Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; 2013 and 2014 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish, 13813-13834 [2013-04822]

Download as PDF emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments. • Mail: Address written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668. • Fax: Address written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Fax comments to 907– 586–7557. • Hand delivery to the Federal Building: Address written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Ellen Sebastian. Deliver comments to 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK. Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/ A’’ in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, 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. NMFS closed directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory area of the GOA under § 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on February 14, 2013 (78 FR 11790, February 20, 2013). As of February 25, 2013, NMFS has determined that approximately 226 metric tons of Pacific cod remain in the A season directed fishing allowance for CVs using trawl gear in the Western VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 Regulatory Area of the GOA. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.25(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)(i)(C), and (a)(2)(iii)(D), and to fully utilize the A season allowance of the 2013 TAC of Pacific cod in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA, NMFS is terminating the previous closure and is reopening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA, effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 1, 2013. In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance will be reached after 48 hours. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA, effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 3, 2013. The Administrator, Alaska Region (Regional Administrator) considered the following factors in reaching this decision: (1) The current catch of Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA and, (2) the harvest capacity and stated intent on future harvesting patterns of vessels in participating in this fishery. 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 opening of the directed Pacific cod fishery by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. Immediate notification is necessary to allow for the orderly conduct and efficient operation of this fishery, to allow the industry to plan for the fishing season, and to avoid potential disruption to the fishing fleet and processors. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of February 25, 2013. 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. Frm 00043 Fmt 4700 Without this inseason adjustment, NMFS could not allow the Pacific cod fishery by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA to be harvested in an expedient manner and in accordance with the regulatory schedule. Under § 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit written comments on this action to the above address until March 18, 2013. This action is required by § 679.25 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: February 26, 2013. Kara Meckley, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2013–04815 Filed 2–26–13; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 121018563–3148–02] Classification PO 00000 13813 Sfmt 4700 RIN 0648–XC311 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; 2013 and 2014 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule; closures. AGENCY: NMFS announces final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications and prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2013 and 2014 fishing years, and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the BSAI (FMP). The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). DATES: Effective from 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 1, 2013, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2014. SUMMARY: Electronic copies of the Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications Environmental Impact ADDRESSES: E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES 13814 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations Statement (EIS), Record of Decision (ROD), Supplementary Information Report (SIR) to the EIS, and the Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (FRFA), prepared for this action are available from https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The final 2012 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the BSAI, dated November 2012, as well as the SAFE reports for previous years, are available from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) at 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510–2252, phone 907–271–2809, or from the Council’s Web site at https:// alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679 implement the FMP and govern the groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The Council prepared the FMP, and NMFS approved it under the MagnusonStevens Act. General regulations governing U.S. fisheries also appear at 50 CFR part 600. The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after consultation with the Council, to specify the total allowable catch (TAC) for each target species; the sum TAC for all groundfish species must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 1.4 million to 2.0 million metric tons (mt) (see § 679.20(a)(1)(i)). This final rule specifies the TAC at 2.0 million mt for both 2013 and 2014. NMFS also must specify apportionments of TAC, prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances, and prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserves established by § 679.21; seasonal allowances of pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel TAC; Amendment 80 allocations; and Community Development Quota (CDQ) reserve amounts established by § 679.20(b)(1)(ii). The final harvest specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 22 of this action satisfy these requirements. Section 679.20(c)(3)(i) further requires NMFS to consider public comment on the proposed annual TACs (and apportionments thereof) and PSC allowances, and to publish final harvest specifications in the Federal Register. The proposed 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications and PSC allowances for the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were published in the Federal Register on December 6, 2012 (77 FR 72791). Comments were invited and accepted through January 7, 2013. NMFS received two letters with five comments on the proposed harvest specifications. These comments are summarized and VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 responded to in the ‘‘Response to Comments’’ section of this rule. NMFS consulted with the Council on the final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications during the December 2012 Council meeting in Anchorage, AK. After considering public comments, as well as biological and economic data that were available at the Council’s December meeting, NMFS is implementing the final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications as recommended by the Council. Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Harvest Specifications The final ABC levels for Alaska groundfish are based on the best available biological and socioeconomic information, including projected biomass trends, information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, and revised technical methods used to calculate stock biomass. In general, the development of ABCs and overfishing levels (OFLs) involves sophisticated statistical analyses of fish populations. The FMP specifies a series of six tiers to define OFL and ABC amounts based on the level of reliable information available to fishery scientists. Tier 1 represents the highest level of information quality available while Tier 6 represents the lowest. In December 2012, the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), Advisory Panel (AP), and Council reviewed current biological information about the condition of the BSAI groundfish stocks. The Council’s Plan Team compiled and presented this information in the 2012 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated November 2012. The SAFE report contains a review of the latest scientific analyses and estimates of each species’ biomass and other biological parameters, as well as summaries of the available information on the BSAI ecosystem and the economic condition of groundfish fisheries off Alaska. NMFS notified the public and asked for review of the SAFE report in the notice of proposed harvest specifications; the report is still available (see ADDRESSES). From these data and analyses, the Plan Team estimated an OFL and ABC for each species or species category. In December 2012, the SSC, AP, and Council reviewed the Plan Team’s recommendations. Except for rougheye rockfish, the SSC concurred with the Plan Team’s recommendations, and the Council adopted the OFL and ABC amounts recommended by the SSC (Table 1). For 2013 and 2014, the SSC recommended lower rougheye rockfish OFLs and ABCs than the OFLs and ABCs recommended by the Plan Team. PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 For rougheye rockfish, the SSC recommended including the estimated recruitment from the 1998 through 2009 time period to calculate the OFLs and ABCs, resulting in lower amounts. The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs as adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including maintaining the sum of the TACs within the required OY range of 1.4 million to 2.0 million mt. As required by annual catch limit rules for all fisheries (74 FR 3178, January 16, 2009), none of the Council’s recommended TACs for 2013 or 2014 exceeds the final 2013 or 2014 ABCs for any species category. The final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications approved by the Secretary of Commerce are unchanged from those recommended by the Council and are consistent with the preferred harvest strategy alternative in the EIS (see ADDRESSES). NMFS finds that the Council’s recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the biological condition of groundfish stocks as described in the 2012 SAFE report that was approved by the Council. Changes From the Proposed 2013 and 2014 Harvest Specifications for the BSAI In October 2012, the Council proposed its recommendations for the 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications (77 FR 72791, December 6, 2012), based largely on information contained in the 2011 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries. Through the proposed harvest specifications, NMFS notified the public that these harvest specifications could change, as the Council would consider information contained in the final 2012 SAFE report, recommendations from the SSC, Plan Team, and AP committees, and public testimony when making its recommendations for final harvest specification at the December Council meeting. NMFS further notified the public that, as required by the FMP and its implementing regulations, the sum of the TACs must be within the OY range of 1.4 million and 2.0 million mt. Information contained in the 2012 SAFE reports indicates biomass changes for several groundfish species from the 2011 SAFE reports. At the December 2012 Council meeting, the SSC recommended the 2013 and 2014 ABCs for many species based on the best and most recent information contained in the 2012 SAFE reports. This recommendation resulted in an ABC sum total for all BSAI groundfish species in excess of 2 million mt for both 2013 and 2014. Based on the SSC ABC recommendations and the 2012 E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13815 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations SAFE reports, the Council recommends increasing Bering Sea pollock by 45,100 mt. In terms of percentage, the largest increases in TACs were for BSAI squid and BSAI Pacific ocean perch. Both of these species are valuable, and likely to be harvested to the full TAC available. The Council increased the squid TAC due to increased incidental catch in 2012, and increased the Pacific ocean perch TACs due to higher ABCs, resulting from larger biomass estimates. Conversely, the SSC decreased the OFL and ABC of BSAI Atka mackerel from the proposed OFL and ABC, and these reductions led to the largest decrease in TAC in terms of tonnage. In terms of percentage change from the proposed TACs, Bogoslof pollock and BSAI Greenland turbot had the largest decreases in TAC. These decreases are due to lower incidental catches of Bogoslof pollock in 2012, and lower biomass estimates of Greenland turbot. The TACs for shortraker rockfish and rougheye rockfish were also decreased because of smaller OFLs and ABCs resulting from lower biomass estimates. The TACS for octopuses, sharks, ‘‘other rockfish,’’ northern rockfish, Alaska plaice, flathead sole, and Kamchatka flounder were all decreased because harvests in 2012 were much less than the proposed 2013 TACs. The changes to TAC between the proposed and final harvest specifications are based on the most recent scientific and economic information and are consistent with the FMP, regulatory obligations, and harvest strategy as described in the proposed harvest specifications. These changes are compared in Table 1A. Table 1 lists the Council’s recommended final 2013 and 2014 OFL, ABC, TAC, ITAC, and CDQ reserve amounts of the BSAI groundfish. NMFS concurs in these recommendations. The final 2013 and 2014 TAC recommendations for the BSAI are within the OY range established for the BSAI and do not exceed the ABC for any species or species group. The apportionment of TAC amounts among fisheries and seasons is discussed below. TABLE 1—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 OVERFISHING LEVEL (OFL), ACCEPTABLE BIOLOGICAL CATCH (ABC), TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH (TAC), INITIAL TAC (ITAC), AND CDQ RESERVE ALLOCATION OF GROUNDFISH IN THE BSAI 1 [Amounts are in metric tons] 2013 Species 2014 Area OFL ABC TAC ITAC 2 Skates ....................... Sculpins .................... Sharks ....................... Squids ....................... Octopuses ................. BS ...................... AI ........................ Bogoslof ............. BSAI ................... BS ...................... AI ........................ BSAI ................... EAI/BS ............... CAI ..................... WAI .................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BS ...................... AI ........................ BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BS ...................... EAI ..................... CAI ..................... WAI .................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... EBS/EAI ............. CAI/WAI ............. BSAI ................... BS ...................... AI ........................ BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... BSAI ................... 2,550,000 45,600 13,400 359,000 1,870 2,530 57,700 n/a n/a n/a 220,000 241,000 2,540 n/a n/a 186,000 16,300 81,500 17,800 67,000 41,900 n/a n/a n/a n/a 12,200 493 462 n/a n/a 1,540 n/a n/a 45,800 56,400 1,360 2,620 3,450 1,375,000 37,300 10,100 307,000 1,580 2,140 50,000 16,900 16,000 17,100 206,000 214,000 2,060 1,610 450 152,000 12,200 67,900 13,300 55,200 35,100 8,130 9,790 6,980 10,200 9,850 370 378 169 209 1,159 686 473 38,800 42,300 1,020 1,970 2,590 1,247,000 19,000 100 260,000 1,580 2,140 25,920 16,900 7,520 1,500 198,000 92,380 2,060 1,610 450 25,000 10,000 22,699 3,500 20,000 35,100 8,130 9,790 6,980 10,200 3,000 370 378 169 209 873 400 473 24,000 5,600 100 700 500 1,122,300 17,100 500 232,180 1,304 1,739 23,147 15,092 6,715 1,340 176,814 82,495 1,751 1,369 383 21,250 8,500 20,270 2,975 17,000 30,995 6,911 8,742 6,233 9,109 2,550 315 321 144 178 742 340 402 20,400 4,760 85 595 425 TOTAL ............... ............................ 4,028,465 2,639,317 2,000,000 1,790,512 Pollock 4 .................... Pacific cod 5 .............. Sablefish ................... Atka mackerel ........... Yellowfin sole ............ Rock sole .................. Greenland turbot ....... Arrowtooth flounder .. Kamchatka flounder .. Flathead sole 6 .......... Other flatfish 7 ........... Alaska plaice ............. Pacific ocean perch .. Northern rockfish ...... Shortraker rockfish .... Rougheye rockfish 8 .. Other rockfish 9 ......... CDQ 3 OFL ABC TAC ITAC 2 124,700 1,900 0 27,820 217 361 2,773 1,808 805 161 21,186 9,885 n/a 172 0 2,675 0 2,429 0 0 n/a 0 1,048 747 1,091 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2,730,000 48,600 13,400 379,000 1,760 2,370 56,500 n/a n/a n/a 219,000 229,000 3,270 n/a n/a 186,000 16,300 80,100 17,800 60,200 39,500 n/a n/a n/a n/a 12,000 493 524 n/a n/a 1,540 n/a n/a 44,100 56,400 1,360 2,620 3,450 1,430,000 39,800 10,100 323,000 1,480 2,010 48,900 16,500 15,700 16,700 206,000 204,000 2,650 2,070 580 152,000 12,200 66,700 13,300 55,800 33,100 7,680 9,240 6,590 9,590 9,320 370 429 189 240 1,159 686 473 37,300 42,300 1,020 1,970 2,590 1,247,000 19,000 100 260,880 1,480 2,010 25,379 16,500 7,379 1,500 198,000 92,000 2,650 2,070 580 25,000 10,000 22,543 4,000 20,000 33,100 7,680 9,240 6,590 9,590 3,000 370 429 189 240 1,159 686 473 25,000 5,600 100 700 500 1,122,300 17,100 500 232,966 629 427 22,663 14,735 6,589 1,340 176,814 82,156 2,253 1,760 493 21,250 8,500 20,131 3,400 17,000 29,228 6,528 8,251 5,885 8,564 2,550 315 365 161 204 985 583 402 21,250 4,760 85 595 425 124,700 1,900 0 27,914 56 38 2,716 1,766 790 161 21,186 9,844 n/a 221 0 2,675 0 2,412 0 0 n/a 0 989 705 1,026 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 197,004 4,205,287 2,697,498 2,000,000 1,788,646 196,381 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES 1 These CDQ 3 amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS) subarea includes the Bogoslof District. 2 Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, and Amendment 80 species, 15 percent of each TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and Amendment 80 species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 5). 3 For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see §§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Bering Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). Aleutian Islands Greenland turbot, ‘‘other flatfish,’’ Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ‘‘other rockfish,’’ skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program. 4 Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a directed pollock fishery as follows: inshore—50 percent; catcher/processor—40 percent; and motherships—10 percent. Under § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance (1,600 mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery. VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13816 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 5 The Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the ABC to account for the State of Alaska’s (State) guideline harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea. 6 ‘‘Flathead sole’’ includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder). 7 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and Alaska plaice. 8 ‘‘Rougheye rockfish’’ includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted). 9 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish. Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at § 679.2 (BS = Bering Sea subarea, AI = Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI = Eastern Aleutian Islands district, CAI = Central Aleutian Islands district, WAI = Western Aleutian Islands district.) TABLE 1A—COMPARISON OF FINAL 2013 AND 2014 WITH PROPOSED 2013 AND 2014 TOTAL ALLOWABLE CATCH IN THE BSAI [Amounts are in metric tons] Species Area 1 Pollock ................... Yellowfin sole ........ Rock sole .............. Greenland turbot ... Arrowtooth flounder Kamchatka flounder. Flathead sole ........ Other flatfish .......... Alaska plaice ......... Pacific ocean perch Northern rockfish ... Shortraker rockfish Rougheye rockfish Other rockfish ........ Skates ................... Sculpins ................. Sharks ................... Squids ................... Octopuses ............. TOTAL ........... 1,201,900 19,000 500 262,900 2,200 2,020 31,700 8,883 1,500 203,900 87,000 6,010 2,020 25,000 17,700 45,100 0 ¥400 ¥2,900 ¥620 120 ¥14,800 ¥1,363 0 ¥5,900 5,380 ¥4,400 ¥1,570 0 ¥7,700 22,699 3,500 20,000 8,130 9,790 6,980 10,200 3,000 370 169 209 400 473 24,000 5,600 100 700 500 2,000,000 BSAI ..................... BSAI ..................... BSAI ..................... BS ......................... EAI ........................ CAI ........................ WAI ....................... BSAI ..................... BSAI ..................... BS/EAI .................. CAI/WAI ................ BS ......................... AI .......................... BSAI ..................... BSAI ..................... BSAI ..................... BSAI ..................... BSAI ..................... BSAI ..................... Atka mackerel ....... 2013 Difference from proposed 1,247,000 19,000 100 260,000 1,580 2,140 16,900 7,520 1,500 198,000 92,380 1,610 450 25,000 10,000 BS ......................... AI .......................... Bogoslof ................ BSAI ..................... BS ......................... AI .......................... EAI/BS .................. CAI ........................ WAI ....................... BSAI ..................... BSAI ..................... BS ......................... AI .......................... BSAI ..................... BSAI ..................... Pacific cod ............. Sablefish ............... 2013 Proposed TAC 34,134 3,200 24,000 6,540 6,440 5,710 9,610 4,700 393 241 258 500 570 24,746 5,200 200 425 900 2,000,000 ¥11,435 300 ¥4,000 1,590 3,350 1,270 590 ¥1,700 ¥23 ¥72 ¥49 ¥100 ¥97 ¥746 400 ¥100 275 ¥400 0 2013 Final TAC 2014 Proposed TAC 2014 Difference from proposed 1,247,000 19,000 100 260,880 1,480 2,010 16,500 7,379 1,500 198,000 92,000 2,070 580 25,000 10,000 1,201,900 19,000 500 262,900 2,200 2,020 31,700 8,883 1,500 203,900 87,000 6,010 2,020 25,000 17,700 45,100 0 ¥400 ¥2,020 ¥720 ¥10 ¥15,200 ¥1,504 0 ¥5,900 5,000 ¥3,940 ¥1,440 0 ¥7,700 22,543 4,000 20,000 7,680 9,240 6,590 9,590 3,000 370 189 240 686 473 25,000 5,600 100 700 500 2,000,000 34,134 3,200 24,000 6,540 6,440 5,710 9,610 4,700 393 241 258 500 570 24,746 5,200 200 425 900 2,000,000 ¥11,591 800 ¥4,000 1,140 2,800 880 ¥20 ¥1,700 ¥23 ¥52 ¥18 186 ¥97 254 400 ¥100 275 ¥400 0 2014 Final TAC 1 Bering Sea subarea (BS), Aleutian Islands subarea (AI), Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), Eastern Aleutian District (EAI), Central Aleutian District (CAI), and Western Aleutian District (WAI). emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Groundfish Reserves and the Incidental Catch Allowance (ICA) for Pollock, Atka Mackerel, Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, Yellowfin Sole, and Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch Section 679.20(b)(1)(i) requires NMFS to reserve 15 percent of the TAC for each target species, except for pollock, hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish, and Amendment 80 species, in a non-specified reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires that 20 percent of the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish be set aside for the fixed-gear sablefish CDQ reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) requires VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 NMFS to allocate 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocations of sablefish and 10.7 percent of the Bering Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder TACs to the respective CDQ reserves. Under section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C), NMFS must allocate 10.7 percent of the TAC for Atka mackerel, Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch, yellowfin sole, rock sole, flathead sole, and Pacific cod to the CDQ reserves. Sections 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) and 679.31(a) also require that 10 percent of the BSAI pollock TAC be allocated to the pollock CDQ directed fishing allowance (DFA). The entire Bogoslof District pollock TAC is allocated as an PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 ICA (see § 679.20(a)(5)(ii)). With the exception of the hook-and-line and pot gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the regulations do not further apportion the CDQ allocations by gear. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), NMFS allocates a pollock ICA of 3 percent of the BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting the 10 percent CDQ reserve. This allowance is based on NMFS’ examination of the pollock incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 1999 through 2012. During this 14-year period, the pollock incidental catch ranged from a low of 2.3 percent in 2012 E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 2,000 mt of yellowfin sole, 10 mt of Western Aleutian District (WAI) Pacific ocean perch, 75 mt of Central Aleutian District (CAI) Pacific ocean perch, 200 mt of Eastern Aleutian District (EAI) Pacific ocean perch, 40 mt of WAI Atka mackerel, 75 mt of CAI Atka mackerel, and 1,000 mt of EAI and BS subarea Atka mackerel TAC after subtracting the 10.7 percent CDQ reserve. These ICA allowances are based on NMFS’ examination of the incidental catch in other target fisheries from 2003 through 2012. The regulations do not designate the remainder of the non-specified reserve by species or species group. Any amount of the reserve may be apportioned to a target species category to a high of 5 percent in 1999, with a 14-year average of 3.2 percent. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), NMFS establishes a pollock ICA of 1,600 mt of the AI subarea TAC after subtracting the 10-percent CDQ DFA. This allowance is based on NMFS’ examination of the pollock incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 2003 through 2012. During this 10-year period, the incidental catch of pollock ranged from a low of 5 percent in 2006 to a high of 10 percent in 2003, with a 10-year average of 7 percent. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(8) and (10), NMFS allocates ICAs of 5,000 mt of flathead sole, 10,000 mt of rock sole, 13817 during the year, provided that such apportionments do not result in overfishing (see § 679.20(b)(1)(i)). The Regional Administrator has determined that the ITACs specified for the species listed in Table 1 need to be supplemented from the non-specified reserve because U.S. fishing vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch the full TAC allocations. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.20(b)(3), NMFS is apportioning the amounts shown in Table 2 from the non-specified reserve to increase the ITAC for shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, northern rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, ‘‘other rockfish,’’ skates, sculpins, sharks, and octopuses by 15 percent of the TAC in 2013 and 2014. TABLE 2—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 APPORTIONMENT OF RESERVES TO ITAC CATEGORIES [Amounts are in metric tons] Species-area or subarea 2013 ITAC Shortraker rockfish-BSAI ......................... Rougheye rockfish-EBS/EAI .................... Rougheye rockfish-CAI/WAI .................... Northern rockfish-BSAI ............................ Pacific ocean perch-Bering Sea subarea Other rockfish-Bering Sea subarea ......... Other rockfish-Aleutian Islands subarea .. Skates-BSAI ............................................. Sculpins-BSAI .......................................... Sharks-BSAI ............................................. Octopuses-BSAI ....................................... Total .................................................. 315 144 178 2,550 6,911 340 402 20,400 4,760 85 425 36,508 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Allocation of Pollock TAC Under the American Fisheries Act (AFA) Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) requires that the BS subarea pollock TAC be apportioned, after subtracting 10 percent for the CDQ program and 3 percent for the ICA, as a DFA as follows: 50 percent to the inshore sector, 40 percent to the catcher/processor (C/P) sector, and 10 percent to the mothership sector. In the BS 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) (§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)). The AI-directed pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut Corporation is the amount of pollock remaining in the AI subarea after subtracting 1,900 mt for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and 1,600 mt for the ICA (§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii)). In the AI VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 2013 Reserve amount 2013 Final ITAC 56 25 31 450 1,220 60 71 3,600 840 15 75 6,443 370 169 209 3,000 8,130 400 473 24,000 5,600 100 500 42,951 subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season and the remainder of the directed pollock fishery is allocated to the B season. Table 3 lists these 2013 and 2014 amounts. Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4) also includes several specific requirements regarding BS subarea pollock allocations. First, it requires that 8.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the C/P sector be available for harvest by AFA catcher vessels (CVs) with C/P sector endorsements, unless the Regional Administrator receives a cooperative contract that allows the distribution of harvest among AFA C/Ps and AFA CVs in a manner agreed to by all members. Second, AFA C/Ps not listed in the AFA are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the C/P sector. Table 4 lists the 2013 and 2014 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 2014 ITAC 315 161 204 2,550 6,528 583 402 21,250 4,760 85 425 37,262 2014 Reserve amount 56 28 36 450 1,152 103 71 3,750 840 15 75 6,576 2014 Final ITAC 370 189 240 3,000 7,680 686 473 25,000 5,600 100 500 43,838 allocations of pollock TAC. Tables 17 through 22 list the AFA C/P and CV harvesting sideboard limits. The tables for the pollock allocations to the BS subarea inshore pollock cooperatives and open access sector will be posted on the Alaska Region Web site at https:// alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. Table 3 also lists seasonal apportionments of pollock and harvest limits within the Steller Sea Lion Conservation Area (SCA). The harvest within the SCA, as defined at § 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is limited to no more than 28 percent of the annual DFA before 12:00 noon, April 1, as provided in § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C). The A season pollock SCA harvest limit will be apportioned to each sector in proportion to each sector’s allocated percentage of the DFA. Table 3 lists these 2013 and 2014 amounts by sector. E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13818 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 3—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1 [Amounts are in metric tons] 2013 A Season 1 Area and sector 2013 Allocations 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 Aleutian Islands subarea 1 CDQ DFA ......................... ICA ................................... Aleut Corporation ............. Bogoslof District ICA 7 ...... A Season DFA 2014 A Season 1 2013 B Season 1 SCA Harvest limit 2 B Season DFA 2014 Allocations A Season DFA 2014 B Season 1 SCA Harvest limit 2 B Season DFA 1,247,000 124,700 33,669 544,316 435,452 398,439 37,013 2,177 108,863 n/a 49,880 n/a 217,726 174,181 159,376 14,805 871 43,545 n/a 34,916 n/a 152,408 121,927 n/a n/a n/a 30,482 n/a 74,820 n/a 326,589 261,271 239,063 22,208 1,306 65,318 1,247,000 124,700 33,669 544,316 435,452 398,439 37,013 2,177 108,863 n/a 49,880 n/a 217,726 174,181 159,376 14,805 871 43,545 n/a 34,916 n/a 152,408 121,927 n/a n/a n/a 30,482 n/a 74,820 n/a 326,589 261,271 239,063 22,208 1,306 65,318 190,510 n/a n/a n/a 190,510 n/a n/a n/a 326,589 1,088,631 19,000 1,900 1,600 15,500 100 n/a 435,452 n/a 760 800 13,360 n/a n/a 304,817 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 653,179 n/a 1,140 800 2,140 n/a 326,589 1,088,631 19,000 1,900 1,600 15,500 100 n/a 435,452 n/a 760 800 14,360 n/a n/a 304,817 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 653,179 n/a 1,140 800 1,140 n/a 1 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting 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 BS 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 BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector’s annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before 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. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Allocation of the Atka Mackerel TACs Section 679.20(a)(8) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs for the BSAI trawl limited access sector and nontrawl gear sector (Table 4). The process for allocating the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is listed in Table 33 to part 679 and in § 679.91. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(8)(i), up to 2 percent of the EAI and the BS subarea Atka mackerel ITAC may be allocated to the jig gear sector. Allocation is recommended annually by the Council based on several criteria, including the anticipated harvest capacity of the jig gear fleet. The Council recommended, and NMFS approves, a 0.5 percent allocation of the Atka mackerel ITAC in the EAI and BS subarea to the jig gear sector in 2013 and VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:51 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 2014. This percentage is applied to the Atka mackerel TAC after subtracting the CDQ reserve and the ICA. Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(3) limits the annual Atka mackerel TAC for Area 542 (the CAI) to no more than 47 percent of the Area 542 ABC. Section 679.7(a)(19) prohibits retention of Atka mackerel in Area 543 (the WAI), and the TAC is set to account for discards in other fisheries. Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) apportions the Atka mackerel TAC into two equal seasonal allowances. Section 679.23(e)(3) sets the first seasonal allowance for directed fishing with trawl gear from January 20 through June 10 (A season), and the second seasonal allowance from June 10 through November 1 (B season). Section 679.23(e)(4)(iii) applies Atka mackerel seasons to CDQ Atka mackerel fishing. The ICA and jig gear allocations are not apportioned by season. Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) and (ii) require the Amendment 80 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 cooperatives and CDQ groups to limit harvest to 10 percent of their Central Aleutian District Atka mackerel allocation equally divided between the A and B seasons, within waters 10 nm to 20 nm of Gramp Rock and Tag Island, as described on Table 12 to part 679. Vessels not fishing under the authority of an Amendment 80 cooperative quota or CDQ allocation are prohibited from conducting directed fishing for Atka mackerel inside Steller sea lion critical habitat in the Central Aleutian District. Table 4 lists these 2013 and 2014 Atka mackerel season and area allowances, as well as the sector allocations. The 2014 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2013. E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13819 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 4—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCES, GEAR SHARES, CDQ RESERVE, INCIDENTAL CATCH ALLOWANCE, AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE BSAI ATKA MACKEREL TAC [Amounts are in metric tons] 2013 allocation by area Eastern Aleutian District/ Bering Sea Sector 1 Season 2,3,4 TAC .............................................. CDQ reserve ................................ n/a .......................... Total ....................... A ............................ Critical Habitat 5 ..... B ............................ Critical Habitat 5 ..... Total ....................... Total ....................... Total ....................... A ............................ B ............................ Total ....................... A ............................ B ............................ Total 7 ..................... A ............................ Critical Habitat 5 ..... B ............................ Critical Habitat 5 ..... Total 7 ..................... A ............................ Critical Habitat 5 ..... B ............................ Critical Habitat 5 ..... ICA ............................................... Jig 6 .............................................. BSAI trawl limited access ............ Amendment 80 sectors ............... Alaska Groundfish Cooperative 7 Alaska Seafood Cooperative 7 ..... 16,900 1,808 904 n/a 904 n/a 1,000 70 1,402 701 701 12,619 6,310 6,310 7,271 3,636 n/a 3,636 n/a 5,348 2,674 n/a 2,674 n/a Central 5 Aleutian District 2014 allocation by area Western Aleutian District 7,520 805 402 40 402 40 75 0 664 332 332 5,976 2,988 2,988 3,563 1,782 178 1,782 178 2,414 1,207 121 1,207 121 Eastern Aleutian District/ Bering Sea 1,500 161 80 n/a 80 n/a 40 0 0 0 0 1,300 650 650 783 392 n/a 392 n/a 517 259 n/a 259 n/a 16,500 1,766 883 n/a 883 n/a 1,000 69 1,367 683 683 12,299 6,150 6,150 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Central 5 Aleutian District 7,379 790 395 39 395 39 75 0 651 326 326 5,863 2,932 2,932 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Western Aleutian District 1,500 161 80 n/a 80 n/a 40 0 0 0 0 1,300 650 650 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in Table 33 to part 679 and § 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see §§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). 2 Regulations at §§ 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery. 3 The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. 4 Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B season from June 10 to November 1. 5 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C) requires the TAC in area 542 shall be no more than 47% of ABC, and Atka mackerel harvests for Amendment 80 cooperatives and CDQ groups within waters 10 nm to 20 nm of Gramp Rock and Tag Island, as described Table 12 to part 679, in Area 542 are limited to no more than 10 percent of the Amendment 80 cooperative Atka mackerel allocation or 10 percent of the CDQ Atka mackerel allocation. 6 Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear after subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season. 7 The 2014 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2013. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Allocation of the Pacific Cod ITAC Sections 679.20(a)(7)(i) and (ii) allocate the Pacific cod TAC in the BSAI, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ reserve, as follows: 1.4 percent to vessels using jig gear; 2.0 percent to hook-and-line and pot CVs less than 60 ft (18.3 m) length overall (LOA); 0.2 percent to hook-and-line CVs greater than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 48.7 percent to hook-and-line C/P; 8.4 percent to pot CVs greater than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 1.5 percent to pot C/Ps; 2.3 percent to AFA trawl C/Ps; 13.4 percent to non-AFA trawl C/Ps; and 22.1 percent to trawl CVs. The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 the hook-and-line and pot sectors. For 2013 and 2014, the Regional Administrator establishes an ICA of 500 mt based on anticipated incidental catch by these sectors in other fisheries. The ITAC allocation of Pacific cod to the Amendment 80 sector is established in Table 33 to part 679 and § 679.91. The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2013. The Pacific cod ITAC is apportioned into seasonal allowances to disperse the PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 Pacific cod fisheries over the fishing year (see §§ 679.20(a)(7) and 679.23(e)(5)). In accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(B) and (C), any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific cod allowance will become available at the beginning of the next seasonal allowance. The CDQ and non-CDQ season allowances by gear based on the 2013 and 2014 Pacific cod TACs are listed in Tables 5 and 6, and are based on the sector allocation percentages of Pacific cod set forth at §§ 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) and 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(A); and the seasonal allowances of Pacific cod set forth at § 679.23(e)(5). Section 679.7(a)(19) prohibits retaining Pacific cod in Area 543, and E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13820 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations § 679.7(a)(23) prohibits directed fishing for Pacific cod with hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear in the Aleutian Islands subarea November 1 through December 31. TABLE 5—FINAL 2013 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC [Amounts are in metric tons] Gear sector Percent 2013 Share of gear sector total 2013 Share of sector total Total TAC ........................................................................ CDQ ................................................................................. Total hook-and-line/pot gear ........................................... Hook-and-line/pot ICA 1 ................................................... Hook-and-line/pot sub-total ............................................. Hook-and-line catcher/processor .................................... 100 10.7 60.8 n/a n/a 48.7 260,000 27,820 141,165 500 140,665 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 112,671 Hook-and-line catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft LOA ...................... 