Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Crab Prohibited Species Catch Allowances in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, 65973-65975 [2011-27606]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 206 / Tuesday, October 25, 2011 / Rules and Regulations
cooperatives in the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary to allow
the Amendment 80 cooperatives to fully
harvest their 2011 groundfish
allocations.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 101126521–0640–02]
Effective October 25, 2011,
through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2011.
DATES:
RIN 0648–XA784
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Crab
Prohibited Species Catch Allowances
in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.
AGENCY:
NMFS is reallocating the
projected unused amounts of the 2011
crab prohibited species catch (PSC)
allowances from the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands trawl limited access
sector to the Amendment 80
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Whitney, 907–586–7269.
NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI according to the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
65973
The Administrator, Alaska Region,
NMFS, has also determined that 259,000
crabs of Zone 1 C. bairdi tanner crab
PSC, 750,000 crabs of Zone 2 C. bairdi
tanner crab PSC, 37,000 crabs of Zone
1 red king crab PSC, and 1,300,000 crabs
of C. opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone
(COBLZ) C. opilio tanner crab PSC from
the BSAI trawl limited access sector will
not be needed to support BSAI trawl
limited access fisheries. Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.91(f)(5), NMFS is
reallocating these crab PSC amounts
from the BSAI trawl limited access
sector to the Amendment 80
cooperatives in the BSAI.
In accordance with § 679.91(f)(1),
NMFS will reissue cooperative quota
permits for the reallocated crab PSC
following the procedures set forth in
§ 679.91(f)(4) and § 679.91(f)(5).
The harvest specifications for crab
PSC allowances included in the final
harvest specifications for crab in the
BSAI (76 FR 11139, March 1, 2011) are
modified as follows in Tables 8a, 8c,
and 8d:
TABLE 8a—FINAL 2011 AND 2012 APPORTIONMENT OF PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH ALLOWANCES TO NON-TRAWL GEAR,
THE CDQ PROGRAM, AMENDMENT 80, AND THE BSAI TRAWL LIMITED ACCESS SECTORS
Total nontrawl PSC
PSC species
Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI .........................
Herring (mt) BSAI ........................................
Red king crab (animals) Zone 1 1 ...............
C. opilio (animals) COBLZ 2 ........................
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 1 2 ................
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 2 ..................
900
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Non-trawl
PSC
remaining
after CDQ
PSQ 1
Total trawl
PSC
832
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
3,675
2,273
197,000
8,310,480
830,000
2,520,000
Amendment 80 sector
Trawl PSC
remaining
after CDQ
PSQ 1
CDQ PSQ
reserve 1
3,349
n/a
175,921
7,421,259
741,190
2,250,360
393
n/a
21,079
889,221
88,810
269,640
BSAI trawl limited
access fishery
2011
2012
2011
2012
2,375
n/a
130,432
5,175,381
590,608
1,315,966
2,325
n/a
87,925
3,647,549
312,115
532,660
875
n/a
16,797
1,085,193
89,285
303,394
875
n/a
53,797
2,385,193
348,285
1,053,394
1 Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) allocates 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and § 679.21(e)(4)(i)(A) allocates 7.5 percent, or 67 mt, of the non-trawl halibut
mortality limit as the PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. The PSQ reserve for crab species is 10.7 percent of each crab PSC limit.
2 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of zones.
3 Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 8c—FINAL 2011 AND 2012 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES FOR THE BSAI TRAWL LIMITED ACCESS
SECTOR AND NON-TRAWL FISHERIES
Prohibited species and area 1
BSAI trawl limited access fisheries
Red king
crab
(animals)
Zone 1
Halibut mortality (mt)
BSAI
C. opilio
(animals)
COBLZ
C. bairdi (animals)
Zone 1
Zone 2
2011
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Yellowfin sole .......................................................................
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 2 .................................
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish 3 ...............................................
Rockfish April 15–December 31 ..........................................
Pacific cod ...........................................................................
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species ...................................
167
0
0
5
453
250
14,799
0
0
0
1,873
125
1,022,610
0
0
1,738
43,460
17,384
75,172
0
0
0
13,027
1,086
289,709
0
0
244
12,219
1,222
Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC ...........................
