern Washington are slightly smaller than those taken in the size-
limited Oregon coast fishery. However, the average sizes for both
subareas are well over the 32 in (81 cm) Oregon minimum size limit.
Thus, although removing the minimum size limit from the sport fisheries
south of Leadbetter Point, WA, may have some effect on the size
composition of retained halibut, that effect will likely be minimal.
Catch Sharing Plan for Area 2
The Pacific Council's Area 2A Plan allocates the halibut catch
limit for Area 2A among treaty Indian, non-treaty commercial, and non-
treaty sport fisheries in and off Washington, Oregon, and California.
Those allocations were described in the proposed rule for this action
(70 FR 6395, February 7, 2005).
[[Page 20306]]
The Plan also includes many other provisions regarding the
distribution of harvest in the area. For 2005, the Pacific Council
recommended changes to the Plan to modify the Pacific halibut fisheries
in Area 2A in 2005 and beyond pursuant to recommendations from WDFW and
ODFW. These changes to the Plan will:
Allow remaining quota from Washington's south coast subarea to be
used to accommodate incidental catch in the south coast nearshore
fishery;
Allow quota projected to be unused to be transferred from Oregon's
central coast subarea to another subarea south of Leadbetter Point, WA;
Revise the season structure for Oregon's all-depth spring and
summer sport fisheries;
Provide more flexibility for Oregon's inseason sport fishery
management (triggers for additional fishery openings and bag limits in
the all-depth summer fishery);
Revise the public announcement process for Oregon's all-depth
summer sport fishery;
Revise the Columbia River subarea quota contributions from Oregon/
California;
Remove the minimum length requirement in all subareas south of
Leadbetter Point, WA;
Prohibit landing of groundfish, except sablefish, in the Columbia
River subarea when halibut are onboard the vessel and prohibit the
retention of groundfish, except sablefish, in Oregon's Central Coast
subarea on ``all-depth'' days when halibut are onboard the vessel;
Implement a closed area off Oregon's coast; and
Revise all coordinates from degrees minutes seconds to degrees
decimal minutes.
NMFS has approved the proposed changes to the Plan. Copies of the
complete Plan for Area 2A as modified are available from the NMFS
Northwest Regional Office (see ADDRESSES).
The ODFW held a public workshop (after the IPHC set the Area 2A
quota) in Newport, OR, on January 27, 2005, to develop recommendations
on the opening dates of Oregon's central coast sport fisheries. WDFW
held a public workshop in Olympia, WA on February 4, 2005, to develop
recommendations on the opening dates of Washington's Puget Sound
subarea sport fisheries; on January 6 in Montesano, WA and February 22
in Olympia, WA to discuss the anticipated short season in Washington's
north coast subarea sport fishery; and February 8 in Montesano, WA to
discuss groundfish retention in the Columbia River subarea sport
halibut fishery. The WDFW and ODFW sent letters to NMFS providing
recommendations on the opening dates and season structure for managing
the sport fisheries under the 2005 quotas consistent with the Plan.
WDFW recommended an April 14 to June 20 season for eastern Puget
Sound and a May 26 to July 31 season for western Puget Sound, 5 days
per week (closed Tuesday and Wednesday). The recommended number of
fishing days is based on an analysis of past harvest patterns in this
fishery and meets the requirements of the Plan for the overall Puget
Sound sport fishery subarea. For the Washington North Coast subarea,
the Plan allows for a season opening May 10 and continuing until the
May sub-quota is taken, 5 days per week (closed Sunday and Monday), and
a second season opening June 16 and continuing until the remaining
quota is projected to be taken, 5 days per week (closed Sunday and
Monday). For the Washington South Coast subarea, the Plan allows for a
season opening May 1 and continuing until July 1 or until the quota is
taken, whichever is earlier, 5 days per week (closed Friday and
Saturday) in the offshore area and 7 days per week in the nearshore
area. Beginning July 1, and if quota remains, the south coast subarea
will be open 7 days per week in the offshore and nearshore areas
continuing until September 30 or until the quota is taken, whichever is
earlier.
The Plan allows for a Columbia River subarea season opening on May
1 and continuing 7 days per week until September 30 or until the quota
has been reached, whichever is earlier.
The Plan allows for an Oregon Central Coast subarea nearshore
fishery (inside of a boundary line approximating the 40-fm (73-m) depth
contour) season opening on May 1 and continuing 7 days per week until
October 31 or until the sub-quota for that fishery is taken, whichever
is earlier. For the all-depth fishery in that subarea, ODFW recommended
a 12-day spring season of May 12-14, 19-21, June 2-4 and 9-11, based on
an analysis of past harvest rates. If the spring season does not take
the entire spring sub-quota for this subarea, ODFW recommended these
additional potential opening dates: June 30, July 1-2, 14-16, and 28-
30. ODFW further recommended re-opening the all-depth fishery on
Friday, August 5 to take the summer sub-quota for this subarea, if
sufficient quota remains. This summer fishery would remain open every
other Friday through Sunday until the quota is taken, or October 31,
whichever is earlier. The Plan also allows for an increase in the open
days and bag limits in the summer all-depth season if a certain amount
of quota remains after the first and third summer all-depth openers.
These recommendations meet the requirements of the Plan for this
subarea.
For the southernmost subarea, south of Humbug Mountain, Oregon, the
Plan allows for opening this subarea on May 1 and continuing the season
until October 31, 7 days per week.
NMFS is implementing sport fishing management measures in Area 2A
which are in accordance with the Plan and based on recommendations from
the states.
NMFS Actions
0
For the reasons stated herein, NMFS concurs with Pacific Council's
recommendations. NMFS hereby announces under authority of 16 U.S.C.
773-773k, the following changes to the 2005 annual halibut management
measures at 70 FR 9242 (February 25, 2005) to read as follows:
0
1. On page 9249, in the Federal Register document published on February
25, 2005, in Section 24, ``Sport Fishing for Halibut,'' paragraph
(4)(b) is revised to read as follows:
* * * * *
(4)* * *
(b) The sport fishing subareas, subquotas, fishing dates, and daily
bag limits are as follows, except as modified under the inseason
actions in Section 25. All sport fishing in Area 2A is managed on a
``port of landing'' basis, whereby any halibut landed into a port
counts toward the quota for the area in which that port is located, and
the regulations governing the area of landing apply, regardless of the
specific area of catch.
(i) In Puget Sound and the U.S. waters in the Strait of Juan de
Fuca, east of a line extending from 48[deg]17.30' N. lat.,
124[deg]23.70' W. long. north to 48[deg]24.10' N. lat., 124[deg]23.70'
W. long., there is no quota. This area is managed by setting a season
that is projected to result in a catch of 64,800 lb (29 mt).
(A) The fishing season in eastern Puget Sound (east of
123[deg]49.50' W. long., Low Point) is April 14 through June 20 and the
fishing season in western Puget Sound (west of 123[deg]49.50' W. long.,
Low Point) is May 26 through July 31, 5 days a week (Thursday through
Monday).
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut of any size per day per
person.
(ii) The quota for landings into ports in the area off the north
Washington coast, west of the line described in paragraph (4)(b)(i) of
this section and north of the Queets River (47[deg]31.70' N. lat.), is
115,437 lb (52.4 mt).
