Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska, 61638-61639 [2010-25162]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 193 / Wednesday, October 6, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
new bear deterrence applications and
techniques and will update this set of
guidelines with examples of future
approved methods. Deterrence actions
(other than the measures described in
these guidelines) that do not result in
serious injury or death to a polar bear
remain permissible for persons
identified in section 101(a)(4)(A) of the
MMPA. Prior to conducting activities
beyond those specifically described in
these guidelines, persons should contact
the Service’s Alaska Regional Office’s
Marine Mammal Program for further
guidance (for the location of the Alaska
Regional Office see 50 CFR 2.2(g)).
Dated: September 22, 2010.
Tom Strickland,
Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and
Parks.
[FR Doc. 2010–25044 Filed 10–5–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0910131362–0087–02]
RIN 0648–XZ38
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical
Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for
comments.
AGENCY:
NMFS issues an inseason
adjustment prohibiting directed fishing
for pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the
Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 36 hours after
opening directed fishing for pollock,
effective 2400 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), October 2, 2010. This
adjustment is necessary to manage the
pollock total allowable catch limit in
Statistical Area 630 of the GOA.
DATES: Effective 2400 hrs, Alaska local
time (A.l.t.), October 2, 2010, through
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2010.
Comments must be received at the
following address no later than 4:30
p.m., A.l.t., October 18, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue
Salveson, Assistant Regional
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries
Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, Attn:
Ellen Sebastian. You may submit
comments, identified by RIN 0648–
XZ38, by any one of the following
methods:
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SUMMARY:
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• Electronic Submissions: Submit all
electronic public comments via the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov.
• Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK
99802.
• Fax: (907) 586–7557.
• Hand delivery to the Federal
Building: 709 West 9th Street, Room
420A, Juneau, AK.
All comments received are a part of
the public record. No comments will be
posted to https://www.regulations.gov for
public viewing until after the comment
period has closed. Comments will
generally be posted without change. All
Personal Identifying Information (for
example, name, address, etc.)
voluntarily submitted by the commenter
may be publicly accessible. Do not
submit Confidential Business
Information or otherwise sensitive or
protected information.
NMFS will accept anonymous
comments (enter N/A in the required
fields, if you wish to remain
anonymous). You may submit
attachments to electronic comments in
Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or
Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Obren Davis, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council
under authority of the MagnusonStevens 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 2010 total allowable catch (TAC)
of pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the
GOA is 19,118 metric tons (mt) as
established by the final 2010 and 2011
harvest specifications for groundfish of
the GOA (75 FR 11749, March 12, 2010).
As of September 29, 2010,
approximately 5,700 mt of pollock
remain in the 2010 TAC for pollock in
Statistical Area 630. The D season
allowance of the pollock TAC in
Statistical Area 630 is 5,912 mt for the
period beginning October 1, 2010
through November 1, 2010. Section
679.23(b) specifies that the time of all
openings and closures of fishing seasons
other than the beginning and end of the
calendar fishing year is 1200 hrs, A.l.t.
Current information shows the catching
capacity of vessels catching pollock in
Statistical Area 630 of the GOA is in
excess of 4,000 mt per day. The
Administrator, Alaska Region, (Regional
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Fmt 4700
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Administrator) has determined that the
pollock TAC could be exceeded if a 48hour fishery were allowed to occur.
NMFS intends that the TAC not be
exceeded and, therefore, will not allow
a 48-hour directed fishery. NMFS, in
accordance with § 679.25(a)(1)(i), is
issuing an inseason adjustment
prohibiting directed fishing for pollock
in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA by
closing the fishery at 2400 hrs, A.l.t.,
October 2, 2010. This action has the
effect of opening the fishery for 36
hours. NMFS is taking this action to
allow a controlled fishery to occur,
thereby preventing the overharvest of
the pollock TAC. In accordance with
§ 679.25(a)(2)(iii), NMFS has
determined that prohibiting directed
fishing at 2400 hrs, A.l.t., October 2,
2010, after a 36 hour opening is the least
restrictive management adjustment to
achieve the pollock TAC and will allow
other fisheries to continue in noncritical
areas and time periods. The Regional
Administrator considered the following
factors in reaching this decision: (1) The
current catch of pollock in Statistical
Area 630 of the GOA and, (2) the harvest
capacity and stated intent on future
harvesting patterns of vessels in
participating in this fishery.
After the effective date of this closure
the maximum retainable amounts at
§ 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time
during a trip.
Classification
This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA), finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. This requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries
data in a timely fashion and would
delay the closure of pollock directed
fishing in Statistical Area 630 of the
GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a
notice providing time for public
comment because the most recent,
relevant data only became available as
of September, 29, 2010. NMFS will be
accepting comments after the effective
date of this closure (See DATES).
