Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, 49463-49464 [2014-19840]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 162 / Thursday, August 21, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
the Regional Administrator to close a
common pool Trimester Total
Allowable Catch (TAC) Area for a stock
when 90 percent of the Trimester TAC
is projected to be caught. In such cases,
the Trimester TAC Area for a stock
closes to all common pool vessels
fishing with gear capable of catching
that stock for the remainder of the
trimester. The fishing year 2014 (May 1,
2014, through April 30, 2015) common
pool sub-annual catch limit (sub-ACL)
for Georges Bank (GB) cod is 31.0 mt
and the Trimester 1 (May 1, 2014,
through August 31, 2014) TAC is 8.3 mt.
Based on the most recent data and
information, which include vessel trip
reports, dealer-reported landings, and
vessel monitoring system information,
we have determined that 118 percent of
the Trimester 1 TAC was caught as of
August 14, 2014. Because of the low
trimester catch limit and the rate at
which common pool vessel can harvest
GB cod, it was not possible to initiate
this action closer to the point at this 90
percent of the catch limit was harvested.
Therefore, effective August 18, 2014, the
GB cod Trimester TAC Area is closed
for the remainder of Trimester 1,
through August 31, 2014, to all common
pool vessels fishing with trawl gear,
sink gillnet gear, and longline/hook
gear. Effective August 21, 2014, it is
unlawful for common pool vessels to
fish for, harvest, possess, or land
regulated species or ocean pout in or
from the GB cod Trimester TAC Area.
The GB cod Trimester TAC Area
includes statistical areas 521, 522, 525,
and 561. The GB cod Trimester TAC
Area will reopen to common pool
vessels fishing with trawl, sink gillnet,
and longline/hook gear at the beginning
of Trimester 2, on September 1, 2014.
Any overages of a trimester TAC will
be deducted from Trimester 3, and any
overages of the common pool’s sub-ACL
at the end of the fishing year will be
deducted from the common pool’s subACL the following fishing year. Any
uncaught portion of the Trimester 1 and
Trimester 2 TAC will be carried over
into the next trimester. Any uncaught
portion of the common pool’s sub-ACL
may not be carried over into the
following fishing year. Weekly quota
monitoring reports for the common pool
fishery can be found on our Web site at:
https://www.nero.noaa.gov/ro/fso/
MultiMonReports.htm. We will continue
to monitor common pool catch through
vessel trip reports, dealer-reported
landings, vessel monitoring system
catch reports, and other available
information and, if necessary, we will
make additional adjustments to
common pool management measures.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:53 Aug 20, 2014
Jkt 232001
Classification
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 15, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–19830 Filed 8–18–14; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 131021878–4158–02]
RIN 0648–XD447
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of
Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.
AGENCY:
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Fmt 4700
NMFS is reallocating the
projected unused amount of Pacific cod
from vessels using jig gear, catcher
vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet
(18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using
hook-and-line gear, and catcher vessels
using trawl gear to catcher vessels less
than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA using
hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering
Sea and Aleutian Islands management
area. This action is necessary to allow
the 2014 total allowable catch of Pacific
cod to be harvested.
DATES: Effective August 19, 2014,
through 2400 hours, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Obren Davis, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI)
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands Management Area
(FMP) prepared by the North Pacific
Fishery Management Council under
authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act. Regulations governing fishing by
U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP
appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600
and 50 CFR part 679.
The 2014 Pacific cod total allowable
catch (TAC) specified for vessels using
jig gear in the BSAI is 1,474 metric tons
(mt) as established by the final 2014 and
2015 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (79 FR 12108,
March 4, 2014) and one inseason
adjustment (79 FR 6837, February 5,
2014).
The Administrator, Alaska Region,
NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has
determined that jig vessels will not be
able to harvest 1,373 mt of the
remaining 2014 Pacific cod TAC
allocated to those vessels under
§ 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(1). Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A),
NMFS apportions 1,373 mt of Pacific
cod to the annual amount specified for
catcher vessels less than 60 feet LOA
using hook-and-line or pot gear.
The 2014 Pacific cod TAC specified
for catcher vessels greater than or equal
to 60 feet LOA using hook-and-line gear
in the BSAI is 452 mt as established by
the final 2014 and 2015 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014). The
Regional Administrator has determined
that catcher vessels greater than or equal
to 60 feet LOA using hook-and-line gear
will not be able to harvest 427 mt of the
remaining 2014 Pacific cod TAC
allocated to those vessels under
§ 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(3). Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(iii)(A),
SUMMARY:
This action is required by 50 CFR part
648 and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
The Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, NOAA, finds good cause
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 5
U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive prior notice
and the opportunity for public comment
and the 30-day delayed effectiveness
period because it would be
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest.
The Trimester TAC Area closure is
required by regulation in order to
reduce the probability of the common
pool fishery exceeding its sub-ACL of
GB cod. Any overages of the common
pool’s sub-ACLs would undermine
conservation objectives and trigger the
implementation of accountability
measures that would have negative
economic impacts on common pool
vessels. The data and information
showing that GB cod had exceeded 90
percent of the Trimester 1 TAC for the
stock only became available recently.
The time necessary to provide for prior
notice and comment, and a 30-day delay
in effectiveness, would prevent NMFS
from implementing the necessary
Trimester TAC Area closure for GB cod
in a timely manner, which could
undermine management objectives of
the Northeast Multispecies Fishery
Management Plan, and cause negative
economic impacts to the common pool
fishery.
