Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Revise Maximum Retainable Amounts of Groundfish Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, 29248-29257 [2013-11953]
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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
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SUMMARY:
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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:
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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.
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Regulations at § 679.20(e) and (f), and
Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679 establish
MRA percentages for groundfish species
and species groups. An MRA is the
maximum round weight of a species or
species group closed to directed fishing
that may be retained onboard a vessel.
NMFS established MRAs to allow
vessels engaged in fishing for species or
species groups open to directed fishing
(basis species) to retain a specified
amount of species or species group
closed to directed fishing. The
percentage of a species or species group
closed to directed fishing retained in
relation to the basis species must not
exceed the MRAs listed in Table 11 to
50 CFR part 679.
MRA percentages serve as a
management tool to slow harvest rates
and reduce the incentive for targeting
species closed to directed fishing. MRAs
allow for some retention of species
closed to directed fishing instead of
requiring that catch of all species closed
to directed fishing be discarded. MRA
percentages reflect a balance between
the recognized need to slow harvest
rates and minimize the potential for
discards, and, in some cases, provide an
increased opportunity to harvest
available total allowable catch (TAC)
through limited retention.
The Department of Commerce, NOAA
Office for Law Enforcement or the
United States Coast Guard, District 17,
Enforcement Branch may review
production data to determine if vessels
have complied with specified MRAs by
comparing the estimated round weight
of the retained species closed to
directed fishing with the estimated
round weight of all retained basis
species. The amount of round weight
equivalent (defined at § 679.2) of each
retained species must not exceed the
MRA, a specified percentage, of the
round weight of a basis species. For
example, when Pacific cod is open to
directed fishing and arrowtooth
flounder is closed to directed fishing, a
vessel operator may retain a round
weight equivalent amount of arrowtooth
flounder of up to 35 percent of the
round weight equivalent of Pacific cod
that is retained onboard the vessel. In
this example, all incidental catch of
arrowtooth flounder in excess of the 35
percent MRA, from Table 11 to 50 CFR
part 679, must be discarded.
flounder is a basis species. Arrowtooth
flounder has become an important
species for some non-pelagic trawl
vessels to retain and process.
Specifically, arrowtooth flounder is
harvested and processed by non-pelagic
trawl catcher/processor vessels
operating in non-pollock fisheries in the
BSAI, more commonly known as the
Amendment 80 sector (72 FR 52668,
September 14, 2007). While this species
is occasionally caught incidentally by
other gear and operation type, they are
typically discarded and not retained or
processed.
In October 2010, the Council
recommended setting the MRAs for
BSAI groundfish using arrowtooth
flounder as the basis species at the same
MRA percentages as those set for BSAI
groundfish using Pacific cod as a basis
species with two exceptions (Greenland
turbot and the ‘‘other species’’ group).
The EA/RIR prepared for this action
demonstrates that the MRAs listed in
Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679 for
groundfish caught in the Pacific cod
directed fishery represent a conservative
guide for managing incidental catch in
the arrowtooth flounder fishery. MRAs
for groundfish species in the Pacific cod
directed fishery are lower than the
MRAs for a number of groundfish
species that are commonly caught by the
non-pelagic trawl fleet in other directed
flatfish fisheries.
The Council recommended that the
MRAs for Greenland turbot in the
arrowtooth flounder directed fishery be
based on the approximate average
incidental catch of Greenland turbot in
those fisheries between 2003 and 2009
because average gross earnings per
pound of retained arrowtooth flounder
increased during that time. The Council
recommended that the MRAs for the
aggregated ‘‘other species’’ group
(skates, sharks, sculpins, and octopus)
caught in the arrowtooth flounder
fishery also be based on the
approximate average incidental catch
observed between 2003 and 2009. The
Council intends these MRA
modifications to allow vessels fishing in
the arrowtooth flounder and/or
Kamchatka flounder fisheries some
retention of incidentally-caught
Greenland turbot and ‘‘other species’’ if
Greenland turbot and ‘‘other species’’
are closed to directed fishing.
MRAs for Groundfish in Arrowtooth
Flounder Directed Fishery
The Council recognized that efforts by
the non-pelagic trawl fleet to improve
retention of groundfish species in the
BSAI arrowtooth flounder fishery are
constrained by the current zero MRAs
for groundfish where arrowtooth
Prior Management Actions on
Groundfish in Arrowtooth Flounder
and Kamchatka Flounder Directed
Fisheries
Prior to 2011, arrowtooth flounder
and Kamchatka flounder were managed
together with a single overfishing level
(OFL), acceptable biological catch
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(ABC), and TAC in the BSAI.
Arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka
flounder are caught at the same time in
the non-pelagic trawl fishery, and are
often difficult to distinguish from each
other. Throughout most of the BSAI,
however, Kamchatka flounder are less
abundant than arrowtooth flounder. As
the directed fishery for arrowtooth
flounder and market prices for
Kamchatka flounder have increased,
Kamchatka flounder in the arrowtooth
flounder fishery has been caught in
disproportionately greater amounts
relative to Kamchatka flounder biomass
estimates. In 2010, the Council
recommended that separate OFLs,
ABCs, and TACs be established for
arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka
flounder to protect the stock of
Kamchatka flounder (76 FR 11139,
March 1, 2011). The impacts of the
harvest strategies and resulting TAC
amounts were analyzed in the 2007
Alaska Groundfish Harvest Final
Specifications Environmental Impact
Statement available at https://
alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. For purposes
of MRA compliance, Kamchatka
flounder was grouped with ‘‘other
flatfish’’ (see footnote 2 to Table 11 to
part 50 CFR 679), and arrowtooth
flounder and Kamchatka flounder were
assigned different MRAs.
Revisions to MRAs and Prohibited
Species Catch
This rule revises Table 11 to 50 CFR
part 679 to increase the MRAs for
groundfish species and species groups
closed to directed fishing using
arrowtooth flounder as the basis species
from zero percent to 20 percent for
pollock, Pacific cod, Atka mackerel,
Alaska plaice, yellowfin sole, other
flatfish, rock sole, flathead sole, and
squid; from zero percent to 7 percent for
Greenland turbot; from zero percent to
1 percent for sablefish; from zero
percent to 2 percent for shortraker
rockfish and rougheye rockfish
(combined); from zero percent to 5
percent for aggregated rockfish; from
zero percent to 7 percent for Greenland
turbot; and from zero percent to 3
percent for the ‘‘other species’’ group.
This rule revises Table 11 to eliminate
language that is no longer relevant
because of revisions implemented
through prior actions. NMFS moves
Kamchatka flounder from ‘‘other
flatfish’’ to the arrowtooth flounder
category in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
NMFS revises footnote 4, which defines
‘‘other species,’’ to remove the sentence
‘‘Forage fish, as defined at Table 2c to
this part are not included in the ‘other
species’ category.’’ This revision
eliminates an unnecessary clarification
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because capelin, eulachon, and smelt
were removed from ‘‘other species’’
category and placed in a forage fish
species category in 1998 (63 FR 13009,
March 17, 1998). This revision
eliminates a potential source of
confusion for the entities subject to this
rule who are required to use the revised
Table 11 to comply with groundfish
MRAs.
Management Measures
Three additional regulatory
amendments provide for the identical
MRA, PSC, and harvest management
measures for arrowtooth flounder and
Kamchatka flounder. These
amendments are necessary to facilitate
recordkeeping, reporting, and catch
accounting of arrowtooth flounder and
Kamchatka flounder and would ensure
consistent timing of the harvest of these
two species. A fourth amendment is
necessary to clarify how NMFS will
determine whether to allocate a portion
of a new TAC category to the Western
Alaska Community Development Quota
(CDQ) program.
The first amendment revises
§ 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(C) to include
Kamchatka flounder in the same trawl
fishery category for PSC management as
arrowtooth flounder. This revision is
necessary because arrowtooth flounder
and Kamchatka flounder are harvested
in a mixed groundfish fishery in which
vessels typically encounter similar PSC
species.
The second amendment establishes
identical seasonal opening dates for
arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka
flounder, and is necessary to manage the
Kamchatka flounder fishery in the same
time period as the arrowtooth flounder
fishery. Arrowtooth and Kamchatka
flounder have historically been
managed together because they are
mixed-stock species and are often
targeted together. Initiating the fishing
season for these two species on different
dates would cause significant
management difficulties and therefore
NMFS establishes concurrent seasonal
management. This rule revises the BSAI
groundfish seasons at § 679.23(e)(1) to
include Kamchatka flounder with
arrowtooth flounder and Greenland
turbot so that the season for all these
species would open on May 1.
The third amendment revises Table 3
to 50 CFR part 679, which lists the
product recovery rates (PRR) for
groundfish species and conversion rates
for Pacific halibut. These revisions
consolidate the eight flatfish species
(including Kamchatka flounder) in
Table 3 to 50 CFR part 679 into a single
row, and apply identical PRRs to these
eight flatfish species. This consolidation
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of flatfish into one row would simplify
Table 3 and is necessary to facilitate
recordkeeping, reporting, and MRA
determination. Currently, identical
PRRs are listed in Table 3 to 50 CFR part
679 for these eight individual species of
flatfish, with the exception of yellowfin
sole, which is also listed as having a
PRR for surimi. This rule establishes
one surimi PRR for all the species
within the consolidated flatfish category
because the similar morphology of the
species within this category is likely to
produce a similar proportion of utilized
surimi product. This rule uses the
surimi PRR currently listed for
yellowfin sole for the consolidated
flatfish category. If the consolidated
flatfish category was not assigned a PRR
for surimi, compliance with MRAs
could not be determined for this
product form.
The fourth amendment revises
§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii) to explain how NMFS
will determine whether to allocate a
portion of a new TAC category to the
CDQ Program in the annual harvest
specifications. NMFS implemented the
current regulations § 679.20(b)(1)(ii) in
the final rule for Amendment 80 to the
FMP (72 FR 52668, September 14,
2007). These regulations state that if the
groundfish harvest specifications
change a TAC category allocated to a
CDQ reserve by combining or splitting
a species, species group, or management
area, then the same percentage of the
TAC apportioned to a CDQ reserve in
§ 679.20 (b)(1)(ii)(A) through (D) will
apply to the new TAC category.