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.
E:\FR\FM\06OCR1.SGM
06OCR1
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 193 / Wednesday, October 6, 2010 / Rules and Regulations
AGENCY:
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act, the FMPs, and other applicable
laws.
DATES: Effective November 5, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of
Amendments 95 and 96 to the FMP for
Groundfish of the BSAI, Amendment 87
to the FMP for Groundfish of the GOA,
the Environmental Assessments (EAs),
and the Regulatory Impact Review (RIR)
prepared for this action are available
from NMFS Alaska Region, P.O. Box
21668, Juneau, AK 99802 or from the
Alaska Region NMFS Web site at
https://www.alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/
regs/summary.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Melanie Brown, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
groundfish fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone of the BSAI and GOA are
managed under the FMPs. The North
Pacific Fishery Management Council
(Council) prepared the FMPs under the
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq. Regulations implementing
the FMPs appear at 50 CFR part 679.
General regulations governing U.S.
fisheries also appear at 50 CFR part 600.
NMFS issues a final rule to
implement Amendments 95 and 96 to
the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area
(BSAI) and Amendment 87 to the FMP
for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska
(GOA), (collectively referred to as ‘‘the
FMPs’’). Amendment 95 moves skates
from the ‘‘other species’’ category to the
‘‘target species’’ category in the FMP.
Amendments 96 and 87 revise the FMPs
to meet the National Standard 1
guidelines for annual catch limits and
accountability measures. These
amendments move all remaining species
groups from the ‘‘other species’’ category
to the ‘‘target species’’ category, remove
the ‘‘other species’’ and ‘‘non-specified
species’’ categories from the FMPs,
establish an ‘‘ecosystem component’’
category, and describe the current
practices for groundfish fisheries
management in the FMPs, as required
by the guidelines. The final rule
removes references to the ‘‘other
species’’ category for purposes of the
harvest specifications and adds skate
species to the reporting codes for the
BSAI groundfish fisheries. This action is
intended to promote the goals and
objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens
Background
Amendment 95 was unanimously
adopted by the Council in October 2009.
This amendment moves skates from the
‘‘other species’’ category to the ‘‘target
species’’ list in the BSAI FMP, allowing
the management of skates as a target
species complex or as individual skate
species. NMFS trawl survey and catch
information shows that 15 skate species
occur in the BSAI. In the Bering Sea
subarea, the most abundant species is
the Alaska skate, while the most
abundant species in the Aleutian
Islands subarea is the whiteblotched
skate. Individual species of skate could
be listed under the skate complex in the
‘‘target species’’ list during the harvest
specifications process to allow NMFS to
separately manage harvest of these
individual species.
The Council unanimously adopted
Amendments 96 and 87 in April 2010.
These amendments revise the FMPs to
meet the Magnuson-Stevens Act
requirements to establish annual catch
limits (ACLs) and accountability
measures (AMs), and conform to the
National Standard 1 (NS1) guidelines
(74 FR 3178, January 16, 2009). The
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management
Reauthorization Act of 2006 (MSRA),
which was signed into law on January
12, 2007, included new requirements
regarding ACLs and AMs, which
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: September 30, 2010.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Director,
Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–25162 Filed 10–1–10; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0912231441–0465–03]
RIN 0648–AY48
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Skate Management in
the Groundfish Fisheries of the Bering
Sea and Aleutian Islands; Groundfish
Annual Catch Limits for the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands Management Area
and Gulf of Alaska
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY:
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61639
reinforce existing requirements to
prevent overfishing and rebuild
fisheries. The proposed rule for this
action presents background on the NS1,
MSRA requirements for ACLs and AMs,
and harvest management of groundfish
species (75 FR 41424, July 16, 2010).
The Council submitted Amendments
87, 95, and 96 for review by the
Secretary of Commerce, and a notice of
availability of the amendments was
published in the Federal Register on
July 2, 2010 (75 FR 38454), with
comments on the amendments invited
through August 31, 2010. The comments
on the proposed rule were invited
through August 30, 2010. The Secretary
of Commerce approved the amendments
to the FMPs on September 22, 2010.