875
16,797
1,085,193
89,285
303,394
Non-trawl fisheries
Catcher/
processor
Pacific cod—Total ................................................................
January 1–June 10 .......................................................
June 10–August 15 ......................................................
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 206 / Tuesday, October 25, 2011 / Rules and Regulations
Non-trawl fisheries
August 15–December 31 ..............................................
115
2
Other non-trawl—Total ........................................................
May 1–December 31 ....................................................
Groundfish pot and jig ..................................................
Sablefish hook-and-line ................................................
58
58
Exempt
Exempt
Total non-trawl PSC .....................................................
833
Prohibited species and area 1
BSAI trawl limited access fisheries
Red king
crab
(animals)
Zone 1
Halibut mortality (mt)
BSAI
C. opilio
(animals)
COBLZ
C. bairdi (animals)
Zone 1
Zone 2
2012
Yellowfin sole .......................................................................
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 2 .................................
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish 3 ...............................................
Rockfish April 15–December 31 ..........................................
Pacific cod ...........................................................................
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 4 .................................
167
0
0
5
453
250
47,397
0
0
0
6,000
400
2,247,640
0
0
3,821
95,523
38,209
293,234
0
0
0
50,816
4,235
1,005,879
0
0
849
42,424
4,242
Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC ...........................
875
53,797
2,385,193
348,285
1,053,394
Non-trawl fisheries
Catcher/
processor
Pacific cod—Total ................................................................
January 1–June 10 .......................................................
June 10–August 15 ......................................................
August 15–December 31 ..............................................
Catcher
vessel
760
455
190
115
15
10
3
2
Other non-trawl—Total ........................................................
May 1–December 31 ....................................................
Groundfish pot and jig ..................................................
Sablefish hook-and-line ................................................
58
58
Exempt
Exempt
Total non-trawl PSC .....................................................
833
1 Refer
to § 679.2 for definitions of areas.
2 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock
sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
3 Arrowtooth flounder for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder.
4 ‘‘Other species’’ for PSC monitoring includes sculpins, sharks, skates, and octopuses.
5 Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
TABLE 8d—FINAL 2011 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCE FOR THE BSAI AMENDMENT 80 COOPERATIVES
Prohibited species and zones 1
Alaska Seafood Cooperative ...............................................
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ...........................................
1 Refer
Red king
crab
(animals)
Zone 1
Halibut
≤mortality
(mt) BSAI
Cooperative
1,643
732
88,830
41,602
C. opilio
(animals)
COBLZ
3,341,355
1,834,026
C. bairdi (animals)
Zone 1
415,769
174,839
Zone 2
907,979
407,987
to § 679.2 for definitions of zones.
apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
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2 Sector
This will enhance the socioeconomic
well-being of harvesters of groundfish
dependent upon these PSC allowances.
The Regional Administrator considered
the following factors in reaching this
decision: (1) The current catch and
stated future harvesting intent of BSAI
trawl limited access sector fisheries and,
(2) the harvest capacity and stated intent
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:13 Oct 24, 2011
Jkt 226001
on future harvesting patterns of the
Amendment 80 cooperatives that
participates in this BSAI fishery. The
Regional Administrator also has
determined that this action will create
no threats of exceeding TACs for any
species or species group.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
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
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 206 / Tuesday, October 25, 2011 / Rules and Regulations
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 reallocation of crab PSC
allowances from the BSAI trawl limited
access sector to the Amendment 80
cooperatives in the BSAI. Since the
fisheries are currently open, it is
important to immediately inform the
industry as to the revised allocations.
Immediate notification is necessary to
allow for the orderly conduct and
efficient operation of these fisheries, to
allow the industry to plan for the fishing
season, and to avoid potential
disruption to the fishing fleet as well as
processors. NMFS was unable to
publish a notice providing time for
public comment because the most
recent, relevant data only became
available as of October 17, 2011.