0.2 n/a 463 Pot catcher/processor ..................................................... 1.5 n/a 3,470 Pot catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft LOA ....................................... 8.4 n/a 19,434 Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. Trawl catcher vessel ....................................................... 2 n/a 4,627 22.1 51,312 n/a AFA trawl catcher/processor ........................................... 2.3 5,340 n/a Amendment 80 ................................................................ 13.4 31,112 n/a Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ...................................... n/a n/a 5,793 Alaska Seafood Cooperative ........................................... n/a n/a 25,319 Jig .................................................................................... 1.4 3,251 n/a 2013 Seasonal apportionment Seasons Amount n/a ...................................... see § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) ...... n/a ...................................... see § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(B) ..... n/a ...................................... Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Dec 31 .................. Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Dec 31 .................. Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................... Sept 1–Dec 31 ................... Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................... Sept 1–Dec 31 ................... n/a ...................................... n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 57,462 55,209 236 227 1,770 1,700 9,911 9,523 n/a Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................... Apr 1–Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................... Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................... Apr 1- Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................... Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................... Apr 1- Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................... Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................... Apr 1- Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................... Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................... Apr 1–Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................... Jan 1–Apr 30 ..................... Apr 30–Aug 31 ................... Aug 31–Dec 31 .................. 37,971 5,644 7,697 4,005 1,335 0 23,334 7,778 0 4,345 1,448 0 18,989 6,330 0 1,950 650 650 1 The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2013 based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. TABLE 6—FINAL 2014 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC [Amounts are in metric tons] Gear sector Percent 2014 Share of gear sector total 2014 Share of sector total 100 10.7 60.8 n/a n/a 48.7 260,880 27,914 141,643 500 141,143 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 113,054 Hook-and-line catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft LOA ...................... 0.2 n/a 464 Pot catcher/processor ..................................................... emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Total TAC ........................................................................ CDQ ................................................................................. Total hook-and-line/pot gear ........................................... Hook-and-line/pot ICA 1 ................................................... Hook-and-line/pot sub-total ............................................. Hook-and-line catcher/processor .................................... 1.5 n/a 3,482 Pot catcher vessel ≥ 60 ft LOA ....................................... 8.4 n/a 19,500 Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. Trawl catcher vessel ....................................................... 2 n/a 4,643 22.1 51,485 n/a AFA trawl catcher/processor ........................................... 2.3 5,358 n/a VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 2014 Seasonal apportionment 2 Dates Amount n/a ...................................... see § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) ...... n/a ...................................... see § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(B) ..... n/a ...................................... Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Dec 31 .................. Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Dec 31 .................. Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................... Sept 1–Dec 31 ................... Jan 1–Jun 10 ..................... Sept 1–Dec 31 ................... n/a ...................................... n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 57,657 55,396 237 228 1,776 1,706 9,945 9,555 n/a Jan 20–Apr 1 Apr 1–Jun 10 Jun 10–Nov 1 Jan 20–Apr 1 Apr 1–Jun 10 38,099 5,663 7,723 4,019 1,340 01MRR1 ..................... ..................... .................... ..................... ..................... 13821 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 6—FINAL 2014 GEAR SHARES AND SEASONAL ALLOWANCES OF THE BSAI PACIFIC COD TAC—Continued [Amounts are in metric tons] Gear sector 2014 Share of gear sector total Percent 2014 Seasonal apportionment 2 2014 Share of sector total Amendment 80 ................................................................ 13.4 31,217 n/a Amendment 80 limited access 2 ...................................... n/a n/a see footnote 2 Amendment 80 cooperatives 2 ........................................ n/a n/a see footnote 2 Jig .................................................................................... 1.4 3,262 n/a Dates Amount Jun 10–Nov 1 .................... Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................... Apr 1- Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................... Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................... Apr 1- Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................... Jan 20–Apr 1 ..................... Apr 1–Jun 10 ..................... Jun 10–Nov 1 .................... Jan 1–Apr 30 ..................... Apr 30–Aug 31 ................... Aug 31–Dec 31 .................. 0 23,413 7,804 0 75% 25% 0 75% 25% 0 1,957 652 652 1 The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2014 based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries. 2 The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2013. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Sablefish Gear Allocation Sections 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv) require that sablefish TAC for the BS and AI subareas be allocated between trawl and hook-and-line or pot gear sectors. Gear allocations of the TAC for the BS subarea are 50 percent for trawl gear and 50 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear. Gear allocations of the TACs for the AI subarea are 25 percent for trawl gear and 75 percent for hook-andline or pot gear. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires NMFS to apportion 20 percent of the hook-andline and pot gear allocation of sablefish to the CDQ reserve. Additionally, § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) requires that 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocation of sablefish from the nonspecified reserves, established under § 679.20(b)(1)(i), be assigned to the CDQ reserve. The Council recommended that only trawl sablefish TAC be established biennially. The harvest specifications for the hook-and-line gear and pot gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fisheries will be limited to the 2013 fishing year to ensure those fisheries are conducted concurrently with the halibut IFQ fishery. Concurrent sablefish and halibut IFQ fisheries will reduce the potential for discards of halibut and sablefish in those fisheries. The sablefish IFQ fisheries will remain closed at the beginning of each fishing year until the final harvest specifications for the sablefish IFQ fisheries are in effect. Table 7 lists the 2013 and 2014 gear allocations of the sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve amounts. TABLE 7—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 GEAR SHARES AND CDQ RESERVE OF BSAI SABLEFISH TACS [Amounts are in metric tons] Subarea and gear Percent of TAC Bering Sea Trawl 1 ..... Hook-andline/pot gear 2 ... 2013 CDQ Reserve 2014 Share of TAC 2014 ITAC 2014 CDQ Reserve 50 790 672 59 740 629 56 50 790 632 158 n/a n/a n/a 1,580 1,304 217 740 629 56 25 535 455 40 503 428 38 75 1,605 1,284 321 n/a n/a n/a 100 2,140 1,739 361 503 428 38 Aleutian Islands Trawl 1 ..... Hook-andline/pot gear 2 ... emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES 2013 ITAC 100 Total Total 2013 Share of TAC 1 Except for the sablefish hook-and-line or pot gear allocation, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the reserve. The ITAC is the remainder of the TAC after the subtracting these reserves. 2 For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, 20 percent of the allocated TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants. The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to one year. Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13822 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations Allocation of the AI Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs Sections 679.20(a)(10)(i) and (ii) require that NMFS allocate AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole TAC between the Amendment 80 sector and BSAI trawl limited access sector, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ reserve and an ICA for the BSAI trawl limited access sector and vessels using non-trawl gear. The allocation of the ITAC for AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole to the Amendment 80 sector is established in accordance with Tables 33 and 34 to part 679 and § 679.91. The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will publish 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2013. Tables 8 and 9 list the 2013 and 2014 allocations of the AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole TACs. TABLE 8—FINAL 2013 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA (CDQ) RESERVES, INCIDENTAL CATCH AMOUNTS (ICAS), AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH, AND BSAI FLATHEAD SOLE, ROCK SOLE, AND YELLOWFIN SOLE TAC [Amounts are in metric tons] Pacific ocean perch Sector Eastern Aleutian District TAC .............................................. CDQ ............................................. ICA ............................................... BSAI trawl limited access ............ Amendment 80 ............................. Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ... Alaska Seafood Cooperative ....... Flathead sole Central Aleutian District Yellowfin sole BSAI BSAI BSAI Western Aleutian District 6,980 747 75 616 5,542 2,939 2,604 Rock sole 10,200 1,091 10 182 8,917 4,728 4,189 9,790 1,048 200 854 7,688 4,077 3,612 22,699 2,429 5,000 0 15,270 2,982 12,288 92,380 9,885 10,000 0 72,495 20,348 52,147 198,000 21,186 2,000 34,868 139,946 59,403 80,543 Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. TABLE 9—FINAL 2013 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA (CDQ) RESERVES, INCIDENTAL CATCH AMOUNTS (ICAS), AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH, AND BSAI FLATHEAD SOLE, ROCK SOLE, AND YELLOWFIN SOLE TAC [Amounts are in metric tons] Pacific ocean perch Sector Eastern Aleutian District TAC .............................................. CDQ ............................................. ICA ............................................... BSAI trawl limited access ............ Amendment 80 1 .......................... Central Aleutian District 9,240 989 200 805 7,246 Flathead sole Rock sole Yellowfin sole BSAI BSAI BSAI Western Aleutian District 6,590 705 75 581 5,229 9,590 1,026 10 171 8,383 22,543 2,412 5,000 0 15,131 92,000 9,844 10,000 0 72,156 198,000 21,186 2,000 34,868 139,946 1 The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will publish 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2013. Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Allocation of PSC Limits for Halibut, Salmon, Crab, and Herring Section 679.21(e) sets forth the BSAI PSC limits. Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(iv) and (e)(2), the 2013 and 2014 BSAI halibut mortality limits are 3,675 mt for trawl fisheries and 900 mt for the nontrawl fisheries. Sections 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) and 679.21(e)(4)(i)(A) allocate 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and 7.5 percent, or 67 mt, of the non-trawl halibut mortality limit as the PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. Section 679.21(e)(4)(i) authorizes apportioning the non-trawl halibut PSC limit into PSC bycatch allowances VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 among six fishery categories. Tables 11 and 12 list the fishery bycatch allowances for the trawl fisheries, and Table 13 lists the fishery bycatch allowances for the non-trawl fisheries. Pursuant to section 3.6 of the FMP, the Council recommends, and NMFS agrees, that certain specified non-trawl fisheries be exempt from the halibut PSC limit. As in past years, after consulting with the Council, NMFS exempts pot gear, jig gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook-and-line gear fishery categories from halibut bycatch restrictions for the following reasons: (1) The pot gear fisheries have low halibut bycatch mortality; (2) NMFS estimates halibut mortality for the jig gear fleet to PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 be negligible because of the small size of the fishery and the selectivity of the gear; and (3) the sablefish and halibut IFQ fisheries have low halibut bycatch mortality because the IFQ program requires legal-size halibut to be retained by vessels using hook-and-line gear if a halibut IFQ permit holder or a hired master is aboard and is holding unused halibut IFQ (subpart D of 50 CFR part 679). In 2012, total groundfish catch for the pot gear fishery in the BSAI was approximately 31,735 mt, with an associated halibut bycatch mortality of about 6 mt. The 2012 jig gear fishery harvested about 108 mt of groundfish. Most vessels in the jig gear fleet are less than E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA and thus are exempt from observer coverage requirements. As a result, observer data are not available on halibut bycatch in the jig gear fishery. However, as mentioned above, NMFS estimates the jig gear sector will have a negligible amount of halibut bycatch mortality because of the selective nature of jig gear and the low mortality rate of halibut caught with jig gear and released. Section 679.21(f)(2) annually allocates portions of either 47,591 or 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC among the AFA sectors, depending on past catch performance and on whether Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreements are formed. If an AFA sector participates in an approved Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement, then NMFS will allocate a portion of the 60,000 PSC limit to that sector as specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). If no Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement is approved, or if the sector has exceeded its performance standard under § 679.21(f)(6), then NMFS will allocate a portion of the 47,591 Chinook salmon PSC limit to that sector, as specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(B). In 2013, the Chinook salmon PSC limit is 60,000 and the AFA sector Chinook salmon allocations are seasonally allocated with 70 percent of the allocation for the A season pollock fishery, and 30 percent of the allocation for the B season pollock fishery as stated in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). The basis for these PSC limits is described in detail in the final rule implementing management measures for Amendment 91 (75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010). NMFS publishes the approved Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreements, 2013 allocations and reports at: https:// alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/ sustainablefisheries/bycatch/ default.htm. Section 679.21(e)(1)(viii) specifies 700 fish as the 2013 and 2014 Chinook salmon PSC limit for the AI subarea pollock fishery. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(i), allocates 7.5 percent, or 53 Chinook salmon, to the AI subarea PSQ for the CDQ program, and allocates the remaining 647 Chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries. Section 679.21(e)(1)(vii) specifies 42,000 fish as the 2013 and 2014 nonChinook salmon PSC limit in the Catcher Vessel Operational Area (CVOA). Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(ii) allocates 10.7 percent, or 4,494 nonChinook salmon in the CVOA as the PSQ for the CDQ program, and allocates the remaining 37,506 non-Chinook VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 salmon in the CVOA as the PSC limit for the non-CDQ fisheries. PSC limits for crab and herring are specified annually based on abundance and spawning biomass. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(1) allocates 10.7 percent from each trawl gear PSC limit specified for crab as a PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. Based on the 2012 survey data, the red king crab mature female abundance is estimated at 21.1 million red king crabs, and the effective spawning biomass is estimated at 44.2 million lb (20,049 mt). Based on the criteria set out at § 679.21(e)(1)(i), the 2013 and 2014 PSC limit of red king crab in Zone 1 for trawl gear is 97,000 animals. This limit derives from the mature female abundance of more than 8.4 million king crab and the effective spawning biomass estimate of less than 55 million lb (24,948 mt). Section 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2) establishes criteria under which NMFS must specify an annual red king crab bycatch limit for the Red King Crab Savings Subarea (RKCSS). The regulations limit the RKCSS red king crab bycatch limit to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC limit, based on the need to optimize the groundfish harvest relative to red king crab bycatch. In December 2012, the Council recommended that the red king crab bycatch limit be equal to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC limit within the RKCSS (Table 8b). NMFS concurs with the Council’s recommendation. Based on 2012 survey data, Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) abundance is estimated at 711 million animals. Pursuant to criteria set out at § 679.21(e)(1)(ii), the calculated 2013 and 2014 C. bairdi crab PSC limit for trawl gear is 980,000 animals in Zone 1 and 2,970,000 animals in Zone 2. These limits derive from the C. bairdi crab abundance estimate being in excess of the 400 million animals for both the Zone 1 and Zone 2 allocations. Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(iii), the PSC limit for snow crab (C. opilio) is based on total abundance as indicated by the NMFS annual bottom trawl survey. The C. opilio crab PSC limit is set at 0.1133 percent of the BS abundance index minus 150,000 crab. Based on the 2012 survey estimate of 9.401 billion animals, the calculated C. opilio crab PSC limit is 10,501,333 animals. Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(v), the PSC limit of Pacific herring caught while conducting any trawl operation for BSAI groundfish is 1 percent of the annual eastern BS herring biomass. The best estimate of 2013 and 2014 herring biomass is 264,802 mt. This amount was PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 13823 derived using 2012 survey data and an age-structured biomass projection model developed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Therefore, the herring PSC limit for 2013 and 2014 is 2,648 mt for all trawl gear as listed in Tables 10 and 11. Section 679.21(e)(3)(A) requires PSQ reserves to be subtracted from the total trawl PSC limits. The amounts of 2012 PSC limits assigned to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors are specified in Table 35 to part 679. The resulting allocation of PSC limit to CDQ PSQ, the Amendment 80 sector, and the BSAI trawl limited access fisheries are listed in Table 10. Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(iv) and § 679.91(d) through (f), crab and halibut trawl PSC limits assigned to the Amendment 80 sector are then further allocated to Amendment 80 cooperatives as PSC cooperative quota as listed in Table 14. PSC cooperative quota assigned to Amendment 80 cooperatives is not allocated to specific fishery categories. In 2013, there are no vessels in the Amendment 80 limited access sector. The 2014 PSC allocations between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(B) requires NMFS to apportion each trawl PSC limit not assigned to Amendment 80 cooperatives into PSC bycatch allowances for seven specified fishery categories. Section 679.21(e)(5) authorizes NMFS, after consulting with the Council, to establish seasonal apportionments of PSC amounts for the BSAI trawl limited access and Amendment 80 limited access sectors in order to maximize the ability of the fleet to harvest the available groundfish TAC and to minimize bycatch. The factors to be considered are: (1) Seasonal distribution of prohibited species; (2) seasonal distribution of target groundfish species; (3) PSC bycatch needs on a seasonal basis relevant to prohibited species biomass; (4) expected variations in bycatch rates throughout the year; (5) expected start of fishing effort; and (6) economic effects of seasonal PSC apportionments on industry sectors. The Council recommended and NMFS approves the seasonal PSC apportionments in Tables 12 and 13 to maximize harvest among gear types, fisheries, and seasons while minimizing bycatch of PSC based on the above criteria. E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13824 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 10—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 APPORTIONMENT OF PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH ALLOWANCES TO NON-TRAWL GEAR, THE CDQ PROGRAM, AMENDMENT 80, AND THE BSAI TRAWL LIMITED ACCESS SECTORS PSC species and area 1 Non-trawl PSC remaining after CDQ PSQ 2 900 n/a 832 n/a 3,675 2,648 3,349 n/a 393 n/a 2,325 n/a 875 n/a n/a n/a 97,000 86,621 10,379 43,293 26,489 n/a n/a 10,501,333 9,377,690 1,123,643 4,609,135 3,013,990 n/a n/a 980,000 875,140 104,860 368,521 411,228 n/a n/a 2,970,000 2,652,210 317,790 627,778 1,241,500 Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI ......................... Herring (mt) BSAI ........ Red king crab (animals) Zone 1 ...................... C. opilio (animals) COBLZ ...................... C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 1 ...................... C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 2 ...................... Trawl PSC remaining after CDQ PSQ 2 BSAI trawl limited access fishery Total non-trawl PSC Total trawl PSC CDQ PSQ reserve 2 Amendment 80 sector 3 1 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of zones. 2 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. 3 The Amendment 80 program reduced apportionment of the trawl PSC limits by 150 mt for halibut mortality and 20 percent for crab. These reductions are not apportioned to other gear types or sectors. Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. TABLE 11—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 HERRING AND RED KING CRAB SAVINGS SUBAREA PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH ALLOWANCES FOR ALL TRAWL SECTORS Fishery Categories Red king crab (animals) Zone 1 Herring (mt) BSAI Yellowfin sole ........................................................................................................................... Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 1 .................................................................................... Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish 2 ................................................................................................... Rockfish ................................................................................................................................... Pacific cod ............................................................................................................................... Midwater trawl pollock ............................................................................................................. Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 3 4 ................................................................................... Red king crab savings subarea non-pelagic trawl gear 5 ........................................................ Total trawl PSC ........................................................................................................................ 180 30 20 13 40 2,165 200 n/a 2,648 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 24,250 97,000 1 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. 2 ‘‘Arrowtooth flounder’’ for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder. 3 Pollock other than pelagic trawl pollock, Atka mackerel, and ‘‘other species’’ fishery category. 4 ‘‘Other species’’ for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses. 5 In December 2012 the Council recommended that the red king crab bycatch limit for non-pelagic trawl fisheries within the RKCSS be limited to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC allowance (see § 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2)). Note: Species apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. TABLE 12—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES FOR THE BSAI TRAWL LIMITED ACCESS SECTOR Prohibited species and area 1 BSAI trawl limited access fisheries Red king crab (animals) Zone 1 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 ............. emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES C. opilio (animals) COBLZ C. bairdi (animals) Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI 167 0 0 5 453 250 23,338 0 0 0 2,954 197 2,840,175 0 0 4,828 120,705 48,282 346,228 0 0 0 60,000 5,000 1,185,500 0 0 1,000 50,000 5,000 Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC ....... 875 26,489 3,013,990 411,228 1,241,500 Zone 1 1 Refer Zone 2 to § 679.2 for definitions of areas. 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 skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses. Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. 2 ‘‘Other VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13825 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 13—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCES FOR NON-TRAWL FISHERIES 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 58 58 Groundfish pot and jig Sablefish hook-and-line Total non-trawl PSC Exempt Exempt 833 Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. TABLE 14—FINAL 2013 PROHIBITED SPECIES BYCATCH ALLOWANCE FOR THE BSAI AMENDMENT 80 COOPERATIVES Prohibited species and zones 1 Cooperative Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI Red king crab (animals) zone 1 C. opilio (animals COBLZ 1,609 716 29,484 13,809 2,975,772 1,633,363 Alaska Seafood Cooperative ........................................... Alaska Groundfish Cooperative ....................................... C, baurdu (animals) Zone 1 Zone 2 259,427 109,094 433,149 194,629 1 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of zones. Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Halibut Discard Mortality Rates (DMR) To monitor halibut bycatch mortality allowances and apportionments, the Regional Administrator uses observed halibut bycatch rates, DMRs, and estimates of groundfish catch to project when a fishery’s halibut bycatch mortality allowance or seasonal apportionment is reached. The DMRs are based on the best information available, including information contained in the annual SAFE report. NMFS approves the halibut DMRs developed and recommended by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and the Council for the 2013 and 2014 BSAI groundfish fisheries for use in monitoring the 2013 and 2014 halibut bycatch allowances (see Tables 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14). The IPHC developed these DMRs for the 2013 and 2014 BSAI fisheries using the 10-year mean DMRs for those fisheries. The IPHC will analyze observer data annually and recommend changes to the DMRs when a fishery DMR shows large variation from the mean. A discussion of the DMRs is available from the Council (see ADDRESSES). Table 15 lists the 2013 and 2014 DMRs. TABLE 15—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 PACIFIC HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR THE BSAI Halibut discard mortality rate (percent) Gear Fishery Non-CDQ hook-and-line ......................................................... Greenland turbot .................................................................... Other species 1 ....................................................................... Pacific cod .............................................................................. Rockfish .................................................................................. Arrowtooth flounder 2 .............................................................. Atka mackerel ......................................................................... Flathead sole .......................................................................... Greenland turbot .................................................................... Non-pelagic pollock ................................................................ Pelagic pollock ....................................................................... Other flatfish 3 ......................................................................... Other species 1 ....................................................................... Pacific cod .............................................................................. Rockfish .................................................................................. Rock sole ................................................................................ Sablefish ................................................................................. Yellowfin sole ......................................................................... Other species 1 ....................................................................... Pacific cod .............................................................................. Atka mackerel ......................................................................... Greenland turbot .................................................................... Flathead sole .......................................................................... Non-pelagic pollock ................................................................ Pacific cod .............................................................................. Pelagic pollock ....................................................................... Rockfish .................................................................................. emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Non-CDQ trawl ....................................................................... Non-CDQ Pot ......................................................................... CDQ trawl ............................................................................... VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13 9 9 4 76 77 73 64 77 88 71 71 71 79 85 75 83 8 8 86 89 79 83 90 90 80 13826 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 15—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 PACIFIC HALIBUT DISCARD MORTALITY RATES FOR THE BSAI—Continued Halibut discard mortality rate (percent) Gear Fishery CDQ hook-and-line ................................................................. Rock sole ................................................................................ Yellowfin sole ......................................................................... Greenland turbot .................................................................... Pacific cod .............................................................................. Pacific cod .............................................................................. Sablefish ................................................................................. CDQ pot .................................................................................. 88 86 4 10 8 34 1 ‘‘Other species’’ includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids and octopuses. flounder includes Kamchatka flounder. 3 ‘‘Other flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder. 2 Arrowtooth Directed Fishing Closures In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional Administrator may establish a DFA for a species or species group if the Regional Administrator determines that any allocation or apportionment of a target species has been or will be reached. If the Regional Administrator establishes a DFA, and that allowance is or will be reached before the end of the fishing year, NMFS will prohibit directed fishing for that species or species group in the specified subarea or district (see § 697.20(d)(1)(iii)). Similarly, pursuant to § 679.21(e), if the Regional Administrator determines that a fishery category’s bycatch allowance of halibut, red king crab, C. bairdi crab, or C. opilio crab for a specified area has been reached, the Regional Administrator will prohibit directed fishing for each species in that category in the specified area. Based on historic catch patterns and anticipated fishing activity, the Regional Administrator has determined that the groundfish allocation amounts in Table 16 will be necessary as incidental catch to support other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2013 and 2014 fishing years. Consequently, in accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional Administrator establishes the DFA for the species and species groups in Table 10 as zero. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for these sectors and species in the specified areas effective at 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 1, 2013, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2014. Also, for the BSAI trawl limited access sector, bycatch allowances of halibut, red king crab, C. bairdi crab, and C. opilio crab listed in Table 10 are insufficient to support directed fisheries. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.21(e)(7), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for these sectors and fishery categories in the specified areas effective at 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 1, 2013, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2014. TABLE 16—2013 AND 2014 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1 [Groundfish and halibut amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in number of animals] 2013 Incidental catch allowance 2014 Incidental catch allowance Pollock ......................................... ICA pollock .................................. ‘‘Other rockfish’’ 2 ......................... ICA Atka mackerel ...................... 100 1,600 473 1,000 100 1,600 473 1,000 Rougheye rockfish ...................... 169 189 ICA Pacific ocean perch ............. 200 200 ICA Atka mackerel ...................... 75 75 ICA Pacific ocean perch ............. ICA Atka mackerel ...................... 75 40 75 40 ICA Pacific ocean perch ............. Rougheye rockfish ...................... 10 209 10 240 Pacific ocean perch ..................... ‘‘Other rockfish’’ 2 ......................... ICA pollock .................................. Northern rockfish ......................... Shortraker rockfish ...................... Skates ......................................... Sculpins ....................................... Sharks ......................................... Squids ......................................... Octopuses ................................... ICA Pacific cod ............................ ICA flathead sole ......................... ICA rock sole ............................... 8,130 400 33,669 3,000 370 24,000 5,600 100 595 500 500 5,000 10,000 7,680 686 33,669 3,000 370 25,000 5,600 100 595 500 500 5,000 10,000 Area Sector Species Bogoslof District ........................... Aleutian Islands subarea ............. All ................................................ All ................................................ Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Sea. Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Sea. Eastern Aleutian District .............. Non-amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access. All ................................................ Western Aleutian District ............. Non-amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access. Central and Western Aleutian Districts. Bering Sea subarea ..................... All ................................................ All ................................................ Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Central Aleutian District ............... Non-amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access. Non-amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access. All ................................................ Hook-and-line and pot gear ........ Non-amendment 80 .................... VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13827 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 16—2013 AND 2014 DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1—Continued [Groundfish and halibut amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in number of animals] Area 2013 Incidental catch allowance 2014 Incidental catch allowance ICA yellowfin sole ........................ 2,000 2,000 Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish—halibut mortality, red king crab Zone 1, C. opilio COBLZ, C. bairdi Zone 1 and 2. Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish—halibut mortality, red king crab Zone 1, C. opilio COBLZ, C. bairdi Zone 1 and 2. Rockfish—red king crab Zone 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sector Species Non-amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access. BSAI trawl limited access ........... 1 Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679. rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish. 2 ‘‘Other Closures implemented under the 2012 and 2013 BSAI harvest specifications for groundfish (77 FR 10669, February 23, 2012) remain effective under authority of these final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications, and are posted at the following Web sites: https:// alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/index/ infobulletins/infobulletins.asp?Yr=2013 and https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/ 2013/status.htm. While these closures are in effect, the maximum retainable amounts at § 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a fishing trip. These closures to directed fishing are in addition to closures and prohibitions found in regulations at 50 CFR part 679. Listed AFA Catcher/Processor Sideboard Limits Pursuant to § 679.64(a), the Regional Administrator is responsible for restricting the ability of listed AFA C/ Ps to engage in directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the directed pollock fishery. These restrictions are set out as ‘‘sideboard’’ limits on catch. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). Table 17 lists the 2013 and 2014 C/P sideboard limits. All harvest of groundfish sideboard species by listed AFA C/Ps, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be deducted from the sideboard limits in Table 17. However, groundfish sideboard species that are delivered to listed AFA C/Ps by CVs will not be deducted from the 2013 and 2014 sideboard limits for the listed AFA C/Ps. Section 679.64(a)(2) and Tables 40 and 41 of part 679 establish a formula for calculating PSC sideboard limits for listed AFA C/Ps. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007), and in the proposed rule (77 FR 72791). PSC species listed in Table 18 that are caught by listed AFA C/Ps participating in any groundfish fishery other than pollock will accrue against the 2013 and 2014 PSC sideboard limits for the listed AFA C/Ps. Section 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorizes NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than pollock for listed AFA C/Ps once a 2013 or 2014 PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 18 is reached. Crab or halibut PSC caught by listed AFA C/Ps while fishing for pollock will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually specified for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/‘‘other species’’ fishery categories under regulations at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv). TABLE 17—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 LISTED BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER/PROCESSOR GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS [Amounts are in metric tons] 1995–1997 Target species Sablefish trawl ...... emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Atka mackerel ....... Rock sole .............. Greenland turbot ... VerDate Mar<15>2010 Area/season BS ......................... AI .......................... Central AI A season 2. Central AI B season 2. Western AI A season 2. Western AI B season 2. BSAI ...................... BS ......................... 