[[Page 20307]]
(A) The fishing seasons are:
(1) Commencing May 10 and continuing 5 days a week (Tuesday through
Saturday) until 83,115 lb (37.7 mt) are estimated to have been taken
and the season is closed by the Commission.
(2) From June 16, and continuing thereafter for 5 days a week
(Tuesday through Saturday) until the overall quota of 115,437 lb (52.4
mt) are estimated to have been taken and the area is closed by the
Commission, or until September 30, whichever occurs first.
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut of any size per day per
person.
(C) A ``C-shaped'' yelloweye rockfish conservation area southwest
of Cape Flattery is closed to sport fishing for halibut. This area is
defined by the following coordinates in the order listed:
48[deg]18.00' N. lat.; 125[deg]18.00' W. long.;
48[deg]18.00' N. lat.; 124[deg]59.00' W. long.;
48[deg]11.00' N. lat.; 124[deg]59.00' W. long.;
48[deg]11.00' N. lat.; 125[deg]11.00' W. long.;
48[deg]04.00' N. lat.; 125[deg]11.00' W. long.;
48[deg]04.00' N. lat.; 124[deg]59.00' W. long.;
48[deg]00.00' N. lat.; 124[deg]59.00' W. long.;
48[deg]00.00' N. lat.; 125[deg]18.00' W. long.;
and connecting back to 48[deg]18.00' N. lat.; 125[deg]18.00' W.
long.
(iii) The quota for landings into ports in the area between the
Queets River, WA (47[deg]31.70' N. lat.) and Leadbetter Point, WA
(46[deg]38.17' N. lat.), is 50,146 lb (22.7 mt).
(A) The fishing season commences on May 1 and continues 5 days a
week (Sunday through Thursday) in all waters, except that in the area
from Queets River south to 47[deg]00'00'' N. lat. and east of
124[deg]40'00'' W. long, the fishing season commences on May 1 and
continues 7 days a week. Beginning July 1, the halibut fishery between
Queets River and Leadbetter Point will be open 7 days per week. The
fishery will continue from May 1 until 50,146 lb (22.7 mt) are
estimated to have been taken and the season is closed by the
Commission, or until September 30, whichever occurs first.
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut of any size per day per
person.
(iv) The quota for landings into ports in the area between
Leadbetter Point, WA (46[deg]38.17' N. lat.) and Cape Falcon, OR
(45[deg]46.00' N. lat.), is 13,747 lb (6.2 mt).
(A) The fishing season commences on May 1, and continues every day
through September 30, or until 13,747 lb (6.2 mt) are estimated to have
been taken and the area is closed by the Commission, whichever occurs
first.
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut of any size per day per
person.
(C) Landing Pacific Coast groundfish is prohibited, except
sablefish when allowed by Pacific Coast groundfish regulations, if
halibut are on board the vessel.
(v) The quota for landings into ports in the area off Oregon
between Cape Falcon (45[deg]46.00' N. lat.) and Humbug Mountain
(42[deg]40.50' N. lat.), is 251,264 lb (114 mt).
(A) The fishing seasons are:
(1) The first season commences May 1 and continues every day
through October 31, in the area inside of a boundary line approximating
the 40-fathom (73-m) depth contour, or until the sub-quota for the
central Oregon inside 40-fm fishery (20,101 lb (9.1 mt)) or any
inseason revised subquota is estimated to have been taken and the
season is closed by the Commission, whichever is earlier. The boundary
line approximating the 40-fathom (73-m) depth contour between
45[deg]46.00' N. lat. and 42[deg]40.50' N. lat. is defined by straight
lines connecting all of the following points in the order stated:
(1) 45[deg]46.00' N. lat., 124[deg]04.49' W. long.;
(2) 45[deg]44.34' N. lat., 124[deg]05.09' W. long.;
(3) 45[deg]40.64' N. lat., 124[deg]04.90' W. long.;
(4) 45[deg]33.00' N. lat., 124[deg]04.46' W. long.;
(5) 45[deg]32.27' N. lat., 124[deg]04.74' W. long.;
(6) 45[deg]29.26' N. lat., 124[deg]04.22' W. long.;
(7) 45[deg]20.25' N. lat., 124[deg]04.67' W. long.;
(8) 45[deg]19.99' N. lat., 124[deg]04.62' W. long.;
(9) 45[deg]17.50' N. lat., 124[deg]04.91' W. long.;
(10) 45[deg]11.29' N. lat., 124[deg]05.19' W. long.;
(11) 45[deg]05.79' N. lat., 124[deg]05.40' W. long.;
(12) 45[deg]05.07' N. lat., 124[deg]05.93' W. long.;
(13) 45[deg]03.83' N. lat., 124[deg]06.47' W. long.;
(14) 45[deg]01.70' N. lat., 124[deg]06.53' W. long.;
(15) 44[deg]58.75' N. lat., 124[deg]07.14' W. long.;
(16) 44[deg]51.28' N. lat., 124[deg]10.21' W. long.;
(17) 44[deg]49.49' N. lat., 124[deg]10.89' W. long.;
(18) 44[deg]44.96' N. lat., 124[deg]14.39' W. long.;
(19) 44[deg]43.44' N. lat., 124[deg]14.78' W. long.;
(20) 44[deg]42.27' N. lat., 124[deg]13.81' W. long.;
(21) 44[deg]41.68' N. lat., 124[deg]15.38' W. long.;
(22) 44[deg]34.87' N. lat., 124[deg]15.80' W. long.;
(23) 44[deg]33.74' N. lat., 124[deg]14.43' W. long.;
(24) 44[deg]27.66' N. lat., 124[deg]16.99' W. long.;
(25) 44[deg]19.13' N. lat., 124[deg]19.22' W. long.;
(26) 44[deg]15.35' N. lat., 124[deg]17.37' W. long.;
(27) 44[deg]14.38' N. lat., 124[deg]17.78' W. long.;
(28) 44[deg]12.80' N. lat., 124[deg]17.18' W. long.;
(29) 44[deg]09.23' N. lat., 124[deg]15.96' W. long.;
(30) 44[deg]08.38' N. lat., 124[deg]16.80' W. long.;
(31) 44[deg]08.30' N. lat., 124[deg]16.75' W. long.;
(32) 44[deg]01.18' N. lat., 124[deg]15.42' W. long.;
(33) 43[deg]51.60' N. lat., 124[deg]14.68' W. long.;
(34) 43[deg]42.66' N. lat., 124[deg]15.46' W. long.;
(35) 43[deg]40.49' N. lat., 124[deg]15.74' W. long.;
(36) 43[deg]38.77' N. lat., 124[deg]15.64' W. long.;
(37) 43[deg]34.52' N. lat., 124[deg]16.73' W. long.;
(38) 43[deg]28.82' N. lat., 124[deg]19.52' W. long.;
(39) 43[deg]23.91' N. lat., 124[deg]24.28' W. long.;
(40) 43[deg]20.83' N. lat., 124[deg]26.63' W. long.;
(41) 43[deg]17.96' N. lat., 124[deg]28.81' W. long.;
(42) 43[deg]16.75' N. lat., 124[deg]28.42' W. long.;
(43) 43[deg]13.98' N. lat., 124[deg]31.99' W. long.;
(44) 43[deg]13.71' N. lat., 124[deg]33.25' W. long.;
(45) 43[deg]12.26' N. lat., 124[deg]34.16' W. long.;
(46) 43[deg]10.96' N. lat., 124[deg]32.34' W. long.;
(47) 43[deg]05.65' N. lat., 124[deg]31.52' W. long.;
(48) 42[deg]59.66' N. lat., 124[deg]32.58' W. long.;
(49) 42[deg]54.97' N. lat., 124[deg]36.99' W. long.;
(50) 42[deg]53.81' N. lat., 124[deg]38.58' W. long.;
(51) 42[deg]50.00' N. lat., 124[deg]39.68' W. long.;
(52) 42[deg]49.14' N. lat., 124[deg]39.92' W. long.;
(53) 42[deg]46.47' N. lat., 124[deg]38.65' W. long.;
(54) 42[deg]45.60' N. lat., 124[deg]39.04' W. long.;
(55) 42[deg]44.79' N. lat., 124[deg]37.96' W. long.;
(56) 42[deg]45.00' N. lat., 124[deg]36.39' W. long.;
[[Page 20308]]
(57) 42[deg]44.14' N. lat., 124[deg]35.16' W. long.;
(58) 42[deg]42.15' N. lat., 124[deg]32.82' W. long.;
(59) 42[deg]40.50' N. lat., 124[deg]31.98' W. long.; and
(60) 42[deg]38.82' N. lat., 124[deg]31.09' W. long.