Sfmt 4700
49463
E:\FR\FM\21AUR1.SGM
21AUR1
49464
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 162 / Thursday, August 21, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
NMFS apportions 427 mt of Pacific cod
to catcher vessels less than 60 feet LOA
using hook-and-line or pot gear.
The 2014 Pacific cod TAC specified
for catcher vessels using trawl gear in
the BSAI is 50,107 mt as established by
the final 2014 and 2015 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014). The
Regional Administrator has determined
that catcher vessels using trawl gear will
not be able to harvest 2,000 mt of the
2014 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those
vessels under § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(9).
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 679.20(a)(7)(iii)(A), NMFS reallocates
2,000 mt of Pacific cod from catcher
vessels using trawl gear to catcher
vessels less than 60 feet LOA using
hook-and-line or pot gear.
The harvest specifications for Pacific
cod included in the final 2014 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014) and
inseason adjustment (79 FR 6837,
February 5, 2014) are revised as follows:
101 mt for vessels using jig gear, 25 mt
for catcher vessels greater than or equal
to 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:53 Aug 20, 2014
Jkt 232001
line gear, 48,107 mt for catcher vessels
using trawl gear, and 10,018 mt to
catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m)
LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear.
Classification
This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA), finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. This requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries
data in a timely fashion and would
delay the reallocation of Pacific cod
specified from other sectors to catcher
vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA
using hook-and-line or pot gear. Since
the fishery is currently open, it is
important to immediately inform the
industry as to the revised allocations.
Immediate notification is necessary to
PO 00000
Frm 00042
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
allow for the orderly conduct and
efficient operation of this fishery, to
allow the industry to plan for the fishing
season, and to avoid potential
disruption to the fishing fleet as well as
processors. NMFS was unable to
publish a notice providing time for
public comment because the most
recent, relevant data only became
available as of August 15, 2014.
The AA also finds good cause to
waive the 30-day delay in the effective
date of this action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3). This finding is based upon
the reasons provided above for waiver of
prior notice and opportunity for public
comment.
This action is required by § 679.20
and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 18, 2014.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–19840 Filed 8–18–14; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\21AUR1.SGM
21AUR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 162 (Thursday, August 21, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 49463-49464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19840]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 131021878-4158-02]
RIN 0648-XD447
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation
of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific
cod from vessels using jig gear, catcher vessels greater than or equal
to 60 feet (18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line gear,
and catcher vessels using trawl gear to catcher vessels less than 60
feet (18.3 meters) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering
Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to
allow the 2014 total allowable catch of Pacific cod to be harvested.
DATES: Effective August 19, 2014, through 2400 hours, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) according to the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area (FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act. Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in
accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50
CFR part 679.
The 2014 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) specified for
vessels using jig gear in the BSAI is 1,474 metric tons (mt) as
established by the final 2014 and 2015 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014) and one inseason
adjustment (79 FR 6837, February 5, 2014).
The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, (Regional Administrator)
has determined that jig vessels will not be able to harvest 1,373 mt of
the remaining 2014 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those vessels under
Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(1). Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A), NMFS apportions 1,373 mt of Pacific cod to the
annual amount specified for catcher vessels less than 60 feet LOA using
hook-and-line or pot gear.
The 2014 Pacific cod TAC specified for catcher vessels greater than
or equal to 60 feet LOA using hook-and-line gear in the BSAI is 452 mt
as established by the final 2014 and 2015 harvest specifications for
groundfish in the BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014). The Regional
Administrator has determined that catcher vessels greater than or equal
to 60 feet LOA using hook-and-line gear will not be able to harvest 427
mt of the remaining 2014 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those vessels
under Sec. 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(3). Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(a)(7)(iii)(A),
[[Page 49464]]
NMFS apportions 427 mt of Pacific cod to catcher vessels less than 60
feet LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear.
The 2014 Pacific cod TAC specified for catcher vessels using trawl
gear in the BSAI is 50,107 mt as established by the final 2014 and 2015
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (79 FR 12108, March
4, 2014). The Regional Administrator has determined that catcher
vessels using trawl gear will not be able to harvest 2,000 mt of the
2014 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those vessels under Sec.
679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(9). Therefore, in accordance with Sec.
679.20(a)(7)(iii)(A), NMFS reallocates 2,000 mt of Pacific cod from
catcher vessels using trawl gear to catcher vessels less than 60 feet
LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear.
The harvest specifications for Pacific cod included in the final
2014 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (79 FR 12108,
March 4, 2014) and inseason adjustment (79 FR 6837, February 5, 2014)
are revised as follows: 101 mt for vessels using jig gear, 25 mt for
catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using
hook-and-line gear, 48,107 mt for catcher vessels using trawl gear, and
10,018 mt to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-
and-line or pot gear.
Classification
This action responds to the best available information recently
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA (AA), finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set
forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and
would delay the reallocation of Pacific cod specified from other
sectors to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-
and-line or pot gear. Since the fishery is currently open, it is
important to immediately inform the industry as to the revised
allocations. Immediate notification is necessary to allow for the
orderly conduct and efficient operation of this fishery, to allow the
industry to plan for the fishing season, and to avoid potential
disruption to the fishing fleet as well as processors. NMFS was unable
to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most
recent, relevant data only became available as of August 15, 2014.
The AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the
effective date of this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This finding is
based upon the reasons provided above for waiver of prior notice and
opportunity for public comment.
This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: August 18, 2014.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-19840 Filed 8-18-14; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