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 Total catch Ratio of retained catch to total catch 2013 ITAC Available to trawl C/Ps 1 8 0 n/a 497 145 n/a 0.016 0 0.115 672 455 3,358 11 0 386 629 428 3,295 10 0 379 n/a n/a 0.115 3,358 386 3,295 379 n/a n/a 0.2 670 134 670 134 n/a n/a 0.2 670 134 670 134 6,317 121 169,362 17,305 0.037 0.007 82,495 1,369 3,052 10 82,156 1,760 3,040 12 Retained catch PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 2013 AFA C/P Sideboard limit E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 2014 ITAC Available to trawl C/Ps 1 2014 AFA C/P Sideboard limit 13828 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 17—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 LISTED BSAI AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER/PROCESSOR GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS—Continued [Amounts are in metric tons] 1995–1997 Target species Arrowtooth flounder Kamchatka flounder. Flathead sole ........ Alaska plaice ......... Other flatfish ......... Pacific ocean perch. Northern rockfish .. Shortraker rockfish Rougheye rockfish Other rockfish ....... Skates ................... Sculpins ................ Sharks ................... Squids ................... Octopuses ............. Area/season Retained catch Total catch Ratio of retained catch to total catch 2013 ITAC Available to trawl C/Ps 1 2013 AFA C/P Sideboard limit 2014 ITAC Available to trawl C/Ps 1 2014 AFA C/P Sideboard limit AI .......................... BSAI ...................... BSAI ...................... 23 76 76 4,987 33,987 33,987 0.005 0.002 0.002 383 21,250 8,500 2 43 17 493 21,250 8,500 2 43 17 BSAI ...................... BSAI ...................... BSAI ...................... BS ......................... 1,925 14 3,058 12 52,755 9,438 52,298 4,879 0.036 0.001 0.058 0.002 20,270 17,000 2,975 8,130 730 17 173 16 20,131 17,000 3,400 7,680 725 17 197 15 Eastern AI ............. Central AI .............. Western AI ............ BSAI ...................... BSAI ...................... EBS/EAI ................ CAI/WAI ................ BS ......................... AI .......................... BSAI ...................... BSAI ...................... BSAI ...................... BSAI ...................... BSAI ...................... 125 3 54 91 50 50 50 18 22 553 553 553 73 553 6,179 5,698 13,598 13,040 2,811 2,811 2,811 621 806 68,672 68,672 68,672 3,328 68,672 0.02 0.001 0.004 0.007 0.018 0.018 0.018 0.029 0.027 0.008 0.008 0.008 0.022 0.008 8,742 6,233 9,109 3,000 370 169 209 400 473 24,000 5,600 100 595 500 175 6 36 21 7 3 4 12 13 192 45 1 13 4 8,251 5,885 8,564 3,000 370 189 240 686 473 25,000 5,600 100 595 500 165 6 34 21 7 3 4 20 13 200 45 1 13 4 1 Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole are multiplied by the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of the CDQ reserve under § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C). 2 The seasonal apportionment of Atka mackerel in the open access fishery is 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. Listed AFA catcher/processors are limited to harvesting no more than zero in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea, 20 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Western Aleutian District, and 11.5 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Central Aleutian District. TABLE 18—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 BSAI AFA LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR PROHIBITED SPECIES SIDEBOARD LIMITS Ratio of PSC catch to total PSC PSC species and area 1 Halibut mortality BSAI ........................................................................................ Red king crab zone 1 ........................................................................................ C. opilio (COBLZ) .............................................................................................. C. bairdi Zone 1 ................................................................................................. C. bairdi Zone 2 ................................................................................................. 1 Refer 2013 and 2014 PSC available to trawl vessels after subtraction of PSQ 2 n/a 0.007 0.153 0.14 0.05 n/a 86,621 9,377,690 875,140 2,652,210 2013 and 2014 catcher/processor sideboard limit 2 286 606 1,434,787 122,520 132,611 to § 679.2 for definitions of areas. amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals. emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES 2 Halibut AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Limits Pursuant to § 679.64(a), the Regional Administrator is responsible for restricting the ability of AFA CVs to engage in directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects resulting from the AFA and from fishery VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 cooperatives in the directed pollock fishery. Section 679.64(b) establishes a formula for setting AFA CV groundfish and PSC sideboard limits for the BSAI. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 September 14, 2007). Tables 19 and 20 list the 2013 and 2014 AFA CV sideboard limits. All catch of groundfish sideboard species made by non-exempt AFA CVs, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be deducted from the 2013 and 2014 sideboard limits listed in Table 19. E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13829 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 19—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL BSAI GROUNDFISH SIDEBOARD LIMITS [Amounts are in metric tons] Ratio of 1995– 1997 AFA CV catch to 1995– 1997 TAC 2013 initial TAC 1 2013 AFA catcher vessel sideboard limits 2014 AFA catcher vessel sideboard limits 2014 initial TAC 1 Species/gear Fishery by area/season Pacific cod/Jig gear ............ Pacific cod/Hook-and-line CV. BSAI .................................... BSAI Jan 1–Jun 10 ............ 0 0.0006 n/a 236 0 0 n/a 237 0 0 Pacific cod pot gear CV ...... BSAI BSAI BSAI BSAI Jun 10–Dec 31 .......... Jan 1–Jun 10 ............ Sept 1–Dec 31 .......... .................................... 0.0006 0.0006 0.0006 0.0006 227 9,911 9,523 4,627 0 6 6 3 228 9,945 9,555 4,643 0 6 6 3 BSAI Jan 20–Apr 1 ............. BSAI Apr 1–Jun 10 ............. BSAI Jun 10–Nov 1 ............ BS ....................................... AI ........................................ Eastern AI/BS Jan 1–Jun 10. Eastern AI/BS Jun 10–Nov 1. Central AI Jan 1–Jun 10 .... Central AI Jun 10–Nov 1 .... Western AI Jan 1–Jun 10 ... Western AI Jun 10–Nov 1 .. BSAI .................................... BS ....................................... AI ........................................ BSAI .................................... BSAI .................................... BSAI .................................... BSAI .................................... BS ....................................... BS ....................................... Eastern AI ........................... Central AI ............................ Western AI .......................... BSAI .................................... BSAI .................................... EBS/EAI .............................. CAI/WAI .............................. BS ....................................... AI ........................................ BSAI .................................... BSAI .................................... BSAI .................................... BSAI .................................... BSAI .................................... 0.8609 0.8609 0.8609 0.0906 0.0645 0.0032 37,971 5,644 7,697 672 455 7,546 32,689 4,859 6,626 61 29 24 38,099 5,663 7,723 612 428 7,367 32,799 4,875 6,649 55 28 24 0.0032 7,546 24 7,367 24 0.0001 0.0001 0 0 0.0341 0.0645 0.0205 0.069 0.069 0.0441 0.0441 0.0505 0.1 0.0077 0.0025 0 0.0084 0.0037 0.0037 0.0037 0.0048 0.0095 0.0541 0.0541 0.0541 0.3827 0.0541 3,358 3,358 670 670 82,495 1,369 383 21,250 8,500 17,000 2,975 20,270 8,130 8,742 6,233 n/a 3,000 370 169 209 400 473 24,000 5,600 100 595 500 0 0 0 0 2,813 88 8 1,466 587 750 131 1,024 813 67 16 0 25 1 1 1 2 4 1,298 303 5 228 27 3,295 3,295 670 670 82,156 1,760 493 21,250 8,500 17,000 3,400 20,131 7,680 8,251 5,885 n/a 3,000 370 189 240 686 473 25,000 5,600 100 595 500 0 0 0 0 2,802 114 10 1,466 587 750 150 1,017 768 64 15 0 25 1 1 1 3 4 1,353 303 5 228 27 Pacific cod CV < 60 feet LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. Pacific cod trawl gear CV ... Sablefish trawl gear ............ Atka mackerel ..................... Rock sole ............................ Greenland turbot ................. Arrowtooth flounder ............ Kamchatka flounder ............ Alaska plaice ....................... Other flatfish ....................... Flathead sole ...................... Pacific ocean perch ............ Northern rockfish ................ Shortraker rockfish .............. Rougheye rockfish .............. Other rockfish ..................... Skates ................................. Sculpins .............................. Sharks ................................. Squids ................................. Octopuses ........................... 1 Aleutians Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, and rock sole are multiplied by the remainder of the TAC of that species after the subtraction of the CDQ reserve under § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C). emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Halibut and crab PSC limits listed in Table 20 that are caught by AFA CVs participating in any groundfish fishery for groundfish other than pollock will accrue against the 2013 and 2014 PSC sideboard limits for the AFA CVs. Sections 679.21(d)(8) and 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorize NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than pollock for AFA CVs once a 2013 or 2014 PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 20 is reached. The PSC that is caught by AFA CVs while fishing for pollock in the BSAI will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually specified for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/ Atka mackerel/‘‘other species’’ fishery categories under regulations at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv). TABLE 20—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR THE BSAI 1 AFA catcher vessel PSC sideboard limit ratio PSC species and area 1 Target fishery category 2 Halibut ....................................................... Pacific cod trawl ....................................... VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 2013 and 2014 PSC limit after subtraction of PSQ reserves 3 n/a E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM n/a 01MRR1 2013 and 2014 AFA catcher vessel PSC sideboard limit 3 887 13830 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations TABLE 20—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL PROHIBITED SPECIES CATCH SIDEBOARD LIMITS FOR THE BSAI 1—Continued AFA catcher vessel PSC sideboard limit ratio PSC species and area 1 Target fishery category 2 Red king crab Zone 1 ............................... C. opilio COBLZ ........................................ C. bairdi Zone 1 ........................................ C. bairdi Zone 2 ........................................ Pacific cod hook-and-line or pot .............. Yellowfin sole total ................................... Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish 4 ..... Greenland turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish 5 ... Rockfish .................................................... Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 6 ..... n/a ............................................................. n/a ............................................................. n/a ............................................................. n/a ............................................................. 2013 and 2014 PSC limit after subtraction of PSQ reserves 3 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 0.299 0.168 0.33 0.186 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 86,621 9,377,690 875,140 2,652,210 2013 and 2014 AFA catcher vessel PSC sideboard limit 3 2 101 228 0 2 5 25,900 1,575,452 288,796 493,311 1 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas. fishery categories are defined in regulation at § 679.21(e)(3)(iv). 3 Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals. 4 ‘‘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. 5 Arrowtooth for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder. 6 ‘‘Other species’’ for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses. 2 Target AFA Catcher/Processor and Catcher Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures Based upon historical catch patterns, the Regional Administrator has determined that many of the AFA C/P and CV sideboard limits listed in Tables 21 and 22 are necessary as incidental catch to support other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2013 and 2014 fishing years. In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional Administrator establishes the sideboard limits listed in Tables 21 and 22 as DFAs. Because many of these DFAs will be reached before the end of the year, the Regional Administrator has determined, in accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), that NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing by listed AFA C/Ps for the species in the specified areas set out in Table 21, and directed fishing by non-exempt AFA CVs for the species in the specified areas set out in Table 22. TABLE 21—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT LISTED CATCHER/PROCESSOR SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1 [Amounts are in metric tons] Species Area Gear types Sablefish trawl .............................. BS ................................................ AI ................................................. BSAI ............................................ BS ................................................ AI ................................................. BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BS ................................................ Eastern AI ................................... Central AI .................................... Western AI .................................. BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ EBS/EAI ...................................... CAI/WAI ....................................... BS ................................................ AI ................................................. BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ trawl ............................................. trawl ............................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. Rock sole ..................................... Greenland turbot .......................... Arrowtooth flounder ...................... Kamchatka flounder ..................... Alaska plaice ................................ Other flatfish 2 .............................. Flathead sole ............................... Pacific ocean perch ..................... Northern rockfish .......................... Shortraker rockfish ....................... Rougheye rockfish ....................... Other rockfish 3 ............................ emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES 2013 sideboard limit Skates .......................................... Sculpins ........................................ Sharks .......................................... Squids .......................................... Octopuses .................................... 11 0 3,052 10 2 43 17 17 173 730 16 175 6 36 21 7 3 4 12 13 192 45 1 13 4 1 Maximum 2014 sideboard limit 10 0 3,040 12 2 43 17 17 197 725 15 165 6 34 21 7 3 4 20 13 200 45 1 13 4 retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679. flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder. 3 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish. 2 ‘‘Other VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00060 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 13831 TABLE 22—FINAL 2013 AND 2014 AMERICAN FISHERIES ACT CATCHER VESSEL SIDEBOARD DIRECTED FISHING CLOSURES 1 [Amounts are in metric tons] 2013 sideboard limit Species Area Gear types Pacific cod .................................... BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BS ................................................ AI ................................................. Eastern AI/BS .............................. Central AI .................................... Western AI .................................. BS ................................................ AI ................................................. BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BS ................................................ Eastern AI ................................... Central AI .................................... Western AI .................................. BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BS/EAI ......................................... CAI/WAI ....................................... BS ................................................ AI ................................................. BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ BSAI ............................................ hook-and-line ............................... pot ............................................... CV< 60 feet LOA ......................... jig ................................................. trawl ............................................. trawl ............................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. All ................................................ all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. all ................................................. Sablefish ...................................... Atka mackerel .............................. Greenland turbot .......................... Arrowtooth flounder ...................... Kamchatka flounder ..................... Alaska plaice ................................ Other flatfish 2 .............................. Flathead sole ............................... Rock sole ..................................... Pacific ocean perch ..................... Northern rockfish .......................... Shortraker rockfish ....................... Rougheye rockfish ....................... Other rockfish 3 ............................ Skates .......................................... Sculpins ........................................ Sharks .......................................... Squids .......................................... Octopuses .................................... 0 12 3 0 61 29 48 0 0 88 8 1,466 587 750 131 1,024 2,813 813 67 16 0 25 1 1 1 2 4 1,298 303 5 228 27 2014 sideboard limit 0 12 3 0 55 28 48 0 0 114 10 1,466 587 750 150 1,017 2,802 768 64 15 0 25 1 1 1 3 4 1,353 303 5 228 27 1 Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679. flatfish’’ includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder. 3 ‘‘Other rockfish’’ includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish. emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES 2 ‘‘Other Response to Comments NMFS received 2 letters with five comments. Comment 1: Due to concerns that the biomass of the Aleutian Islands Pacific cod stock may be declining and that there is a possibility that this stock is overfished, NMFS should work with the Council to separate the Aleutian Island Pacific cod management from the Bering Sea Pacific cod management. Response: The Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 2013 and 2014 OFL and ABC for Pacific cod are set based upon recommendations from the Plan Team and the SSC. Based upon the best available science, the SSC recommended OFL and ABC limits for the BSAI Pacific cod stock and did not believe that a separate OFL and ABC was warranted for 2013 and 2014. Based on the 2012 Pacific cod stock assessment, the 2013 and 2014 OFL and ABC for BSAI wide Pacific cod stock is not overfished or experiencing overfishing. If the SSC does recommend VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 separate Aleutian Island Pacific cod OFLs and ABCs, NMFS will work with the Council to implement SSC recommendations. Comment 2: There should be an exemption in the groundfish harvest specifications for small non-commerical vessels. Response: The groundfish harvest specifications regulations that implement the FMP govern commercial fishing for groundfish in the BSAI by vessels of the United States. The groundfish harvest specifications are for commercial fishing activities. Noncommercial fishing activities are outside of the scope of this action. Comment 3: The BSAI groundfish harvest specifications should be more concise. Response: NMFS agrees that the groundfish harvest specifications should be concise to the extent that it is practicable. However, NMFS believes that the 2013 and 2014 groundfish PO 00000 Frm 00061 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 harvest specifications are concise to the extent practicable. Comment 4: NMFS should include harvesting capacity information in the BSAI groundfish harvest specifications and elaborate on the effects of these harvest specifications upon the fishing capacity. Response: The most recent systematic assessment of fishing capacity for the BSAI groundfish fishery is Appendix 9 to the 2008 National Assessment of Excess Harvesting Capacity in Federally Managed Fisheries (https:// spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/tm/spo93.pdf), which provides information for the year 2004. That assessment found that the catch of all BSAI groundfish in 2004 was 2 million mt, and that the fleet had a capacity to take 2.9 million mt. Although estimated capacity exceeded catch by about 0.9 million mt, about 0.8 million mt of this excess capacity was concentrated in one fishery for pollock (pages 333–334). There is considerable stability in the BSAI harvest E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES 13832 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations specifications from year to year, not least because the total BSAI TAC is normally set at the statutory optimum yield limit of 2 million mt established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, Public Law 108–199, Title VIII, § 803(c), and identified by the BSAI FMP. While individual species TACs vary from year to year, and new directed fisheries and the associated TAC may develop over time, fishing operators are aware of these variations, and are able to make operating plans that take this uncertainty into account. Therefore, NMFS does not expect that the 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications have any new elements that will limit harvesting capacity below the 2 million mt optimum yield limit or encourage overcapacity. NMFS notes that ongoing rationalization efforts in this fishery increase the tools available to industry to minimize the adverse economic impacts of excess capacity. Since the 2004 capacity estimates were made, NMFS implemented the Amendment 80 Program in 2008 (72 FR 52668), and the freezer longline sector formed a voluntary cooperative in 2010. Comment 5: NMFS should move away from a single-species approach in setting OFLs and ABCs, and move towards an ecosystem-based management. Response: NMFS agrees that there is a need to incorporate more ecosystembased management in setting OFLs and ABCs to the extent that information is available. A goal of NMFS is to provide stronger links between fishery management and ecosystem research. The Plan Team has created ecosystem indicators with the goals of: 1. Maintaining biodiversity consistent with natural evolutionary and ecological processes, including dynamic change and variability. 2. Maintaining and restoring habitats essential for fish and their prey. 3. Maintaining system sustainability and sustainable yields for human consumption and non-extractive uses. These indices are maintained in the SAFE report (see ADDRESSES), and each stock assessment addresses ecosystem considerations. This information is used as a component in setting annual OFLs and ABCs. However, NMFS believes the understanding of ecosystem-based management is currently insufficient to eliminate the need to set OFLs and ABCs using a single species approach. Classification NMFS has determined that these final harvest specifications are consistent with the FMP and with the MagnusonStevens Act and other applicable laws. VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 This action is authorized under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from review under Executive Orders 12866 and 13563. NMFS prepared an EIS that covers this action (see ADDRESSES) and made it available to the public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 1512). On February 13, 2007, NMFS issued the Record of Decision (ROD) for the EIS. In January 2013, NMFS prepared a Supplemental Information Report (SIR) for this action. Copies of the EIS, ROD, and SIR for this action are available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The EIS analyzes the environmental consequences of the groundfish harvest specifications and alternative harvest strategies on resources in the action area. The EIS found no significant environmental consequences of this action and its alternatives. The SIR evaluates the need to prepare a Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for the 2013 and 2014 groundfish harvest specifications. A SEIS should be prepared if (1) the agency makes substantial changes in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental concerns; or (2) significant new circumstances or information exist relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts (40 CFR 1502.9(c)(1)). After reviewing the information contained in the SIR and SAFE reports, the Regional Administrator has determined that (1) approval of the 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications, which were set according to the preferred harvest strategy in the EIS, do not constitute a change in the action; and (2) there are no significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the action or its impacts. Additionally, the 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications will result in environmental impacts within the scope of those analyzed and disclosed in the EIS. Therefore, supplemental National Environmental Policy Act documentation is not necessary to implement the 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications. Pursuant to section 604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., a FRFA was prepared for this action. The FRFA incorporates the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), and includes a summary of the significant issues raised by public comments in response to the IRFA, as well as NMFS’ responses to those comments. A summary of the analyses completed to support the action is also included in the FRFA. A copy of the FRFA prepared for this final rule is available from NMFS (see PO 00000 Frm 00062 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 ADDRESSES). A description of this action, its purpose, and its legal basis are contained at the beginning of the preamble to this final rule and are not repeated here. NMFS published the proposed rule on December 6, 2012 (77 FR 72791). The rule was accompanied by an IRFA, which was summarized in the proposed rule. The comment period closed on January 7, 2013. No comments were received on the IRFA. The entities directly regulated by this action are those that receive allocations of groundfish in the EEZ of the BSAI, and in parallel fisheries within State of Alaska waters, during the annual harvest specifications process. These directly regulated entities include the groundfish CVs and C/Ps active in these areas. Direct allocations of groundfish are also made to certain organizations, including the CDQ groups, AFA C/P and inshore CV sectors, Aleut Corporation, and Amendment 80 cooperatives. These entities are, therefore, also considered directly regulated. According to the Small Business Administration, a small entity engaged in fishing activities is one that is not dominant in its field, and individually has annual revenues of $4 million or less. In 2011, there were 216 individual catcher vessels with total gross revenues less than or equal to $4 million. Many of these vessels are members in AFA inshore pollock cooperatives. However, vessels that participate in these cooperatives are considered to be large entities within the meaning of the RFA. After accounting for membership in these cooperatives, there are an estimated 112 small CVs remaining in the BSAI. In 2011, 12 C/Ps grossed less than $4 million. Some of these vessels were affiliated through ownership by the same business firm. By 2011, the vessels in this group were also affiliated through membership in two cooperatives (the Amendment 80 ‘‘Best Use’’ cooperative, or the Freezer Longline Conservation Cooperative (FLCC)). Applying the 2011 firm and cooperative affiliations to these vessels, NMFS estimates that these 12 vessels currently represent six small entities. Through the CDQ program, the Council and NMFS allocate a portion of the BSAI groundfish TACs, and halibut and crab PSC limits, to 65 eligible Western Alaska communities. These communities work through six nonprofit CDQ groups, and are required to use the proceeds from the CDQ allocations to start or support activities that will result in ongoing, regionally based, commercial fishery or related businesses. The CDQ groups receive E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations allocations through the harvest specifications process, and are directly regulated by this action, but the 65 communities are not directly regulated. Because they are nonprofit entities that are independently owned and operated, and are not dominant in their field, the CDQ groups are considered small entities for RFA purposes. The AFA and Amendment 80 fisheries cooperatives are directly regulated because they receive allocations of TAC through the harvest specifications process. However, the FLCC, a voluntary private cooperative that became fully effective in 2010, is not considered to be directly regulated. The FLCC manages a catch share program among its members, but it does not receive an allocation under the harvest specifications. NMFS allocates TAC to the freezer longline sector, and the cooperative members voluntarily allocate this TAC among themselves via the FLCC. The AFA and Amendment 80 cooperatives are large entities, since they are affiliated with firms with joint revenues of more than $4 million. The Aleut Corporation is an Alaska Native Corporation that receives an allocation of pollock in the Aleutian Islands. The Aleut Corporation is a holding company and evaluated according to the Small Business Administration criteria for Office or Other Holding Companies, at 13 CFR 121.201, which uses a threshold of $6 million gross annual receipts threshold for small entities. The Aleut Corporation revenues exceed this threshold, and the Aleut Corporation is considered to be a large entity. This determination follows the analysis in the RFA certification for BSAI FMP. This action does not modify recordkeeping or reporting requirements. The significant alternatives were those considered as alternative harvest strategies when the Council selected its preferred harvest strategy in December 2006. These included the following: • Alternative 1: Set TAC to produce fishing mortality rates, F, that are equal to maxFABC, unless the sum of the TAC is constrained by the OY established in the FMPs. This is equivalent to setting TAC to produce harvest levels equal to the maximum permissible ABC, as constrained by OY. The term ‘‘maxFABC’’ refers to the maximum permissible value of FABC under Amendment 56 to the groundfish FMPs. Historically, the TAC has been set at or below the ABC; therefore, this alternative represents a likely upper limit for setting the TAC within the OY and ABC limits. VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 • Alternative 3: For species in Tiers 1, 2, and 3, set TAC to produce F equal to the most recent 5-year average actual F. For species in Tiers 4, 5, and 6, set TAC equal to the most recent 5-year average actual catch. For stocks with a high level of scientific information, TAC would be set to produce harvest levels equal to the most recent 5-year average actual fishing mortality rates. For stocks with insufficient scientific information, TAC would be set equal to the most recent 5-year average actual catch. This alternative recognizes that for some stocks, catches may fall well below ABC, and recent average F may provide a better indicator of actual F than FABC does. • Alternative 4: (1) Set TAC for rockfish species in Tier 3 at F75%. Set TAC for rockfish species in Tier 5 at F=0.5M. Set spatially explicit TAC for shortraker and rougheye rockfish in the BSAI. (2) Taking the rockfish TAC as calculated above, reduce all other TAC by a proportion that does not vary across species, so that the sum of all TAC, including rockfish TAC, is equal to the lower bound of the area OY (1,400,000 mt in the BSAI). This alternative sets conservative and spatially explicit TAC for rockfish species that are long-lived and late to mature, and sets conservative TAC for the other groundfish species. • Alternative 5: Set TAC at zero. Alternative 2 is the preferred alternative chosen by the Council: Set TAC that fall within the range of ABC recommended through the Council harvest specifications process and TACs recommended by the Council. Under this scenario, F is set equal to a constant fraction of maxFABC. The recommended fractions of maxFABC may vary among species or stocks, based on other considerations unique to each. This is the method for determining TAC that has been used in the past. Alternatives 1, 3, 4, and 5 do not meet the objectives of this action, although they have a smaller adverse economic impact on small entities than the preferred alternative. The Council rejected these alternatives as harvest strategies in 2006, and the Secretary of Commerce did so in 2007. Alternative 1 would lead to TAC limits whose sum exceeds the fishery OY, which is set out in statute and the FMP. As shown in Table 1, the sum of ABCs in 2013 and 2014 would be 2,639,317 and 2,697,498 million mt, respectively. Both of these are substantially in excess of the fishery OY for the BSAI. This result would be inconsistent with the objectives of this action, in that it would violate the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, Pub. L. No. 108–199, Sec. 803(c), PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 13833 and the FMP for the BSAI groundfish fishery, which both set a 2,000,000 mt maximum harvest for BSAI groundfish. Alternative 3 selects harvest rates based on the most recent 5 years’ worth of harvest rates (for species in Tiers 1 through 3) or for the most recent 5 years’ worth of harvests (for species in Tiers 4 through 6). This alternative is also inconsistent with the objectives of this action, because it does not take into account the most recent biological information for this fishery. Alternative 4 would lead to significantly lower harvests of all species to reduce TAC from the upper end of the OY range in the BSAI, to its lower end. This result would lead to significant reductions in harvests of species by small entities. While reductions of this size could be associated with offsetting price increases, the size of these increases is very uncertain, and NMFS has no confidence that they would be sufficient to offset the volume decreases and leave revenues unchanged. Thus, this action would have an adverse economic impact on small entities, compared to the preferred alternative. Alternative 5, which sets all harvests equal to zero, may also address conservation issues, but would have a significant adverse economic impact on small entities. Impacts on marine mammals resulting from fishing activities conducted under this rule are discussed in the EIS (see ADDRESSES). Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness for this rule, because delaying this rule is contrary to the public interest. Plan Team review occurred in November 2012, and Council consideration and recommendations occurred in December 2012. Accordingly, NMFS review could not begin until after the December 2012 Council meeting, and after the public had time to comment upon the proposed action. If this rule’s effectiveness is delayed, fisheries that might otherwise remain open under these rules may prematurely close based on the lower 2012 and 2013 harvest specifications (77 FR 10669, February 23, 2012). If implemented immediately, this rule would allow these fisheries to continue fishing without worrying about a potential closure, because the new TAC limits are higher than the ones under which they are currently fishing. Certain fisheries, such as those for pollock and Pacific cod are intensive, fast-paced fisheries. Other fisheries, such as those for flatfish, rockfish, skates, sculpins, sharks, and octopuses, E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1 13834 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 41 / Friday, March 1, 2013 / Rules and Regulations emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES are critical as directed fisheries and as incidental catch in other fisheries. U.S. fishing vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch the TAC allocations in these fisheries. Any delay in allocating the final TAC limits in these fisheries would cause confusion to the industry and potential economic harm through unnecessary discards. Determining which fisheries may close is impossible because these fisheries are affected by several factors that cannot be predicted in advance, including fishing effort, weather, movement of fishery stocks, and market price. Furthermore, the closure of one fishery has a cascading effect on other fisheries by freeing up fishing vessels, allowing them to move from closed fisheries to open ones, increasing the fishing capacity in those open fisheries and causing them to close at an accelerated pace. Additionally, in fisheries subject to declining sideboards, delaying this rule’s effectiveness could allow some vessels to inadvertently reach or exceed their new sideboard levels. Because sideboards are intended to protect traditional fisheries in other sectors, allowing one sector to exceed its new sideboards by delaying this rule’s effectiveness would effectively reduce the available catch for sectors without sideboard limits. Moreover, the new TAC and sideboard limits protect the fisheries from being overfished. Thus, the delay is contrary to the public interest in protecting traditional fisheries and fish stocks. If the final harvest specifications are not effective by March 23, 2013, which VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:12 Feb 28, 2013 Jkt 229001 is the start of the 2013 Pacific halibut season as specified by the IPHC, the hook-and-line sablefish fishery will not begin concurrently with the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Delayed effectiveness of this action would result in confusion for sablefish harvesters and economic harm from unnecessary discard of sablefish that are caught along with Pacific halibut, as both hookand-line sablefish and Pacific halibut are managed under the same IFQ program. Immediate effectiveness of the final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications will allow the sablefish IFQ fishery to begin concurrently with the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Also, the immediate effectiveness of this action is required to provide consistent management and conservation of fishery resources based on the best available scientific information. This is particularly true of those species which have lower 2013 ABC and TAC limits than those established in the 2012 and 2013 harvest specifications (77 FR 10669, February 23, 2012). Immediate effectiveness also would give the fishing industry the earliest possible opportunity to plan and conduct its fishing operations with respect to new information about TAC limits. Therefore, NMFS finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). Small Entity Compliance Guide This final rule is a plain language guide to assist small entities in complying with this final rule as required by the Small Business PO 00000 Frm 00064 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This final rule’s primary purpose is to announce the final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications and prohibited species bycatch allowances for the groundfish fisheries of the BSAI. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits and associated management measures for groundfish during the 2013 and 2014 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the FMP. This action directly affects all fishermen who participate in the BSAI fisheries. The specific amounts of OFL, ABC, TAC, and PSC are provided in tables to assist the reader. NMFS will announce closures of directed fishing in the Federal Register and information bulletins released by the Alaska Region. Affected fishermen should keep themselves informed of such closures. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 105–277; Pub. L. 106– 31; Pub. L. 106–554; Pub. L. 108–199; Pub. L. 108–447; Pub. L. 109–241; Pub. L. 109– 479. Dated: February 25, 2013. Alan D. Risenhoover, Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, performing the functions and duties of the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2013–04822 Filed 2–28–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P E:\FR\FM\01MRR1.SGM 01MRR1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 41 (Friday, March 1, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13813-13834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-04822]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 121018563-3148-02]
RIN 0648-XC311

