Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; “Other Rockfish” in the Aleutian Island Subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, 61263-61264 [2014-24159]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
commercial ACL is 60,371 lb (27,384
kg), round weight, and the recreational
ACL is 19,313 lb (8,760 kg), round
weight.
The temporary rule and this extension
also establish in-season AMs for
blueline tilefish to prevent these catch
limits from being exceeded. If
commercial landings for blueline
tilefish reach or are projected to reach
the commercial ACL, NMFS will file a
notification with the Office of the
Federal Register to close the commercial
sector for blueline tilefish for the
remainder of the fishing year. On and
after the effective date of such a
notification, all sale or purchase of
blueline tilefish is prohibited and
harvest or possession of blueline tilefish
in or from the South Atlantic EEZ is
limited to the bag and possession limit.
This bag and possession limit applies in
the South Atlantic on board a vessel for
which a valid Federal commercial or
charter vessel/headboat permit for
South Atlantic snapper-grouper has
been issued, without regard to where
such species were harvested, i.e., in
state or Federal waters. During the 2014
commercial fishing season, through
AMs implemented in the emergency
rule, NMFS closed the commercial
sector for blueline tilefish on June 23,
2014, when NMFS determined the
commercial ACL for blueline tilefish
was projected to be met (79 FR 35292,
June 20, 2014). The commercial sector
will reopen on January 1, 2015.
If recreational landings for blueline
tilefish reach or are projected to reach
the recreational ACL, NMFS will file a
notification with the Office of the
Federal Register to close the recreational
sector for blueline tilefish for the
remainder of the fishing year. On and
after the effective date of such
notification, the bag and possession
limit of blueline tilefish in or from the
South Atlantic EEZ would be zero. This
bag and possession limit would also
apply in the South Atlantic on board a
vessel for which a valid Federal
commercial or charter vessel/headboat
permit for South Atlantic snappergrouper has been issued, without regard
to where such species were harvested,
i.e., in state or Federal waters.
The Council requested an extension of
the temporary rule at its September
2014 meeting, and via an October 2,
2014, letter to NMFS, to ensure that
management measures remain in effect
for blueline tilefish to reduce
overfishing while more permanent
measures are developed through
Amendment 32 to the FMP. Section
305(c)(3)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act allows for emergency regulations to
be extended for one additional period of
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:20 Oct 09, 2014
Jkt 235001
186 days provided that the public has
had an opportunity to comment on the
emergency measures and the Council is
actively preparing a plan amendment to
address the overfishing on a permanent
basis. If approved, Amendment 32 is
scheduled to be implemented early in
the 2015 fishing year.
Comments and Responses
Section 305(c)(3)(B) of the MagnusonStevens Act requires that the public has
an opportunity to comment on
emergency measures after the regulation
is published and the Council is actively
preparing a plan amendment to address
overfishing on a permanent basis. NMFS
solicited public comments in the April
17, 2014, temporary rule but received no
comments on the temporary rule or the
emergency measures.
Classification
This action is issued pursuant to
section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act, 16 U.S.C. 1855(c). The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA), has determined that the
emergency measures this temporary rule
extends are based upon the best
scientific information available, are
necessary for the conservation and
management of the blueline tilefish
component of the snapper-grouper
fishery and are consistent with the
Magnuson-Stevens Act and other
applicable laws. The Council is
developing Amendment 32 to establish
long-term measures to end overfishing
of South Atlantic blueline tilefish.
Amendment 32, if approved, is not
expected to become effective until the
2015 fishing year.
This temporary rule has been
determined to be not significant for
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
Because prior notice and opportunity
for public comment are not required for
this rule by 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other
law, the analytical requirements of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601
et seq. are inapplicable. Accordingly, no
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is
required and none has been prepared.
The AA finds good cause to waive the
requirements to provide prior notice
and opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth in 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B). Providing prior notice
and opportunity for public comment on
this action would be contrary to the
public interest. This rule would
continue emergency measures
implemented by the April 17, 2014,
temporary rule, for not more than an
additional 186 days beyond the current
expiration date of October 14, 2014. The
conditions prompting the initial
temporary rule still remain, and more
PO 00000
Frm 00049
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
61263
permanent measures to be completed
through Amendment 32 have not yet
been approved or implemented. Failure
to extend these temporary measures,
would result in additional overfishing of
the South Atlantic blueline tilefish
stock, which is contrary to the public
interest and in violation of National
Standard 1 of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act.
For the reasons listed above, the AA
also finds good cause to waive the 30day delay in effectiveness of the action
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 6, 2014.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–24220 Filed 10–9–14; 8:45 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–XD537
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; ‘‘Other Rockfish’’ in
the Aleutian Island Subarea of 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 ‘‘other rockfish’’ in the Aleutian
Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary because
the 2014 total allowable catch (TAC) of
‘‘other rockfish’’ in the BSAI has been
reached.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local
time (A.l.t.), October 6, 2014, through
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh
Keaton, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI exclusive economic zone
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea
and Aleutian Islands (FMP) prepared by
the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council under authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\10OCR1.SGM
10OCR1
61264
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 197 / Friday, October 10, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
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 TAC of ‘‘other rockfish’’ in
the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI
is 473 metric tons (mt) as established by
the final 2014 and 2015 harvest
specifications for groundfish of the
BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014).