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 § 679.91
and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 20, 2011.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–27606 Filed 10–20–11; 4:15 pm]
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Jkt 226001
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 101126521–0640–02]
RIN 0648–XA783
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Atka Mackerel in the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing for Atka mackerel in the Bering
Sea subarea and Eastern Aleutian
district (BS/EAI) of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Island management area
(BSAI) by vessels participating in the
BSAI trawl limited access fishery. This
action is necessary to prevent exceeding
the 2011 total allowable catch (TAC) of
Atka mackerel in these areas allocated
to vessels participating in the BSAI
trawl limited access fishery.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local
time (A.l.t.), October 20, 2011, through
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Whitney, 907–586–7269.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI exclusive economic zone
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands 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 2011 TAC of Atka mackerel, in
the BS/EAI, allocated to vessels
participating in the BSAI trawl limited
access fishery was established as a
directed fishing allowance of 2,859
metric tons by the final 2011 and 2012
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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65975
harvest specifications for groundfish in
the BSAI (76 FR 11139, March 1, 2011).
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii),
the Regional Administrator finds that
this directed fishing allowance has been
reached. Consequently, NMFS is
prohibiting directed fishing for Atka
mackerel in the BS/EAI by vessels
participating in the BSAI trawl limited
access fishery.
After the effective dates 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 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 closure of the Atka mackerel
fishery in the BS/EAI for vessels
participating in the BSAI trawl limited
access fishery. NMFS was unable to
publish a notice providing time for
public comment because the most
recent, relevant data only became
available as of October 19, 2011. 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: October 20, 2011.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–27609 Filed 10–20–11; 4:15 pm]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 25, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 65973-65975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27606]
[[Page 65973]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 101126521-0640-02]
RIN 0648-XA784
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation
of Crab Prohibited Species Catch Allowances in the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the 2011
crab prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances from the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands trawl limited access sector to the Amendment 80
cooperatives in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the Amendment 80 cooperatives
to fully harvest their 2011 groundfish allocations.
DATES: Effective October 25, 2011, through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7269.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 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 Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has also determined that
259,000 crabs of Zone 1 C. bairdi tanner crab PSC, 750,000 crabs of
Zone 2 C. bairdi tanner crab PSC, 37,000 crabs of Zone 1 red king crab
PSC, and 1,300,000 crabs of C. opilio Bycatch Limitation Zone (COBLZ)
C. opilio tanner crab PSC from the BSAI trawl limited access sector
will not be needed to support BSAI trawl limited access fisheries.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.91(f)(5), NMFS is reallocating
these crab PSC amounts from the BSAI trawl limited access sector to the
Amendment 80 cooperatives in the BSAI.
In accordance with Sec. 679.91(f)(1), NMFS will reissue
cooperative quota permits for the reallocated crab PSC following the
procedures set forth in Sec. 679.91(f)(4) and Sec. 679.91(f)(5).
The harvest specifications for crab PSC allowances included in the
final harvest specifications for crab in the BSAI (76 FR 11139, March
1, 2011) are modified as follows in Tables 8a, 8c, and 8d:
Table 8a--Final 2011 and 2012 Apportionment of Prohibited Species Catch Allowances to Non-Trawl Gear, the CDQ Program, Amendment 80, and the BSAI Trawl
Limited Access Sectors
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-trawl Amendment 80 sector BSAI trawl limited
PSC Trawl PSC CDQ PSQ ------------------------ access fishery
PSC species Total non- remaining Total remaining reserve -----------------------
trawl PSC after CDQ trawl PSC after CDQ \1\ 2011 2012
PSQ \1\ PSQ \1\ 2011 2012
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI................. 900 832 3,675 3,349 393 2,375 2,325 875 875
Herring (mt) BSAI........................... n/a n/a 2,273 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Red king crab (animals) Zone 1 \1\.......... n/a n/a 197,000 175,921 21,079 130,432 87,925 16,797 53,797
C. opilio (animals) COBLZ \2\............... n/a n/a 8,310,480 7,421,259 889,221 5,175,381 3,647,549 1,085,193 2,385,193
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 1 2........... n/a n/a 830,000 741,190 88,810 590,608 312,115 89,285 348,285
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 2............. n/a n/a 2,520,000 2,250,360 269,640 1,315,966 532,660 303,394 1,053,394
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) allocates 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and Sec. 679.21(e)(4)(i)(A) allocates 7.5 percent, or 67 mt,
of the non-trawl halibut mortality limit as the PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. The PSQ reserve for crab species is 10.7 percent of
each crab PSC limit.
\2\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of zones.