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands; 2013 and 2014 Harvest Specifications for
Groundfish

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

ACTION: Final rule; closures.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS announces final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications and
prohibited species catch allowances for the groundfish fishery of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is
necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2013
and 2014 fishing years, and to accomplish the goals and objectives of
the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the BSAI (FMP). The
intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish
resources in the BSAI in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

DATES: Effective from 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 1,
2013, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the Final Alaska Groundfish Harvest
Specifications Environmental Impact

[[Page 13814]]

Statement (EIS), Record of Decision (ROD), Supplementary Information
Report (SIR) to the EIS, and the Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
(FRFA), prepared for this action are available from https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The final 2012 Stock Assessment and Fishery
Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the BSAI,
dated November 2012, as well as the SAFE reports for previous years,
are available from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council
(Council) at 605 West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99510-2252,
phone 907-271-2809, or from the Council's Web site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/npfmc.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679
implement the FMP and govern the groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The
Council prepared the FMP, and NMFS approved it under the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. General regulations governing U.S. fisheries also appear
at 50 CFR part 600.
The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, to specify the total allowable catch
(TAC) for each target species; the sum TAC for all groundfish species
must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 1.4 million to 2.0
million metric tons (mt) (see Sec. 679.20(a)(1)(i)). This final rule
specifies the TAC at 2.0 million mt for both 2013 and 2014. NMFS also
must specify apportionments of TAC, prohibited species catch (PSC)
allowances, and prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserves established by
Sec. 679.21; seasonal allowances of pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka
mackerel TAC; Amendment 80 allocations; and Community Development Quota
(CDQ) reserve amounts established by Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii). The final
harvest specifications set forth in Tables 1 through 22 of this action
satisfy these requirements.
Section 679.20(c)(3)(i) further requires NMFS to consider public
comment on the proposed annual TACs (and apportionments thereof) and
PSC allowances, and to publish final harvest specifications in the
Federal Register. The proposed 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications and
PSC allowances for the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were published in
the Federal Register on December 6, 2012 (77 FR 72791). Comments were
invited and accepted through January 7, 2013. NMFS received two letters
with five comments on the proposed harvest specifications. These
comments are summarized and responded to in the ``Response to
Comments'' section of this rule. NMFS consulted with the Council on the
final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications during the December 2012
Council meeting in Anchorage, AK. After considering public comments, as
well as biological and economic data that were available at the
Council's December meeting, NMFS is implementing the final 2013 and
2014 harvest specifications as recommended by the Council.

Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) and TAC Harvest Specifications

The final ABC levels for Alaska groundfish are based on the best
available biological and socioeconomic information, including projected
biomass trends, information on assumed distribution of stock biomass,
and revised technical methods used to calculate stock biomass. In
general, the development of ABCs and overfishing levels (OFLs) involves
sophisticated statistical analyses of fish populations. The FMP
specifies a series of six tiers to define OFL and ABC amounts based on
the level of reliable information available to fishery scientists. Tier
1 represents the highest level of information quality available while
Tier 6 represents the lowest.
In December 2012, the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC),
Advisory Panel (AP), and Council reviewed current biological
information about the condition of the BSAI groundfish stocks. The
Council's Plan Team compiled and presented this information in the 2012
SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated November 2012. The
SAFE report contains a review of the latest scientific analyses and
estimates of each species' biomass and other biological parameters, as
well as summaries of the available information on the BSAI ecosystem
and the economic condition of groundfish fisheries off Alaska. NMFS
notified the public and asked for review of the SAFE report in the
notice of proposed harvest specifications; the report is still
available (see ADDRESSES). From these data and analyses, the Plan Team
estimated an OFL and ABC for each species or species category.
In December 2012, the SSC, AP, and Council reviewed the Plan Team's
recommendations. Except for rougheye rockfish, the SSC concurred with
the Plan Team's recommendations, and the Council adopted the OFL and
ABC amounts recommended by the SSC (Table 1). For 2013 and 2014, the
SSC recommended lower rougheye rockfish OFLs and ABCs than the OFLs and
ABCs recommended by the Plan Team. For rougheye rockfish, the SSC
recommended including the estimated recruitment from the 1998 through
2009 time period to calculate the OFLs and ABCs, resulting in lower
amounts. The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs as
adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations,
including maintaining the sum of the TACs within the required OY range
of 1.4 million to 2.0 million mt. As required by annual catch limit
rules for all fisheries (74 FR 3178, January 16, 2009), none of the
Council's recommended TACs for 2013 or 2014 exceeds the final 2013 or
2014 ABCs for any species category. The final 2013 and 2014 harvest
specifications approved by the Secretary of Commerce are unchanged from
those recommended by the Council and are consistent with the preferred
harvest strategy alternative in the EIS (see ADDRESSES). NMFS finds
that the Council's recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with
the biological condition of groundfish stocks as described in the 2012
SAFE report that was approved by the Council.

Changes From the Proposed 2013 and 2014 Harvest Specifications for the
BSAI

In October 2012, the Council proposed its recommendations for the
2013 and 2014 harvest specifications (77 FR 72791, December 6, 2012),
based largely on information contained in the 2011 SAFE report for the
BSAI groundfish fisheries. Through the proposed harvest specifications,
NMFS notified the public that these harvest specifications could
change, as the Council would consider information contained in the
final 2012 SAFE report, recommendations from the SSC, Plan Team, and AP
committees, and public testimony when making its recommendations for
final harvest specification at the December Council meeting. NMFS
further notified the public that, as required by the FMP and its
implementing regulations, the sum of the TACs must be within the OY
range of 1.4 million and 2.0 million mt.
Information contained in the 2012 SAFE reports indicates biomass
changes for several groundfish species from the 2011 SAFE reports. At
the December 2012 Council meeting, the SSC recommended the 2013 and
2014 ABCs for many species based on the best and most recent
information contained in the 2012 SAFE reports. This recommendation
resulted in an ABC sum total for all BSAI groundfish species in excess
of 2 million mt for both 2013 and 2014. Based on the SSC ABC
recommendations and the 2012

[[Page 13815]]

SAFE reports, the Council recommends increasing Bering Sea pollock by
45,100 mt. In terms of percentage, the largest increases in TACs were
for BSAI squid and BSAI Pacific ocean perch. Both of these species are
valuable, and likely to be harvested to the full TAC available. The
Council increased the squid TAC due to increased incidental catch in
2012, and increased the Pacific ocean perch TACs due to higher ABCs,
resulting from larger biomass estimates. Conversely, the SSC decreased
the OFL and ABC of BSAI Atka mackerel from the proposed OFL and ABC,
and these reductions led to the largest decrease in TAC in terms of
tonnage. In terms of percentage change from the proposed TACs, Bogoslof
pollock and BSAI Greenland turbot had the largest decreases in TAC.
These decreases are due to lower incidental catches of Bogoslof pollock
in 2012, and lower biomass estimates of Greenland turbot. The TACs for
shortraker rockfish and rougheye rockfish were also decreased because
of smaller OFLs and ABCs resulting from lower biomass estimates. The
TACS for octopuses, sharks, ``other rockfish,'' northern rockfish,
Alaska plaice, flathead sole, and Kamchatka flounder were all decreased
because harvests in 2012 were much less than the proposed 2013 TACs.
The changes to TAC between the proposed and final harvest
specifications are based on the most recent scientific and economic
information and are consistent with the FMP, regulatory obligations,
and harvest strategy as described in the proposed harvest
specifications. These changes are compared in Table 1A.
Table 1 lists the Council's recommended final 2013 and 2014 OFL,
ABC, TAC, ITAC, and CDQ reserve amounts of the BSAI groundfish. NMFS
concurs in these recommendations. The final 2013 and 2014 TAC
recommendations for the BSAI are within the OY range established for
the BSAI and do not exceed the ABC for any species or species group.
The apportionment of TAC amounts among fisheries and seasons is
discussed below.

Table 1--Final 2013 and 2014 Overfishing Level (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), Total Allowable Catch (TAC), Initial TAC (ITAC), and CDQ Reserve Allocation of Groundfish in the BSAI
\1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 2014
Species Area -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OFL ABC TAC ITAC \2\ CDQ \3\ OFL ABC TAC ITAC \2\ CDQ \3\
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock \4\.................................... BS............................... 2,550,000 1,375,000 1,247,000 1,122,300 124,700 2,730,000 1,430,000 1,247,000 1,122,300 124,700
AI............................... 45,600 37,300 19,000 17,100 1,900 48,600 39,800 19,000 17,100 1,900
Bogoslof......................... 13,400 10,100 100 500 0 13,400 10,100 100 500 0
Pacific cod \5\................................ BSAI............................. 359,000 307,000 260,000 232,180 27,820 379,000 323,000 260,880 232,966 27,914
Sablefish...................................... BS............................... 1,870 1,580 1,580 1,304 217 1,760 1,480 1,480 629 56
AI............................... 2,530 2,140 2,140 1,739 361 2,370 2,010 2,010 427 38
Atka mackerel.................................. BSAI............................. 57,700 50,000 25,920 23,147 2,773 56,500 48,900 25,379 22,663 2,716
EAI/BS........................... n/a 16,900 16,900 15,092 1,808 n/a 16,500 16,500 14,735 1,766
CAI.............................. n/a 16,000 7,520 6,715 805 n/a 15,700 7,379 6,589 790
WAI.............................. n/a 17,100 1,500 1,340 161 n/a 16,700 1,500 1,340 161
Yellowfin sole................................. BSAI............................. 220,000 206,000 198,000 176,814 21,186 219,000 206,000 198,000 176,814 21,186
Rock sole...................................... BSAI............................. 241,000 214,000 92,380 82,495 9,885 229,000 204,000 92,000 82,156 9,844
Greenland turbot............................... BSAI............................. 2,540 2,060 2,060 1,751 n/a 3,270 2,650 2,650 2,253 n/a
BS............................... n/a 1,610 1,610 1,369 172 n/a 2,070 2,070 1,760 221
AI............................... n/a 450 450 383 0 n/a 580 580 493 0
Arrowtooth flounder............................ BSAI............................. 186,000 152,000 25,000 21,250 2,675 186,000 152,000 25,000 21,250 2,675
Kamchatka flounder............................. BSAI............................. 16,300 12,200 10,000 8,500 0 16,300 12,200 10,000 8,500 0
Flathead sole \6\.............................. BSAI............................. 81,500 67,900 22,699 20,270 2,429 80,100 66,700 22,543 20,131 2,412
Other flatfish \7\............................. BSAI............................. 17,800 13,300 3,500 2,975 0 17,800 13,300 4,000 3,400 0
Alaska plaice.................................. BSAI............................. 67,000 55,200 20,000 17,000 0 60,200 55,800 20,000 17,000 0
Pacific ocean perch............................ BSAI............................. 41,900 35,100 35,100 30,995 n/a 39,500 33,100 33,100 29,228 n/a
BS............................... n/a 8,130 8,130 6,911 0 n/a 7,680 7,680 6,528 0
EAI.............................. n/a 9,790 9,790 8,742 1,048 n/a 9,240 9,240 8,251 989
CAI.............................. n/a 6,980 6,980 6,233 747 n/a 6,590 6,590 5,885 705
WAI.............................. n/a 10,200 10,200 9,109 1,091 n/a 9,590 9,590 8,564 1,026
Northern rockfish.............................. BSAI............................. 12,200 9,850 3,000 2,550 0 12,000 9,320 3,000 2,550 0
Shortraker rockfish............................ BSAI............................. 493 370 370 315 0 493 370 370 315 0
Rougheye rockfish \8\.......................... BSAI............................. 462 378 378 321 0 524 429 429 365 0
EBS/EAI.......................... n/a 169 169 144 0 n/a 189 189 161 0
CAI/WAI.......................... n/a 209 209 178 0 n/a 240 240 204 0
Other rockfish \9\............................. BSAI............................. 1,540 1,159 873 742 0 1,540 1,159 1,159 985 0
BS............................... n/a 686 400 340 0 n/a 686 686 583 0
AI............................... n/a 473 473 402 0 n/a 473 473 402 0
Skates......................................... BSAI............................. 45,800 38,800 24,000 20,400 0 44,100 37,300 25,000 21,250 0
Sculpins....................................... BSAI............................. 56,400 42,300 5,600 4,760 0 56,400 42,300 5,600 4,760 0
Sharks......................................... BSAI............................. 1,360 1,020 100 85 0 1,360 1,020 100 85 0
Squids......................................... BSAI............................. 2,620 1,970 700 595 0 2,620 1,970 700 595 0
Octopuses...................................... BSAI............................. 3,450 2,590 500 425 0 3,450 2,590 500 425 0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL...................................... ................................. 4,028,465 2,639,317 2,000,000 1,790,512 197,004 4,205,287 2,697,498 2,000,000 1,788,646 196,381
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea (BS)
subarea includes the Bogoslof District.
\2\ Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line and pot gear, and Amendment 80 species, 15 percent of each TAC is put into a reserve. The ITAC for these
species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and Amendment 80 species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 5).
\3\ For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Pacific cod, and Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use
by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31). Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to hook-and-line gear or pot gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC
allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for Bering Sea Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and
(D)). Aleutian Islands Greenland turbot, ``other flatfish,'' Alaska plaice, Bering Sea Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, shortraker rockfish, rougheye rockfish, ``other rockfish,''
skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program.
\4\ Under Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), the annual BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch
allowance (4.0 percent), is further allocated by sector for a directed pollock fishery as follows: inshore--50 percent; catcher/processor--40 percent; and motherships--10 percent. Under Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual Aleutian Islands subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the
incidental catch allowance (1,600 mt) is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a directed pollock fishery.

[[Page 13816]]

\5\ The Pacific cod TAC is reduced by 3 percent from the ABC to account for the State of Alaska's (State) guideline harvest level in State waters of the Aleutian Islands subarea.
\6\ ``Flathead sole'' includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder).
\7\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka
flounder, and Alaska plaice.
\8\ ``Rougheye rockfish'' includes Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted).
\9\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.
Note: Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 679.2 (BS = Bering Sea subarea, AI = Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI = Eastern Aleutian Islands district, CAI = Central Aleutian
Islands district, WAI = Western Aleutian Islands district.)

Table 1A--Comparison of Final 2013 and 2014 With Proposed 2013 and 2014 Total Allowable Catch in the BSAI
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 2014
Species Area \1\ 2013 Final TAC 2013 Proposed Difference 2014 Final TAC 2014 Proposed Difference
TAC from proposed TAC from proposed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pollock........................... BS.................. 1,247,000 1,201,900 45,100 1,247,000 1,201,900 45,100
AI.................. 19,000 19,000 0 19,000 19,000 0
Bogoslof............ 100 500 -400 100 500 -400
Pacific cod....................... BSAI................ 260,000 262,900 -2,900 260,880 262,900 -2,020
Sablefish......................... BS.................. 1,580 2,200 -620 1,480 2,200 -720
AI.................. 2,140 2,020 120 2,010 2,020 -10
Atka mackerel..................... EAI/BS.............. 16,900 31,700 -14,800 16,500 31,700 -15,200
CAI................. 7,520 8,883 -1,363 7,379 8,883 -1,504
WAI................. 1,500 1,500 0 1,500 1,500 0
Yellowfin sole.................... BSAI................ 198,000 203,900 -5,900 198,000 203,900 -5,900
Rock sole......................... BSAI................ 92,380 87,000 5,380 92,000 87,000 5,000
Greenland turbot.................. BS.................. 1,610 6,010 -4,400 2,070 6,010 -3,940
AI.................. 450 2,020 -1,570 580 2,020 -1,440
Arrowtooth flounder............... BSAI................ 25,000 25,000 0 25,000 25,000 0
Kamchatka flounder................ BSAI................ 10,000 17,700 -7,700 10,000 17,700 -7,700
Flathead sole..................... BSAI................ 22,699 34,134 -11,435 22,543 34,134 -11,591
Other flatfish.................... BSAI................ 3,500 3,200 300 4,000 3,200 800
Alaska plaice..................... BSAI................ 20,000 24,000 -4,000 20,000 24,000 -4,000
Pacific ocean perch............... BS.................. 8,130 6,540 1,590 7,680 6,540 1,140
EAI................. 9,790 6,440 3,350 9,240 6,440 2,800
CAI................. 6,980 5,710 1,270 6,590 5,710 880
WAI................. 10,200 9,610 590 9,590 9,610 -20
Northern rockfish................. BSAI................ 3,000 4,700 -1,700 3,000 4,700 -1,700
Shortraker rockfish............... BSAI................ 370 393 -23 370 393 -23
Rougheye rockfish................. BS/EAI.............. 169 241 -72 189 241 -52
CAI/WAI............. 209 258 -49 240 258 -18
Other rockfish.................... BS.................. 400 500 -100 686 500 186
AI.................. 473 570 -97 473 570 -97
Skates............................ BSAI................ 24,000 24,746 -746 25,000 24,746 254
Sculpins.......................... BSAI................ 5,600 5,200 400 5,600 5,200 400
Sharks............................ BSAI................ 100 200 -100 100 200 -100
Squids............................ BSAI................ 700 425 275 700 425 275
Octopuses......................... BSAI................ 500 900 -400 500 900 -400
TOTAL......................... BSAI................ 2,000,000 2,000,000 0 2,000,000 2,000,000 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Bering Sea subarea (BS), Aleutian Islands subarea (AI), Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), Eastern Aleutian District (EAI),
Central Aleutian District (CAI), and Western Aleutian District (WAI).

Groundfish Reserves and the Incidental Catch Allowance (ICA) for
Pollock, Atka Mackerel, Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, Yellowfin Sole, and
Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch

Section 679.20(b)(1)(i) requires NMFS to reserve 15 percent of the
TAC for each target species, except for pollock, hook-and-line and pot
gear allocation of sablefish, and Amendment 80 species, in a non-
specified reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires that 20 percent
of the hook-and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish be set aside
for the fixed-gear sablefish CDQ reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D)
requires NMFS to allocate 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocations of
sablefish and 10.7 percent of the Bering Sea Greenland turbot and
arrowtooth flounder TACs to the respective CDQ reserves. Under section
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C), NMFS must allocate 10.7 percent of the TAC for
Atka mackerel, Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch, yellowfin sole,
rock sole, flathead sole, and Pacific cod to the CDQ reserves. Sections
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) and 679.31(a) also require that 10 percent of the
BSAI pollock TAC be allocated to the pollock CDQ directed fishing
allowance (DFA). The entire Bogoslof District pollock TAC is allocated
as an ICA (see Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(ii)). With the exception of the hook-
and-line and pot gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the regulations do not
further apportion the CDQ allocations by gear.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(1), NMFS allocates a pollock
ICA of 3 percent of the BS subarea pollock TAC after subtracting the 10
percent CDQ reserve. This allowance is based on NMFS' examination of
the pollock incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ
vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 1999 through 2012.
During this 14-year period, the pollock incidental catch ranged from a
low of 2.3 percent in 2012

[[Page 13817]]

to a high of 5 percent in 1999, with a 14-year average of 3.2 percent.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), NMFS establishes
a pollock ICA of 1,600 mt of the AI subarea TAC after subtracting the
10-percent CDQ DFA. This allowance is based on NMFS' examination of the
pollock incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ
vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from 2003 through 2012.
During this 10-year period, the incidental catch of pollock ranged from
a low of 5 percent in 2006 to a high of 10 percent in 2003, with a 10-
year average of 7 percent.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(8) and (10), NMFS allocates ICAs of
5,000 mt of flathead sole, 10,000 mt of rock sole, 2,000 mt of
yellowfin sole, 10 mt of Western Aleutian District (WAI) Pacific ocean
perch, 75 mt of Central Aleutian District (CAI) Pacific ocean perch,
200 mt of Eastern Aleutian District (EAI) Pacific ocean perch, 40 mt of
WAI Atka mackerel, 75 mt of CAI Atka mackerel, and 1,000 mt of EAI and
BS subarea Atka mackerel TAC after subtracting the 10.7 percent CDQ
reserve. These ICA allowances are based on NMFS' examination of the
incidental catch in other target fisheries from 2003 through 2012.
The regulations do not designate the remainder of the non-specified
reserve by species or species group. Any amount of the reserve may be
apportioned to a target species category during the year, provided that
such apportionments do not result in overfishing (see Sec.
679.20(b)(1)(i)). The Regional Administrator has determined that the
ITACs specified for the species listed in Table 1 need to be
supplemented from the non-specified reserve because U.S. fishing
vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch the full TAC
allocations. Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(b)(3), NMFS is
apportioning the amounts shown in Table 2 from the non-specified
reserve to increase the ITAC for shortraker rockfish, rougheye
rockfish, northern rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, ``other rockfish,''
skates, sculpins, sharks, and octopuses by 15 percent of the TAC in
2013 and 2014.

Table 2--Final 2013 and 2014 Apportionment of Reserves to ITAC Categories
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 Reserve 2013 Final 2014 Reserve 2014 Final
Species-area or subarea 2013 ITAC amount ITAC 2014 ITAC amount ITAC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shortraker rockfish-BSAI................................ 315 56 370 315 56 370
Rougheye rockfish-EBS/EAI............................... 144 25 169 161 28 189
Rougheye rockfish-CAI/WAI............................... 178 31 209 204 36 240
Northern rockfish-BSAI.................................. 2,550 450 3,000 2,550 450 3,000
Pacific ocean perch-Bering Sea subarea.................. 6,911 1,220 8,130 6,528 1,152 7,680
Other rockfish-Bering Sea subarea....................... 340 60 400 583 103 686
Other rockfish-Aleutian Islands subarea................. 402 71 473 402 71 473
Skates-BSAI............................................. 20,400 3,600 24,000 21,250 3,750 25,000
Sculpins-BSAI........................................... 4,760 840 5,600 4,760 840 5,600
Sharks-BSAI............................................. 85 15 100 85 15 100
Octopuses-BSAI.......................................... 425 75 500 425 75 500
Total............................................... 36,508 6,443 42,951 37,262 6,576 43,838
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Allocation of Pollock TAC Under the American Fisheries Act (AFA)

Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) requires that the BS subarea pollock TAC
be apportioned, after subtracting 10 percent for the CDQ program and 3
percent for the ICA, as a DFA as follows: 50 percent to the inshore
sector, 40 percent to the catcher/processor (C/P) sector, and 10
percent to the mothership sector. In the BS 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) (Sec.
679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)). The AI-directed pollock fishery allocation to the
Aleut Corporation is the amount of pollock remaining in the AI subarea
after subtracting 1,900 mt for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and 1,600 mt
for the ICA (Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii)). In the AI subarea, 40
percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season and the remainder of
the directed pollock fishery is allocated to the B season. Table 3
lists these 2013 and 2014 amounts.
Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4) also includes several specific
requirements regarding BS subarea pollock allocations. First, it
requires that 8.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the C/P sector be
available for harvest by AFA catcher vessels (CVs) with C/P sector
endorsements, unless the Regional Administrator receives a cooperative
contract that allows the distribution of harvest among AFA C/Ps and AFA
CVs in a manner agreed to by all members. Second, AFA C/Ps not listed
in the AFA are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the
pollock allocated to the C/P sector. Table 4 lists the 2013 and 2014
allocations of pollock TAC. Tables 17 through 22 list the AFA C/P and
CV harvesting sideboard limits. The tables for the pollock allocations
to the BS subarea inshore pollock cooperatives and open access sector
will be posted on the Alaska Region Web site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.
Table 3 also lists seasonal apportionments of pollock and harvest
limits within the Steller Sea Lion Conservation Area (SCA). The harvest
within the SCA, as defined at Sec. 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is limited to no
more than 28 percent of the annual DFA before 12:00 noon, April 1, as
provided in Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C). The A season pollock SCA harvest
limit will be apportioned to each sector in proportion to each sector's
allocated percentage of the DFA. Table 3 lists these 2013 and 2014
amounts by sector.