However, section 305(i)(1)(B)(ii)(II) of
the Magnuson-Stevens Act addresses
allocations to the CDQ Program and
provides more specific guidance,
namely, ‘‘the allocation under the (CDQ)
program in any directed fishery of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (other
than a fishery for halibut, sablefish,
pollock, and crab) established after the
date of enactment of this subclause shall
be a total allocation (directed and
nontarget combined) of 10.7 percent.’’ In
the final 2007 and 2008 harvest
specifications for groundfish of the
BSAI (72 FR 9451, March 2, 2007),
NMFS explained our determination that
the term ‘‘directed fishery’’ for purposes
of section 305(i)(1) of the MSA means a
fishery for which sufficient TAC exists
to open a directed fishery for that
species or species group and that this
fishery is economically valuable enough
for the CDQ groups to target.
The creation of a new TAC category
for Kamchatka flounder required NMFS,
in the final 2011 and 2012 harvest
specifications for groundfish of the
BSAI (76 FR 11139, March 1, 2011), to
determine if Kamchatka flounder was a
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‘‘directed fishery’’ for purposes of the
CDQ Program. If NMFS determined it
was a directed fishery, 10.7 percent of
the Kamchatka flounder TAC would be
allocated to the CDQ Program. As
described in more detail in the final
2011 and 2012 harvest specifications,
NMFS determined that Kamchatka
flounder was not a ‘‘directed fishery’’
for purposes of the CDQ Program. This
rule amends § 679.20(b)(1)(ii) to explain
how this determination will be made in
future harvest specifications should new
TAC categories be created.
Specifically, this rule revises
regulations at § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) and
removes regulations at
§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(E) that govern CDQ
allocations for TAC categories that are
established when one species or species
group is split from an existing species
or species group to form a new TAC
category. The species specifically
allocated to the CDQ Program in 50 CFR
part 679 are pollock, sablefish, the
‘‘Amendment 80’’ species (Aleutian
Islands Pacific ocean perch, Pacific cod,
Atka mackerel, yellowfin sole, rock sole,
and flathead sole), Bering Sea Greenland
turbot, and arrowtooth flounder.
Paragraph (D)(2) is added to
§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii) to state that, for all
other groundfish species not specifically
listed in § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(A) through
(D)(1), an amount equal to 10.7 percent
of the BSAI TAC would be apportioned
to a CDQ reserve if NMFS, after
consultation with the Council,
determines in the annual harvest
specifications that a directed fishery in
the BSAI exists for this species under
section 305(i)(1)(B)(i) of the MagnusonStevens Act. Thus, in determining that
a directed fishery exists in the BSAI and
whether the fishery is economically
valuable enough for CDQ groups to
target, the Council and NMFS would
consider whether sufficient TAC exists
to open a directed fishery for that
species in the BSAI and determine
through public comment submitted by
CDQ groups whether CDQ groups are
likely to conduct directed fishing for
that species.
Response to Comments
NMFS received one letter of comment
on the proposed rule from the Alaska
Seafood Cooperative. A summary of that
comment and NMFS’s response follows.
Comment 1: The commenter supports
the proposed rule, as a way to decrease
bycatch in the arrowtooth and
Kamchatka flounder fisheries, increase
value within those fisheries, and
increase vessels’ ability to achieve
optimum yield. The commenter also
recommends one revision to the
proposed rule.
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NMFS proposed that to reduce
confusion regarding MRA compliance
for thenon-pelagic trawl vessels
(Amendment 80 sector), should either
arrowtooth flounder or Kamchatka
flounder close to directed fishing, then
neither arrowtooth flounder nor
Kamchatka flounder could be used as a
basis species for the retention of
groundfish in the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands. NOAA Fisheries
proposed this provision because
Arrowtooth and Kamchatka flounder are
morphologically similar and can only be
distinguished by gill rakers. Once
headed and gutted at sea, the two
species are indistinguishable, creating
reporting and enforcement challenges.
The commenter stated that since
2011, when the Kamchatka flounder
fishery has been open to directed
fishing, participants in the Amendment
80 sector have cooperated with the
NOAA Office for Law Enforcement to
comply with MRA accounting
requirements despite arrowtooth
flounder and Kamchatcka flounder
species identification issues, allowing
for groundfish to be retained up to the
MRA when Kamchatka flounder is open
to directed fishing. Under current
regulations, BSAI vessels retain
arrowtooth flounder and other
groundfish species up to the MRA when
‘‘other species’’ (including Kamchatka
flounder) is open to directed fishing
based on official NMFS observer
sampling of arrowtooth flounder and
Kamchatka flounder catch. Arrowtooth
flounder and Kamchatka flounder are
recorded in the E-landings production
report according to the ratio of each
species within the observer’s sample for
each haul. NOAA Office for Law
Enforcement would be able to verify
compliance with MRAs by reviewing
the amount of each species reported in
the E-landings production report, and
may assess if the retained catch of either
arrowtooth flounder or Kamchatka
flounder exceeded the MRA in Table 11.
The commenter stated that since
arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka
flounder have developed into viable
fisheries, having the ability to retain
non-target species against them will
allow the Amendment 80 sector to
further improve the groundfish
retention obligations.
The commenter suggests that nothing
in the proposed regulation would
require a different MRA accounting
methodology.
To maintain consistency throughout
Table 11 and avoid confusion to the
public, the commenter recommends
removing proposed footnote 9 in Table
11 and adding a separate row and
column designating arrowtooth flounder
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and Kamchatka flounder in Table 11.
This change would provide for separate
MRA accounting for these two flounder
species. The commenter also requests
that if NMFS is unable to remove
footnote 9 to Table 11, an editing
improvement for Table 11 would be to
list Kamchatka flounder in the same row
and column as arrowtooth flounder.
Response: NMFS agrees with this
comment, and revises the final rule to
remove footnote 9 to Table 11, and add
a separate row and column designating
arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka
flounder in Table 11. NMFS believes
this revision is consistent with the
intent of the proposed rule to reduce
regulatory discards. This change will
allow separate MRAs for groundfish
caught incidentally to arrowtooth
flounder and Kamchatka flounder. The
NOAA Office for Law Enforcement
verifies that the Amendment 80 sector’s
current application of observer catch
composition data for MRA accounting is
an effective method for distinguishing
between arrowtooth flounder and
Kamchatka flounder, and for ensuring
that MRAs for arrowtooth flounder and
Kamchatka flounder are not exceeded.
NOAA Office for Law Enforcement
verifies that the observer composition
ratio of Kamchatka flounder to
arrowtooth flounder is used to
determine the amount of Kamchatka
flounder and arrowtooth flounder that
may be retained and that this method
ensures that the aggregate retained
Kamchatka flounder and arrowtooth
flounder does not exceed the aggregate
of 100 percent of the basis species and
up to the MRA for the incidentallycaught species. Other groundfish fishery
participants are not currently expected
to retain these two species, and MRA
compliance for these two species of
flatfish has not been an issue for other
gear and operation types in the BSAI.
During 2011 the Amendment 80
sector successfully utilized this method
for individual species-level MRA
accounting for arrowtooth flounder
when arrowtooth flounder was closed to
directed fishing and Kamchatka
flounder was open to directed fishing. A
similar procedure is applied in other
Bering Sea target fisheries, and NMFS
believes that the non-pelagic trawl
vessels that retain arrowtooth flounder
or Kamchatka flounder will have a
strong incentive to constrain catch of
both species.
Revisions to the Proposed Rule in the
Final Rule
In this final rule, NMFS has removed
footnote 9 in Table 11 to Part 679, and
listed arrowtooth flounder and
Kamchatka flounder as separate lines in
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29251
each row and column of Table 11. This
allows fishery participants to use each
species individually as a basis species
should one of them close to directed
fishing.
This revision does not increase the
total amount of any groundfish species
that may be harvested in the BSAI
groundfish fisheries. Those catch limits
are established through the annual
specifications process and remain the
limit on total catch. This regulatory
amendment allows greater retention of
species caught incidentally in the BSAI
arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka
flounder fishery and is intended to
reduce regulatory discards and increase
utilization of groundfish species already
caught. All catch of groundfish or
prohibited species in the arrowtooth
flounder fishery that is reported or
estimated to be caught using observer
data will be subtracted from the TAC for
those species, and fisheries will be
closed by NMFS once those limits are
reached.
MRA compliance monitoring will
continue to be based on procedures at
§ 679.20(e), which estimate MRAs based
on production weights, converted by
standard product recovery rates to
round weight equivalent weights as
defined at § 679.2, and MRAs in Table
11 to 50 CFR Part 679. The final rule
does not revise MRA percentages from
the proposed rule, or otherwise revise
arrowtooth flounder or Kamchatka
flounder management in a manner that
requires changes to the recordkeeping
and reporting and MRA enforcement.
Classification
The Administrator, Alaska Region,
NMFS, determined that this final rule is
necessary for the conservation and
management of the groundfish fisheries
off Alaska and that it is consistent with
the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other
applicable laws.
Small Entity Compliance Guide
Section 212 of the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of
1996 states that, for each rule or group
of related rules for which an agency is
required to prepare a final regulatory
flexibility analysis (FRFA), the agency
shall publish one or more guides to
assist small entities in complying with
the rule, and shall designate such
publications as ‘‘small entity
compliance guides.’’ The agency shall
also explain the actions a small entity is
required to take to comply with a rule
or group of rules. The preamble to the
proposed rule and this final rule serve
as the small entity compliance guide.
This action does not require any
additional compliance from small
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entities that is not described in the
preamble. Copies of this final rule are
available from NMFS at the following
Web site: https://
alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with RULES
Executive Order 12866
This rule has been determined to be
not significant for purposes of Executive
Order 12866.
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
This FRFA incorporates the Initial
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA), a
summary of the significant issues raised
by the public comments, NMFS’
responses to those comments, and a
summary of the analyses completed to
support the action. NMFS published the
proposed rule on September 14, 2012
(77 FR 56789), with comments invited
through October 15, 2012. An IRFA was
prepared and summarized in the
‘‘Classification’’ section of the preamble
to the proposed rule. NMFS received no
comments to the IRFA. The description
of this action, its purpose, and its legal
basis are described in the preamble to
the proposed rule and are not repeated
here. The FRFA describes the impacts
on small entities, which are defined in
the IRFA for this action and not
repeated here. Analytical requirements
for the FRFA are described in the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA),
sections 604(a)(1) through (5), and
summarized below.