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS
(Regional Administrator), has
determined that the 2014 TAC of ‘‘other
rockfish’’ in the Aleutian Islands
subarea of the BSAI has been reached.
Therefore, NMFS is requiring that
‘‘other rockfish’’ caught in the Aleutian
Islands subarea of the BSAI be treated
as prohibited species in accordance
with § 679.21(b).
Classification
This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
from the fishery. The Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA
(AA), finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide prior notice and
opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth at 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest. This requirement is
impracticable and contrary to the public
interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries
data in a timely fashion and would
delay prohibiting the retention of ‘‘other
rockfish’’ in the Aleutian Islands
subarea of 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 October 3, 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 § 679.21 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 6, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–24159 Filed 10–6–14; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 131021878–4158–02]
RIN 0648–XD542
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Atka
Mackerel 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:
NMFS is reallocating the
projected unused amount of the 2014
Atka mackerel incidental catch
allowance (ICA) for the Bering Sea
subarea and Eastern Aleutian district
(BS/EAI) to the Amendment 80
cooperatives in the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary to allow
the 2014 total allowable catch of Atka
mackerel in the BSAI to be fully
harvested.
SUMMARY:
Effective October 9, 2014,
through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Whitney, 907–586–7269.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
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 Atka mackerel ICA for the
BS/EAI is 1,000 metric tons (mt) and
2014 Atka mackerel total allowable
catch allocated to the Amendment 80
cooperative is 16,419 mt as established
by the final 2014 and 2015 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014).
The Administrator, Alaska Region,
NMFS, has determined that 750 mt of
the Atka mackerel ICA for the BS/EAI
will not be harvested. Therefore, in
accordance with § 679.91(f), NMFS
reallocates 750 mt of Atka mackerel
from the BS/EAI ICA to the Amendment
80 cooperatives in the BSAI. In
accordance with § 679.91(f), NMFS will
reissue cooperative quota permits for
the reallocated Atka mackerel following
the procedures set forth in § 679.91(f)(3).
The harvest specifications for Atka
mackerel included in the harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014) are
revised as follows: 250 mt of Atka
mackerel for the BS/EAI ICA and 17,169
mt of Atka mackerel for the Amendment
80 cooperatives in the BS/EAI. Table 4
is correctly revised and republished in
its entirety as follows:
DATES:
TABLE 4—FINAL 2014 AND 2015 SEASONAL AND SPATIAL ALLOWANCES, GEAR SHARES, CDQ RESERVE, INCIDENTAL
CATCH ALLOWANCE, AND AMENDMENT 80 ALLOCATIONS OF THE BSAI ATKA MACKEREL TAC
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2014 Allocation by area
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Sector 1
Season 2 3 4
TAC ...........................
CDQ reserve .............
ICA ............................
Jig 6 ...........................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Eastern Aleutian District/
Bering Sea
n/a ....................
Total .................
A .......................
Critical Habitat 5
B .......................
Critical Habitat 5
Total .................
Total .................
18:24 Oct 09, 2014
Jkt 235001
21,652
2,317
1,158
n/a
1,158
n/a
250
92
PO 00000
Frm 00050
Central 5
2015 Allocation by area
Western
Aleutian
District
Aleutian
District
9,670
1,035
517
52
517
52
75
0
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
1,000
107
54
n/a
54
n/a
40
0
Eastern Aleutian District/
Bering Sea
21,769
2,329
1,165
n/a
1,165
n/a
1,000
92
E:\FR\FM\10OCR1.SGM
10OCR1
Central 5
Aleutian
District
9,722
1,040
520
52
520
52
75
0
Western
Aleutian
District
1,000
107
54
n/a
54
n/a
40
0
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 197 (Friday, October 10, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61263-61264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24159]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 131021878-4158-02]
RIN 0648-XD537
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; ``Other
Rockfish'' in the Aleutian Island Subarea of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention of ``other rockfish'' in the
Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2014 total
allowable catch (TAC) of ``other rockfish'' in the BSAI has been
reached.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 6, 2014,
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh Keaton, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan
for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (FMP) prepared by
the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
[[Page 61264]]
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 TAC of ``other rockfish'' in the Aleutian Islands subarea
of the BSAI is 473 metric tons (mt) as established by the final 2014
and 2015 harvest specifications for groundfish of the BSAI (79 FR
12108, March 4, 2014).
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(2), the Administrator, Alaska
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 2014 TAC
of ``other rockfish'' in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI has
been reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring that ``other rockfish''
caught in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI be treated as
prohibited species in accordance with Sec. 679.21(b).
Classification
This action responds to the best available information recently
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA (AA), finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior
notice and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set
forth at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest. This requirement is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest as it would prevent NMFS from
responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and
would delay prohibiting the retention of ``other rockfish'' in the
Aleutian Islands subarea of 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 October 3, 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 Sec. 679.21 and is
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: October 6, 2014.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-24159 Filed 10-6-14; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P