Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, 2656-2657 [2012-993]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
2656
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 12 / Thursday, January 19, 2012 / Rules and Regulations
Darkblotched rockfish, 6.5 mt of Pacific
Ocean Perch, 3.3 mt of Canary rockfish,
and 48.3 mt of Widow rockfish allocated
to the mothership sector for the Pacific
whiting fishery in 2011, would not be
used by December 31, 2011.
This notice announces the
reapportionment of 4.3 mt of
Darkblotched rockfish, 6.5 mt of Pacific
Ocean Perch, 3.3 mt of Canary rockfish,
and 48.3 mt of Widow rockfish from the
mothership sector to the catcher/
processor sector. The revised
nonwhiting catch allocations between
the catcher/processor and mothership
sectors for these species are:
Darkblotched rockfish, 12.8 mt, catcher/
processor sector, 1.7 mt, mothership
sector; Pacific Ocean Perch, 16.7 mt,
catcher/processor sector, 0.66 mt,
mothership sector; Canary rockfish, 8.1
mt, catcher/processor sector, 0.08 mt,
mothership sector; and Widow rockfish,
135 mt, catcher/processor sector, 12.86
mt, mothership sector.
Emails sent directly to fishing
businesses and postings on the
Northwest Region’s Internet site were
used to provide actual notice to the
affected fishers.
EMCDONALD on DSK29S0YB1PROD with RULES
Classification
The Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds that good
cause exists for this notification to be
issued without affording prior notice
and opportunity for public comment
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) because
such notification would be
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. As previously noted, actual
notice of the reapportionment was
provided to fishers. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment was
impracticable because NMFS had
insufficient time to provide prior notice
and the opportunity for public comment
between the time NMFS was notified
that the mothership sector had
concluded its harvest and the time the
fishery modifications had to be
implemented in order to ensure that
fisheries are managed based on the best
available scientific information.
Reapportioning as quickly as possible
was necessary to allow fishers access to
the available fish. For the same reasons,
the AA also finds good cause to waive
the 30-day delay in effectiveness
required under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
These actions are authorized by 50
CFR 660.150(c)(4) and 660.150(c)(5) and
VerDate Mar<15>2010
14:51 Jan 18, 2012
Jkt 226001
are exempt from review under Executive
Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: January 13, 2012.
Steven Thur,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–1007 Filed 1–18–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 101126521–0640–02]
RIN 0648–XA940
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of
Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
AGENCY:
NMFS is reallocating the
projected unused amounts of the Aleut
Corporation’s pollock directed fishing
allowance and the Community
Development Quota from the Aleutian
Islands subarea to the Bering Sea
subarea directed fisheries. These actions
are necessary to provide opportunity for
harvest of the 2012 total allowable catch
of pollock, consistent with the goals and
objectives of the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands Management Area.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local
time (A.l.t.), January 19, 2012, until the
effective date of the final 2012 and 2013
harvest specifications for Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish,
unless otherwise modified or
superseded through publication of a
notification in the Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Furuness, (907) 586–7228.
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
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
Fishery Management Council (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.
In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the
portion of the 2012 pollock total
allowable catch (TAC) allocated to the
Aleut Corporation’s directed fishing
allowance (DFA) is 15,500 metric tons
(mt) and the Community Development
Quota (CDQ) is 1,900 mt as established
by the final 2011 and 2012 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (76 FR 11139, March 1, 2011), as
adjusted by two inseason adjustments
(76 FR 12607, March 8, 2011 and 76 FR
81876, December 29, 2011).
As of January 20, 2012, the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator) has
determined that 10,500 mt of Aleut
Corporation’s DFA and 1,900 mt of
pollock CDQ in the Aleutian Islands
subarea will not be harvested.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS
reallocates 10,500 mt of Aleut
Corporation’s DFA and 1,900 mt of
pollock CDQ from the Aleutian Islands
subarea to the 2012 Bering Sea subarea
allocations. The 1,900 mt of pollock
CDQ is added to the 2012 Bering Sea
CDQ DFA. The remaining 10,500 mt of
pollock is apportioned to the AFA
Inshore sector (50 percent), AFA
catcher/processor sector (40 percent),
and the AFA mothership sector (10
percent). The 2012 pollock incidental
catch allowance remains at 32,400 mt.
As a result, the harvest specifications for
pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea
included in the final 2011 and 2012
harvest specifications for groundfish in
the BSAI (76 FR 11139, March 1, 2011)
are revised as follows: 5,000 mt to Aleut
Corporation’s DFA and 0 mt to CDQ
pollock. Furthermore, pursuant to
§ 679.20(a)(5), Table 3 of the final 2011
and 2012 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (76 FR 11139,
March 1, 2011), as adjusted by two
inseason adjustments (76 FR 12607,
March 8, 2011 and 76 FR 81873,
December 29, 2011), is revised to make
2012 pollock allocations consistent with
this reallocation. This reallocation
results in adjustments to the 2012 Aleut
Corporation and CDQ pollock
allocations established at § 679.20(a)(5).