The FRFA must contain:
1. A succinct statement of the need
for, and objectives of, the rule;
2. A summary of the significant issues
raised by the public comments in
response to the initial regulatory
flexibility analysis, a summary of the
assessment of the agency of such issues,
and a statement of any changes made in
the proposed rule as a result of such
comments;
3. A description and an estimate of
the number of small entities to which
the rule will apply, or an explanation of
why no such estimate is available;
4. A description of the projected
reporting, recordkeeping, and other
compliance requirements of the rule,
including an estimate of the classes of
small entities which will be subject to
the requirement and the type of
professional skills necessary for
preparation of the report or record; and
5. A description of the steps the
agency has taken to minimize the
significant economic impact on small
entities consistent with the stated
objectives of applicable statutes,
including a statement of the factual,
policy, and legal reasons for selecting
the alternative adopted in the final rule
and why each one of the other
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significant alternatives to the rule
considered by the agency which affect
the impact on small entities was
rejected.
The ‘‘universe’’ of entities to be
considered in a FRFA generally
includes only those small entities that
can reasonably be expected to be
directly regulated by the final rule. If the
effects of the rule fall primarily on a
distinct segment of the industry, or
portion thereof (e.g., user group, gear
type, geographic area), that segment
would be considered the universe for
purposes of this analysis. In preparing a
FRFA, an agency may provide either a
quantifiable or numerical description of
the effects of a rule (and alternatives to
the rule), or more general descriptive
statements, if quantification is not
practicable or reliable.
Summary of Significant Issues Raised
During Public Comment
No comments were received that
raised significant issues in response to
the IRFA specifically or on the
economic impacts of the rule generally;
therefore, no changes were made to the
rule as a result of comments on the
IRFA.
Number and Description of Small
Entities Regulated by the Final Rule
NMFS estimated the number of small
versus large entities by matching the
gross earnings from all fisheries of
record for 2009 with the vessels, the
known ownership of those vessels, and
the known affiliations of those vessels
in the BSAI groundfish fisheries for that
year. Based on those earnings data, the
FRFA determined that there are 354
catcher vessels directly regulated by this
action that had gross earnings less than
$4.0 million, thus categorizing them as
small entities based on the threshold
that the Small Business Administration
uses to define small fishing entities. For
catcher/processors, 18 vessels had gross
earnings less than $4 million,
categorizing them as small entities. The
preferred alternative also affects the six
CDQ groups because it revises
regulations governing how allocations
are made to the CDQ Program of TAC
categories established by splitting
existing quota categories, as has
occurred with arrowtooth flounder and
Kamchatka flounder. Due to their status
as non-profit corporations, the CDQ
groups are also considered to be small
entities under the Regulatory Flexibility
Act.
Recordkeeping and Reporting
Recordkeeping and reporting
requirements will not change as a result
of the final rule. The action under
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consideration requires no reporting,
recordkeeping, or other compliance
requirements that differ from the status
quo.
Description of Significant Alternatives
to the Final Rule
The Council evaluated three
alternatives and three suboptions to
increase the MRAs of groundfish in the
arrowtooth flounder fishery in the BSAI.
Alternative 1, the status quo or no
action alternative, would leave the
MRAs for groundfish in the BSAI
arrowtooth flounder fishery unchanged
from current levels, and would continue
to require fishermen to discard
otherwise marketable groundfish.
Alternative 2 would set the MRAs for
groundfish using arrowtooth flounder as
a basis species at the same MRA levels
for groundfish using Pacific cod as a
basis species, with two suboptions to
modify the Greenland turbot MRA at 15
percent or 7 percent, and one suboption
to modify the ‘‘other species’’ group
MRA to 3 percent.
Alternative 3 would set the MRAs for
groundfish using arrowtooth flounder as
a basis species at the same MRA levels
for groundfish using flathead sole as a
basis species. The Council also
considered a suboption to Alternative 3
to change the MRA for Greenland turbot
using arrowtooth flounder as a basis
species to 15 percent.
To provide the opportunity to the
arrowtooth flounder trawl fishing
industry to reduce discards by allowing
increased retention of groundfish, the
Council recommended Alternative 2 as
the preferred alternative, with
suboptions to modify the MRA for
Greenland turbot and the ‘‘other
species’’ group. In the EA/RIR/IRFA for
this action, the preferred alternative
listed here has been designated as
Alternative 4. Alternative 2, combined
with these suboptions, increases MRAs
of groundfish closed to directed fishing
for arrowtooth flounder as the basis
species from zero percent to 20 percent
for pollock, Pacific cod, Atka mackerel,
Alaska plaice, yellowfin sole, other
flatfish, rock sole, flathead sole, and
squid; from zero percent to 7 percent for
Greenland turbot; from zero percent to
1 percent for sablefish; from zero
percent to 2 percent for shortraker and
rougheye rockfish (combined); from zero
percent to 5 percent for aggregated
rockfish; and from zero percent to 3
percent for the ‘‘other species’’ group
(consisting of skates, sharks, sculpins,
and octopus in the aggregate). The
Council recommended that the MRAs
for Greenland turbot and aggregated
‘‘other species’’ be based on the
approximate average incidental catch
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observed in the arrowtooth flounder
fishery between 2003 and 2009. A
Greenland turbot MRA of 7 percent
allows for increased retention of
Greenland turbot when arrowtooth
flounder is used as the basis species,
when Greenland turbot is closed to
directed fishing. Constraining the MRA
for Greenland turbot to 7 percent
instead of 15 percent may reduce the
amount of incidentally-caught
Greenland turbot in the Amendment 80
sector directed fishery for arrowtooth
flounder, allowing for a greater amount
of Greenland turbot to be available for
small entities in the longline fishery.
The longline fishery relies on access to
the Greenland turbot directed fishery.
The recommended MRA for ‘‘other
species’’ conserves the stocks that
comprise the ‘‘other species’’ group
while allowing for some retained catch
of these species in the arrowtooth
flounder fishery when the species that
comprise the ‘‘other species’’ group are
closed to directed fishing.
Alternative 3 would increase the
MRAs of groundfish closed to directed
fishing for arrowtooth flounder as the
basis species from zero percent to 20
percent for pollock, Pacific cod, Atka
mackerel, squid, and for the ‘‘other
species’’ group (skates, sharks, sculpins,
and octopus in the aggregate); from zero
percent to 35 percent for Alaska plaice,
yellowfin sole, other flatfish, flathead
sole, and Greenland turbot; from zero
percent to 15 percent for sablefish and
aggregated rockfish; and from zero
percent to 7 percent for shortraker and
rougheye rockfish (combined).
Under Alternative 3, the Council
recognized a greater potential for
development of fisheries that could
increase harvests of species and
adversely impact the ability of NMFS to
effectively manage several groundfish
species within the TAC, and therefore
did not recommend this alternative. In
general, the development of a fishery is
dependent upon a number of factors,
including, but not limited to, the price
of the MRA species, whether a market
exists, accessibility of the species,
storage availability, and processing
capacity. In addition, the potential for a
vessel to harvest a specific species
varies across vessels. A vessel operator
has more discretion to harvest specific
groundfish species if the operator has
the ability to limit incidental catch or
the ability to discard low-valued fish,
while targeting arrowtooth flounder.
Alternatives 2 and 3 would be
beneficial to the affected small entities
by providing an opportunity to retain
additional, economically valuable
groundfish species when arrowtooth
flounder is a basis species. Under
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14:57 May 17, 2013
Jkt 229001
Alternative 2, the benefits to small
entities would be slightly lower than
under Alternative 3. However,
Alternative 2 with suboptions 2.2 and
2.3 (the preferred alternative), that sets
the MRA for Greenland turbot at 7
percent and the MRA for the species
that comprise the ‘‘other species’’ group
at 3 percent, reduces unintended
impacts to the Greenland turbot directed
fishery more effectively and provides
greater protection for the species that
comprise the ‘‘other species’’ group than
does Alternative 3. Allowing a greater
amount of Greenland turbot retained
catch under Alternative 3 may result in
earlier closure of the Greenland turbot
directed fishery, as compared with
Alternative 2 with suboption 2.2. No
negative impacts on small entities are
associated with either Alternative 2 or 3.
Four additional amendments to the
regulations are implemented by this
action. The purposes of these
amendments are to provide MRA
management for Kamchatka flounder
that is identical to the MRA
management applied to arrowtooth
flounder; to coordinate fishing seasons;
to facilitate recordkeeping, reporting,
and catch accounting of Kamchatka
flounder as well as other flatfish species
and species groups; and to provide the
Council and NMFS greater flexibility in
the annual harvest specifications
process to allocate TAC (for such
species as Kamchatka flounder) to the
CDQ Program in the future. These
regulatory amendments are required to
manage Kamchatka flounder with the
same management measures that apply
to arrowtooth flounder because of the
close association of these two species in
the groundfish fisheries.
No negative impacts on small entities
are associated with these regulatory
amendments. Participants in the
Amendment 80 sector are the primary
entities that will be affected by this
action since only Amendment 80 sector
operators have developed markets for
arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka
flounder and have expressed interest in
retaining these two groundfish species.
Small entities are unlikely to be
disadvantaged by the opportunity to
retain valuable incidental catch that
would otherwise be discarded and made
unavailable to sell as a marketable
product.
Collection-of-Information Requirements
This rule contains no new or revisions
to a collection-of information subject to
the Paperwork Reduction Act.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 679
Alaska, Fisheries.
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Frm 00021
Fmt 4700
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29253
Dated: May 15, 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.
For the reasons set out in the
preamble, 50 CFR part 679 is amended
as follows:
PART 679—FISHERIES OF THE
EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF
ALASKA
1. The authority citation for part 679
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et
seq.; 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 108–447.
2. In § 679.20, remove paragraph
(b)(1)(ii)(E) and revise paragraph
(b)(1)(ii)(D) to read as follows:
■
§ 679.20
General limitations.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
(1) * * *
(ii) * * *
(D) CDQ reserves for other groundfish
species. (1) An amount equal to 10.7
percent of the BSAI TACs for Bering Sea
Greenland turbot and arrowtooth
flounder, and 7.5 percent of the trawl
gear allocation of sablefish in the BS
and AI is apportioned from the
nonspecified reserve established under
paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section to a
CDQ reserve for each of these species by
management area, subarea, or district.