(2) The second season (spring season), which is for the ``all-
depth'' fishery, is open on May 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21, and June 2,
3, 4, 9, 10, and 11. The projected catch for this season is 173,372 lb
(78.6 mt). If sufficient unharvested catch remains for additional
fishing days, the season will re-open. Dependent on the amount of
unharvested catch available, the potential season re-opening dates will
be: June 30, and July 1, 2, 14, 15, 16, 28, 29, and 30. If NMFS decides
inseason to allow fishing on any of these re-opening dates, notice of
the re-opening will be announced on the NMFS hotline (206) 526-6667 or
(800) 662-9825. No halibut fishing will be allowed on the re-opening
dates unless the date is announced on the NMFS hotline.
(3) If sufficient unharvested catch remains, the third season
(summer season), which is for the ``all-depth'' fishery, will be open
August 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, and 21, September 2, 3, 4, 16, 17, 18, 30, and
October 1, 2, 14, 15, 16, 28, 29, and 30, or until the combined spring
season and summer season quotas in the area between Cape Falcon and
Humbug Mountain, OR, totaling 231,163 lb (104.9 mt), are estimated to
have been taken and the area is closed by the Commission, whichever is
earlier. NMFS will announce on the NMFS hotline in July whether the
fishery will re-open for the summer season in August. No halibut
fishing will be allowed in the summer season fishery unless the dates
are announced on the NMFS hotline. Additional fishing days may be
opened if a certain amount of quota remains after August 7 and
September 4. If after August 7, greater than or equal to 60,000 lbs
(27.2 mt) remains in the combined all-depth and inside 40-fm (73-m)
quota, the fishery may re-open on August 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26,
27, and 28 and September 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25,
and 30, and October 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, and
30 (every Friday through Sunday versus every other Friday through
Sunday). If after September 4, greater than or equal to 30,000 lbs
(13.6 mt) remains in the combined all-depth and inside 40-fm (73-m)
quota, the fishery may re-open on September 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23,
24, 25, and 30, and October 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28,
29, and 30 (every Friday through Sunday) with a bag limit of two fish
of any size per person, per day. NMFS will announce on the NMFS hotline
whether the summer all-depth fishery will be open on such additional
fishing days and what days will comprise such opening.
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut of any size per day per
person, unless otherwise specified. NMFS will announce on the NMFS
hotline any bag limit changes.
(C) During days open to all-depth halibut fishing, no Pacific Coast
groundfish may be retained, except sablefish when allowed by Pacific
Coast groundfish regulations, if halibut are on board the vessel.
(D) When the all-depth halibut fishery is closed and halibut
fishing is permitted only inshore of a boundary line approximating the
40-fm (73-m) depth contour, halibut possession and retention by vessels
operating offshore of 40-fm (73-m) is prohibited.
(E) A yelloweye rockfish conservation area off central Oregon is
closed to sport fishing for halibut. This area is defined by the
following coordinates in the order listed:
(1) 44[deg]37.46' N. lat.; 124[deg]24.92' W. long.;
(2) 44[deg]37.46' N. lat.; 124[deg]23.63' W. long.;
(3) 44[deg]28.71' N. lat.; 124[deg]21.80' W. long.;
(4) 44[deg]28.71' N. lat.; 124[deg]24.10' W. long.;
(5) 44[deg]31.42' N. lat.; 124[deg]25.47' W. long.;
(6) and connecting back to 44[deg]37.46' N. lat.; 124[deg]24.92' W.
long.
(vi) In the area south of Humbug Mountain, Oregon (42[deg]40.50' N.
lat.) and off the California coast, there is no quota. This area is
managed on a season that is projected to result in a catch of less than
7,984 lb (3.6 mt).
(A) The fishing season will commence on May 1 and continue every
day through October 31.
(B) The daily bag limit is one halibut of any size per day per
person.
* * * * *
0
2. On page 9250, in the Federal Register document published on February
25, 2005, Section 25, ``Flexible Inseason Management Provisions in Area
2A'' is revised to read as follows:
25. Flexible Inseason Management Provisions in Area 2A
(1) The Regional Administrator, NMFS Northwest Region, after
consultation with the Chairman of the Pacific Fishery Management
Council, the Commission Executive Director, and the Fisheries
Director(s) of the affected state(s), or their designees, is authorized
to modify regulations during the season after making the following
determinations.
(a) The action is necessary to allow allocation objectives to be
met.
(b) The action will not result in exceeding the catch limit for the
area.
(c) If any of the sport fishery subareas north of Cape Falcon, OR
are not projected to utilize their respective quotas by September 30,
NMFS may take inseason action to transfer any projected unused quota to
another Washington sport subarea.
(d) If any of the sport fishery subareas south of Leadbetter Point,
WA are not projected to utilize their respective quotas by their season
ending dates, NMFS may take inseason action to transfer any projected
unused quota to another Oregon sport subarea.
(2) Flexible inseason management provisions include, but are not
limited to, the following:
(a) Modification of sport fishing periods;
(b) Modification of sport fishing bag limits;
(c) Modification of sport fishing size limits;
(d) Modification of sport fishing days per calendar week; and
(e) Modification of subarea quotas north of Cape Falcon, OR.
(3) Notice procedures.
(a) Actions taken under this section will be published in the
Federal Register.