E:\FR\FM\19JAR1.SGM
19JAR1
2657
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 12 / Thursday, January 19, 2012 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 3—FINAL 2011 AND 2012 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE
CDQ DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1
[All amounts in metric tons]
2011 A season 1
2011
Allocations
Area and sector
2011 B
season 1
A season
DFA
SCA harvest limit 2
B season
DFA
2012 A season 1
2012
Allocations
2012 B
season 1
A season
DFA
SCA harvest limit 2
B season
DFA
Bering Sea subarea ......................................................
CDQ DFA ...............................................................
ICA 1 .......................................................................
AFA Inshore ...........................................................
AFA Catcher/Processors 3 .....................................
Catch by C/Ps .................................................
Catch by CVs 3 ...............................................
Unlisted C/P Limit 4 ..................................
AFA Motherships ...................................................
Excessive Harvesting Limit 5 ..................................
Excessive Processing Limit 6 .................................
Total Bering Sea DFA ....................................
1,266,400
127,290
33,804
552,653
442,122
404,542
37,580
2,211
110,531
193,429
331,592
1,105,306
n/a
50,916
n/a
221,061
176,849
161,817
15,032
884
44,212
n/a
n/a
442,122
n/a
35,641
n/a
154,743
123,794
n/a
n/a
n/a
30,949
n/a
n/a
309,486
n/a
76,374
n/a
331,592
265,273
242,725
22,548
1,326
66,318
n/a
n/a
663,184
1,212,400
121,900
32,400
529,050
423,240
387,265
35,975
2,116
105,810
185,168
317,430
1,058,100
n/a
48,760
n/a
211,620
169,296
154,906
14,390
846
42,324
n/a
n/a
423,240
n/a
34,132
n/a
148,134
118,507
n/a
n/a
n/a
29,627
n/a
n/a
296,268
n/a
73,140
n/a
317,430
253,944
232,359
21,585
1,270
63,486
n/a
n/a
634,860
Aleutian Islands subarea 1 ............................................
CDQ DFA ...............................................................
ICA .........................................................................
Aleut Corporation ...................................................
Bogoslof District ICA 7 ...................................................
4,600
0
1,600
3,000
150
n/a
0
800
3,000
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
0
800
0
n/a
6,600
....................
1,600
5,000
150
n/a
0
800
5,000
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
0
800
0
n/a
1 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea pollock, after subtraction for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (3 percent), is allocated as a DFA as
follows: Inshore sector—50 percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)—40 percent, and mothership sector—10 percent. In the Bering Sea subarea, 40 percent of the
DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20–June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10–November 1). Pursuant to
§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (1,600 mt),
is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated
the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
2 In the Bering Sea subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector’s annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining 12 percent of the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken outside of SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If less than 28 percent of the annual DFA is taken inside the SCA before April 1, the remainder will be available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
3 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest only by eligible catcher
vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
4 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processors sector’s
allocation of pollock.
5 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
6 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
7 The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and are not apportioned by
season or sector.
Classification
EMCDONALD on DSK29S0YB1PROD with RULES
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 reallocation of AI pollock.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:00 Jan 18, 2012
Jkt 226001
Since the pollock fishery is currently
open, it is important to immediately
inform the industry as to the final
Bering Sea subarea pollock allocations.
Immediate notification is necessary to
allow for the orderly conduct and
efficient operation of this fishery; allow
the industry to plan for the fishing
season and avoid potential disruption to
the fishing fleet as well as processors;
and provide opportunity to harvest
increased seasonal pollock allocations
while value is optimum. NMFS was
unable to publish a notice providing
time for public comment because the
most recent, relevant data only became
available as of January 6, 2012.
PO 00000
Frm 00045
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
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: January 13, 2012.
Steven Thur,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–993 Filed 1–18–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\19JAR1.SGM
19JAR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 2656-2657]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-993]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 101126521-0640-02]
RIN 0648-XA940
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation
of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Aleut
Corporation's pollock directed fishing allowance and the Community
Development Quota from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea
subarea directed fisheries. These actions are necessary to provide
opportunity for harvest of the 2012 total allowable catch of pollock,
consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan
for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 19,
2012, until the effective date of the final 2012 and 2013 harvest
specifications for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish,
unless otherwise modified or superseded through publication of a
notification in the Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, (907) 586-7228.
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
(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.
In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the portion of the 2012 pollock
total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to the Aleut Corporation's
directed fishing allowance (DFA) is 15,500 metric tons (mt) and the
Community Development Quota (CDQ) is 1,900 mt as established by the
final 2011 and 2012 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI
(76 FR 11139, March 1, 2011), as adjusted by two inseason adjustments
(76 FR 12607, March 8, 2011 and 76 FR 81876, December 29, 2011).