(2) For all other groundfish species
not specifically listed in paragraphs
(b)(1)(ii)(A) through (b)(1)(ii)(D)(1) of
this section, an amount equal to 10.7
percent of the BSAI TAC will be
apportioned to a CDQ reserve if NMFS,
after consultation with the Council and
in consideration of public comment,
determines in the annual harvest
specifications process under paragraph
(c) of this section that a directed fishery
in the BSAI exists for this species under
section 305(i)(1)(B)(i) of the MagnusonStevens Act. In making this
determination, the Council and NMFS
shall consider whether sufficient TAC
exists to open a directed fishery for that
species in the BSAI and that this species
or species group is economically viable
for the CDQ group to target.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 3. In § 679.21, revise paragraph
(e)(3)(iv)(C) to read as follows:
§ 679.21 Prohibited species bycatch
management.
*
*
*
(e) * * *
(3) * * *
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*
*
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 97 / Monday, May 20, 2013 / Rules and Regulations
(iv) * * *
(C) Greenland turbot/arrowtooth
flounder/Kamchatka flounder/sablefish
fishery. Fishing with trawl gear during
any weekly reporting period that results
in a retained aggregate amount of
Greenland turbot, arrowtooth flounder,
Kamchatka flounder, and sablefish that
is greater than the retained amount of
any other fishery category defined under
this paragraph (e)(3)(iv).
*
*
*
*
*
■ 4. In § 679.23, revise paragraph (e)(1)
to read as follows:
§ 679.23
Seasons.
*
*
*
*
*
(e) * * *
(1) Directed fishing for arrowtooth
flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and
Greenland turbot. Directed fishing for
arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka
flounder, and Greenland turbot in the
BSAI is authorized from 1200 hours,
A.l.t., May 1 through 2400 hours, A.l.t.,
December 31, subject to the other
provisions of this part.
*
*
*
*
*
5. Revise Table 3 to part 679 to read
as follows:
■
TABLE 3 TO PART 679—PRODUCT RECOVERY RATES FOR GROUNDFISH SPECIES AND CONVERSION RATES FOR PACIFIC
HALIBUT
Product code
1, 41,
86, 92,
93, 95
Whole
fish
Species
code
110 ........
Pacific Cod ................................................
Flatfish other than Pacific Halibut .............
Thornyhead Rockfish .................................
Sculpins .....................................................
Atka Mackerel ............................................
Pollock .......................................................
Smelts ........................................................
Eulachon ....................................................
Capelin ......................................................
Sharks .......................................................
Skates ........................................................
Sablefish ....................................................
Octopus .....................................................
Squid .........................................................
Rockfish .....................................................
PACIFIC HALIBUT Conversion rates to
Net Weight.
3
Bled
4
Gutted
head on
5
Gutted
head off
6
H&G
with
roe
7
H&G
west
cut
8
H&G
east
cut
10
H&G
w/o
tail
11
Kirimi
12
Salted
&
Split
13
Wings
14
Roe
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
..............
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
0.98
..........
0.85
0.90
0.88
0.87
0.87
0.80
0.82
0.82
0.89
0.83
0.90
0.89
0.81
0.69
0.88
0.90
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
1.0
0.63
0.80
0.55
..........
0.67
0.70
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.57
0.72
0.60
0.50
0.64
0.65
0.71
0.71
0.78
0.72
..........
0.68
..........
..........
0.60
..........
0.47
0.65
0.50
0.40
0.61
0.56
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.32
0.63
..........
..........
0.50
..........
0.44
0.62
..........
..........
..........
0.50
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.50
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.48
..........
..........
..........
0.25
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.45
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.32
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.05
0.08
..........
..........
..........
0.07
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
FMP Species
143
160
193
270
510
511
516
........
........
........
........
........
........
........
710 ........
870 ........
875 ........
200 ........
TABLE 3 TO PART 679—PRODUCT RECOVERY RATES FOR GROUNDFISH SPECIES AND CONVERSION RATES FOR PACIFIC
HALIBUT
[Continued]
Product code
Species
code
FMP Species
15
Pectoral
girdle
16
Heads
17
Cheeks
18
Chins
19
Belly
20
Fillets
with
skin &
ribs
21
Fillets
with
skin
no
ribs
22
Fillets
with
ribs
no
skin
23
Fillets
skinless
boneless
24
Fillets
deep
skin
110 ........
Pacific Cod .....................................................
Flatfish other than Pacific Halibut ..................
Thornyhead Rockfish .....................................
Sculpins ..........................................................
Atka Mackerel .................................................
Pollock ............................................................
0.05
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.20
..........
..........
0.15
0.05
............
0.05
............
............
............
..........
..........
0.05
..........
..........
..........
0.01
..........
0.05
..........
..........
..........
0.45
0.32
0.40
..........
..........
0.35
0.35
0.27
0.30
..........
..........
0.30
0.25
0.27
0.35
..........
..........
0.30
0.25
0.22
0.25
..............
..............
0.21
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.16
Smelts .............................................................
Eulachon .........................................................
Capelin ...........................................................
Sharks ............................................................
Skates .............................................................
Sablefish .........................................................
Octopus ..........................................................
Squid ..............................................................
Rockfish ..........................................................
PACIFIC HALIBUT Conversion rates to Net
Weight.
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.15
..........
............
............
............
............
............
0.05
............
............
0.05
............
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.05
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.10
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.35
..........
..........
0.40
..........
0.38
..........
..........
0.30
..........
0.30
..........
..........
0.30
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.30
..........
0.30
..........
..........
0.33
..........
..............
..............
..............
0.25
..............
0.25
..............
..............
0.25
..............
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
143
160
193
270
........
........
........
........
510 ........
511 ........
516 ........
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710 ........
870 ........
875 ........
200 ........
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E:\FR\FM\20MYR1.SGM
20MYR1
30
Surimi
31
Mince
0.15
0.18
..........
..........
0.15
0.16 1
0.17 2
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.5
..........
..........
..........
..........
0.22
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
29255
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TABLE 3 TO PART 679—PRODUCT RECOVERY RATES FOR GROUNDFISH SPECIES AND CONVERSION RATES FOR PACIFIC
HALIBUT
[Continued]
Product code
Species
code
FMP Species
32
Meal
33
Oil
34
Milt
35
Stomachs
36
Mantles
37
Butterfly
backbone
removed
110 ........
Pacific Cod .......................................................................................
Flatfish other than Pacific Halibut ....................................................
Thornyhead Rockfish .......................................................................
Sculpins ...........................................................................................
Atka Mackerel ..................................................................................
Pollock .............................................................................................
Smelts ..............................................................................................
Eulachon ..........................................................................................
Capelin .............................................................................................
Sharks ..............................................................................................
Skates ..............................................................................................
Sablefish ..........................................................................................
Octopus ............................................................................................
Squid ................................................................................................
Rockfish ...........................................................................................
PACIFIC HALIBUT Conversion rates to Net Weight ......................
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
0.17
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
..........
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
0.85
0.75
................
................
0.43
................
................
................
................
0.43
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
................
143
160
193
270
510
511
516
........
........
........
........
........
........
........
710 ........
870 ........
875 ........
200 ........
1 Standard
88, 89
Infested
or decomposed
fish
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
98, 99
Discards
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.75
pollock surimi rate during January through June.
pollock surimi rate during July through December.
Notes: To obtain round weight of groundfish, divide the product weight of groundfish by the table PRR. To obtain IFQ net weight of Pacific halibut, multiply the
product weight of halibut by the table conversion rate. To obtain round weight from net weight of Pacific halibut, divide net weight by 0.75 or multiply by 1.33333.
2 Standard
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■ 6. Revise Table 11 to part 679 to read
as follows:
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Pollock
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
na
20
20
Species
17:11 May 17, 2013
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Other flatfish 2 .............................
Other rockfish 3 ...........................
Other species 4 ...........................
Aggregated amount non-groundfish species 8.
Atka
mackerel
20
20
20
20
na 5
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
na
20
20
20
Pacific
cod
35
20
20
20
20
20
20
35
35
35
na
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Alaska
plaice
35
35
35
35
35
na
20
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
ArrowTooth 9
35
35
35
35
35
20
na
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
35
Kamchatka
35
20
20
20
20
20
20
35
35
na
35
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Yellow
fin
sole
na
20
20
20
20
20
20
35
35
35
35
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Other
flatfish 2
35
20
20
20
20
20
20
35
na
35
35
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Rock
sole
35
20
20
20
20
20
20
na
35
35
35
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Flathead
sole
INCIDENTAL CATCH SPECIES
1
35
1
1
1
7
7
35
1
1
1
na
35
35
35
1
1
35
1
Green
land
turbot
TABLE 11 TO PART 679—BSAI RETAINABLE PERCENTAGES
1
15
1
1
1
1
1
15
1
1
1
15
15
15
15
1
1
na
1
Sable
fish 1
2
7
2
2
2
2
2
7
2
2
2
7
7
7
na
2
2
7
2
Shortraker/
rougheye
5
15
5
5
5
5
5
15
15
5
5
15
15
15
5
5
5
15
5
Aggregated
rockfish 6
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
na
Squid
Aggregated
forage
fish 7
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Fmt 4700
3 Other
2 Other
20
20
na
20
20
3
3
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Other
species 4
for fixed gear restrictions, see § 679.7(f)(3)(ii) and (f)(11).
flatfish includes all flatfish species, except for Pacific halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Alaska plaice, arrowtooth flounder, and Kamchatka flounder.
rockfish includes all ‘‘rockfish’’ as defined at § 679.2, except for Pacific ocean perch; and northern, shortraker, and rougheye rockfish.
4 The other species group includes sculpins, sharks, skates, and octopus.
5 na = not applicable
6 Aggregated rockfish includes all ‘‘rockfish’’ as defined at § 679.2, except shortraker and rougheye rockfish.
7 Forage fish are defined at Table 2c to this part.
8 All legally retained species of fish and shellfish, including CDQ halibut and IFQ halibut that are not listed as FMP groundfish in Tables 2a and 2c to this part.
