Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Halibut in the Gulf of Alaska, 66083-66084 [07-5844]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 227 / Tuesday, November 27, 2007 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 061020273–7001–03] RIN 0648–XE00 Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for New Jersey National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. AGENCY: NMFS announces that the 2007 summer flounder commercial quota allocated to the State of New Jersey has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may not land summer flounder in New Jersey for the remainder of calendar year 2007, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require publication of this notification to advise New Jersey that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no commercial quota is available for landing summer flounder in New Jersey. DATES: Effective 0001 hours, November 27, 2007, through 2400 hours, December 31, 2007. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Bryant, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9244. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery are found at 50 CFR part 648. The regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned on a percentage basis among the coastal states from North Carolina through Maine. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state is described in § 648.100. The initial total commercial quota for summer flounder for the 2007 calendar year was set equal to 7,789,800 lb (3,533 mt) (71 FR 75134, December 14, 2006). This quota was increased through an emergency action to 10,267,098 lb (4,658 mt) (72 FR 2458, January 19, 2007). The percent allocated to vessels landing summer flounder in New Jersey is 16.72499 percent, resulting in a commercial quota of 1,302,843 lb (591 mt). The 2007 allocation was reduced to pwalker on PROD1PC71 with RULES SUMMARY: VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:41 Nov 26, 2007 Jkt 214001 1,263,758 lb (573 mt) when research setaside was deducted. Section 648.101(b) requires the Administrator, Northeast Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) to monitor state commercial quotas and to determine when a state’s commercial quota has been harvested. NMFS then publishes a notification in the Federal Register to advise the state and to notify Federal vessel and dealer permit holders that, effective upon a specific date, the state’s commercial quota has been harvested and no commercial quota is available for landing summer flounder in that state. The Regional Administrator has determined, based upon dealer reports and other available information, that New Jersey has harvested its quota for 2007. The regulations at § 648.4(b) provide that Federal permit holders agree, as a condition of the permit, not to land summer flounder in any state that the Regional Administrator has determined no longer has commercial quota available. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, November 27, 2007, further landings of summer flounder in New Jersey by vessels holding summer flounder commercial Federal fisheries permits are prohibited for the remainder of the 2007 calendar year, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer and is announced in the Federal Register. Effective 0001 hours, November 27, 2007, federally permitted dealers are also notified that they may not purchase summer flounder from federally permitted vessels that land in New Jersey for the remainder of the calendar year, or until additional quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. Classification This action is required by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: November 21, 2007. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7–23062 Filed 11–26–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 66083 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 070213032–7032–01] RIN 0648–XE05 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Halibut in the Gulf of Alaska National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation. AGENCY: SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) from rockfish cooperatives in the Central Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Rockfish Pilot Program to vessels using trawl gear in the GOA. This action is necessary to provide the opportunity to vessels using trawl gear to harvest available GOA groundfish total allowable catch (TAC) under existing PSC limits. DATES: Effective November 21, 2007, until 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2007. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hogan, 907–586–7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the GOA according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska Management Area (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679. The 2007 allocation of halibut PSC to vessels using trawl gear in the GOA is 2,000 metric tons (mt) as established by the 2007 and 2008 final harvest specifications (72 FR 9676, March 5, 2007, as corrected by 72 FR 13217, March 21, 2007) for groundfish in the GOA. Section 679.81(c) allocates 176 mt to catcher processor and catcher vessel rockfish cooperatives in the Central GOA. The website at https:// www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/ goarat/07rppallocations.xls lists this amount. The remaining 1,824 mt is allocated to vessels using trawl gear not in a rockfish cooperative. As of November 19, 2007, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has E:\FR\FM\27NOR1.SGM 27NOR1 66084 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 227 / Tuesday, November 27, 2007 / Rules and Regulations determined that rockfish cooperatives in the Central GOA have not used 128 mt of the allocation under § 679.21(d)(5)(iii)(B). Therefore, NMFS reallocates 128 mt of halibut PSC from rockfish cooperatives in the Central GOA to the last seasonal apportionment for vessels using trawl gear in the GOA. The harvest specifications for halibut PSC included in the harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA (72 FR 9676, March 5, 2007, as corrected by 72 FR 13217, March 21, 2007) are revised as follows: 48 mt to rockfish cooperatives in the Central GOA and 1,952 mt to vessels using trawl gear. Classification pwalker on PROD1PC71 with RULES This action responds to the best available information recently obtained VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:41 Nov 26, 2007 Jkt 214001 from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, (AA) finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such a requirement is impracticable and contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and would delay the reallocation of projected unused amounts of halibut PSC in the GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of November 19, 2007. PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 The AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the effective date of this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This finding is based upon the reasons provided above for waiver of prior notice and opportunity for public comment. This action is required by § 679.20 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: November 20, 2007. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 07–5844 Filed 11–21–07; 1:45 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S E:\FR\FM\27NOR1.SGM 27NOR1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 227 (Tuesday, November 27, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66083-66084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5844]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 070213032-7032-01]
RIN 0648-XE05


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation 
of Halibut in the Gulf of Alaska

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of halibut 
prohibited species catch (PSC) from rockfish cooperatives in the 
Central Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Rockfish Pilot Program to vessels using 
trawl gear in the GOA. This action is necessary to provide the 
opportunity to vessels using trawl gear to harvest available GOA 
groundfish total allowable catch (TAC) under existing PSC limits.

DATES: Effective November 21, 2007, until 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 
31, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hogan, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
GOA according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf 
of Alaska Management Area (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. 
vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 
600 and 50 CFR part 679.
    The 2007 allocation of halibut PSC to vessels using trawl gear in 
the GOA is 2,000 metric tons (mt) as established by the 2007 and 2008 
final harvest specifications (72 FR 9676, March 5, 2007, as corrected 
by 72 FR 13217, March 21, 2007) for groundfish in the GOA. Section 
679.81(c) allocates 176 mt to catcher processor and catcher vessel 
rockfish cooperatives in the Central GOA. The website at https://
www.fakr.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/goarat/07rppallocations.xls 
lists this amount. The remaining 1,824 mt is allocated to vessels using 
trawl gear not in a rockfish cooperative.
    As of November 19, 2007, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS 
(Regional Administrator), has

[[Page 66084]]

determined that rockfish cooperatives in the Central GOA have not used 
128 mt of the allocation under Sec.  679.21(d)(5)(iii)(B). Therefore, 
NMFS reallocates 128 mt of halibut PSC from rockfish cooperatives in 
the Central GOA to the last seasonal apportionment for vessels using 
trawl gear in the GOA.
    The harvest specifications for halibut PSC included in the harvest 
specifications for groundfish in the GOA (72 FR 9676, March 5, 2007, as 
corrected by 72 FR 13217, March 21, 2007) are revised as follows: 48 mt 
to rockfish cooperatives in the Central GOA and 1,952 mt to vessels 
using trawl gear.

Classification

    This action responds to the best available information recently 
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NOAA, (AA) finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior 
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set 
forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such a requirement is impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from 
responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and 
would delay the reallocation of projected unused amounts of halibut PSC 
in the GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for 
public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became 
available as of November 19, 2007.
    The AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the 
effective date of this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This finding is 
based upon the reasons provided above for waiver of prior notice and 
opportunity for public comment.
    This action is required by Sec.  679.20 and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: November 20, 2007.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 07-5844 Filed 11-21-07; 1:45 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
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