(b) Actual notice of inseason management actions will be provided
by a telephone hotline administered by the Northwest Region, NMFS, at
206-526-6667 or 800-662-9825 (May through October) and by U.S. Coast
Guard broadcasts. These broadcasts are announced on Channel 16 VHF-FM
and 2182 kHz at frequent intervals. The announcements designate the
channel or frequency over which the notice to mariners will be
immediately broadcast. Since provisions of these regulations may be
altered by inseason actions, sport fishers should monitor either the
telephone hotline or U.S. Coast Guard broadcasts for current
information for the area in which they are fishing.
(4) Effective dates.
(a) Any action issued under this section is effective on the date
specified in the publication or at the time that the action is filed
for public inspection with the Office of the Federal Register,
whichever is later.
(b) If time allows, NMFS will invite public comment prior to the
effective date of any inseason action filed with the Federal Register.
If the Regional Administrator determines, for good cause, that an
inseason action must be filed without affording a prior
[[Page 20309]]
opportunity for public comment, public comments will be received for a
period of 15 days after publication of the action in the Federal
Register.
(c) Any inseason action issued under this section will remain in
effect until the stated expiration date or until rescinded, modified,
or superseded. However, no inseason action has any effect beyond the
end of the calendar year in which it is issued.
(5) Availability of data. The Regional Administrator will compile,
in aggregate form, all data and other information relevant to the
action being taken and will make them available for public review
during normal office hours at the Northwest Regional Office, NMFS,
Sustainable Fisheries Division, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA.
* * * * *
0
3. On page 9250, in the Federal Register document published on February
25, 2005, Section 26, ``Fishery Election in Area 2A'' is revised to
read as follows:
26. Fishery Election in Area 2A
(1) A vessel that fishes in Area 2A may participate in only one of
the following three fisheries in Area 2A:
(a) The sport fishery under Section 24;
(b) The commercial directed fishery for halibut during the fishing
period(s) established in Section 8 and/or the incidental retention of
halibut during the primary sablefish fishery described at 50 CFR
660.372; or
(c) The incidental catch fishery during the salmon troll fishery as
authorized in Section 8.
(2) No person shall fish for halibut in the sport fishery in Area
2A under Section 24 from a vessel that has been used during the same
calendar year for commercial halibut fishing in Area 2A or that has
been issued a permit for the same calendar year for the commercial
halibut fishery in Area 2A.
(3) No person shall fish for halibut in the directed halibut
fishery during the fishing periods established in Section 8 and/or
retain halibut incidentally taken in the primary sablefish fishery in
Area 2A from a vessel that has been used during the same calendar year
for the incidental catch fishery during the salmon troll fishery as
authorized in Section 8.
(4) No person shall fish for halibut in the directed commercial
halibut fishery and/or retain halibut incidentally taken in the primary
sablefish fishery in Area 2A from a vessel that, during the same
calendar year, has been used in the sport halibut fishery in Area 2A or
that is licensed for the sport charter halibut fishery in Area 2A.
(5) No person shall retain halibut in the salmon troll fishery in
Area 2A as authorized under Section 8 taken on a vessel that, during
the same calendar year, has been used in the sport halibut fishery in
Area 2A, or that is licensed for the sport charter halibut fishery in
Area 2A.
(6) No person shall retain halibut in the salmon troll fishery in
Area 2A as authorized under Section 8 taken on a vessel that, during
the same calendar year, has been used in the directed commercial
fishery during the fishing periods established in Section 8 and/or
retain halibut incidentally taken in the primary sablefish fishery for
Area 2A or that is licensed to participate in these commercial
fisheries during the fishing periods established in Section 8 in Area
2A.
* * * * *
0
4. On page 9250, in the Federal Register document published on February
25, 2005, Section 27, ``Area 2A Non-Treaty Commercial Fishery Closed
Area'' is revised to read as follows:
27. Area 2A Non-treaty Commercial Fishery Closed Areas
Non-treaty commercial vessels operating in the directed commercial
fishery for halibut in Area 2A are required to fish outside of a closed
area, known as the Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA), that extends along
the coast from the U.S./Canada border south to 40[deg]10' N. lat.
Coordinates for the specific closed area boundaries are as follows:
(1) Between the U.S./Canada border and 46[deg]16' N. lat., the
eastern boundary of the RCA is the shoreline.
(2) Between 46[deg]16' N. lat. and 40[deg]10' N. lat., the eastern,
inshore boundary of the RCA approximates the 30-fm (55-m) depth
contour. The boundary is defined by straight lines connecting all of
the following points in the order stated:
(1) 46[deg]16.00' N. lat., 124[deg]13.05' W. long.;
(2) 46[deg]07.00' N. lat., 124[deg]07.01' W. long.;