1 Sablefish:
20
20
20
20
Pacific cod .................
Arrowtooth .................
Kamchatka .................
Flathead sole .............
Rock sole ...................
Yellowfin sole ............
Alaska Plaice .............
Greenland turbot .......
Northern .....................
Pacific Ocean perch ..
Shortraker/Rougheye
Atka mackerel ............
Pollock .......................
Sablefish 1 ..................
Squid .........................
110 .....
121 .....
117 .....
122 .....
123 .....
127 .....
133 .....
134 .....
136 .....
141 .....
152/151
193 .....
270 .....
710 .....
875 .....
Code
BASIS SPECIES
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[FR Doc. 2013–11953 Filed 5–17–13; 8:45 am]
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 97 (Monday, May 20, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29248-29257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-11953]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Doc. No. 101108560-3462-02]
RIN 0648-BA43
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Revise
Maximum Retainable Amounts of Groundfish Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS issues a regulation to increase the maximum retainable
amounts (MRAs) of groundfish using arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes
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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Hartman, 907-586-7228 or Tom
Pearson, 907-481-1780.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
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.
[[Page 29249]]
Regulations at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f), and Table 11 to 50 CFR part
679 establish MRA percentages for groundfish species and species
groups. An MRA is the maximum round weight of a species or species
group closed to directed fishing that may be retained onboard a vessel.
NMFS established MRAs to allow vessels engaged in fishing for species
or species groups open to directed fishing (basis species) to retain a
specified amount of species or species group closed to directed
fishing. The percentage of a species or species group closed to
directed fishing retained in relation to the basis species must not
exceed the MRAs listed in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.
MRA percentages serve as a management tool to slow harvest rates
and reduce the incentive for targeting species closed to directed
fishing. MRAs allow for some retention of species closed to directed
fishing instead of requiring that catch of all species closed to
directed fishing be discarded. MRA percentages reflect a balance
between the recognized need to slow harvest rates and minimize the
potential for discards, and, in some cases, provide an increased
opportunity to harvest available total allowable catch (TAC) through
limited retention.
The Department of Commerce, NOAA Office for Law Enforcement or the
United States Coast Guard, District 17, Enforcement Branch may review
production data to determine if vessels have complied with specified
MRAs by comparing the estimated round weight of the retained species
closed to directed fishing with the estimated round weight of all
retained basis species. The amount of round weight equivalent (defined
at Sec. 679.2) of each retained species must not exceed the MRA, a
specified percentage, of the round weight of a basis species. For
example, when Pacific cod is open to directed fishing and arrowtooth
flounder is closed to directed fishing, a vessel operator may retain a
round weight equivalent amount of arrowtooth flounder of up to 35
percent of the round weight equivalent of Pacific cod that is retained
onboard the vessel. In this example, all incidental catch of arrowtooth
flounder in excess of the 35 percent MRA, from Table 11 to 50 CFR part
679, must be discarded.
MRAs for Groundfish in Arrowtooth Flounder Directed Fishery
The Council recognized that efforts by the non-pelagic trawl fleet
to improve retention of groundfish species in the BSAI arrowtooth
flounder fishery are constrained by the current zero MRAs for
groundfish where arrowtooth flounder is a basis species. Arrowtooth
flounder has become an important species for some non-pelagic trawl
vessels to retain and process. Specifically, arrowtooth flounder is
harvested and processed by non-pelagic trawl catcher/processor vessels
operating in non-pollock fisheries in the BSAI, more commonly known as
the Amendment 80 sector (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). While this
species is occasionally caught incidentally by other gear and operation
type, they are typically discarded and not retained or processed.
In October 2010, the Council recommended setting the MRAs for BSAI
groundfish using arrowtooth flounder as the basis species at the same
MRA percentages as those set for BSAI groundfish using Pacific cod as a
basis species with two exceptions (Greenland turbot and the ``other
species'' group). The EA/RIR prepared for this action demonstrates that
the MRAs listed in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679 for groundfish caught in
the Pacific cod directed fishery represent a conservative guide for
managing incidental catch in the arrowtooth flounder fishery. MRAs for
groundfish species in the Pacific cod directed fishery are lower than
the MRAs for a number of groundfish species that are commonly caught by
the non-pelagic trawl fleet in other directed flatfish fisheries.
The Council recommended that the MRAs for Greenland turbot in the
arrowtooth flounder directed fishery be based on the approximate
average incidental catch of Greenland turbot in those fisheries between
2003 and 2009 because average gross earnings per pound of retained
arrowtooth flounder increased during that time. The Council recommended
that the MRAs for the aggregated ``other species'' group (skates,
sharks, sculpins, and octopus) caught in the arrowtooth flounder
fishery also be based on the approximate average incidental catch
observed between 2003 and 2009. The Council intends these MRA
modifications to allow vessels fishing in the arrowtooth flounder and/
or Kamchatka flounder fisheries some retention of incidentally-caught
Greenland turbot and ``other species'' if Greenland turbot and ``other
species'' are closed to directed fishing.
Prior Management Actions on Groundfish in Arrowtooth Flounder and
Kamchatka Flounder Directed Fisheries
Prior to 2011, arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder were
managed together with a single overfishing level (OFL), acceptable
biological catch (ABC), and TAC in the BSAI. Arrowtooth flounder and
Kamchatka flounder are caught at the same time in the non-pelagic trawl
fishery, and are often difficult to distinguish from each other.
Throughout most of the BSAI, however, Kamchatka flounder are less
abundant than arrowtooth flounder. As the directed fishery for
arrowtooth flounder and market prices for Kamchatka flounder have
increased, Kamchatka flounder in the arrowtooth flounder fishery has
been caught in disproportionately greater amounts relative to Kamchatka
flounder biomass estimates. In 2010, the Council recommended that
separate OFLs, ABCs, and TACs be established for arrowtooth flounder
and Kamchatka flounder to protect the stock of Kamchatka flounder (76
FR 11139, March 1, 2011). The impacts of the harvest strategies and
resulting TAC amounts were analyzed in the 2007 Alaska Groundfish
Harvest Final Specifications Environmental Impact Statement available
at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. For purposes of MRA compliance,
Kamchatka flounder was grouped with ``other flatfish'' (see footnote 2
to Table 11 to part 50 CFR 679), and arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka
flounder were assigned different MRAs.
Revisions to MRAs and Prohibited Species Catch
This rule revises Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679 to increase the MRAs
for groundfish species and species groups closed to directed fishing
using arrowtooth flounder as the basis species from zero percent to 20
percent for pollock, Pacific cod, Atka mackerel, Alaska plaice,
yellowfin sole, other flatfish, rock sole, flathead sole, and squid;
from zero percent to 7 percent for Greenland turbot; from zero percent
to 1 percent for sablefish; from zero percent to 2 percent for
shortraker rockfish and rougheye rockfish (combined); from zero percent
to 5 percent for aggregated rockfish; from zero percent to 7 percent
for Greenland turbot; and from zero percent to 3 percent for the
``other species'' group.
This rule revises Table 11 to eliminate language that is no longer
relevant because of revisions implemented through prior actions. NMFS
moves Kamchatka flounder from ``other flatfish'' to the arrowtooth
flounder category in Table 11 to 50 CFR part 679. NMFS revises footnote
4, which defines ``other species,'' to remove the sentence ``Forage
fish, as defined at Table 2c to this part are not included in the
`other species' category.'' This revision eliminates an unnecessary
clarification
[[Page 29250]]
because capelin, eulachon, and smelt were removed from ``other
species'' category and placed in a forage fish species category in 1998
(63 FR 13009, March 17, 1998). This revision eliminates a potential
source of confusion for the entities subject to this rule who are
required to use the revised Table 11 to comply with groundfish MRAs.
Management Measures
Three additional regulatory amendments provide for the identical
MRA, PSC, and harvest management measures for arrowtooth flounder and
Kamchatka flounder. These amendments are necessary to facilitate
recordkeeping, reporting, and catch accounting of arrowtooth flounder
and Kamchatka flounder and would ensure consistent timing of the
harvest of these two species. A fourth amendment is necessary to
clarify how NMFS will determine whether to allocate a portion of a new
TAC category to the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ)
program.
The first amendment revises Sec. 679.21(e)(3)(iv)(C) to include
Kamchatka flounder in the same trawl fishery category for PSC
management as arrowtooth flounder. This revision is necessary because
arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder are harvested in a mixed
groundfish fishery in which vessels typically encounter similar PSC
species.
The second amendment establishes identical seasonal opening dates
for arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder, and is necessary to
manage the Kamchatka flounder fishery in the same time period as the
arrowtooth flounder fishery. Arrowtooth and Kamchatka flounder have
historically been managed together because they are mixed-stock species
and are often targeted together. Initiating the fishing season for
these two species on different dates would cause significant management
difficulties and therefore NMFS establishes concurrent seasonal
management. This rule revises the BSAI groundfish seasons at Sec.
679.23(e)(1) to include Kamchatka flounder with arrowtooth flounder and
Greenland turbot so that the season for all these species would open on
May 1.
The third amendment revises Table 3 to 50 CFR part 679, which lists
the product recovery rates (PRR) for groundfish species and conversion
rates for Pacific halibut. These revisions consolidate the eight
flatfish species (including Kamchatka flounder) in Table 3 to 50 CFR
part 679 into a single row, and apply identical PRRs to these eight
flatfish species. This consolidation of flatfish into one row would
simplify Table 3 and is necessary to facilitate recordkeeping,
reporting, and MRA determination. Currently, identical PRRs are listed
in Table 3 to 50 CFR part 679 for these eight individual species of
flatfish, with the exception of yellowfin sole, which is also listed as
having a PRR for surimi. This rule establishes one surimi PRR for all
the species within the consolidated flatfish category because the
similar morphology of the species within this category is likely to
produce a similar proportion of utilized surimi product. This rule uses
the surimi PRR currently listed for yellowfin sole for the consolidated
flatfish category. If the consolidated flatfish category was not
assigned a PRR for surimi, compliance with MRAs could not be determined
for this product form.
The fourth amendment revises Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii) to explain how
NMFS will determine whether to allocate a portion of a new TAC category
to the CDQ Program in the annual harvest specifications. NMFS
implemented the current regulations Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii) in the final
rule for Amendment 80 to the FMP (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007).