\3\ Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Table 8c--Final 2011 and 2012 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowances for the BSAI Trawl Limited Access Sector and Non-Trawl Fisheries
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prohibited species and area \1\
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Red king C. bairdi (animals)
BSAI trawl limited access fisheries Halibut mortality crab C. opilio -------------------------
(mt) BSAI (animals) (animals)
Zone 1 COBLZ Zone 1 Zone 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellowfin sole................................................................ 167 14,799 1,022,610 75,172 289,709
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish \2\.................................... 0 0 0 0 0
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish \3\............................................... 0 0 0 0 0
Rockfish April 15-December 31................................................. 5 0 1,738 0 244
Pacific cod................................................................... 453 1,873 43,460 13,027 12,219
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species........................................... 250 125 17,384 1,086 1,222
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC....................................... 875 16,797 1,085,193 89,285 303,394
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-trawl fisheries Catcher/ Catcher
processor vessel
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod--Total........................................................ 760 15
January 1-June 10..................................................... 455 10
June 10-August 15..................................................... 190 3
[[Page 65974]]
August 15-December 31................................................. 115 2
----------------------
Other non-trawl--Total.................................................... 58
May 1-December 31..................................................... 58
Groundfish pot and jig................................................ Exempt
Sablefish hook-and-line............................................... Exempt
----------------------
Total non-trawl PSC................................................... 833
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prohibited species and area \1\
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Red king C. bairdi (animals)
BSAI trawl limited access fisheries Halibut mortality crab C. opilio -------------------------
(mt) BSAI (animals) (animals)
Zone 1 COBLZ Zone 1 Zone 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellowfin sole................................................................ 167 47,397 2,247,640 293,234 1,005,879
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish \2\.................................... 0 0 0 0 0
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish \3\............................................... 0 0 0 0 0
Rockfish April 15-December 31................................................. 5 0 3,821 0 849
Pacific cod................................................................... 453 6,000 95,523 50,816 42,424
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species \4\....................................... 250 400 38,209 4,235 4,242
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC....................................... 875 53,797 2,385,193 348,285 1,053,394
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-trawl fisheries Catcher/ Catcher
processor vessel
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod--Total........................................................ 760 15
January 1-June 10..................................................... 455 10
June 10-August 15..................................................... 190 3
August 15-December 31................................................. 115 2
----------------------
Other non-trawl--Total.................................................... 58
May 1-December 31..................................................... 58
Groundfish pot and jig................................................ Exempt
Sablefish hook-and-line............................................... Exempt
----------------------
Total non-trawl PSC................................................... 833
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas.
\2\ ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot,
rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
\3\ Arrowtooth flounder for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder.
\4\ ``Other species'' for PSC monitoring includes sculpins, sharks, skates, and octopuses.
\5\ Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Table 8d--Final 2011 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowance for the BSAI Amendment 80 Cooperatives
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prohibited species and zones \1\
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooperative Halibut Red king crab C. opilio C. bairdi (animals)
mortality (mt) (animals) Zone (animals) -------------------------------
BSAI 1 COBLZ Zone 1 Zone 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska Seafood Cooperative...... 1,643 88,830 3,341,355 415,769 907,979
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative... 732 41,602 1,834,026 174,839 407,987
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of zones.
\2\ Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
This will enhance the socioeconomic well-being of harvesters of
groundfish dependent upon these PSC allowances. The Regional
Administrator considered the following factors in reaching this
decision: (1) The current catch and stated future harvesting intent of
BSAI trawl limited access sector fisheries and, (2) the harvest
capacity and stated intent on future harvesting patterns of the
Amendment 80 cooperatives that participates in this BSAI fishery. The
Regional Administrator also has determined that this action will create
no threats of exceeding TACs for any species or species group.
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
[[Page 65975]]
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
reallocation of crab PSC allowances from the BSAI trawl limited access
sector to the Amendment 80 cooperatives in the BSAI. Since the
fisheries are currently open, it is important to immediately inform the
industry as to the revised allocations. Immediate notification is
necessary to allow for the orderly conduct and efficient operation of
these fisheries, to allow the industry to plan for the fishing season,
and to avoid potential disruption to the fishing fleet as well as
processors. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for
public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became
available as of October 17, 2011.
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. 679.91 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 20, 2011.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-27606 Filed 10-20-11; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