(3) 45[deg]55.95' N. lat., 124[deg]02.23' W. long.;
(4) 45[deg]54.53' N. lat., 124[deg]02.57' W. long.;
(5) 45[deg]50.65' N. lat., 124[deg]01.62' W. long.;
(6) 45[deg]48.20' N. lat., 124[deg]02.16' W. long.;
(7) 45[deg]46.00' N. lat., 124[deg]01.86' W. long.;
(8) 45[deg]43.47' N. lat., 124[deg]01.28' W. long.;
(9) 45[deg]40.48' N. lat., 124[deg]01.03' W. long.;
(10) 45[deg]39.04' N. lat., 124[deg]01.68' W. long.;
(11) 45[deg]35.48' N. lat., 124[deg]01.89' W. long.;
(12) 45[deg]29.81' N. lat., 124[deg]02.45' W. long.;
(13) 45[deg]27.96' N. lat., 124[deg]01.89' W. long.;
(14) 45[deg]27.22' N. lat., 124[deg]02.67' W. long.;
(15) 45[deg]24.20' N. lat., 124[deg]02.94' W. long.;
(16) 45[deg]20.60' N. lat., 124[deg]01.74' W. long.;
(17) 45[deg]20.25' N. lat., 124[deg]01.85' W. long.;
(18) 45[deg]16.44' N. lat., 124[deg]03.22' W. long.;
(19) 45[deg]13.63' N. lat., 124[deg]02.70' W. long.;
(20) 45[deg]11.04' N. lat., 124[deg]03.59' W. long.;
(21) 45[deg]08.55' N. lat., 124[deg]03.47' W. long.;
(22) 45[deg]02.82' N. lat., 124[deg]04.64' W. long.;
(23) 45[deg]03.38' N. lat., 124[deg]04.79' W. long.;
(24) 44[deg]58.06' N. lat., 124[deg]05.03' W. long.;
(25) 44[deg]53.97' N. lat., 124[deg]06.92' W. long.;
(26) 44[deg]48.89' N. lat., 124[deg]07.04' W. long.;
(27) 44[deg]46.94' N. lat., 124[deg]08.25' W. long.;
(28) 44[deg]42.72' N. lat., 124[deg]08.98' W. long.;
(29) 44[deg]38.16' N. lat., 124[deg]11.48' W. long.;
(30) 44[deg]33.38' N. lat., 124[deg]11.54' W. long.;
(31) 44[deg]28.51' N. lat., 124[deg]12.03' W. long.;
(32) 44[deg]27.65' N. lat., 124[deg]12.56' W. long.;
(33) 44[deg]19.67' N. lat., 124[deg]12.37' W. long.;
(34) 44[deg]10.79' N. lat., 124[deg]12.22' W. long.;
(35) 44[deg]09.22' N. lat., 124[deg]12.28' W. long.;
(36) 44[deg]08.30' N. lat., 124[deg]12.30' W. long.;
(37) 44[deg]00.22' N. lat., 124[deg]12.80' W. long.;
(38) 43[deg]51.56' N. lat., 124[deg]13.17' W. long.;
(39) 43[deg]44.26' N. lat., 124[deg]14.50' W. long.;
(40) 43[deg]33.82' N. lat., 124[deg]16.28' W. long.;
(41) 43[deg]28.66' N. lat., 124[deg]18.72' W. long.;
(42) 43[deg]23.12' N. lat., 124[deg]24.04' W. long.;
(43) 43[deg]20.83' N. lat., 124[deg]25.67' W. long.;
(44) 43[deg]20.49' N. lat., 124[deg]25.90' W. long.;
[[Page 20310]]
(45) 43[deg]16.41' N. lat., 124[deg]27.52' W. long.;
(46) 43[deg]14.23' N. lat., 124[deg]29.28' W. long.;
(47) 43[deg]14.03' N. lat., 124[deg]28.31' W. long.;
(48) 43[deg]11.92' N. lat., 124[deg]28.26' W. long.;
(49) 43[deg]11.02' N. lat., 124[deg]29.11' W. long.;
(50) 43[deg]10.13' N. lat., 124[deg]29.15' W. long.;
(51) 43[deg]09.27' N. lat., 124[deg]31.03' W. long.;
(52) 43[deg]07.73' N. lat., 124[deg]30.92' W. long.;
(53) 43[deg]05.93' N. lat., 124[deg]29.64' W. long.;
(54) 43[deg]01.59' N. lat., 124[deg]30.64' W. long.;
(55) 42[deg]59.73' N. lat., 124[deg]31.16' W. long.;
(56) 42[deg]53.75' N. lat., 124[deg]36.09' W. long.;
(57) 42[deg]50.00' N. lat., 124[deg]38.39' W. long.;
(58) 42[deg]49.37' N. lat., 124[deg]38.81' W. long.;
(59) 42[deg]46.42' N. lat., 124[deg]37.69' W. long.;
(60) 42[deg]46.07' N. lat., 124[deg]38.56' W. long.;
(61) 42[deg]45.29' N. lat., 124[deg]37.95' W. long.;
(62) 42[deg]45.61' N. lat., 124[deg]36.87' W. long.;
(63) 42[deg]44.28' N. lat., 124[deg]33.64' W. long.;
(64) 42[deg]42.75' N. lat., 124[deg]31.84' W. long.;
(65) 42[deg]40.50' N. lat., 124[deg]29.67' W. long.;
(66) 42[deg]40.04' N. lat., 124[deg]29.19' W. long.;
(67) 42[deg]38.09' N. lat., 124[deg]28.39' W. long.;
(68) 42[deg]36.72' N. lat., 124[deg]27.54' W. long.;
(69) 42[deg]36.56' N. lat., 124[deg]28.40' W. long.;
(70) 42[deg]35.76' N. lat., 124[deg]28.79' W. long.;
(71) 42[deg]34.03' N. lat., 124[deg]29.98' W. long.;
(72) 42[deg]34.19' N. lat., 124[deg]30.58' W. long.;
(73) 42[deg]31.27' N. lat., 124[deg]32.24' W. long.;
(74) 42[deg]27.07' N. lat., 124[deg]32.53' W. long.;
(75) 42[deg]24.21' N. lat., 124[deg]31.23' W. long.;
(76) 42[deg]20.47' N. lat., 124[deg]28.87' W. long.;
(77) 42[deg]14.60' N. lat., 124[deg]26.80' W. long.;
(78) 42[deg]13.67' N. lat., 124[deg]26.25' W. long.;
(79) 42[deg]10.90' N. lat., 124[deg]24.57' W. long.;
(80) 42[deg]07.04' N. lat., 124[deg]23.35' W. long.;
(81) 42[deg]02.16' N. lat., 124[deg]22.59' W. long.;
(82) 42[deg]00.00' N. lat., 124[deg]21.81' W. long.;
(83) 41[deg]55.75' N. lat., 124[deg]20.72' W. long.;
(84) 41[deg]50.93' N. lat., 124[deg]23.76' W. long.;
(85) 41[deg]42.53' N. lat., 124[deg]16.47' W. long.;
(86) 41[deg]37.20' N. lat., 124[deg]17.05' W. long.;
(87) 41[deg]24.58' N. lat., 124[deg]10.51' W. long.;
(88) 41[deg]20.73' N. lat., 124[deg]11.73' W. long.;
(89) 41[deg]17.59' N. lat., 124[deg]10.66' W. long.;
(90) 41[deg]04.54' N. lat., 124[deg]14.47' W. long.;
(91) 40[deg]54.26' N. lat., 124[deg]13.90' W. long.;
(92) 40[deg]40.31' N. lat., 124[deg]26.24' W. long.;
(93) 40[deg]34.00' N. lat., 124[deg]27.39' W. long.;
(94) 40[deg]30.00' N. lat., 124[deg]31.32' W. long.;
(95) 40[deg]28.89' N. lat., 124[deg]32.43' W. long.;
(96) 40[deg]24.77' N. lat., 124[deg]29.51' W. long.;
(97) 40[deg]22.47' N. lat., 124[deg]24.12' W. long.;
(98) 40[deg]19.73' N. lat., 124[deg]23.59' W. long.;
(99) 40[deg]18.64' N. lat., 124[deg]21.89' W. long.;
(100) 40[deg]17.67' N. lat., 124[deg]23.07' W. long.;
(101) 40[deg]15.58' N. lat., 124[deg]23.61' W. long.;
(102) 40[deg]13.42' N. lat., 124[deg]22.94' W. long.; and
(103) 40[deg]10.00' N. lat., 124[deg]16.65' W. long.