These regulations state that if the groundfish harvest specifications
change a TAC category allocated to a CDQ reserve by combining or
splitting a species, species group, or management area, then the same
percentage of the TAC apportioned to a CDQ reserve in Sec. 679.20
(b)(1)(ii)(A) through (D) will apply to the new TAC category. However,
section 305(i)(1)(B)(ii)(II) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act addresses
allocations to the CDQ Program and provides more specific guidance,
namely, ``the allocation under the (CDQ) program in any directed
fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (other than a fishery
for halibut, sablefish, pollock, and crab) established after the date
of enactment of this subclause shall be a total allocation (directed
and nontarget combined) of 10.7 percent.'' In the final 2007 and 2008
harvest specifications for groundfish of the BSAI (72 FR 9451, March 2,
2007), NMFS explained our determination that the term ``directed
fishery'' for purposes of section 305(i)(1) of the MSA means a fishery
for which sufficient TAC exists to open a directed fishery for that
species or species group and that this fishery is economically valuable
enough for the CDQ groups to target.
The creation of a new TAC category for Kamchatka flounder required
NMFS, in the final 2011 and 2012 harvest specifications for groundfish
of the BSAI (76 FR 11139, March 1, 2011), to determine if Kamchatka
flounder was a ``directed fishery'' for purposes of the CDQ Program. If
NMFS determined it was a directed fishery, 10.7 percent of the
Kamchatka flounder TAC would be allocated to the CDQ Program. As
described in more detail in the final 2011 and 2012 harvest
specifications, NMFS determined that Kamchatka flounder was not a
``directed fishery'' for purposes of the CDQ Program. This rule amends
Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii) to explain how this determination will be made
in future harvest specifications should new TAC categories be created.
Specifically, this rule revises regulations at Sec.
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) and removes regulations at Sec.
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(E) that govern CDQ allocations for TAC categories that
are established when one species or species group is split from an
existing species or species group to form a new TAC category. The
species specifically allocated to the CDQ Program in 50 CFR part 679
are pollock, sablefish, the ``Amendment 80'' species (Aleutian Islands
Pacific ocean perch, Pacific cod, Atka mackerel, yellowfin sole, rock
sole, and flathead sole), Bering Sea Greenland turbot, and arrowtooth
flounder. Paragraph (D)(2) is added to Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(ii) to state
that, for all other groundfish species not specifically listed in Sec.
679.20(b)(1)(ii)(A) through (D)(1), an amount equal to 10.7 percent of
the BSAI TAC would be apportioned to a CDQ reserve if NMFS, after
consultation with the Council, determines in the annual harvest
specifications that a directed fishery in the BSAI exists for this
species under section 305(i)(1)(B)(i) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Thus, in determining that a directed fishery exists in the BSAI and
whether the fishery is economically valuable enough for CDQ groups to
target, the Council and NMFS would consider whether sufficient TAC
exists to open a directed fishery for that species in the BSAI and
determine through public comment submitted by CDQ groups whether CDQ
groups are likely to conduct directed fishing for that species.
Response to Comments
NMFS received one letter of comment on the proposed rule from the
Alaska Seafood Cooperative. A summary of that comment and NMFS's
response follows.
Comment 1: The commenter supports the proposed rule, as a way to
decrease bycatch in the arrowtooth and Kamchatka flounder fisheries,
increase value within those fisheries, and increase vessels' ability to
achieve optimum yield. The commenter also recommends one revision to
the proposed rule.
[[Page 29251]]
NMFS proposed that to reduce confusion regarding MRA compliance for
thenon-pelagic trawl vessels (Amendment 80 sector), should either
arrowtooth flounder or Kamchatka flounder close to directed fishing,
then neither arrowtooth flounder nor Kamchatka flounder could be used
as a basis species for the retention of groundfish in the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands. NOAA Fisheries proposed this provision because
Arrowtooth and Kamchatka flounder are morphologically similar and can
only be distinguished by gill rakers. Once headed and gutted at sea,
the two species are indistinguishable, creating reporting and
enforcement challenges.
The commenter stated that since 2011, when the Kamchatka flounder
fishery has been open to directed fishing, participants in the
Amendment 80 sector have cooperated with the NOAA Office for Law
Enforcement to comply with MRA accounting requirements despite
arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatcka flounder species identification
issues, allowing for groundfish to be retained up to the MRA when
Kamchatka flounder is open to directed fishing. Under current
regulations, BSAI vessels retain arrowtooth flounder and other
groundfish species up to the MRA when ``other species'' (including
Kamchatka flounder) is open to directed fishing based on official NMFS
observer sampling of arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder catch.
Arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder are recorded in the E-
landings production report according to the ratio of each species
within the observer's sample for each haul. NOAA Office for Law
Enforcement would be able to verify compliance with MRAs by reviewing
the amount of each species reported in the E-landings production
report, and may assess if the retained catch of either arrowtooth
flounder or Kamchatka flounder exceeded the MRA in Table 11. The
commenter stated that since arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder
have developed into viable fisheries, having the ability to retain non-
target species against them will allow the Amendment 80 sector to
further improve the groundfish retention obligations.
The commenter suggests that nothing in the proposed regulation
would require a different MRA accounting methodology.
To maintain consistency throughout Table 11 and avoid confusion to
the public, the commenter recommends removing proposed footnote 9 in
Table 11 and adding a separate row and column designating arrowtooth
flounder and Kamchatka flounder in Table 11. This change would provide
for separate MRA accounting for these two flounder species. The
commenter also requests that if NMFS is unable to remove footnote 9 to
Table 11, an editing improvement for Table 11 would be to list
Kamchatka flounder in the same row and column as arrowtooth flounder.
Response: NMFS agrees with this comment, and revises the final rule
to remove footnote 9 to Table 11, and add a separate row and column
designating arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder in Table 11.
NMFS believes this revision is consistent with the intent of the
proposed rule to reduce regulatory discards. This change will allow
separate MRAs for groundfish caught incidentally to arrowtooth flounder
and Kamchatka flounder. The NOAA Office for Law Enforcement verifies
that the Amendment 80 sector's current application of observer catch
composition data for MRA accounting is an effective method for
distinguishing between arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder, and
for ensuring that MRAs for arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder
are not exceeded. NOAA Office for Law Enforcement verifies that the
observer composition ratio of Kamchatka flounder to arrowtooth flounder
is used to determine the amount of Kamchatka flounder and arrowtooth
flounder that may be retained and that this method ensures that the
aggregate retained Kamchatka flounder and arrowtooth flounder does not
exceed the aggregate of 100 percent of the basis species and up to the
MRA for the incidentally-caught species. Other groundfish fishery
participants are not currently expected to retain these two species,
and MRA compliance for these two species of flatfish has not been an
issue for other gear and operation types in the BSAI.
During 2011 the Amendment 80 sector successfully utilized this
method for individual species-level MRA accounting for arrowtooth
flounder when arrowtooth flounder was closed to directed fishing and
Kamchatka flounder was open to directed fishing. A similar procedure is
applied in other Bering Sea target fisheries, and NMFS believes that
the non-pelagic trawl vessels that retain arrowtooth flounder or
Kamchatka flounder will have a strong incentive to constrain catch of
both species.
Revisions to the Proposed Rule in the Final Rule
In this final rule, NMFS has removed footnote 9 in Table 11 to Part
679, and listed arrowtooth flounder and Kamchatka flounder as separate
lines in each row and column of Table 11. This allows fishery
participants to use each species individually as a basis species should
one of them close to directed fishing.
This revision does not increase the total amount of any groundfish
species that may be harvested in the BSAI groundfish fisheries. Those
catch limits are established through the annual specifications process
and remain the limit on total catch. This regulatory amendment allows
greater retention of species caught incidentally in the BSAI arrowtooth
flounder and Kamchatka flounder fishery and is intended to reduce
regulatory discards and increase utilization of groundfish species
already caught. All catch of groundfish or prohibited species in the
arrowtooth flounder fishery that is reported or estimated to be caught
using observer data will be subtracted from the TAC for those species,
and fisheries will be closed by NMFS once those limits are reached.
MRA compliance monitoring will continue to be based on procedures
at Sec. 679.20(e), which estimate MRAs based on production weights,
converted by standard product recovery rates to round weight equivalent
weights as defined at Sec. 679.2, and MRAs in Table 11 to 50 CFR Part
679. The final rule does not revise MRA percentages from the proposed
rule, or otherwise revise arrowtooth flounder or Kamchatka flounder
management in a manner that requires changes to the recordkeeping and
reporting and MRA enforcement.
Classification
The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, determined that this final
rule is necessary for the conservation and management of the groundfish
fisheries off Alaska and that it is consistent with the Magnuson-
Stevens Act and other applicable laws.
Small Entity Compliance Guide
Section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness
Act of 1996 states that, for each rule or group of related rules for
which an agency is required to prepare a final regulatory flexibility
analysis (FRFA), the agency shall publish one or more guides to assist
small entities in complying with the rule, and shall designate such
publications as ``small entity compliance guides.'' The agency shall
also explain the actions a small entity is required to take to comply
with a rule or group of rules. The preamble to the proposed rule and
this final rule serve as the small entity compliance guide. This action
does not require any additional compliance from small
[[Page 29252]]
entities that is not described in the preamble. Copies of this final
rule are available from NMFS at the following Web site: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.
Executive Order 12866
This rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of
Executive Order 12866.
Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
This FRFA incorporates the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
(IRFA), a summary of the significant issues raised by the public
comments, NMFS' responses to those comments, and a summary of the
analyses completed to support the action. NMFS published the proposed
rule on September 14, 2012 (77 FR 56789), with comments invited through
October 15, 2012. An IRFA was prepared and summarized in the
``Classification'' section of the preamble to the proposed rule. NMFS
received no comments to the IRFA. The description of this action, its
purpose, and its legal basis are described in the preamble to the
proposed rule and are not repeated here. The FRFA describes the impacts
on small entities, which are defined in the IRFA for this action and
not repeated here. Analytical requirements for the FRFA are described
in the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), sections 604(a)(1) through
(5), and summarized below.