Regulatory Amendments
This final rule revises definitions for
‘‘groundfish,’’ ‘‘license limitation
groundfish,’’ and ‘‘target species,’’ in
§ 679.2, to remove reference to the
‘‘other species’’ category. Removing the
term ‘‘other species category’’ from these
definitions reduces confusion related to
target species and the harvest
specifications, as Amendments 96 and
87 remove the ‘‘other species’’ category
from the FMPs for purposes of the
harvest specifications, and leave only
‘‘target species’’ as a category for which
NMFS must establish harvest
specifications. This final rule revises the
definition for ‘‘other species’’ to allow
the continued management of BSAI and
GOA sharks, sculpins, and octopuses,
and GOA squids as a group for purposes
of prohibited species catch under
§ 679.21 and maximum retainable
amounts specified in Tables 10 and 11
to part 679.
This final rule revises § 679.20 by
removing the term ‘‘other species
category’’ in paragraphs related to
harvest limits, reserves, harvest
specifications, and fishery closures.
This revision ensures the regulations for
harvest specifications and ‘‘target
species’’ management are consistent
with Amendments 96 and 87, which
remove ‘‘other species’’ from the FMP for
purposes of harvest specifications and
inseason management.
This final rule revises § 679.25 to
remove the ‘‘other species’’ category
from the paragraph related to reopening
an area to achieve total allowable catch
(TAC) for a target species. This revision
ensures the regulations are consistent
with removing ‘‘other species’’ from the
FMP for purposes of target species
management.
This final rule revises Table 2a to part
679 by adding whiteblotched, Alaska,
and Aleutian skates, as well as the
scientific names for individual skate
E:\FR\FM\06OCR1.SGM
06OCR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 193 (Wednesday, October 6, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61638-61639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-25162]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 0910131362-0087-02]
RIN 0648-XZ38
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in
Statistical Area 630 in the Gulf of Alaska
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Inseason adjustment; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS issues an inseason adjustment prohibiting directed
fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA)
36 hours after opening directed fishing for pollock, effective 2400
hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 2, 2010. This adjustment is
necessary to manage the pollock total allowable catch limit in
Statistical Area 630 of the GOA.
DATES: Effective 2400 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 2, 2010,
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2010. Comments must be received
at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., October 18,
2010.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS,
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by RIN 0648-
XZ38, by any one of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov.
Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.
Fax: (907) 586-7557.
Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
All comments received are a part of the public record. No comments
will be posted to https://www.regulations.gov for public viewing until
after the comment period has closed. Comments will generally be posted
without change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example,
name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be
publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or
otherwise sensitive or protected information.
NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required
fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). You may submit attachments to
electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF
file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan
for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H
of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The 2010 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in Statistical Area
630 of the GOA is 19,118 metric tons (mt) as established by the final
2010 and 2011 harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA (75 FR
11749, March 12, 2010).
As of September 29, 2010, approximately 5,700 mt of pollock remain
in the 2010 TAC for pollock in Statistical Area 630. The D season
allowance of the pollock TAC in Statistical Area 630 is 5,912 mt for
the period beginning October 1, 2010 through November 1, 2010. Section
679.23(b) specifies that the time of all openings and closures of
fishing seasons other than the beginning and end of the calendar
fishing year is 1200 hrs, A.l.t. Current information shows the catching
capacity of vessels catching pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA
is in excess of 4,000 mt per day. The Administrator, Alaska Region,
(Regional Administrator) has determined that the pollock TAC could be
exceeded if a 48-hour fishery were allowed to occur. NMFS intends that
the TAC not be exceeded and, therefore, will not allow a 48-hour
directed fishery. NMFS, in accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i), is
issuing an inseason adjustment prohibiting directed fishing for pollock
in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA by closing the fishery at 2400 hrs,
A.l.t., October 2, 2010. This action has the effect of opening the
fishery for 36 hours. NMFS is taking this action to allow a controlled
fishery to occur, thereby preventing the overharvest of the pollock
TAC. In accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(2)(iii), NMFS has determined
that prohibiting directed fishing at 2400 hrs, A.l.t., October 2, 2010,
after a 36 hour opening is the least restrictive management adjustment
to achieve the pollock TAC and will allow other fisheries to continue
in noncritical areas and time periods. The Regional Administrator
considered the following factors in reaching this decision: (1) The
current catch of pollock in Statistical Area 630 of the GOA and, (2)
the harvest capacity and stated intent on future harvesting patterns of
vessels in participating in this fishery.
After the effective date of this closure the maximum retainable
amounts at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip.
Classification
This action responds to the best available information recently
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA (AA), finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set
forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and
would delay the closure of pollock directed fishing in Statistical Area
630 of the GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for
public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became
available as of September, 29, 2010. NMFS will be accepting comments
after the effective date of this closure (See DATES).
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.
[[Page 61639]]
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: September 30, 2010.
Carrie Selberg,
Acting Director,
Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-25162 Filed 10-1-10; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