(3) Between the U.S./Canada border and 40[deg]10' N. lat., the
western, offshore boundary of the RCA approximates the 100-fm (183-m)
depth contour. The boundary is defined by straight lines connecting all
of the following points in the order stated:
(1) 48[deg]15.00' N. lat., 125[deg]41.00' W. long.;
(2) 48[deg]14.00' N. lat., 125[deg]36.00' W. long.;
(3) 48[deg]09.50' N. lat., 125[deg]40.50' W. long.;
(4) 48[deg]08.00' N. lat., 125[deg]38.00' W. long.;
(5) 48[deg]05.00' N. lat., 125[deg]37.25' W. long.;
(6) 48[deg]02.60' N. lat., 125[deg]34.70' W. long.;
(7) 47[deg]59.00' N. lat., 125[deg]34.00' W. long.;
(8) 47[deg]57.26' N. lat., 125[deg]29.82' W. long.;
(9) 47[deg]59.87' N. lat., 125[deg]25.81' W. long.;
(10) 48[deg]01.80' N. lat., 125[deg]24.53' W. long.;
(11) 48[deg]02.08' N. lat., 125[deg]22.98' W. long.;
(12) 48[deg]02.97' N. lat., 125[deg]22.89' W. long.;
(13) 48[deg]04.47' N. lat., 125[deg]21.75' W. long.;
(14) 48[deg]06.11' N. lat., 125[deg]19.33' W. long.;
(15) 48[deg]07.95' N. lat., 125[deg]18.55' W. long.;
(16) 48[deg]09.00' N. lat., 125[deg]18.00' W. long.;
(17) 48[deg]11.31' N. lat., 125[deg]17.55' W. long.;
(18) 48[deg]14.60' N. lat., 125[deg]13.46' W. long.;
(19) 48[deg]16.67' N. lat., 125[deg]14.34' W. long.;
(20) 48[deg]18.73' N. lat., 125[deg]14.41' W. long.;
(21) 48[deg]19.67' N. lat., 125[deg]13.70' W. long.;
(22) 48[deg]19.70' N. lat., 125[deg]11.13' W. long.;
(23) 48[deg]22.95' N. lat., 125[deg]10.79' W. long.;
(24) 48[deg]21.61' N. lat., 125[deg]02.54' W. long.;
(25) 48[deg]23.00' N. lat., 124[deg]49.34' W. long.;
(26) 48[deg]17.00' N. lat., 124[deg]56.50' W. long.;
(27) 48[deg]06.00' N. lat., 125[deg]00.00' W. long.;
(28) 48[deg]04.62' N. lat., 125[deg]01.73' W. long.;
(29) 48[deg]04.84' N. lat., 125[deg]04.03' W. long.;
(30) 48[deg]06.41' N. lat., 125[deg]06.51' W. long.;
(31) 48[deg]06.00' N. lat., 125[deg]08.00' W. long.;
(32) 48[deg]07.08' N. lat., 125[deg]09.34' W. long.;
(33) 48[deg]07.28' N. lat., 125[deg]11.14' W. long.;
(34) 48[deg]03.45' N. lat., 125[deg]16.66' W. long.;
(35) 47[deg]59.50' N. lat., 125[deg]18.88' W. long.;
(36) 47[deg]58.68' N. lat., 125[deg]16.19' W. long.;
(37) 47[deg]56.62' N. lat., 125[deg]13.50' W. long.;
(38) 47[deg]53.71' N. lat., 125[deg]11.96' W. long.;
(39) 47[deg]51.70' N. lat., 125[deg]09.38' W. long.;
(40) 47[deg]49.95' N. lat., 125[deg]06.07' W. long.;
(41) 47[deg]49.00' N. lat., 125[deg]03.00' W. long.;
(42) 47[deg]46.95' N. lat., 125[deg]04.00' W. long.;
[[Page 20311]]
(43) 47[deg]46.58' N. lat., 125[deg]03.15' W. long.;
(44) 47[deg]44.07' N. lat., 125[deg]04.28' W. long.;
(45) 47[deg]43.32' N. lat., 125[deg]04.41' W. long.;
(46) 47[deg]40.95' N. lat., 125[deg]04.14' W. long.;
(47) 47[deg]39.58' N. lat., 125[deg]04.97' W. long.;
(48) 47[deg]36.23' N. lat., 125[deg]02.77' W. long.;
(49) 47[deg]34.28' N. lat., 124[deg]58.66' W. long.;
(50) 47[deg]32.17' N. lat., 124[deg]57.77' W. long.;
(51) 47[deg]30.27' N. lat., 124[deg]56.16' W. long.;
(52) 47[deg]30.60' N. lat., 124[deg]54.80' W. long.;
(53) 47[deg]29.26' N. lat., 124[deg]52.21' W. long.;
(54) 47[deg]28.21' N. lat., 124[deg]50.65' W. long.;
(55) 47[deg]27.38' N. lat., 124[deg]49.34' W. long.;
(56) 47[deg]25.61' N. lat., 124[deg]48.26' W. long.;
(57) 47[deg]23.54' N. lat., 124[deg]46.42' W. long.;
(58) 47[deg]20.64' N. lat., 124[deg]45.91' W. long.;
(59) 47[deg]17.99' N. lat., 124[deg]45.59' W. long.;
(60) 47[deg]18.20' N. lat., 124[deg]49.12' W. long.;
(61) 47[deg]15.01' N. lat., 124[deg]51.09' W. long.;
(62) 47[deg]12.61' N. lat., 124[deg]54.89' W. long.;
(63) 47[deg]08.22' N. lat., 124[deg]56.53' W. long.;
(64) 47[deg]08.50' N. lat., 124[deg]57.74' W. long.;
(65) 47[deg]01.92' N. lat., 124[deg]54.95' W. long.;
(66) 47[deg]01.14' N. lat., 124[deg]59.35' W. long.;
(67) 46[deg]58.48' N. lat., 124[deg]57.81' W. long.;
(68) 46[deg]56.79' N. lat., 124[deg]56.03' W. long.;
(69) 46[deg]58.01' N. lat., 124[deg]55.09' W. long.;
(70) 46[deg]55.07' N. lat., 124[deg]54.14' W. long.;
(71) 46[deg]59.60' N. lat., 124[deg]49.79' W. long.;
(72) 46[deg]58.72' N. lat., 124[deg]48.78' W. long.;
(73) 46[deg]54.45' N. lat., 124[deg]48.36' W. long.;
(74) 46[deg]53.99' N. lat., 124[deg]49.95' W. long.;
(75) 46[deg]54.38' N. lat., 124[deg]52.73' W. long.;
(76) 46[deg]52.38' N. lat., 124[deg]52.02' W. long.;
(77) 46[deg]48.93' N. lat., 124[deg]49.17' W. long.;
(78) 46[deg]41.50' N. lat., 124[deg]43.00' W. long.;
(79) 46[deg]34.50' N. lat., 124[deg]28.50' W. long.;
(80) 46[deg]29.00' N. lat., 124[deg]30.00' W. long.;
(81) 46[deg]20.00' N. lat., 124[deg]36.50' W. long.;
(82) 46[deg]18.00' N. lat., 124[deg]38.00' W. long.;
(83) 46[deg]17.52' N. lat., 124[deg]35.35' W. long.;
(84) 46[deg]17.00' N. lat., 124[deg]22.50' W. long.;
(85) 46[deg]16.00' N. lat., 124[deg]20.62' W. long.;
(86) 46[deg]13.52' N. lat., 124[deg]25.49' W. long.;
(87) 46[deg]12.17' N. lat., 124[deg]30.75' W. long.;
(88) 46[deg]10.63' N. lat., 124[deg]37.95' W. long.;
(89) 46[deg]09.29' N. lat., 124[deg]39.01' W. long.;
(90) 46[deg]02.40' N. lat., 124[deg]40.37' W. long.;
(91) 45[deg]56.45' N. lat., 124[deg]38.00' W. long.;
(92) 45[deg]51.92' N. lat., 124[deg]38.49' W. long.;
(93) 45[deg]47.19' N. lat., 124[deg]35.58' W. long.;
(94) 45[deg]46.41' N. lat., 124[deg]32.36' W. long.;
(95) 45[deg]46.00' N. lat., 124[deg]32.10' W. long.;
(96) 45[deg]41.75' N. lat., 124[deg]28.12' W. long.;
(97) 45[deg]36.96' N. lat., 124[deg]24.48' W. long.;
(98) 45[deg]31.84' N. lat., 124[deg]22.04' W. long.;
(99) 45[deg]27.10' N. lat., 124[deg]21.74' W. long.;
(100) 45[deg]20.25' N. lat., 124[deg]18.54' W. long.;
(101) 45[deg]18.14' N. lat., 124[deg]17.59' W. long.;
(102) 45[deg]11.08' N. lat., 124[deg]16.97' W. long.;