[[Page 13818]]

Table 3--Final 2013 and 2014 Allocations of Pollock TACS to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed Fishing Allowances (DFA) \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 A Season \1\ 2013 B 2014 A Season \1\ 2014 B
-------------------------- Season \1\ -------------------------- Season \1\
Area and sector 2013 SCA ------------- 2014 SCA ------------
Allocations A Season Harvest B Season Allocations A Season Harvest B Season
DFA limit \2\ DFA DFA limit \2\ DFA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea.............................. 1,247,000 n/a n/a n/a 1,247,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA......................................... 124,700 49,880 34,916 74,820 124,700 49,880 34,916 74,820
ICA \1\......................................... 33,669 n/a n/a n/a 33,669 n/a n/a n/a
AFA Inshore..................................... 544,316 217,726 152,408 326,589 544,316 217,726 152,408 326,589
AFA Catcher/Processors \3\...................... 435,452 174,181 121,927 261,271 435,452 174,181 121,927 261,271
Catch by C/Ps................................... 398,439 159,376 n/a 239,063 398,439 159,376 n/a 239,063
Catch by CVs \3\................................ 37,013 14,805 n/a 22,208 37,013 14,805 n/a 22,208
Unlisted C/P Limit \4\.......................... 2,177 871 n/a 1,306 2,177 871 n/a 1,306
AFA Motherships................................. 108,863 43,545 30,482 65,318 108,863 43,545 30,482 65,318
Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\.................. 190,510 n/a n/a n/a 190,510 n/a n/a n/a
Excessive Processing Limit \6\.................. 326,589 n/a n/a n/a 326,589 n/a n/a n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA........................ 1,088,631 435,452 304,817 653,179 1,088,631 435,452 304,817 653,179
Aleutian Islands subarea \1\.................... 19,000 n/a n/a n/a 19,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA......................................... 1,900 760 n/a 1,140 1,900 760 n/a 1,140
ICA............................................. 1,600 800 n/a 800 1,600 800 n/a 800
Aleut Corporation............................... 15,500 13,360 n/a 2,140 15,500 14,360 n/a 1,140
Bogoslof District ICA \7\....................... 100 n/a n/a n/a 100 n/a n/a n/a
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting 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 BS 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 BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before 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.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

Allocation of the Atka Mackerel TACs

Section 679.20(a)(8) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs to the
Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors, after subtracting
the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs for the BSAI trawl
limited access sector and non-trawl gear sector (Table 4). The process
for allocating the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI
trawl limited access sectors is listed in Table 33 to part 679 and in
Sec. 679.91. Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(i), up to 2 percent of the
EAI and the BS subarea Atka mackerel ITAC may be allocated to the jig
gear sector. Allocation is recommended annually by the Council based on
several criteria, including the anticipated harvest capacity of the jig
gear fleet. The Council recommended, and NMFS approves, a 0.5 percent
allocation of the Atka mackerel ITAC in the EAI and BS subarea to the
jig gear sector in 2013 and 2014. This percentage is applied to the
Atka mackerel TAC after subtracting the CDQ reserve and the ICA.
Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(3) limits the annual Atka mackerel TAC
for Area 542 (the CAI) to no more than 47 percent of the Area 542 ABC.
Section 679.7(a)(19) prohibits retention of Atka mackerel in Area 543
(the WAI), and the TAC is set to account for discards in other
fisheries. Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) apportions the Atka mackerel TAC
into two equal seasonal allowances. Section 679.23(e)(3) sets the first
seasonal allowance for directed fishing with trawl gear from January 20
through June 10 (A season), and the second seasonal allowance from June
10 through November 1 (B season). Section 679.23(e)(4)(iii) applies
Atka mackerel seasons to CDQ Atka mackerel fishing. The ICA and jig
gear allocations are not apportioned by season.
Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(1)(i) and (ii) require the Amendment
80 cooperatives and CDQ groups to limit harvest to 10 percent of their
Central Aleutian District Atka mackerel allocation equally divided
between the A and B seasons, within waters 10 nm to 20 nm of Gramp Rock
and Tag Island, as described on Table 12 to part 679. Vessels not
fishing under the authority of an Amendment 80 cooperative quota or CDQ
allocation are prohibited from conducting directed fishing for Atka
mackerel inside Steller sea lion critical habitat in the Central
Aleutian District.
Table 4 lists these 2013 and 2014 Atka mackerel season and area
allowances, as well as the sector allocations. The 2014 allocations for
Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80
limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants
apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will
post 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in
December 2013.

[[Page 13819]]

Table 4--Final 2013 and 2014 Seasonal and Spatial Allowances, Gear Shares, CDQ Reserve, Incidental Catch Allowance, and Amendment 80 Allocations of the
BSAI ATKA Mackerel TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 allocation by area 2014 allocation by area
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern Eastern
Sector \1\ Season 2,3,4 Aleutian Central \5\ Western Aleutian Central \5\ Western
District/ Aleutian Aleutian District/ Aleutian Aleutian
Bering Sea District District Bering Sea District District
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC........................................ n/a.......................... 16,900 7,520 1,500 16,500 7,379 1,500
CDQ reserve................................ Total........................ 1,808 805 161 1,766 790 161
A............................ 904 402 80 883 395 80
Critical Habitat \5\......... n/a 40 n/a n/a 39 n/a
B............................ 904 402 80 883 395 80
Critical Habitat \5\......... n/a 40 n/a n/a 39 n/a
ICA........................................ Total........................ 1,000 75 40 1,000 75 40
Jig \6\.................................... Total........................ 70 0 0 69 0 0
BSAI trawl limited access.................. Total........................ 1,402 664 0 1,367 651 0
A............................ 701 332 0 683 326 0
B............................ 701 332 0 683 326 0
Amendment 80 sectors....................... Total........................ 12,619 5,976 1,300 12,299 5,863 1,300
A............................ 6,310 2,988 650 6,150 2,932 650
B............................ 6,310 2,988 650 6,150 2,932 650
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative \7\.......... Total \7\.................... 7,271 3,563 783 n/a n/a n/a
A............................ 3,636 1,782 392 n/a n/a n/a
Critical Habitat \5\......... n/a 178 n/a n/a n/a n/a
B............................ 3,636 1,782 392 n/a n/a n/a
Critical Habitat \5\......... n/a 178 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Alaska Seafood Cooperative \7\............. Total \7\.................... 5,348 2,414 517 n/a n/a n/a
A............................ 2,674 1,207 259 n/a n/a n/a
Critical Habitat \5\......... n/a 121 n/a n/a n/a n/a
B............................ 2,674 1,207 259 n/a n/a n/a
Critical Habitat \5\......... n/a 121 n/a n/a n/a n/a
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, jig gear allocation, and ICAs to the Amendment 80 and
BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is
established in Table 33 to part 679 and Sec. 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see Sec. Sec.
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) and 679.31).
\2\ Regulations at Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery.
\3\ The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.
\4\ Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B season
from June 10 to November 1.
\5\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C) requires the TAC in area 542 shall be no more than 47% of ABC, and Atka mackerel harvests for Amendment 80 cooperatives
and CDQ groups within waters 10 nm to 20 nm of Gramp Rock and Tag Island, as described Table 12 to part 679, in Area 542 are limited to no more than
10 percent of the Amendment 80 cooperative Atka mackerel allocation or 10 percent of the CDQ Atka mackerel allocation.
\6\ Section 679.20(a)(8)(i) requires that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear after
subtracting the CDQ reserve and ICA. The amount of this allocation is 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.
\7\ The 2014 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible
participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in
December 2013.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

Allocation of the Pacific Cod ITAC

Sections 679.20(a)(7)(i) and (ii) allocate the Pacific cod TAC in
the BSAI, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ reserve, as
follows: 1.4 percent to vessels using jig gear; 2.0 percent to hook-
and-line and pot CVs less than 60 ft (18.3 m) length overall (LOA); 0.2
percent to hook-and-line CVs greater than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m)
LOA; 48.7 percent to hook-and-line C/P; 8.4 percent to pot CVs greater
than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 1.5 percent to pot C/Ps; 2.3
percent to AFA trawl C/Ps; 13.4 percent to non-AFA trawl C/Ps; and 22.1
percent to trawl CVs. The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors
will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC
allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. For 2013 and 2014, the
Regional Administrator establishes an ICA of 500 mt based on
anticipated incidental catch by these sectors in other fisheries.
The ITAC allocation of Pacific cod to the Amendment 80 sector is
established in Table 33 to part 679 and Sec. 679.91. The 2014
allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives
and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until
eligible participants apply for participation in the program by
November 1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when
they become available in December 2013.
The Pacific cod ITAC is apportioned into seasonal allowances to
disperse the Pacific cod fisheries over the fishing year (see
Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(7) and 679.23(e)(5)). In accordance with Sec.
679.20(a)(7)(iv)(B) and (C), any unused portion of a seasonal Pacific
cod allowance will become available at the beginning of the next
seasonal allowance.
The CDQ and non-CDQ season allowances by gear based on the 2013 and
2014 Pacific cod TACs are listed in Tables 5 and 6, and are based on
the sector allocation percentages of Pacific cod set forth at
Sec. Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) and 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(A); and the seasonal
allowances of Pacific cod set forth at Sec. 679.23(e)(5).
Section 679.7(a)(19) prohibits retaining Pacific cod in Area 543,
and

[[Page 13820]]

Sec. 679.7(a)(23) prohibits directed fishing for Pacific cod with
hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear in the Aleutian Islands subarea
November 1 through December 31.

Table 5--Final 2013 Gear Shares and Seasonal Allowances of the BSAI Pacific Cod TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 Share 2013 Seasonal apportionment
of gear 2013 Share of ----------------------------------
Gear sector Percent sector sector total
total Seasons Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total TAC.......................... 100 260,000 n/a n/a................... n/a
CDQ................................ 10.7 27,820 n/a see Sec. n/a
679.20(a)(7)(i)(B).
Total hook-and-line/pot gear....... 60.8 141,165 n/a n/a................... n/a
Hook-and-line/pot ICA \1\.......... n/a 500 n/a see Sec. n/a
679.20(a)(7)(ii)(B).
Hook-and-line/pot sub-total........ n/a 140,665 n/a n/a................... n/a
Hook-and-line catcher/processor.... 48.7 n/a 112,671 Jan 1-Jun 10.......... 57,462
Jun 10-Dec 31......... 55,209
Hook-and-line catcher vessel 0.2 n/a 463 Jan 1-Jun 10.......... 236
[gteqt] 60 ft LOA.
Jun 10-Dec 31......... 227
Pot catcher/processor.............. 1.5 n/a 3,470 Jan 1-Jun 10.......... 1,770
Sept 1-Dec 31......... 1,700
Pot catcher vessel >= 60 ft LOA.... 8.4 n/a 19,434 Jan 1-Jun 10.......... 9,911
Sept 1-Dec 31......... 9,523
Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA using 2 n/a 4,627 n/a................... n/a
hook-and-line or pot gear.
Trawl catcher vessel............... 22.1 51,312 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.......... 37,971
Apr 1-Jun 10.......... 5,644
Jun 10-Nov 1.......... 7,697
AFA trawl catcher/processor........ 2.3 5,340 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.......... 4,005
Apr 1- Jun 10......... 1,335
Jun 10-Nov 1.......... 0
Amendment 80....................... 13.4 31,112 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.......... 23,334
Apr 1- Jun 10......... 7,778
Jun 10-Nov 1.......... 0
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative...... n/a n/a 5,793 Jan 20-Apr 1.......... 4,345
Apr 1- Jun 10......... 1,448
Jun 10-Nov 1.......... 0
Alaska Seafood Cooperative......... n/a n/a 25,319 Jan 20-Apr 1.......... 18,989
Apr 1-Jun 10.......... 6,330
Jun 10-Nov 1.......... 0
Jig................................ 1.4 3,251 n/a Jan 1-Apr 30.......... 1,950
Apr 30-Aug 31......... 650
Aug 31-Dec 31......... 650
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC
allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2013
based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

Table 6--Final 2014 Gear Shares and Seasonal Allowances of the BSAI Pacific Cod TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014 Share 2014 Seasonal apportionment \2\
of gear 2014 Share of ----------------------------------
Gear sector Percent sector sector total
total Dates Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total TAC.......................... 100 260,880 n/a n/a................... n/a
CDQ................................ 10.7 27,914 n/a see Sec. n/a
679.20(a)(7)(i)(B).
Total hook-and-line/pot gear....... 60.8 141,643 n/a n/a................... n/a
Hook-and-line/pot ICA \1\.......... n/a 500 n/a see Sec. n/a
679.20(a)(7)(ii)(B).
Hook-and-line/pot sub-total........ n/a 141,143 n/a n/a................... n/a
Hook-and-line catcher/processor.... 48.7 n/a 113,054 Jan 1-Jun 10.......... 57,657
Jun 10-Dec 31......... 55,396
Hook-and-line catcher vessel = 60 ft LOA.
Jun 10-Dec 31......... 228
Pot catcher/processor.............. 1.5 n/a 3,482 Jan 1-Jun 10.......... 1,776
Sept 1-Dec 31......... 1,706
Pot catcher vessel = 60 8.4 n/a 19,500 Jan 1-Jun 10.......... 9,945
ft LOA.
Sept 1-Dec 31......... 9,555
Catcher vessel < 60 ft LOA using 2 n/a 4,643 n/a................... n/a
hook-and-line or pot gear.
Trawl catcher vessel............... 22.1 51,485 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.......... 38,099
Apr 1-Jun 10.......... 5,663
Jun 10-Nov 1.......... 7,723
AFA trawl catcher/processor........ 2.3 5,358 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.......... 4,019
Apr 1-Jun 10.......... 1,340

[[Page 13821]]

Jun 10-Nov 1.......... 0
Amendment 80....................... 13.4 31,217 n/a Jan 20-Apr 1.......... 23,413
Apr 1- Jun 10......... 7,804
Jun 10-Nov 1.......... 0
Amendment 80 limited access \2\.... n/a n/a see footnote 2 Jan 20-Apr 1.......... 75%
Apr 1- Jun 10......... 25%
Jun 10-Nov 1.......... 0
Amendment 80 cooperatives \2\...... n/a n/a see footnote 2 Jan 20-Apr 1.......... 75%
Apr 1-Jun 10.......... 25%
Jun 10-Nov 1.......... 0
Jig................................ 1.4 3,262 n/a Jan 1-Apr 30.......... 1,957
Apr 30-Aug 31......... 652
Aug 31-Dec 31......... 652
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC
allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt for 2014
based on anticipated incidental catch in these fisheries.
\2\ The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited
access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November
1, 2013. NMFS will post 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when they become available in December 2013.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

Sablefish Gear Allocation

Sections 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv) require that sablefish TAC for
the BS and AI subareas be allocated between trawl and hook-and-line or
pot gear sectors. Gear allocations of the TAC for the BS subarea are 50
percent for trawl gear and 50 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear.
Gear allocations of the TACs for the AI subarea are 25 percent for
trawl gear and 75 percent for hook-and-line or pot gear. Section
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires NMFS to apportion 20 percent of the hook-
and-line and pot gear allocation of sablefish to the CDQ reserve.
Additionally, Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) requires that 7.5 percent of
the trawl gear allocation of sablefish from the nonspecified reserves,
established under Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(i), be assigned to the CDQ
reserve. The Council recommended that only trawl sablefish TAC be
established biennially. The harvest specifications for the hook-and-
line gear and pot gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ)
fisheries will be limited to the 2013 fishing year to ensure those
fisheries are conducted concurrently with the halibut IFQ fishery.
Concurrent sablefish and halibut IFQ fisheries will reduce the
potential for discards of halibut and sablefish in those fisheries. The
sablefish IFQ fisheries will remain closed at the beginning of each
fishing year until the final harvest specifications for the sablefish
IFQ fisheries are in effect. Table 7 lists the 2013 and 2014 gear
allocations of the sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve amounts.

Table 7--Final 2013 and 2014 Gear Shares and CDQ Reserve of BSAI Sablefish TACS
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 Share of 2013 CDQ 2014 Share of 2014 CDQ
Subarea and gear Percent of TAC TAC 2013 ITAC Reserve TAC 2014 ITAC Reserve
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea
Trawl \1\.................... 50 790 672 59 740 629 56
Hook-and-line/pot gear \2\... 50 790 632 158 n/a n/a n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.................... 100 1,580 1,304 217 740 629 56
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aleutian Islands
Trawl \1\.................... 25 535 455 40 503 428 38
Hook-and-line/pot gear \2\... 75 1,605 1,284 321 n/a n/a n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.................... 100 2,140 1,739 361 503 428 38
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Except for the sablefish hook-and-line or pot gear allocation, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the reserve. The ITAC is the remainder of the TAC
after the subtracting these reserves.
\2\ For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear, 20 percent of the allocated TAC is reserved for use by
CDQ participants. The Council recommended that specifications for the hook-and-line gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to one year.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

[[Page 13822]]

Allocation of the AI Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock
Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs

Sections 679.20(a)(10)(i) and (ii) require that NMFS allocate AI
Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin
sole TAC between the Amendment 80 sector and BSAI trawl limited access
sector, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ reserve and an ICA
for the BSAI trawl limited access sector and vessels using non-trawl
gear. The allocation of the ITAC for AI Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI
flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole to the Amendment 80 sector
is established in accordance with Tables 33 and 34 to part 679 and
Sec. 679.91.
The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80
cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be
known until eligible participants apply for participation in the
program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will publish 2014 Amendment 80
allocations when they become available in December 2013. Tables 8 and 9
list the 2013 and 2014 allocations of the AI Pacific ocean perch, and
BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole TACs.

Table 8--Final 2013 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAS), and Amendment 80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands
Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch Flathead sole Rock sole Yellowfin sole
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sector Eastern Central Western
Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian BSAI BSAI BSAI
District District District
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC............................................... 9,790 6,980 10,200 22,699 92,380 198,000
CDQ............................................... 1,048 747 1,091 2,429 9,885 21,186
ICA............................................... 200 75 10 5,000 10,000 2,000
BSAI trawl limited access......................... 854 616 182 0 0 34,868
Amendment 80...................................... 7,688 5,542 8,917 15,270 72,495 139,946
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative..................... 4,077 2,939 4,728 2,982 20,348 59,403
Alaska Seafood Cooperative........................ 3,612 2,604 4,189 12,288 52,147 80,543
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

Table 9--Final 2013 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAS), and Amendment 80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands
Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific ocean perch Flathead sole Rock sole Yellowfin sole
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sector Eastern Central Western
Aleutian Aleutian Aleutian BSAI BSAI BSAI
District District District
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAC............................................... 9,240 6,590 9,590 22,543 92,000 198,000
CDQ............................................... 989 705 1,026 2,412 9,844 21,186
ICA............................................... 200 75 10 5,000 10,000 2,000
BSAI trawl limited access......................... 805 581 171 0 0 34,868
Amendment 80 \1\.................................. 7,246 5,229 8,383 15,131 72,156 139,946
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The 2014 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until
eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2013. NMFS will publish 2014 Amendment 80 allocations when they become
available in December 2013.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

Allocation of PSC Limits for Halibut, Salmon, Crab, and Herring

Section 679.21(e) sets forth the BSAI PSC limits. Pursuant to Sec.
679.21(e)(1)(iv) and (e)(2), the 2013 and 2014 BSAI halibut mortality
limits are 3,675 mt for trawl fisheries and 900 mt for the non-trawl
fisheries. Sections 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(2) and 679.21(e)(4)(i)(A)
allocate 326 mt of the trawl halibut mortality limit and 7.5 percent,
or 67 mt, of the non-trawl halibut mortality limit as the PSQ reserve
for use by the groundfish CDQ program.
Section 679.21(e)(4)(i) authorizes apportioning the non-trawl
halibut PSC limit into PSC bycatch allowances among six fishery
categories. Tables 11 and 12 list the fishery bycatch allowances for
the trawl fisheries, and Table 13 lists the fishery bycatch allowances
for the non-trawl fisheries.
Pursuant to section 3.6 of the FMP, the Council recommends, and
NMFS agrees, that certain specified non-trawl fisheries be exempt from
the halibut PSC limit. As in past years, after consulting with the
Council, NMFS exempts pot gear, jig gear, and the sablefish IFQ hook-
and-line gear fishery categories from halibut bycatch restrictions for
the following reasons: (1) The pot gear fisheries have low halibut
bycatch mortality; (2) NMFS estimates halibut mortality for the jig
gear fleet to be negligible because of the small size of the fishery
and the selectivity of the gear; and (3) the sablefish and halibut IFQ
fisheries have low halibut bycatch mortality because the IFQ program
requires legal-size halibut to be retained by vessels using hook-and-
line gear if a halibut IFQ permit holder or a hired master is aboard
and is holding unused halibut IFQ (subpart D of 50 CFR part 679). In
2012, total groundfish catch for the pot gear fishery in the BSAI was
approximately 31,735 mt, with an associated halibut bycatch mortality
of about 6 mt.
The 2012 jig gear fishery harvested about 108 mt of groundfish.
Most vessels in the jig gear fleet are less than

[[Page 13823]]

60 ft (18.3 m) LOA and thus are exempt from observer coverage
requirements. As a result, observer data are not available on halibut
bycatch in the jig gear fishery. However, as mentioned above, NMFS
estimates the jig gear sector will have a negligible amount of halibut
bycatch mortality because of the selective nature of jig gear and the
low mortality rate of halibut caught with jig gear and released.
Section 679.21(f)(2) annually allocates portions of either 47,591
or 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC among the AFA sectors, depending on past
catch performance and on whether Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan
agreements are formed. If an AFA sector participates in an approved
Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreement, then NMFS will
allocate a portion of the 60,000 PSC limit to that sector as specified
in Sec. 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). If no Chinook salmon bycatch incentive
plan agreement is approved, or if the sector has exceeded its
performance standard under Sec. 679.21(f)(6), then NMFS will allocate
a portion of the 47,591 Chinook salmon PSC limit to that sector, as
specified in Sec. 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(B). In 2013, the Chinook salmon
PSC limit is 60,000 and the AFA sector Chinook salmon allocations are
seasonally allocated with 70 percent of the allocation for the A season
pollock fishery, and 30 percent of the allocation for the B season
pollock fishery as stated in Sec. 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). The basis for
these PSC limits is described in detail in the final rule implementing
management measures for Amendment 91 (75 FR 53026, August 30, 2010).
NMFS publishes the approved Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan
agreements, 2013 allocations and reports at: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/bycatch/default.htm.
Section 679.21(e)(1)(viii) specifies 700 fish as the 2013 and 2014
Chinook salmon PSC limit for the AI subarea pollock fishery. Section
679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(i), allocates 7.5 percent, or 53 Chinook salmon,
to the AI subarea PSQ for the CDQ program, and allocates the remaining
647 Chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries.
Section 679.21(e)(1)(vii) specifies 42,000 fish as the 2013 and
2014 non-Chinook salmon PSC limit in the Catcher Vessel Operational
Area (CVOA). Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(3)(ii) allocates 10.7 percent,
or 4,494 non-Chinook salmon in the CVOA as the PSQ for the CDQ program,
and allocates the remaining 37,506 non-Chinook salmon in the CVOA as
the PSC limit for the non-CDQ fisheries.
PSC limits for crab and herring are specified annually based on
abundance and spawning biomass. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(1) allocates
10.7 percent from each trawl gear PSC limit specified for crab as a PSQ
reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program.
Based on the 2012 survey data, the red king crab mature female
abundance is estimated at 21.1 million red king crabs, and the
effective spawning biomass is estimated at 44.2 million lb (20,049 mt).
Based on the criteria set out at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(i), the 2013 and
2014 PSC limit of red king crab in Zone 1 for trawl gear is 97,000
animals. This limit derives from the mature female abundance of more
than 8.4 million king crab and the effective spawning biomass estimate
of less than 55 million lb (24,948 mt).
Section 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2) establishes criteria under which
NMFS must specify an annual red king crab bycatch limit for the Red
King Crab Savings Subarea (RKCSS). The regulations limit the RKCSS red
king crab bycatch limit to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC limit,
based on the need to optimize the groundfish harvest relative to red
king crab bycatch. In December 2012, the Council recommended that the
red king crab bycatch limit be equal to 25 percent of the red king crab
PSC limit within the RKCSS (Table 8b). NMFS concurs with the Council's
recommendation.
Based on 2012 survey data, Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi)
abundance is estimated at 711 million animals. Pursuant to criteria set
out at Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(ii), the calculated 2013 and 2014 C. bairdi
crab PSC limit for trawl gear is 980,000 animals in Zone 1 and
2,970,000 animals in Zone 2. These limits derive from the C. bairdi
crab abundance estimate being in excess of the 400 million animals for
both the Zone 1 and Zone 2 allocations.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iii), the PSC limit for snow crab
(C. opilio) is based on total abundance as indicated by the NMFS annual
bottom trawl survey. The C. opilio crab PSC limit is set at 0.1133
percent of the BS abundance index minus 150,000 crab. Based on the 2012
survey estimate of 9.401 billion animals, the calculated C. opilio crab
PSC limit is 10,501,333 animals.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(v), the PSC limit of Pacific herring
caught while conducting any trawl operation for BSAI groundfish is 1
percent of the annual eastern BS herring biomass. The best estimate of
2013 and 2014 herring biomass is 264,802 mt. This amount was derived
using 2012 survey data and an age-structured biomass projection model
developed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Therefore, the
herring PSC limit for 2013 and 2014 is 2,648 mt for all trawl gear as
listed in Tables 10 and 11.
Section 679.21(e)(3)(A) requires PSQ reserves to be subtracted from
the total trawl PSC limits. The amounts of 2012 PSC limits assigned to
the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors are specified in
Table 35 to part 679. The resulting allocation of PSC limit to CDQ PSQ,
the Amendment 80 sector, and the BSAI trawl limited access fisheries
are listed in Table 10. Pursuant to Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(iv) and Sec.
679.91(d) through (f), crab and halibut trawl PSC limits assigned to
the Amendment 80 sector are then further allocated to Amendment 80
cooperatives as PSC cooperative quota as listed in Table 14. PSC
cooperative quota assigned to Amendment 80 cooperatives is not
allocated to specific fishery categories. In 2013, there are no vessels
in the Amendment 80 limited access sector. The 2014 PSC allocations
between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access
sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for
participation in the program by November 1, 2013. Section
679.21(e)(3)(i)(B) requires NMFS to apportion each trawl PSC limit not
assigned to Amendment 80 cooperatives into PSC bycatch allowances for
seven specified fishery categories.
Section 679.21(e)(5) authorizes NMFS, after consulting with the
Council, to establish seasonal apportionments of PSC amounts for the
BSAI trawl limited access and Amendment 80 limited access sectors in
order to maximize the ability of the fleet to harvest the available
groundfish TAC and to minimize bycatch. The factors to be considered
are: (1) Seasonal distribution of prohibited species; (2) seasonal
distribution of target groundfish species; (3) PSC bycatch needs on a
seasonal basis relevant to prohibited species biomass; (4) expected
variations in bycatch rates throughout the year; (5) expected start of
fishing effort; and (6) economic effects of seasonal PSC apportionments
on industry sectors. The Council recommended and NMFS approves the
seasonal PSC apportionments in Tables 12 and 13 to maximize harvest
among gear types, fisheries, and seasons while minimizing bycatch of
PSC based on the above criteria.