The FRFA must contain:
1. A succinct statement of the need for, and objectives of, the
rule;
2. A summary of the significant issues raised by the public
comments in response to the initial regulatory flexibility analysis, a
summary of the assessment of the agency of such issues, and a statement
of any changes made in the proposed rule as a result of such comments;
3. A description and an estimate of the number of small entities to
which the rule will apply, or an explanation of why no such estimate is
available;
4. A description of the projected reporting, recordkeeping, and
other compliance requirements of the rule, including an estimate of the
classes of small entities which will be subject to the requirement and
the type of professional skills necessary for preparation of the report
or record; and
5. A description of the steps the agency has taken to minimize the
significant economic impact on small entities consistent with the
stated objectives of applicable statutes, including a statement of the
factual, policy, and legal reasons for selecting the alternative
adopted in the final rule and why each one of the other significant
alternatives to the rule considered by the agency which affect the
impact on small entities was rejected.
The ``universe'' of entities to be considered in a FRFA generally
includes only those small entities that can reasonably be expected to
be directly regulated by the final rule. If the effects of the rule
fall primarily on a distinct segment of the industry, or portion
thereof (e.g., user group, gear type, geographic area), that segment
would be considered the universe for purposes of this analysis. In
preparing a FRFA, an agency may provide either a quantifiable or
numerical description of the effects of a rule (and alternatives to the
rule), or more general descriptive statements, if quantification is not
practicable or reliable.
Summary of Significant Issues Raised During Public Comment
No comments were received that raised significant issues in
response to the IRFA specifically or on the economic impacts of the
rule generally; therefore, no changes were made to the rule as a result
of comments on the IRFA.
Number and Description of Small Entities Regulated by the Final Rule
NMFS estimated the number of small versus large entities by
matching the gross earnings from all fisheries of record for 2009 with
the vessels, the known ownership of those vessels, and the known
affiliations of those vessels in the BSAI groundfish fisheries for that
year. Based on those earnings data, the FRFA determined that there are
354 catcher vessels directly regulated by this action that had gross
earnings less than $4.0 million, thus categorizing them as small
entities based on the threshold that the Small Business Administration
uses to define small fishing entities. For catcher/processors, 18
vessels had gross earnings less than $4 million, categorizing them as
small entities. The preferred alternative also affects the six CDQ
groups because it revises regulations governing how allocations are
made to the CDQ Program of TAC categories established by splitting
existing quota categories, as has occurred with arrowtooth flounder and
Kamchatka flounder. Due to their status as non-profit corporations, the
CDQ groups are also considered to be small entities under the
Regulatory Flexibility Act.
Recordkeeping and Reporting
Recordkeeping and reporting requirements will not change as a
result of the final rule. The action under consideration requires no
reporting, recordkeeping, or other compliance requirements that differ
from the status quo.
Description of Significant Alternatives to the Final Rule
The Council evaluated three alternatives and three suboptions to
increase the MRAs of groundfish in the arrowtooth flounder fishery in
the BSAI. Alternative 1, the status quo or no action alternative, would
leave the MRAs for groundfish in the BSAI arrowtooth flounder fishery
unchanged from current levels, and would continue to require fishermen
to discard otherwise marketable groundfish.
Alternative 2 would set the MRAs for groundfish using arrowtooth
flounder as a basis species at the same MRA levels for groundfish using
Pacific cod as a basis species, with two suboptions to modify the
Greenland turbot MRA at 15 percent or 7 percent, and one suboption to
modify the ``other species'' group MRA to 3 percent.
Alternative 3 would set the MRAs for groundfish using arrowtooth
flounder as a basis species at the same MRA levels for groundfish using
flathead sole as a basis species. The Council also considered a
suboption to Alternative 3 to change the MRA for Greenland turbot using
arrowtooth flounder as a basis species to 15 percent.
To provide the opportunity to the arrowtooth flounder trawl fishing
industry to reduce discards by allowing increased retention of
groundfish, the Council recommended Alternative 2 as the preferred
alternative, with suboptions to modify the MRA for Greenland turbot and
the ``other species'' group. In the EA/RIR/IRFA for this action, the
preferred alternative listed here has been designated as Alternative 4.
Alternative 2, combined with these suboptions, increases MRAs of
groundfish closed to directed fishing for arrowtooth flounder as the
basis species from zero percent to 20 percent for pollock, Pacific cod,
Atka mackerel, Alaska plaice, yellowfin sole, other flatfish, rock
sole, flathead sole, and squid; from zero percent to 7 percent for
Greenland turbot; from zero percent to 1 percent for sablefish; from
zero percent to 2 percent for shortraker and rougheye rockfish
(combined); from zero percent to 5 percent for aggregated rockfish; and
from zero percent to 3 percent for the ``other species'' group
(consisting of skates, sharks, sculpins, and octopus in the aggregate).
The Council recommended that the MRAs for Greenland turbot and
aggregated ``other species'' be based on the approximate average
incidental catch
[[Page 29253]]
observed in the arrowtooth flounder fishery between 2003 and 2009. A
Greenland turbot MRA of 7 percent allows for increased retention of
Greenland turbot when arrowtooth flounder is used as the basis species,
when Greenland turbot is closed to directed fishing. Constraining the
MRA for Greenland turbot to 7 percent instead of 15 percent may reduce
the amount of incidentally-caught Greenland turbot in the Amendment 80
sector directed fishery for arrowtooth flounder, allowing for a greater
amount of Greenland turbot to be available for small entities in the
longline fishery. The longline fishery relies on access to the
Greenland turbot directed fishery. The recommended MRA for ``other
species'' conserves the stocks that comprise the ``other species''
group while allowing for some retained catch of these species in the
arrowtooth flounder fishery when the species that comprise the ``other
species'' group are closed to directed fishing.
Alternative 3 would increase the MRAs of groundfish closed to
directed fishing for arrowtooth flounder as the basis species from zero
percent to 20 percent for pollock, Pacific cod, Atka mackerel, squid,
and for the ``other species'' group (skates, sharks, sculpins, and
octopus in the aggregate); from zero percent to 35 percent for Alaska
plaice, yellowfin sole, other flatfish, flathead sole, and Greenland
turbot; from zero percent to 15 percent for sablefish and aggregated
rockfish; and from zero percent to 7 percent for shortraker and
rougheye rockfish (combined).
Under Alternative 3, the Council recognized a greater potential for
development of fisheries that could increase harvests of species and
adversely impact the ability of NMFS to effectively manage several
groundfish species within the TAC, and therefore did not recommend this
alternative. In general, the development of a fishery is dependent upon
a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the price of the
MRA species, whether a market exists, accessibility of the species,
storage availability, and processing capacity. In addition, the
potential for a vessel to harvest a specific species varies across
vessels. A vessel operator has more discretion to harvest specific
groundfish species if the operator has the ability to limit incidental
catch or the ability to discard low-valued fish, while targeting
arrowtooth flounder.
Alternatives 2 and 3 would be beneficial to the affected small
entities by providing an opportunity to retain additional, economically
valuable groundfish species when arrowtooth flounder is a basis
species. Under Alternative 2, the benefits to small entities would be
slightly lower than under Alternative 3. However, Alternative 2 with
suboptions 2.2 and 2.3 (the preferred alternative), that sets the MRA
for Greenland turbot at 7 percent and the MRA for the species that
comprise the ``other species'' group at 3 percent, reduces unintended
impacts to the Greenland turbot directed fishery more effectively and
provides greater protection for the species that comprise the ``other
species'' group than does Alternative 3. Allowing a greater amount of
Greenland turbot retained catch under Alternative 3 may result in
earlier closure of the Greenland turbot directed fishery, as compared
with Alternative 2 with suboption 2.2. No negative impacts on small
entities are associated with either Alternative 2 or 3.
Four additional amendments to the regulations are implemented by
this action. The purposes of these amendments are to provide MRA
management for Kamchatka flounder that is identical to the MRA
management applied to arrowtooth flounder; to coordinate fishing
seasons; to facilitate recordkeeping, reporting, and catch accounting
of Kamchatka flounder as well as other flatfish species and species
groups; and to provide the Council and NMFS greater flexibility in the
annual harvest specifications process to allocate TAC (for such species
as Kamchatka flounder) to the CDQ Program in the future. These
regulatory amendments are required to manage Kamchatka flounder with
the same management measures that apply to arrowtooth flounder because
of the close association of these two species in the groundfish
fisheries.
No negative impacts on small entities are associated with these
regulatory amendments. Participants in the Amendment 80 sector are the
primary entities that will be affected by this action since only
Amendment 80 sector operators have developed markets for arrowtooth
flounder and Kamchatka flounder and have expressed interest in
retaining these two groundfish species. Small entities are unlikely to
be disadvantaged by the opportunity to retain valuable incidental catch
that would otherwise be discarded and made unavailable to sell as a
marketable product.
Collection-of-Information Requirements
This rule contains no new or revisions to a collection-of
information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 679
Alaska, Fisheries.
Dated: May 15, 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.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 679 is amended
as follows:
PART 679--FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA
0
1. The authority citation for part 679 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.;
Pub. L. 108-447.
0
2. In Sec. 679.20, remove paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(E) and revise paragraph
(b)(1)(ii)(D) to read as follows:
Sec. 679.20 General limitations.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
(1) * * *
(ii) * * *
(D) CDQ reserves for other groundfish species. (1) An amount equal
to 10.7 percent of the BSAI TACs for Bering Sea Greenland turbot and
arrowtooth flounder, and 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocation of
sablefish in the BS and AI is apportioned from the nonspecified reserve
established under paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section to a CDQ reserve
for each of these species by management area, subarea, or district.
(2) For all other groundfish species not specifically listed in
paragraphs (b)(1)(ii)(A) through (b)(1)(ii)(D)(1) of this section, an
amount equal to 10.7 percent of the BSAI TAC will be apportioned to a
CDQ reserve if NMFS, after consultation with the Council and in
consideration of public comment, determines in the annual harvest
specifications process under paragraph (c) of this section that a
directed fishery in the BSAI exists for this species under section
305(i)(1)(B)(i) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. In making this
determination, the Council and NMFS shall consider whether sufficient
TAC exists to open a directed fishery for that species in the BSAI and
that this species or species group is economically viable for the CDQ
group to target.
* * * * *
0
3. In Sec. 679.21, revise paragraph (e)(3)(iv)(C) to read as follows:
Sec. 679.21 Prohibited species bycatch management.