(103) 45[deg]04.38' N. lat., 124[deg]18.36' W. long.;
(104) 45[deg]03.83' N. lat., 124[deg]18.60' W. long.;
(105) 44[deg]58.05' N. lat., 124[deg]21.58' W. long.;
(106) 44[deg]47.67' N. lat., 124[deg]31.41' W. long.;
(107) 44[deg]44.55' N. lat., 124[deg]33.58' W. long.;
(108) 44[deg]39.88' N. lat., 124[deg]35.01' W. long.;
(109) 44[deg]32.90' N. lat., 124[deg]36.81' W. long.;
(110) 44[deg]30.33' N. lat., 124[deg]38.56' W. long.;
(111) 44[deg]30.04' N. lat., 124[deg]42.31' W. long.;
(112) 44[deg]26.84' N. lat., 124[deg]44.91' W. long.;
(113) 44[deg]17.99' N. lat., 124[deg]51.03' W. long.;
(114) 44[deg]13.68' N. lat., 124[deg]56.38' W. long.;
(115) 44[deg]08.30' N. lat., 124[deg]55.99' W. long.;
(116) 43[deg]56.67' N. lat., 124[deg]55.45' W. long.;
(117) 43[deg]56.47' N. lat., 124[deg]34.61' W. long.;
(118) 43[deg]42.73' N. lat., 124[deg]32.41' W. long.;
(119) 43[deg]30.93' N. lat., 124[deg]34.43' W. long.;
(120) 43[deg]20.83' N. lat., 124[deg]39.39' W. long.;
(121) 43[deg]17.45' N. lat., 124[deg]41.16' W. long.;
(122) 43[deg]07.04' N. lat., 124[deg]41.25' W. long.;
(123) 43[deg]03.45' N. lat., 124[deg]44.36' W. long.;
(124) 43[deg]03.90' N. lat., 124[deg]50.81' W. long.;
(125) 42[deg]55.70' N. lat., 124[deg]52.79' W. long.;
(126) 42[deg]54.12' N. lat., 124[deg]47.36' W. long.;
(127) 42[deg]50.00' N. lat., 124[deg]45.33' W. long.;
(128) 42[deg]44.00' N. lat., 124[deg]42.38' W. long.;
(129) 42[deg]40.50' N. lat., 124[deg]41.71' W. long.;
(130) 42[deg]38.23' N. lat., 124[deg]41.25' W. long.;
(131) 42[deg]33.03' N. lat., 124[deg]42.38' W. long.;
(132) 42[deg]31.89' N. lat., 124[deg]42.04' W. long.;
(133) 42[deg]30.09' N. lat., 124[deg]42.67' W. long.;
(134) 42[deg]28.28' N. lat., 124[deg]47.08' W. long.;
(135) 42[deg]25.22' N. lat., 124[deg]43.51' W. long.;
(136) 42[deg]19.23' N. lat., 124[deg]37.92' W. long.;
(137) 42[deg]16.29' N. lat., 124[deg]36.11' W. long.;
(138) 42[deg]13.67' N. lat., 124[deg]35.81' W. long.;
(139) 42[deg]05.66' N. lat., 124[deg]34.92' W. long.;
(140) 42[deg]00.00' N. lat., 124[deg]35.27' W. long.;
(141) 41[deg]47.04' N. lat., 124[deg]27.64' W. long.;
(142) 41[deg]32.92' N. lat., 124[deg]28.79' W. long.;
(143) 41[deg]24.17' N. lat., 124[deg]28.46' W. long.;
(144) 41[deg]10.12' N. lat., 124[deg]20.50' W. long.;
(145) 40[deg]51.41' N. lat., 124[deg]24.38' W. long.;
(146) 40[deg]43.71' N. lat., 124[deg]29.89' W. long.;
(147) 40[deg]40.14' N. lat., 124[deg]30.90' W. long.;
[[Page 20312]]
(148) 40[deg]37.35' N. lat., 124[deg]29.05' W. long.;
(149) 40[deg]34.76' N. lat., 124[deg]29.82' W. long.;
(150) 40[deg]36.78' N. lat., 124[deg]37.06' W. long.;
(151) 40[deg]32.44' N. lat., 124[deg]39.58' W. long.;
(152) 40[deg]30.00' N. lat., 124[deg]38.13' W. long.;
(153) 40[deg]24.82' N. lat., 124[deg]35.12' W. long.;
(154) 40[deg]23.30' N. lat., 124[deg]31.60' W. long.;
(155) 40[deg]23.52' N. lat., 124[deg]28.78' W. long.;
(156) 40[deg]22.43' N. lat., 124[deg]25.00' W. long.;
(157) 40[deg]21.72' N. lat., 124[deg]24.94' W. long.;
(158) 40[deg]21.87' N. lat., 124[deg]27.96' W. long.;
(159) 40[deg]21.40' N. lat., 124[deg]28.74' W. long.;
(160) 40[deg]19.68' N. lat., 124[deg]28.49' W. long.;
(161) 40[deg]17.73' N. lat., 124[deg]25.43' W. long.;
(162) 40[deg]18.37' N. lat., 124[deg]23.35' W. long.;
(163) 40[deg]15.75' N. lat., 124[deg]26.05' W. long.;
(164) 40[deg]16.75' N. lat., 124[deg]33.71' W. long.;
(165) 40[deg]16.29' N. lat., 124[deg]34.36' W. long.; and
(166) 40[deg]10.00' N. lat., 124[deg]21.12' W. long.;
* * * * *
Classification
This final rule has been determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order 12866 (E.O. 12866). In addition, the
groundfish inseason action is taken under the authority of 50 CFR
660.370(c) and is exempt from review under E.O. 12866.
The groundfish inseason action is authorized by the Pacific Coast
groundfish FMP and its implementing regulations, and is based on the
most recent data available. The aggregate data upon which this action
is based are available for public inspection at the Office of the
Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, (see ADDRESSES) during business
hours.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior
notice and an opportunity for public comment on the changes to the
groundfish regulations, as notice and comment is impracticable and
unnecessary. Notice and comment is impracticable because changes to
Washington and Oregon's recreational groundfish fishery management
measures to prohibit the landing or retention of groundfish, except
sablefish when halibut are onboard the vessel, must be implemented in a
timely manner to be effective when the sport halibut season starts on
May 1, 2005, in areas off Washington and Oregon. Notice and comment is
unnecessary because public notice and comment on this same provision in
the halibut regulations was provided via the proposed rule for the
Pacific halibut fisheries, which was published on February 7, 2005 (70
FR 6395). [NOTE: The proposed rule published later than expected
because, as explained in the preamble, there was confusion over the
Pacific Council's recommendation to prohibit the retention of all
groundfish, except sablefish when allowed by groundfish regulation, in
the Columbia River fishery during all days and in the Central Coast
fisheries during ``all-depth'' days. NMFS was required to coordinate
with the states and Council staff in an attempt to clarify the
Council's recommendations. NMFS decided to explain the issue in the
proposed rule and ask the Council to clarify their recommendation at
their March meeting.] This notice implements the same provision in both
the halibut and groundfish regulations.