As of January 20, 2012, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator) has determined that 10,500 mt of Aleut
Corporation's DFA and 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ in the Aleutian Islands
subarea will not be harvested. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS reallocates 10,500 mt of Aleut
Corporation's DFA and 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ from the Aleutian Islands
subarea to the 2012 Bering Sea subarea allocations. The 1,900 mt of
pollock CDQ is added to the 2012 Bering Sea CDQ DFA. The remaining
10,500 mt of pollock is apportioned to the AFA Inshore sector (50
percent), AFA catcher/processor sector (40 percent), and the AFA
mothership sector (10 percent). The 2012 pollock incidental catch
allowance remains at 32,400 mt. As a result, the harvest specifications
for pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea included in the final 2011
and 2012 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (76 FR
11139, March 1, 2011) are revised as follows: 5,000 mt to Aleut
Corporation's DFA and 0 mt to CDQ pollock. Furthermore, pursuant to
Sec. 679.20(a)(5), Table 3 of the final 2011 and 2012 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (76 FR 11139, March 1, 2011),
as adjusted by two inseason adjustments (76 FR 12607, March 8, 2011 and
76 FR 81873, December 29, 2011), is revised to make 2012 pollock
allocations consistent with this reallocation. This reallocation
results in adjustments to the 2012 Aleut Corporation and CDQ pollock
allocations established at Sec. 679.20(a)(5).
[[Page 2657]]
Table 3--Final 2011 and 2012 Allocations of Pollock TACS to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed Fishing Allowances (DFA) \1\
[All amounts in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011 A season \1\ 2011 B 2012 A season \1\ 2012 B
------------------------ season \1\ ------------------------ season \1\
Area and sector 2011 SCA ------------ 2012 SCA -----------
Allocations A season harvest B season Allocations A season harvest B season
DFA limit \2\ DFA DFA limit \2\ DFA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea.................................... 1,266,400 n/a n/a n/a 1,212,400 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA........................................... 127,290 50,916 35,641 76,374 121,900 48,760 34,132 73,140
ICA \1\........................................... 33,804 n/a n/a n/a 32,400 n/a n/a n/a
AFA Inshore....................................... 552,653 221,061 154,743 331,592 529,050 211,620 148,134 317,430
AFA Catcher/Processors \3\........................ 442,122 176,849 123,794 265,273 423,240 169,296 118,507 253,944
Catch by C/Ps................................. 404,542 161,817 n/a 242,725 387,265 154,906 n/a 232,359
Catch by CVs \3\.............................. 37,580 15,032 n/a 22,548 35,975 14,390 n/a 21,585
Unlisted C/P Limit \4\.................... 2,211 884 n/a 1,326 2,116 846 n/a 1,270
AFA Motherships................................... 110,531 44,212 30,949 66,318 105,810 42,324 29,627 63,486
Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\.................... 193,429 n/a n/a n/a 185,168 n/a n/a n/a
Excessive Processing Limit \6\.................... 331,592 n/a n/a n/a 317,430 n/a n/a n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA.......................... 1,105,306 442,122 309,486 663,184 1,058,100 423,240 296,268 634,860
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aleutian Islands subarea \1\.......................... 4,600 n/a n/a n/a 6,600 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA........................................... 0 0 n/a 0 ........... 0 n/a 0
ICA............................................... 1,600 800 n/a 800 1,600 800 n/a 800
Aleut Corporation................................. 3,000 3,000 n/a 0 5,000 5,000 n/a 0
Bogoslof District ICA \7\............................. 150 n/a n/a n/a 150 n/a n/a n/a
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea pollock, after subtraction for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (3 percent), is
allocated as a DFA as follows: Inshore sector--50 percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)--40 percent, and mothership sector--10 percent. In the
Bering Sea subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season
(June 10-November 1). Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed
fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (1,600 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery. In the AI subarea,
the A season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
\2\ In the Bering Sea subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining 12 percent of
the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken outside of SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If less than 28 percent of the
annual DFA is taken inside the SCA before April 1, the remainder will be available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
\3\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest
only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
\4\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the
catcher/processors sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
\6\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
\7\ The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and are
not apportioned by season or sector.
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 reallocation of AI pollock. Since the pollock fishery
is currently open, it is important to immediately inform the industry
as to the final Bering Sea subarea pollock allocations. Immediate
notification is necessary to allow for the orderly conduct and
efficient operation of this fishery; allow the industry to plan for the
fishing season and avoid potential disruption to the fishing fleet as
well as processors; and provide opportunity to harvest increased
seasonal pollock allocations while value is optimum. NMFS was unable to
publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most
recent, relevant data only became available as of January 6, 2012.
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: January 13, 2012.
Steven Thur,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-993 Filed 1-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