* * * * *
(e) * * *
(3) * * *
[[Page 29254]]
(iv) * * *
(C) Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka flounder/
sablefish fishery. Fishing with trawl gear during any weekly reporting
period that results in a retained aggregate amount of Greenland turbot,
arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder, and sablefish that is greater
than the retained amount of any other fishery category defined under
this paragraph (e)(3)(iv).
* * * * *
0
4. In Sec. 679.23, revise paragraph (e)(1) to read as follows:
Sec. 679.23 Seasons.
* * * * *
(e) * * *
(1) Directed fishing for arrowtooth flounder, Kamchatka flounder,
and Greenland turbot. Directed fishing for arrowtooth flounder,
Kamchatka flounder, and Greenland turbot in the BSAI is authorized from
1200 hours, A.l.t., May 1 through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31,
subject to the other provisions of this part.
* * * * *
0
5. Revise Table 3 to part 679 to read as follows:
Table 3 to Part 679--Product Recovery Rates for Groundfish Species and Conversion Rates for Pacific Halibut
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product code
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1, 41,
Species code FMP Species 86, 92, 6 H&G 7 H&G 8 H&G 10 H&G 12
93, 95 3 Bled 4 Gutted 5 Gutted with west east w/o 11 Salted 13 14 Roe
Whole head on head off roe cut cut tail Kirimi & Wings
fish Split
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
110................... Pacific Cod............... 1.00 0.98 0.85 ........ 0.63 0.57 0.47 0.44 ...... 0.45 ...... 0.05
Flatfish other than 1.00 0.98 0.90 ........ 0.80 0.72 0.65 0.62 0.48 ...... ...... 0.08
Pacific Halibut.
143................... Thornyhead Rockfish....... 1.00 0.98 0.88 ........ 0.55 0.60 0.50 ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
160................... Sculpins.................. 1.00 0.98 0.87 ........ ...... 0.50 0.40 ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
193................... Atka Mackerel............. 1.00 0.98 0.87 ........ 0.67 0.64 0.61 ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
270................... Pollock................... 1.00 0.98 0.80 ........ 0.70 0.65 0.56 0.50 0.25 ...... ...... 0.07
510................... Smelts.................... 1.00 0.98 0.82 ........ ...... 0.71 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
511................... Eulachon.................. 1.00 0.98 0.82 ........ ...... 0.71 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
516................... Capelin................... 1.00 0.98 0.89 ........ ...... 0.78 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
Sharks.................... 1.00 0.98 0.83 ........ ...... 0.72 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
Skates.................... 1.00 0.98 0.90 ........ ...... ...... 0.32 ...... ...... ...... 0.32 ......
710................... Sablefish................. 1.00 0.98 0.89 ........ ...... 0.68 0.63 0.50 ...... ...... ...... ......
870................... Octopus................... 1.00 0.98 0.81 ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
875................... Squid..................... 1.00 0.98 0.69 ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
Rockfish.................. 1.00 0.98 0.88 ........ ...... 0.60 0.50 ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
200................... PACIFIC HALIBUT Conversion ........ ...... 0.90 1.0 ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
rates to Net Weight.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 3 to Part 679--Product Recovery Rates for Groundfish Species and Conversion Rates for Pacific Halibut
[Continued]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product code
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 21 22
Species code FMP Species 15 Fillets Fillets Fillets 23 24
Pectoral 16 17 18 19 with with with Fillets Fillets 30 31
girdle Heads Cheeks Chins Belly skin & skin no ribs no skinless deep Surimi Mince
ribs ribs skin boneless skin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
110.................. Pacific Cod.............. 0.05 ...... 0.05 ...... 0.01 0.45 0.35 0.25 0.25 ....... 0.15 0.5
Flatfish other than ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... 0.32 0.27 0.27 0.22 ....... 0.18 ......
Pacific Halibut.
143.................. Thornyhead Rockfish...... ........ 0.20 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.40 0.30 0.35 0.25 ....... ...... ......
160.................. Sculpins................. ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ....... ....... ....... ........ ....... ...... ......
193.................. Atka Mackerel............ ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ....... ....... ....... ........ ....... 0.15 ......
270.................. Pollock.................. ........ 0.15 ...... ...... ...... 0.35 0.30 0.30 0.21 0.16 0.16 0.22
\1\
0.17
\2\
510.................. Smelts................... ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ....... 0.38 ....... ........ ....... ...... ......
511.................. Eulachon................. ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ....... ....... ....... ........ ....... ...... ......
516.................. Capelin.................. ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ....... ....... ....... ........ ....... ...... ......
Sharks................... ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ....... 0.30 0.30 0.25 ....... ...... ......
Skates................... ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ....... ....... ....... ........ ....... ...... ......
710.................. Sablefish................ ........ ...... 0.05 ...... ...... 0.35 0.30 0.30 0.25 ....... ...... ......
870.................. Octopus.................. ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ....... ....... ....... ........ ....... ...... ......
875.................. Squid.................... ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ....... ....... ....... ........ ....... ...... ......
Rockfish................. ........ 0.15 0.05 0.05 0.10 0.40 0.30 0.33 0.25 ....... ...... ......
200.................. PACIFIC HALIBUT ........ ...... ...... ...... ...... ....... ....... ....... ........ ....... ...... ......
Conversion rates to Net
Weight.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 29255]]
Table 3 to Part 679--Product Recovery Rates for Groundfish Species and Conversion Rates for Pacific Halibut
[Continued]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product code
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
88, 89
Species code FMP Species 37 Infested
32 33 Oil 34 35 36 Butterfly or 98, 99
Meal Milt Stomachs Mantles backbone decomposed Discards
removed fish
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
110.......... Pacific Cod...... 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... 0.43 0.00 1.00
Flatfish other 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
than Pacific
Halibut.
143.......... Thornyhead 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
Rockfish.
160.......... Sculpins......... 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
193.......... Atka Mackerel.... 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
270.......... Pollock.......... 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... 0.43 0.00 1.00
510.......... Smelts........... 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
511.......... Eulachon......... 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
516.......... Capelin.......... 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
Sharks........... 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
Skates........... 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
710.......... Sablefish........ 0.17 ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
870.......... Octopus.......... 0.17 ...... ...... ......... 0.85 ......... 0.00 1.00
875.......... Squid............ 0.17 ...... ...... ......... 0.75 ......... 0.00 1.00
Rockfish......... ...... ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 1.00
200.......... PACIFIC HALIBUT ...... ...... ...... ......... ......... ......... 0.00 0.75
Conversion rates
to Net Weight.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Standard pollock surimi rate during January through June.
\2\ Standard pollock surimi rate during July through December.
Notes: To obtain round weight of groundfish, divide the product weight of groundfish by the table PRR. To obtain
IFQ net weight of Pacific halibut, multiply the product weight of halibut by the table conversion rate. To
obtain round weight from net weight of Pacific halibut, divide net weight by 0.75 or multiply by 1.33333.
0
6. Revise Table 11 to part 679 to read as follows:
[[Page 29256]]
Table 11 to Part 679--BSAI Retainable Percentages
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BASIS SPECIES INCIDENTAL CATCH SPECIES
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrow- Yellow Other Green Sable Short- Aggregated Aggregated Other
Code Species Pollock Pacific Atka Alaska Tooth Kam- fin flatfish Rock Flathead land fish raker/ rockfish Squid forage species
cod mackerel plaice \9\ chatka sole \2\ sole sole turbot \1\ rougheye \6\ fish \7\ \4\
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
110....... Pacific cod.............. 20 na \5\ 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 1 1 2 5 20 2 20
121....... Arrowtooth............... 20 20 20 20 na 20 20 20 20 20 7 1 2 5 20 2 3
117....... Kamchatka................ 20 20 20 20 20 na 20 20 20 20 7 1 2 5 20 2 3
122....... Flathead sole............ 20 20 20 35 35 35 35 35 35 na 35 15 7 15 20 2 20
123....... Rock sole................ 20 20 20 35 35 35 35 35 na 35 1 1 2 15 20 2 20
127....... Yellowfin sole........... 20 20 20 35 35 35 na 35 35 35 1 1 2 5 20 2 20
133....... Alaska Plaice............ 20 20 20 na 35 35 35 35 35 35 1 1 2 5 20 2 20
134....... Greenland turbot......... 20 20 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 na 15 7 15 20 2 20
136....... Northern................. 20 20 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 35 15 7 15 20 2 20
141....... Pacific Ocean perch...... 20 20 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 35 15 7 15 20 2 20
152/151... Shortraker/Rougheye...... 20 20 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 35 15 na 5 20 2 20
193....... Atka mackerel............ 20 20 na 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 1 1 2 5 20 2 20
270....... Pollock.................. na 20 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 1 1 2 5 20 2 20
710....... Sablefish \1\............ 20 20 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 35 na 7 15 20 2 20
875....... Squid.................... 20 20 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 1 1 2 5 na 2 20
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other flatfish \2\................... 20 20 20 35 35 35 35 na 35 35 1 1 2 5 20 2 20
Other rockfish \3\................... 20 20 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 35 15 7 15 20 2 20
Other species \4\.................... 20 20 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 1 1 2 5 20 2 na
Aggregated amount non-groundfish 20 20 20 20 35 35 20 20 20 20 1 1 2 5 20 2 20
species \8\.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Sablefish: for fixed gear restrictions, see Sec. 679.7(f)(3)(ii) and (f)(11).
\2\ Other flatfish includes all flatfish species, except for Pacific halibut (a prohibited species), flathead sole, Greenland turbot, rock sole, yellowfin sole, Alaska plaice, arrowtooth
flounder, and Kamchatka flounder.
\3\ Other rockfish includes all ``rockfish'' as defined at Sec. 679.2, except for Pacific ocean perch; and northern, shortraker, and rougheye rockfish.
\4\ The other species group includes sculpins, sharks, skates, and octopus.
\5\ na = not applicable
\6\ Aggregated rockfish includes all ``rockfish'' as defined at Sec. 679.2, except shortraker and rougheye rockfish.
\7\ Forage fish are defined at Table 2c to this part.
\8\ All legally retained species of fish and shellfish, including CDQ halibut and IFQ halibut that are not listed as FMP groundfish in Tables 2a and 2c to this part.
[[Page 29257]]
[FR Doc. 2013-11953 Filed 5-17-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P