The AA finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide a 30-
day delay in effectiveness (5 U.S.C. 553(d)). This rule must be made
effective for the first opening of the 2005 Pacific halibut fishing
season on April 14, 2005. The annual halibut quotas and many management
measures are determined by an international commission, the IPHC.
Therefore, the AA cannot publish a final rule until after the IPHC has
adopted the annual quotas and management measures for the year. The
IPHC adopted annual quotas and management measures for 2005 on January
21, 2005. NMFS published a proposed rule for 2005 on February 7, 2005,
and provided a comment period that ran until March 16, 2005, so that
the Pacific Council could provide a clarification on one of its
recommendations. In addition, after the IPHC meeting, the states hold
public meetings with their constituents on which they base their
recommendations to NMFS. Therefore, there was not sufficient time in
which to draft and publish the final rule in the Federal Register and
to allow for a 30-day delay in effectiveness before the scheduled April
14, 2005, start of the fishing season.
Delaying the opening of the fishing season would cause the Federal
regulations implemented for 2004 to remain in place until they are
replaced by these regulations. Therefore, if there were a 30-day delay
in effectiveness for these regulations, the fishery would operate under
last year's regulations for the first few weeks of the fishery. The
start dates for most of the recreational fisheries off Washington and
Oregon are slightly different in 2005 than they were in 2004. For
example, in Puget Sound, the fishery started on May 6 in 2004, but is
scheduled to start on April 14 in 2005. A delay in effectiveness of
this rule would delay the season by a few weeks, which could cause
economic harm to charter operators and lost harvest opportunity to
recreational anglers due to a shorter season than projected necessary
to attain the quota for this subarea. Because the number of days set
for the season is based on how many days it would take to catch the
available quota, a shortened season may not only keep anglers and
charter operators from achieving the quota, but it would cause lost
revenues from charter trips already booked for the beginning of the
season. In addition, recreational fisheries start dates primarily
differ from year to year because the Plan has a long history of
managing the different subareas so that fisheries occur on particular
days of the week. Thus, a Sunday through Thursday fishery will always
occur Sundays through Thursdays, but will have different calendar dates
from year to year. Although NMFS was able to provide a public comment
period following the proposed rule (February 7, 2005 (70 FR 6395)), the
agency did not have time to publish a final rule and allow a 30-day
delay in effectiveness period prior to April 14. The states of
Washington and Oregon have adopted recreational halibut regulations
that match these regulations. A delay in effectiveness of 30 days would
cause the state and Federal regulations to be in conflict, would cause
confusion in the recreational fishing industry, and would result in
fishing seasons that differ from the seasons carefully crafted by the
states, the industry, and the Pacific Council. This delay could harm
commercial and recreational fishermen by lost opportunity to harvest
their available 2005 quota. For the charter industry, previously
planned fishing trips would have to be cancelled, resulting in lost
revenue, if the season were delayed. In addition, conflicting state and
Federal regulations would make enforcement of regulations difficult and
create public confusion. For the reasons described above, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(d)(3), there is good cause to waive the requirement to
provide a 30-day delay in effectiveness of this rule so that this final
rule may
[[Page 20313]]
become effective in time for the first recreational halibut fishing
season on April 14, 2005.
The recreational groundfish fishery regulatory changes off
Washington and Oregon to prohibit the landing or retention of
groundfish, except sablefish when halibut are onboard the vessel will
be effective May 1, 2005.
NMFS prepared a final regulatory flexibility analysis (FRFA). The
FRFA incorporates the IRFA, a summary of the significant issues raised
by the public comments in response to the IRFA, and NMFS responses to
those comments, and a summary of the analyses completed to support the
action. A copy of this analysis is available from the NMFS (see
ADDRESSES) and a summary of the FRFA follows:
This rule is needed to implement the Plan and annual domestic
management measures in Area 2A. The main objective for the Pacific
halibut fishery in Area 2A is to manage fisheries to remain within the
TAC for Area 2A, while also allowing each commercial, recreational and
tribal fishery to target halibut in the manner most appropriate for the
user's needs within that fishery. This rule is intended to enhance the
conservation of Pacific halibut, to protect yelloweye and other
overfished groundfish species from incidental catch in the halibut
fisheries, and to provide greater angler opportunity where available.
The agency received three letters of comment on the proposed rule,
but none of the comments received addressed the IRFA.
In determining the potential universe of entities subject to this
rule, NMFS considered those entities to which this rule applies.
Although many small and large nonprofit enterprises track fisheries
management issues on the West Coast, the changes to the Plan and annual
management measures will not directly affect those enterprises.
Similarly, although many fishing communities are small governmental
jurisdictions, no direct regulations for those governmental
jurisdictions will result from this rule. However, charterboat
operations and participants in the non-treaty directed commercial
fishery off the coast of Washington and Oregon are small businesses
that are directly regulated by this rule.
Approximately 700 vessels were issued IPHC licenses to retain
halibut in 2004. IPHC issues licenses for: the directed commercial
fishery in Area 2A, including licenses issued to retain halibut caught
incidentally in the primary sablefish fishery (215 licenses in 2004);
incidental halibut caught in the salmon troll fishery (344 licenses in
2004); and the charterboat fleet (138 licenses in 2004). No vessel may
participate in more than one of these three fisheries per year.
Individual recreational anglers and private boats are the only sectors
that are not required to have an IPHC license to retain halibut.
Vessels participating in the directed commercial halibut fishery
and incidental halibut caught in the salmon troll fishery are
considered small entities if their annual receipts do not exceed $3.5
million. All of the vessels that participate in the Pacific halibut
fisheries in Area 2A are considered small businesses under Small
Business Administration guidance.
Specific data on the economics of halibut charter operations are
unavailable. However, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
(Commission) is completing a report on the overall West Coast
charterboat fleet. In surveying charterboat vessels concerning their
operations in 2000, the Commission estimated that there were about 315
charterboat vessels in operation off Washington and Oregon. Compared
with the 138 IPHC licenses in 2004, this estimate suggests that
approximately 44 percent of the charterboat fleet participates in the
halibut fishery. The Commission has developed preliminary estimates of
the annual revenues earned by this fleet and they vary by size class of
the vessels and home state. Small charterboat vessels range from 15 to
30 feet and typically carry 5 to 6 passengers. Medium charterboat
vessels range from 31 to 49 feet in length and typically carry 19 to 20
passengers. (Neither state has large vessels of greater than 49 feet in
their fleet.) Average annual revenues from all types of recreational
fishing, whalewatching and other activities ranged from $7,000 for
small Oregon vessels to $131,000 for medium Washington vessels. These
data confirm that charterboat vessels qualify as small entiti