[[Page 13824]]

Table 10--Final 2013 and 2014 Apportionment of Prohibited Species Catch Allowances to Non-Trawl Gear, the CDQ Program, Amendment 80, and the BSAI Trawl
Limited Access Sectors
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-trawl PSC Trawl PSC
Total non- remaining Total trawl remaining CDQ PSQ Amendment 80 BSAI trawl
PSC species and area \1\ trawl PSC after CDQ PSQ PSC after CDQ PSQ reserve \2\ sector \3\ limited access
\2\ \2\ fishery
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI............. 900 832 3,675 3,349 393 2,325 875
Herring (mt) BSAI....................... n/a n/a 2,648 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Red king crab (animals) Zone 1.......... n/a n/a 97,000 86,621 10,379 43,293 26,489
C. opilio (animals) COBLZ............... n/a n/a 10,501,333 9,377,690 1,123,643 4,609,135 3,013,990
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 1......... n/a n/a 980,000 875,140 104,860 368,521 411,228
C. bairdi crab (animals) Zone 2......... n/a n/a 2,970,000 2,652,210 317,790 627,778 1,241,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of zones.
\2\ 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.
\3\ The Amendment 80 program reduced apportionment of the trawl PSC limits by 150 mt for halibut mortality and 20 percent for crab. These reductions are
not apportioned to other gear types or sectors.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

Table 11--Final 2013 and 2014 Herring and Red King Crab Savings Subarea Prohibited Species Catch Allowances for
All Trawl Sectors
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Red king crab (animals)
Fishery Categories Herring (mt) BSAI Zone 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellowfin sole................................................ 180 n/a
Rock sole/flathead sole/other flatfish \1\.................... 30 n/a
Turbot/arrowtooth/sablefish \2\............................... 20 n/a
Rockfish...................................................... 13 n/a
Pacific cod................................................... 40 n/a
Midwater trawl pollock........................................ 2,165 n/a
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 3 4....................... 200 n/a
Red king crab savings subarea non-pelagic trawl gear \5\...... n/a 24,250
Total trawl PSC............................................... 2,648 97,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ ``Other flatfish'' for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited
species), arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, rock sole, and yellowfin
sole.
\2\ ``Arrowtooth flounder'' for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder.
\3\ Pollock other than pelagic trawl pollock, Atka mackerel, and ``other species'' fishery category.
\4\ ``Other species'' for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
\5\ In December 2012 the Council recommended that the red king crab bycatch limit for non-pelagic trawl
fisheries within the RKCSS be limited to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC allowance (see Sec.
679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(2)).
Note: Species apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

Table 12--Final 2013 and 2014 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowances for the Bsai Trawl Limited Access Sector
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prohibited species and area \1\
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BSAI trawl limited access fisheries Halibut C. bairdi (animals)
mortality (mt) Red king crab C. opilio -----------------------------------
BSAI (animals) Zone 1 (animals) COBLZ Zone 1 Zone 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellowfin sole................................................ 167 23,338 2,840,175 346,228 1,185,500
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 4,828 0 1,000
Pacific cod................................................... 453 2,954 120,705 60,000 50,000
Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species \4\....................... 250 197 48,282 5,000 5,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total BSAI trawl limited access PSC....................... 875 26,489 3,013,990 411,228 1,241,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

[[Page 13825]]

TABLE 13--Final 2013 and 2014 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowances for
Non-Trawl Fisheries
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-trawl fisheries Catcher/processor Catcher 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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to
rounding.

Table 14--Final 2013 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowance for the BSAI Amendment 80 Cooperatives
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prohibited species and zones \1\
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooperative Halibut C, baurdu (animals)
mortality (mt) Red king crab C. opilio -------------------------
BSAI (animals) zone 1 (animals COBLZ Zone 1 Zone 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska Seafood Cooperative...... 1,609 29,484 2,975,772 259,427 433,149
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative... 716 13,809 1,633,363 109,094 194,629
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of zones.
Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

Halibut Discard Mortality Rates (DMR)

To monitor halibut bycatch mortality allowances and apportionments,
the Regional Administrator uses observed halibut bycatch rates, DMRs,
and estimates of groundfish catch to project when a fishery's halibut
bycatch mortality allowance or seasonal apportionment is reached. The
DMRs are based on the best information available, including information
contained in the annual SAFE report.
NMFS approves the halibut DMRs developed and recommended by the
International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and the Council for the
2013 and 2014 BSAI groundfish fisheries for use in monitoring the 2013
and 2014 halibut bycatch allowances (see Tables 10, 11, 12, 13, and
14). The IPHC developed these DMRs for the 2013 and 2014 BSAI fisheries
using the 10-year mean DMRs for those fisheries. The IPHC will analyze
observer data annually and recommend changes to the DMRs when a fishery
DMR shows large variation from the mean. A discussion of the DMRs is
available from the Council (see ADDRESSES). Table 15 lists the 2013 and
2014 DMRs.

Table 15--Final 2013 and 2014 Pacific Halibut Discard Mortality Rates
for the BSAI
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut discard
Gear Fishery mortality rate
(percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-CDQ hook-and-line........ Greenland turbot..... 13
Other species \1\.... 9
Pacific cod.......... 9
Rockfish............. 4
Non-CDQ trawl................ Arrowtooth flounder 76
\2\.
Atka mackerel........ 77
Flathead sole........ 73
Greenland turbot..... 64
Non-pelagic pollock.. 77
Pelagic pollock...... 88
Other flatfish \3\... 71
Other species \1\.... 71
Pacific cod.......... 71
Rockfish............. 79
Rock sole............ 85
Sablefish............ 75
Yellowfin sole....... 83
Non-CDQ Pot.................. Other species \1\.... 8
Pacific cod.......... 8
CDQ trawl.................... Atka mackerel........ 86
Greenland turbot..... 89
Flathead sole........ 79
Non-pelagic pollock.. 83
Pacific cod.......... 90
Pelagic pollock...... 90
Rockfish............. 80

[[Page 13826]]

Rock sole............ 88
Yellowfin sole....... 86
CDQ hook-and-line............ Greenland turbot..... 4
Pacific cod.......... 10
CDQ pot...................... Pacific cod.......... 8
Sablefish............ 34
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ ``Other species'' includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids and
octopuses.
\2\ Arrowtooth flounder includes Kamchatka flounder.
\3\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut
(a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole,
yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.

Directed Fishing Closures

In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional
Administrator may establish a DFA for a species or species group if the
Regional Administrator determines that any allocation or apportionment
of a target species has been or will be reached. If the Regional
Administrator establishes a DFA, and that allowance is or will be
reached before the end of the fishing year, NMFS will prohibit directed
fishing for that species or species group in the specified subarea or
district (see Sec. 697.20(d)(1)(iii)). Similarly, pursuant to Sec.
679.21(e), if the Regional Administrator determines that a fishery
category's bycatch allowance of halibut, red king crab, C. bairdi crab,
or C. opilio crab for a specified area has been reached, the Regional
Administrator will prohibit directed fishing for each species in that
category in the specified area.
Based on historic catch patterns and anticipated fishing activity,
the Regional Administrator has determined that the groundfish
allocation amounts in Table 16 will be necessary as incidental catch to
support other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2013 and 2014
fishing years. Consequently, in accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i),
the Regional Administrator establishes the DFA for the species and
species groups in Table 10 as zero. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for these
sectors and species in the specified areas effective at 1200 hrs,
A.l.t., March 1, 2013, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2014.
Also, for the BSAI trawl limited access sector, bycatch allowances of
halibut, red king crab, C. bairdi crab, and C. opilio crab listed in
Table 10 are insufficient to support directed fisheries. Therefore, in
accordance with Sec. 679.21(e)(7), NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing for these sectors and fishery categories in the specified areas
effective at 1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 1, 2013, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t.,
December 31, 2014.

Table 16--2013 and 2014 Directed Fishing Closures \1\
[Groundfish and halibut amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in number of animals]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 Incidental 2014 Incidental
Area Sector Species catch allowance catch allowance
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bogoslof District................ All................. Pollock............ 100 100
Aleutian Islands subarea......... All................. ICA pollock........ 1,600 1,600
``Other rockfish'' 473 473
\2\.
Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Non-amendment 80 and ICA Atka mackerel.. 1,000 1,000
Sea. BSAI trawl limited
access.
Eastern Aleutian District/Bering All................. Rougheye rockfish.. 169 189
Sea.
Eastern Aleutian District........ Non-amendment 80 and ICA Pacific ocean 200 200
BSAI trawl limited perch.
access.
Central Aleutian District........ Non-amendment 80 and ICA Atka mackerel.. 75 75
BSAI trawl limited
access.
ICA Pacific ocean 75 75
perch.
Western Aleutian District........ Non-amendment 80 and ICA Atka mackerel.. 40 40
BSAI trawl limited
access.
ICA Pacific ocean 10 10
perch.
Central and Western Aleutian All................. Rougheye rockfish.. 209 240
Districts.
Bering Sea subarea............... All................. Pacific ocean perch 8,130 7,680
``Other rockfish'' 400 686
\2\.
ICA pollock........ 33,669 33,669
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.. All................. Northern rockfish.. 3,000 3,000
Shortraker rockfish 370 370
Skates............. 24,000 25,000
Sculpins........... 5,600 5,600
Sharks............. 100 100
Squids............. 595 595
Octopuses.......... 500 500
Hook-and-line and ICA Pacific cod.... 500 500
pot gear.
Non-amendment 80.... ICA flathead sole.. 5,000 5,000
ICA rock sole...... 10,000 10,000

[[Page 13827]]

Non-amendment 80 and ICA yellowfin sole. 2,000 2,000
BSAI trawl limited
access.
BSAI trawl limited Rock sole/flathead 0 0
access. sole/other
flatfish--halibut
mortality, red
king crab Zone 1,
C. opilio COBLZ,
C. bairdi Zone 1
and 2.
Turbot/arrowtooth/ 0 0
sablefish--halibut
mortality, red
king crab Zone 1,
C. opilio COBLZ,
C. bairdi Zone 1
and 2.
Rockfish--red king 0 0
crab Zone 1.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
\2\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern
rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.

Closures implemented under the 2012 and 2013 BSAI harvest
specifications for groundfish (77 FR 10669, February 23, 2012) remain
effective under authority of these final 2013 and 2014 harvest
specifications, and are posted at the following Web sites: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/index/infobulletins/infobulletins.asp?Yr=2013
and https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/2013/status.htm. While these
closures are in effect, the maximum retainable amounts at Sec.
679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a fishing trip. These
closures to directed fishing are in addition to closures and
prohibitions found in regulations at 50 CFR part 679.

Listed AFA Catcher/Processor Sideboard Limits

Pursuant to Sec. 679.64(a), the Regional Administrator is
responsible for restricting the ability of listed AFA C/Ps to engage in
directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect
participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects
resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the directed
pollock fishery. These restrictions are set out as ``sideboard'' limits
on catch. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail
in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR
79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14,
2007). Table 17 lists the 2013 and 2014 C/P sideboard limits.
All harvest of groundfish sideboard species by listed AFA C/Ps,
whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be deducted from
the sideboard limits in Table 17. However, groundfish sideboard species
that are delivered to listed AFA C/Ps by CVs will not be deducted from
the 2013 and 2014 sideboard limits for the listed AFA C/Ps.
Section 679.64(a)(2) and Tables 40 and 41 of part 679 establish a
formula for calculating PSC sideboard limits for listed AFA C/Ps. The
basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final
rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692,
December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007),
and in the proposed rule (77 FR 72791).
PSC species listed in Table 18 that are caught by listed AFA C/Ps
participating in any groundfish fishery other than pollock will accrue
against the 2013 and 2014 PSC sideboard limits for the listed AFA C/Ps.
Section 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorizes NMFS to close directed fishing for
groundfish other than pollock for listed AFA C/Ps once a 2013 or 2014
PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 18 is reached.
Crab or halibut PSC caught by listed AFA C/Ps while fishing for
pollock will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually specified
for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/``other
species'' fishery categories under regulations at Sec.
679.21(e)(3)(iv).

Table 17--Final 2013 and 2014 Listed BSAI American Fisheries Act Catcher/Processor Groundfish Sideboard Limits
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1995-1997
--------------------------------------- 2013 ITAC 2014 ITAC
Ratio of Available 2013 AFA C/ Available 2014 AFA C/
Target species Area/season Retained retained to trawl C/ P Side- to trawl C/ P Side-
catch Total catch catch to Ps \1\ board limit Ps \1\ board limit
total catch
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish trawl..................... BS..................... 8 497 0.016 672 11 629 10
AI..................... 0 145 0 455 0 428 0
Atka mackerel....................... Central AI A season \2\ n/a n/a 0.115 3,358 386 3,295 379
Central AI B season \2\ n/a n/a 0.115 3,358 386 3,295 379
Western AI A season \2\ n/a n/a 0.2 670 134 670 134
Western AI B season \2\ n/a n/a 0.2 670 134 670 134
Rock sole........................... BSAI................... 6,317 169,362 0.037 82,495 3,052 82,156 3,040
Greenland turbot.................... BS..................... 121 17,305 0.007 1,369 10 1,760 12

[[Page 13828]]

AI..................... 23 4,987 0.005 383 2 493 2
Arrowtooth flounder................. BSAI................... 76 33,987 0.002 21,250 43 21,250 43
Kamchatka flounder.................. BSAI................... 76 33,987 0.002 8,500 17 8,500 17
Flathead sole....................... BSAI................... 1,925 52,755 0.036 20,270 730 20,131 725
Alaska plaice....................... BSAI................... 14 9,438 0.001 17,000 17 17,000 17
Other flatfish...................... BSAI................... 3,058 52,298 0.058 2,975 173 3,400 197
Pacific ocean perch................. BS..................... 12 4,879 0.002 8,130 16 7,680 15
Eastern AI............. 125 6,179 0.02 8,742 175 8,251 165
Central AI............. 3 5,698 0.001 6,233 6 5,885 6
Western AI............. 54 13,598 0.004 9,109 36 8,564 34
Northern rockfish................... BSAI................... 91 13,040 0.007 3,000 21 3,000 21
Shortraker rockfish................. BSAI................... 50 2,811 0.018 370 7 370 7
Rougheye rockfish................... EBS/EAI................ 50 2,811 0.018 169 3 189 3
CAI/WAI................ 50 2,811 0.018 209 4 240 4
Other rockfish...................... BS..................... 18 621 0.029 400 12 686 20
AI..................... 22 806 0.027 473 13 473 13
Skates.............................. BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 24,000 192 25,000 200
Sculpins............................ BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 5,600 45 5,600 45
Sharks.............................. BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 100 1 100 1
Squids.............................. BSAI................... 73 3,328 0.022 595 13 595 13
Octopuses........................... BSAI................... 553 68,672 0.008 500 4 500 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Aleutian Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole are multiplied by the remainder of the
TAC after the subtraction of the CDQ reserve under Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C).
\2\ The seasonal apportionment of Atka mackerel in the open access fishery is 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season. Listed AFA
catcher/processors are limited to harvesting no more than zero in the Eastern Aleutian District and Bering Sea subarea, 20 percent of the annual ITAC
specified for the Western Aleutian District, and 11.5 percent of the annual ITAC specified for the Central Aleutian District.

Table 18--Final 2013 and 2014 BSAI AFA Listed Catcher/Processor Prohibited Species Sideboard Limits
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 and 2014 PSC
available to trawl 2013 and 2014
PSC species and area \1\ Ratio of PSC catch vessels after catcher/processor
to total PSC subtraction of PSQ sideboard limit
\2\ \2\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut mortality BSAI............................. n/a n/a 286
Red king crab zone 1............................... 0.007 86,621 606
C. opilio (COBLZ).................................. 0.153 9,377,690 1,434,787
C. bairdi Zone 1................................... 0.14 875,140 122,520
C. bairdi Zone 2................................... 0.05 2,652,210 132,611
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas.
\2\ Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.

AFA Catcher Vessel Sideboard Limits

Pursuant to Sec. 679.64(a), the Regional Administrator is
responsible for restricting the ability of AFA CVs to engage in
directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect
participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects
resulting from the AFA and from fishery cooperatives in the directed
pollock fishery. Section 679.64(b) establishes a formula for setting
AFA CV groundfish and PSC sideboard limits for the BSAI. The basis for
these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules
implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30,
2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). Tables 19 and
20 list the 2013 and 2014 AFA CV sideboard limits.
All catch of groundfish sideboard species made by non-exempt AFA
CVs, whether as targeted catch or incidental catch, will be deducted
from the 2013 and 2014 sideboard limits listed in Table 19.

[[Page 13829]]

Table 19--Final 2013 and 2014 American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel BSAI Groundfish Sideboard Limits
[Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of 1995- 2013 AFA 2014 AFA
1997 AFA CV 2013 initial catcher vessel 2014 initial catcher vessel
Species/gear Fishery by area/season catch to 1995- TAC \1\ sideboard TAC \1\ sideboard
1997 TAC limits limits
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod/Jig gear...................... BSAI........................ 0 n/a 0 n/a 0
Pacific cod/Hook-and-line CV.............. BSAI Jan 1-Jun 10........... 0.0006 236 0 237 0
BSAI Jun 10-Dec 31.......... 0.0006 227 0 228 0
Pacific cod pot gear CV................... BSAI Jan 1-Jun 10........... 0.0006 9,911 6 9,945 6
BSAI Sept 1-Dec 31.......... 0.0006 9,523 6 9,555 6
Pacific cod CV < 60 feet LOA using hook- BSAI........................ 0.0006 4,627 3 4,643 3
and-line or pot gear.
Pacific cod trawl gear CV................. BSAI Jan 20-Apr 1........... 0.8609 37,971 32,689 38,099 32,799
BSAI Apr 1-Jun 10........... 0.8609 5,644 4,859 5,663 4,875
BSAI Jun 10-Nov 1........... 0.8609 7,697 6,626 7,723 6,649
Sablefish trawl gear...................... BS.......................... 0.0906 672 61 612 55
AI.......................... 0.0645 455 29 428 28
Atka mackerel............................. Eastern AI/BS Jan 1-Jun 10.. 0.0032 7,546 24 7,367 24
Eastern AI/BS Jun 10-Nov 1.. 0.0032 7,546 24 7,367 24
Central AI Jan 1-Jun 10..... 0.0001 3,358 0 3,295 0
Central AI Jun 10-Nov 1..... 0.0001 3,358 0 3,295 0
Western AI Jan 1-Jun 10..... 0 670 0 670 0
Western AI Jun 10-Nov 1..... 0 670 0 670 0
Rock sole................................. BSAI........................ 0.0341 82,495 2,813 82,156 2,802
Greenland turbot.......................... BS.......................... 0.0645 1,369 88 1,760 114
AI.......................... 0.0205 383 8 493 10
Arrowtooth flounder....................... BSAI........................ 0.069 21,250 1,466 21,250 1,466
Kamchatka flounder........................ BSAI........................ 0.069 8,500 587 8,500 587
Alaska plaice............................. BSAI........................ 0.0441 17,000 750 17,000 750
Other flatfish............................ BSAI........................ 0.0441 2,975 131 3,400 150
Flathead sole............................. BS.......................... 0.0505 20,270 1,024 20,131 1,017
Pacific ocean perch....................... BS.......................... 0.1 8,130 813 7,680 768
Eastern AI.................. 0.0077 8,742 67 8,251 64
Central AI.................. 0.0025 6,233 16 5,885 15
Western AI.................. 0 n/a 0 n/a 0
Northern rockfish......................... BSAI........................ 0.0084 3,000 25 3,000 25
Shortraker rockfish....................... BSAI........................ 0.0037 370 1 370 1
Rougheye rockfish......................... EBS/EAI..................... 0.0037 169 1 189 1
CAI/WAI..................... 0.0037 209 1 240 1
Other rockfish............................ BS.......................... 0.0048 400 2 686 3
AI.......................... 0.0095 473 4 473 4
Skates.................................... BSAI........................ 0.0541 24,000 1,298 25,000 1,353
Sculpins.................................. BSAI........................ 0.0541 5,600 303 5,600 303
Sharks.................................... BSAI........................ 0.0541 100 5 100 5
Squids.................................... BSAI........................ 0.3827 595 228 595 228
Octopuses................................. BSAI........................ 0.0541 500 27 500 27
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Aleutians Islands Pacific ocean perch, and BSAI Atka mackerel, flathead sole, and rock sole are multiplied by the remainder of the TAC of that
species after the subtraction of the CDQ reserve under Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C).

Halibut and crab PSC limits listed in Table 20 that are caught by
AFA CVs participating in any groundfish fishery for groundfish other
than pollock will accrue against the 2013 and 2014 PSC sideboard limits
for the AFA CVs. Sections 679.21(d)(8) and 679.21(e)(3)(v) authorize
NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than pollock for
AFA CVs once a 2013 or 2014 PSC sideboard limit listed in Table 20 is
reached. The PSC that is caught by AFA CVs while fishing for pollock in
the BSAI will accrue against the bycatch allowances annually specified
for either the midwater pollock or the pollock/Atka mackerel/``other
species'' fishery categories under regulations at Sec.
679.21(e)(3)(iv).

