Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Alaska Plaice in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, 29248 [2013-11950]

Download as PDF 29248 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 97 / Monday, May 20, 2013 / Rules and Regulations Issued in Washington, DC, on May 14, 2013. Paul Bosco, Director, Office of Acquisition and Project Management. treated as prohibited species in accordance with § 679.21(b). [FR Doc. 2013–11927 Filed 5–17–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 121018563–3418–02] RIN 0648–XC687 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Alaska Plaice in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; closure. AGENCY: NMFS is prohibiting retention of Alaska plaice in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2013 initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of Alaska plaice in the BSAI has been reached. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), May 15, 2013, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2013. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907–586–7269. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679. The 2013 ITAC Alaska plaice in the BSAI is 17,000 metric tons (mt) as established by the final 2013 and 2014 final harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA (78 FR 13813, March 1, 2013). In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 2013 ITAC of Alaska plaice in the BSAI has been reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring that Alaska plaice caught in the BSAI be emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 14:57 May 17, 2013 Jkt 229001 Classification This action responds to the best available information recently obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is impracticable and contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and would delay prohibiting the retention of Alaska plaice in the BSAI. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of May 10, 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. This action is required by § 679.20 and § 679.21 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: May 15, 2013. Kara Meckley, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2013–11950 Filed 5–15–13; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [Doc. No. 101108560–3462–02] RIN 0648–BA43 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. AGENCY: NMFS issues a regulation to increase the maximum retainable amounts (MRAs) of groundfish using arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes SUMMARY: Fmt 4700 Jeff Background Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Revise Maximum Retainable Amounts of Groundfish Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Frm 00016 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hartman, 907–586–7228 or Tom Pearson, 907–481–1780. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 50 CFR Part 679 PO 00000 stomias) and Kamchatka flounder (Atheresthes evermanni) as basis species in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action allows the use of BSAI arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder as basis species for the retention of species closed to directed fishing and is necessary to improve retention of otherwise marketable groundfish in these BSAI fisheries. This action also includes four regulatory amendments related to harvest management of Kamchatka flounder. Two amendments are necessary to account for Kamchatka flounder in the same manner as arrowtooth flounder in the BSAI and to aid in the recordkeeping, reporting, and catch accounting of flatfish in the BSAI. The third amendment is necessary to provide NMFS the flexibility to allocate Kamchatka flounder (and other species in the future) to the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program in the annual harvest specifications. Through this action, NMFS intends to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, and other applicable law. DATES: Effective June 19, 2013. ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the final Environmental Assessment/ Regulatory Impact Review/Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (EA/ RIR/FRFA) for this action may be obtained from https:// www.regulations.gov or from the Alaska Region Web site at https:// alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. The proposed rule to implement this action may also be accessed at https:// alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. Sfmt 4700 NMFS manages the groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone in the BSAI under the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP). The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) prepared the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and implementing the FMP appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 679. E:\FR\FM\20MYR1.SGM 20MYR1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 97 (Monday, May 20, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 29248]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-11950]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 121018563-3418-02]
RIN 0648-XC687


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Alaska 
Plaice in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention of Alaska plaice in the Bering 
Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is 
necessary because the 2013 initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of 
Alaska plaice in the BSAI has been reached.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), May 15, 2013, 
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7269.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan 
for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North 
Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations governing 
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H 
of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
    The 2013 ITAC Alaska plaice in the BSAI is 17,000 metric tons (mt) 
as established by the final 2013 and 2014 final harvest specifications 
for groundfish of the GOA (78 FR 13813, March 1, 2013).
    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(2), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 2013 
ITAC of Alaska plaice in the BSAI has been reached. Therefore, NMFS is 
requiring that Alaska plaice caught in the BSAI be treated as 
prohibited species in accordance with Sec.  679.21(b).

Classification

    This action responds to the best available information recently 
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NOAA (AA), finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior 
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set 
forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from 
responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and 
would delay prohibiting the retention of Alaska plaice in the BSAI. 
NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment 
because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of May 
10, 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.
    This action is required by Sec.  679.20 and Sec.  679.21 and is 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: May 15, 2013.
Kara Meckley,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-11950 Filed 5-15-13; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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