Table 20--Final 2013 and 2014 American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel Prohibited Species Catch Sideboard Limits
for the BSAI \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 and 2014
AFA catcher 2013 and 2014 AFA catcher
PSC species and area \1\ Target fishery vessel PSC PSC limit after vessel PSC
category \2\ sideboard limit subtraction of sideboard limit
ratio PSQ reserves \3\ \3\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halibut............................ Pacific cod trawl.... n/a n/a 887

[[Page 13830]]

Pacific cod hook-and- n/a n/a 2
line or pot.
Yellowfin sole total. n/a n/a 101
Rock sole/flathead n/a n/a 228
sole/other flatfish
\4\.
Greenland turbot/ n/a n/a 0
arrowtooth/sablefish
\5\.
Rockfish............. n/a n/a 2
Pollock/Atka mackerel/ n/a n/a 5
other species \6\.
Red king crab Zone 1............... n/a.................. 0.299 86,621 25,900
C. opilio COBLZ.................... n/a.................. 0.168 9,377,690 1,575,452
C. bairdi Zone 1................... n/a.................. 0.33 875,140 288,796
C. bairdi Zone 2................... n/a.................. 0.186 2,652,210 493,311
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Refer to Sec. 679.2 for definitions of areas.
\2\ Target fishery categories are defined in regulation at Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv).
\3\ Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.
\4\ ``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.
\5\ Arrowtooth for PSC monitoring includes Kamchatka flounder.
\6\ ``Other species'' for PSC monitoring includes skates, sculpins, sharks, squids, and octopuses.

AFA Catcher/Processor and Catcher Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing
Closures

Based upon historical catch patterns, the Regional Administrator
has determined that many of the AFA C/P and CV sideboard limits listed
in Tables 21 and 22 are necessary as incidental catch to support other
anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2013 and 2014 fishing years.
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iv), the Regional Administrator
establishes the sideboard limits listed in Tables 21 and 22 as DFAs.
Because many of these DFAs will be reached before the end of the year,
the Regional Administrator has determined, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(d)(1)(iii), that NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing by listed
AFA C/Ps for the species in the specified areas set out in Table 21,
and directed fishing by non-exempt AFA CVs for the species in the
specified areas set out in Table 22.

Table 21--Final 2013 and 2014 American Fisheries Act Listed Catcher/Processor Sideboard Directed Fishing
Closures \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 sideboard 2014 sideboard
Species Area Gear types limit limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sablefish trawl.................. BS.................. trawl.............. 11 10
AI.................. trawl.............. 0 0
Rock sole........................ BSAI................ all................ 3,052 3,040
Greenland turbot................. BS.................. all................ 10 12
AI.................. all................ 2 2
Arrowtooth flounder.............. BSAI................ all................ 43 43
Kamchatka flounder............... BSAI................ all................ 17 17
Alaska plaice.................... BSAI................ all................ 17 17
Other flatfish \2\............... BSAI................ all................ 173 197
Flathead sole.................... BSAI................ all................ 730 725
Pacific ocean perch.............. BS.................. all................ 16 15
Eastern AI.......... all................ 175 165
Central AI.......... all................ 6 6
Western AI.......... all................ 36 34
Northern rockfish................ BSAI................ all................ 21 21
Shortraker rockfish.............. BSAI................ all................ 7 7
Rougheye rockfish................ EBS/EAI............. all................ 3 3
CAI/WAI............. all................ 4 4
Other rockfish \3\............... BS.................. all................ 12 20
AI.................. all................ 13 13
Skates........................... BSAI................ all................ 192 200
Sculpins......................... BSAI................ all................ 45 45
Sharks........................... BSAI................ all................ 1 1
Squids........................... BSAI................ all................ 13 13
Octopuses........................ BSAI................ all................ 4 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
\2\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole,
Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
\3\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern
rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.

[[Page 13831]]

Table 22--Final 2013 and 2014 American Fisheries Act Catcher Vessel Sideboard Directed Fishing Closures \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013 sideboard 2014 sideboard
Species Area Gear types limit limit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pacific cod...................... BSAI................ hook-and-line...... 0 0
BSAI................ pot................ 12 12
BSAI................ CV< 60 feet LOA.... 3 3
BSAI................ jig................ 0 0
Sablefish........................ BS.................. trawl.............. 61 55
AI.................. trawl.............. 29 28
Atka mackerel.................... Eastern AI/BS....... all................ 48 48
Central AI.......... all................ 0 0
Western AI.......... all................ 0 0
Greenland turbot................. BS.................. all................ 88 114
AI.................. all................ 8 10
Arrowtooth flounder.............. BSAI................ all................ 1,466 1,466
Kamchatka flounder............... BSAI................ all................ 587 587
Alaska plaice.................... BSAI................ all................ 750 750
Other flatfish \2\............... BSAI................ all................ 131 150
Flathead sole.................... BSAI................ all................ 1,024 1,017
Rock sole........................ BSAI................ all................ 2,813 2,802
Pacific ocean perch.............. BS.................. all................ 813 768
Eastern AI.......... all................ 67 64
Central AI.......... all................ 16 15
Western AI.......... all................ 0 0
Northern rockfish................ BSAI................ all................ 25 25
Shortraker rockfish.............. BSAI................ all................ 1 1
Rougheye rockfish................ BS/EAI.............. all................ 1 1
CAI/WAI............. all................ 1 1
Other rockfish \3\............... BS.................. all................ 2 3
AI.................. all................ 4 4
Skates........................... BSAI................ All................ 1,298 1,353
Sculpins......................... BSAI................ all................ 303 303
Sharks........................... BSAI................ all................ 5 5
Squids........................... BSAI................ all................ 228 228
Octopuses........................ BSAI................ all................ 27 27
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Maximum retainable amounts may be found in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
\2\ ``Other flatfish'' includes all flatfish species, except for halibut, Alaska plaice, flathead sole,
Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Kamchatka flounder, and arrowtooth flounder.
\3\ ``Other rockfish'' includes all Sebastes and Sebastolobus species except for Pacific ocean perch, northern
rockfish, dark rockfish, shortraker rockfish, and rougheye rockfish.

Response to Comments

NMFS received 2 letters with five comments.
Comment 1: Due to concerns that the biomass of the Aleutian Islands
Pacific cod stock may be declining and that there is a possibility that
this stock is overfished, NMFS should work with the Council to separate
the Aleutian Island Pacific cod management from the Bering Sea Pacific
cod management.
Response: The Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 2013 and 2014 OFL and
ABC for Pacific cod are set based upon recommendations from the Plan
Team and the SSC. Based upon the best available science, the SSC
recommended OFL and ABC limits for the BSAI Pacific cod stock and did
not believe that a separate OFL and ABC was warranted for 2013 and
2014. Based on the 2012 Pacific cod stock assessment, the 2013 and 2014
OFL and ABC for BSAI wide Pacific cod stock is not overfished or
experiencing overfishing. If the SSC does recommend separate Aleutian
Island Pacific cod OFLs and ABCs, NMFS will work with the Council to
implement SSC recommendations.
Comment 2: There should be an exemption in the groundfish harvest
specifications for small non-commerical vessels.
Response: The groundfish harvest specifications regulations that
implement the FMP govern commercial fishing for groundfish in the BSAI
by vessels of the United States. The groundfish harvest specifications
are for commercial fishing activities. Non-commercial fishing
activities are outside of the scope of this action.
Comment 3: The BSAI groundfish harvest specifications should be
more concise.
Response: NMFS agrees that the groundfish harvest specifications
should be concise to the extent that it is practicable. However, NMFS
believes that the 2013 and 2014 groundfish harvest specifications are
concise to the extent practicable.
Comment 4: NMFS should include harvesting capacity information in
the BSAI groundfish harvest specifications and elaborate on the effects
of these harvest specifications upon the fishing capacity.
Response: The most recent systematic assessment of fishing capacity
for the BSAI groundfish fishery is Appendix 9 to the 2008 National
Assessment of Excess Harvesting Capacity in Federally Managed Fisheries
(https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/tm/spo93.pdf), which provides information for
the year 2004. That assessment found that the catch of all BSAI
groundfish in 2004 was 2 million mt, and that the fleet had a capacity
to take 2.9 million mt. Although estimated capacity exceeded catch by
about 0.9 million mt, about 0.8 million mt of this excess capacity was
concentrated in one fishery for pollock (pages 333-334). There is
considerable stability in the BSAI harvest

[[Page 13832]]

specifications from year to year, not least because the total BSAI TAC
is normally set at the statutory optimum yield limit of 2 million mt
established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, Public Law
108-199, Title VIII, Sec. 803(c), and identified by the BSAI FMP.
While individual species TACs vary from year to year, and new directed
fisheries and the associated TAC may develop over time, fishing
operators are aware of these variations, and are able to make operating
plans that take this uncertainty into account. Therefore, NMFS does not
expect that the 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications have any new
elements that will limit harvesting capacity below the 2 million mt
optimum yield limit or encourage overcapacity. NMFS notes that ongoing
rationalization efforts in this fishery increase the tools available to
industry to minimize the adverse economic impacts of excess capacity.
Since the 2004 capacity estimates were made, NMFS implemented the
Amendment 80 Program in 2008 (72 FR 52668), and the freezer longline
sector formed a voluntary cooperative in 2010.
Comment 5: NMFS should move away from a single-species approach in
setting OFLs and ABCs, and move towards an ecosystem-based management.
Response: NMFS agrees that there is a need to incorporate more
ecosystem-based management in setting OFLs and ABCs to the extent that
information is available. A goal of NMFS is to provide stronger links
between fishery management and ecosystem research. The Plan Team has
created ecosystem indicators with the goals of:
1. Maintaining biodiversity consistent with natural evolutionary
and ecological processes, including dynamic change and variability.
2. Maintaining and restoring habitats essential for fish and their
prey.
3. Maintaining system sustainability and sustainable yields for
human consumption and non-extractive uses.
These indices are maintained in the SAFE report (see ADDRESSES),
and each stock assessment addresses ecosystem considerations. This
information is used as a component in setting annual OFLs and ABCs.
However, NMFS believes the understanding of ecosystem-based management
is currently insufficient to eliminate the need to set OFLs and ABCs
using a single species approach.

Classification

NMFS has determined that these final harvest specifications are
consistent with the FMP and with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other
applicable laws.
This action is authorized under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from
review under Executive Orders 12866 and 13563.
NMFS prepared an EIS that covers this action (see ADDRESSES) and
made it available to the public on January 12, 2007 (72 FR 1512). On
February 13, 2007, NMFS issued the Record of Decision (ROD) for the
EIS. In January 2013, NMFS prepared a Supplemental Information Report
(SIR) for this action. Copies of the EIS, ROD, and SIR for this action
are available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES). The EIS analyzes the
environmental consequences of the groundfish harvest specifications and
alternative harvest strategies on resources in the action area. The EIS
found no significant environmental consequences of this action and its
alternatives. The SIR evaluates the need to prepare a Supplemental EIS
(SEIS) for the 2013 and 2014 groundfish harvest specifications.
A SEIS should be prepared if (1) the agency makes substantial
changes in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental
concerns; or (2) significant new circumstances or information exist
relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action
or its impacts (40 CFR 1502.9(c)(1)). After reviewing the information
contained in the SIR and SAFE reports, the Regional Administrator has
determined that (1) approval of the 2013 and 2014 harvest
specifications, which were set according to the preferred harvest
strategy in the EIS, do not constitute a change in the action; and (2)
there are no significant new circumstances or information relevant to
environmental concerns and bearing on the action or its impacts.
Additionally, the 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications will result in
environmental impacts within the scope of those analyzed and disclosed
in the EIS. Therefore, supplemental National Environmental Policy Act
documentation is not necessary to implement the 2013 and 2014 harvest
specifications.
Pursuant to section 604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), 5
U.S.C. 601, et seq., a FRFA was prepared for this action. The FRFA
incorporates the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), and
includes a summary of the significant issues raised by public comments
in response to the IRFA, as well as NMFS' responses to those comments.
A summary of the analyses completed to support the action is also
included in the FRFA.
A copy of the FRFA prepared for this final rule is available from
NMFS (see ADDRESSES). A description of this action, its purpose, and
its legal basis are contained at the beginning of the preamble to this
final rule and are not repeated here.
NMFS published the proposed rule on December 6, 2012 (77 FR 72791).
The rule was accompanied by an IRFA, which was summarized in the
proposed rule. The comment period closed on January 7, 2013. No
comments were received on the IRFA.
The entities directly regulated by this action are those that
receive allocations of groundfish in the EEZ of the BSAI, and in
parallel fisheries within State of Alaska waters, during the annual
harvest specifications process. These directly regulated entities
include the groundfish CVs and C/Ps active in these areas. Direct
allocations of groundfish are also made to certain organizations,
including the CDQ groups, AFA C/P and inshore CV sectors, Aleut
Corporation, and Amendment 80 cooperatives. These entities are,
therefore, also considered directly regulated.
According to the Small Business Administration, a small entity
engaged in fishing activities is one that is not dominant in its field,
and individually has annual revenues of $4 million or less. In 2011,
there were 216 individual catcher vessels with total gross revenues
less than or equal to $4 million. Many of these vessels are members in
AFA inshore pollock cooperatives. However, vessels that participate in
these cooperatives are considered to be large entities within the
meaning of the RFA. After accounting for membership in these
cooperatives, there are an estimated 112 small CVs remaining in the
BSAI.
In 2011, 12 C/Ps grossed less than $4 million. Some of these
vessels were affiliated through ownership by the same business firm. By
2011, the vessels in this group were also affiliated through membership
in two cooperatives (the Amendment 80 ``Best Use'' cooperative, or the
Freezer Longline Conservation Cooperative (FLCC)). Applying the 2011
firm and cooperative affiliations to these vessels, NMFS estimates that
these 12 vessels currently represent six small entities.
Through the CDQ program, the Council and NMFS allocate a portion of
the BSAI groundfish TACs, and halibut and crab PSC limits, to 65
eligible Western Alaska communities. These communities work through six
non-profit CDQ groups, and are required to use the proceeds from the
CDQ allocations to start or support activities that will result in
ongoing, regionally based, commercial fishery or related businesses.
The CDQ groups receive

[[Page 13833]]

allocations through the harvest specifications process, and are
directly regulated by this action, but the 65 communities are not
directly regulated. Because they are nonprofit entities that are
independently owned and operated, and are not dominant in their field,
the CDQ groups are considered small entities for RFA purposes.
The AFA and Amendment 80 fisheries cooperatives are directly
regulated because they receive allocations of TAC through the harvest
specifications process. However, the FLCC, a voluntary private
cooperative that became fully effective in 2010, is not considered to
be directly regulated. The FLCC manages a catch share program among its
members, but it does not receive an allocation under the harvest
specifications. NMFS allocates TAC to the freezer longline sector, and
the cooperative members voluntarily allocate this TAC among themselves
via the FLCC. The AFA and Amendment 80 cooperatives are large entities,
since they are affiliated with firms with joint revenues of more than
$4 million.
The Aleut Corporation is an Alaska Native Corporation that receives
an allocation of pollock in the Aleutian Islands. The Aleut Corporation
is a holding company and evaluated according to the Small Business
Administration criteria for Office or Other Holding Companies, at 13
CFR 121.201, which uses a threshold of $6 million gross annual receipts
threshold for small entities. The Aleut Corporation revenues exceed
this threshold, and the Aleut Corporation is considered to be a large
entity. This determination follows the analysis in the RFA
certification for BSAI FMP.
This action does not modify recordkeeping or reporting
requirements.
The significant alternatives were those considered as alternative
harvest strategies when the Council selected its preferred harvest
strategy in December 2006. These included the following:
Alternative 1: Set TAC to produce fishing mortality rates,
F, that are equal to maxFABC, unless the sum of the TAC is constrained
by the OY established in the FMPs. This is equivalent to setting TAC to
produce harvest levels equal to the maximum permissible ABC, as
constrained by OY. The term ``maxFABC'' refers to the maximum
permissible value of FABC under Amendment 56 to the groundfish FMPs.
Historically, the TAC has been set at or below the ABC; therefore, this
alternative represents a likely upper limit for setting the TAC within
the OY and ABC limits.
Alternative 3: For species in Tiers 1, 2, and 3, set TAC
to produce F equal to the most recent 5-year average actual F. For
species in Tiers 4, 5, and 6, set TAC equal to the most recent 5-year
average actual catch. For stocks with a high level of scientific
information, TAC would be set to produce harvest levels equal to the
most recent 5-year average actual fishing mortality rates. For stocks
with insufficient scientific information, TAC would be set equal to the
most recent 5-year average actual catch. This alternative recognizes
that for some stocks, catches may fall well below ABC, and recent
average F may provide a better indicator of actual F than FABC does.
Alternative 4: (1) Set TAC for rockfish species in Tier 3
at F75%. Set TAC for rockfish species in Tier 5 at F=0.5M. Set
spatially explicit TAC for shortraker and rougheye rockfish in the
BSAI. (2) Taking the rockfish TAC as calculated above, reduce all other
TAC by a proportion that does not vary across species, so that the sum
of all TAC, including rockfish TAC, is equal to the lower bound of the
area OY (1,400,000 mt in the BSAI). This alternative sets conservative
and spatially explicit TAC for rockfish species that are long-lived and
late to mature, and sets conservative TAC for the other groundfish
species.
Alternative 5: Set TAC at zero.
Alternative 2 is the preferred alternative chosen by the Council:
Set TAC that fall within the range of ABC recommended through the
Council harvest specifications process and TACs recommended by the
Council. Under this scenario, F is set equal to a constant fraction of
maxFABC. The recommended fractions of maxFABC may vary among species or
stocks, based on other considerations unique to each. This is the
method for determining TAC that has been used in the past.
Alternatives 1, 3, 4, and 5 do not meet the objectives of this
action, although they have a smaller adverse economic impact on small
entities than the preferred alternative. The Council rejected these
alternatives as harvest strategies in 2006, and the Secretary of
Commerce did so in 2007. Alternative 1 would lead to TAC limits whose
sum exceeds the fishery OY, which is set out in statute and the FMP. As
shown in Table 1, the sum of ABCs in 2013 and 2014 would be 2,639,317
and 2,697,498 million mt, respectively. Both of these are substantially
in excess of the fishery OY for the BSAI. This result would be
inconsistent with the objectives of this action, in that it would
violate the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004, Pub. L. No. 108-
199, Sec. 803(c), and the FMP for the BSAI groundfish fishery, which
both set a 2,000,000 mt maximum harvest for BSAI groundfish.
Alternative 3 selects harvest rates based on the most recent 5
years' worth of harvest rates (for species in Tiers 1 through 3) or for
the most recent 5 years' worth of harvests (for species in Tiers 4
through 6). This alternative is also inconsistent with the objectives
of this action, because it does not take into account the most recent
biological information for this fishery.
Alternative 4 would lead to significantly lower harvests of all
species to reduce TAC from the upper end of the OY range in the BSAI,
to its lower end. This result would lead to significant reductions in
harvests of species by small entities. While reductions of this size
could be associated with offsetting price increases, the size of these
increases is very uncertain, and NMFS has no confidence that they would
be sufficient to offset the volume decreases and leave revenues
unchanged. Thus, this action would have an adverse economic impact on
small entities, compared to the preferred alternative.
Alternative 5, which sets all harvests equal to zero, may also
address conservation issues, but would have a significant adverse
economic impact on small entities.
Impacts on marine mammals resulting from fishing activities
conducted under this rule are discussed in the EIS (see ADDRESSES).
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in
effectiveness for this rule, because delaying this rule is contrary to
the public interest. Plan Team review occurred in November 2012, and
Council consideration and recommendations occurred in December 2012.
Accordingly, NMFS review could not begin until after the December 2012
Council meeting, and after the public had time to comment upon the
proposed action. If this rule's effectiveness is delayed, fisheries
that might otherwise remain open under these rules may prematurely
close based on the lower 2012 and 2013 harvest specifications (77 FR
10669, February 23, 2012). If implemented immediately, this rule would
allow these fisheries to continue fishing without worrying about a
potential closure, because the new TAC limits are higher than the ones
under which they are currently fishing. Certain fisheries, such as
those for pollock and Pacific cod are intensive, fast-paced fisheries.
Other fisheries, such as those for flatfish, rockfish, skates,
sculpins, sharks, and octopuses,

[[Page 13834]]

are critical as directed fisheries and as incidental catch in other
fisheries. U.S. fishing vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch
the TAC allocations in these fisheries. Any delay in allocating the
final TAC limits in these fisheries would cause confusion to the
industry and potential economic harm through unnecessary discards.
Determining which fisheries may close is impossible because these
fisheries are affected by several factors that cannot be predicted in
advance, including fishing effort, weather, movement of fishery stocks,
and market price. Furthermore, the closure of one fishery has a
cascading effect on other fisheries by freeing up fishing vessels,
allowing them to move from closed fisheries to open ones, increasing
the fishing capacity in those open fisheries and causing them to close
at an accelerated pace.
Additionally, in fisheries subject to declining sideboards,
delaying this rule's effectiveness could allow some vessels to
inadvertently reach or exceed their new sideboard levels. Because
sideboards are intended to protect traditional fisheries in other
sectors, allowing one sector to exceed its new sideboards by delaying
this rule's effectiveness would effectively reduce the available catch
for sectors without sideboard limits. Moreover, the new TAC and
sideboard limits protect the fisheries from being overfished. Thus, the
delay is contrary to the public interest in protecting traditional
fisheries and fish stocks.
If the final harvest specifications are not effective by March 23,
2013, which is the start of the 2013 Pacific halibut season as
specified by the IPHC, the hook-and-line sablefish fishery will not
begin concurrently with the Pacific halibut IFQ season. Delayed
effectiveness of this action would result in confusion for sablefish
harvesters and economic harm from unnecessary discard of sablefish that
are caught along with Pacific halibut, as both hook-and-line sablefish
and Pacific halibut are managed under the same IFQ program. Immediate
effectiveness of the final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications will
allow the sablefish IFQ fishery to begin concurrently with the Pacific
halibut IFQ season. Also, the immediate effectiveness of this action is
required to provide consistent management and conservation of fishery
resources based on the best available scientific information. This is
particularly true of those species which have lower 2013 ABC and TAC
limits than those established in the 2012 and 2013 harvest
specifications (77 FR 10669, February 23, 2012). Immediate
effectiveness also would give the fishing industry the earliest
possible opportunity to plan and conduct its fishing operations with
respect to new information about TAC limits. Therefore, NMFS finds good
cause to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3).

Small Entity Compliance Guide

This final rule is a plain language guide to assist small entities
in complying with this final rule as required by the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This final rule's primary
purpose is to announce the final 2013 and 2014 harvest specifications
and prohibited species bycatch allowances for the groundfish fisheries
of the BSAI. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits and
associated management measures for groundfish during the 2013 and 2014
fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the FMP.
This action directly affects all fishermen who participate in the BSAI
fisheries. The specific amounts of OFL, ABC, TAC, and PSC are provided
in tables to assist the reader. NMFS will announce closures of directed
fishing in the Federal Register and information bulletins released by
the Alaska Region. Affected fishermen should keep themselves informed
of such closures.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); 16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 105-277; Pub. L. 106-
31; Pub. L. 106-554; Pub. L. 108-199; Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 109-
241; Pub. L. 109-479.

Dated: February 25, 2013.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, performing the functions and
duties of the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-04822 Filed 2-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.