Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, 3916-3917 [2015-01302]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
3916
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 16 / Monday, January 26, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
Species
Vertebrate
population where
endangered or
threatened
Historic range
Common name
Scientific name
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Dated: January 9, 2015.
Stephen Guertin,
Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–01348 Filed 1–23–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 131021878–4158–02]
RIN 0648–XD728
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of
Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
AGENCY:
NMFS is reallocating the
projected unused amounts of the
Community Development Quota pollock
directed fishing allowances from the
Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering
Sea subarea. This action is necessary to
provide opportunity for harvest of the
SUMMARY:
*
Status
*
When
listed
*
2015 total allowable catch of pollock,
consistent with the goals and objectives
of the Fishery Management Plan for
Groundfish of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local
time (A.l.t.), January 26, 2015, until the
effective date of the final 2015 and 2016
harvest specifications for Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish,
unless otherwise modified or
superseded through publication of a
notification in the Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steve Whitney, 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 Management Area
(FMP) prepared by the North Pacific
Fishery Management Council (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.
In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the
portion of the 2015 pollock total
allowable catch (TAC) allocated to the
Community Development Quota (CDQ)
directed fishing allowance (DFA) is
1,900 metric tons (mt) as established by
the final 2014 and 2015 harvest
Critical
habitat
Special
rules
*
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014), and
as adjusted by an inseason adjustment
(80 FR 188, January 5, 2015).
As of January 15, 2015, the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator) has
determined that 1,900 mt of pollock
CDQ DFA in the Aleutian Islands
subarea will not be harvested.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS
reallocates 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ
DFA from the Aleutian Islands subarea
to the 2015 Bering Sea subarea
allocations. The 1,900 mt of pollock
CDQ DFA is added to the 2015 Bering
Sea CDQ DFA. As a result, the 2015
harvest specifications for pollock in the
Aleutian Islands subarea included in the
final 2014 and 2015 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014) are
revised as follows: 0 mt to CDQ DFA.
Furthermore, pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5),
Table 3 of the final 2014 and 2015
harvest specifications for groundfish in
the BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014),
as adjusted by the inseason adjustment
(80 FR 188, January 5, 2015), is revised
to make 2015 pollock allocations
consistent with this reallocation. This
reallocation results in adjustments to
the 2015 CDQ pollock allocations
established at § 679.20(a)(5).
TABLE 3—FINAL 2015 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2015 A season 1
Area and sector
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
A season DFA
Bering Sea subarea TAC 1 ......................................................
CDQ DFA .................................................................................
ICA 1 .........................................................................................
AFA Inshore .............................................................................
AFA Catcher/Processors 3 .......................................................
Catch by C/Ps ..................................................................
Catch by CVs 3 .................................................................
Unlisted C/P Limit 4 ...........................................................
AFA Motherships .....................................................................
Excessive Harvesting Limit 5 ....................................................
Excessive Processing Limit 6 ...................................................
Total Bering Sea DFA .............................................................
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC .................................................
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC 1 ...............................................
CDQ DFA .................................................................................
ICA ...........................................................................................
Aleut Corporation .....................................................................
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:58 Jan 23, 2015
Jkt 235001
2015 B season 1
2015 Allocations
PO 00000
Frm 00052
1,310,000
132,900
47,160
565,920
452,736
414,253
38,483
2,264
113,184
198,072
339,552
1,131,840
29,659
19,000
0
2,400
15,100
Fmt 4700
n/a
53,160
n/a
226,368
181,094
165,701
15,393
905
45,274
n/a
n/a
452,736
n/a
n/a
0
1,200
12,259
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\26JAR1.SGM
SCA harvest limit 2
n/a
37,212
n/a
158,458
126,766
n/a
n/a
n/a
31,692
n/a
n/a
316,915
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
26JAR1
B season DFA
n/a
79,740
n/a
339,552
271,642
248,552
23,090
1,358
67,910
n/a
n/a
679,104
n/a
n/a
0
1,200
2,841
3917
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 16 / Monday, January 26, 2015 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE 3—FINAL 2015 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ
DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1—Continued
[Amounts are in metric tons]
2015 A season 1
Area and sector
2015 B season 1
2015 Allocations
A season DFA
Area harvest limit: 541 .............................................................
542 ....................................................................................
543 ....................................................................................
Bogoslof District ICA 7 ..............................................................
8,898
4,449
1,483
100
SCA harvest limit 2
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
B season DFA
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
1 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated
as a DFA as follows: Inshore sector—50 percent, catcher/processor sector (C/P)—40 percent, and mothership sector—10 percent. In the BS
subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is allocated to the A season (January 20–June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June
10–November 1). Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A
season is allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery.
2 In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector’s annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1.
3 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest
only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
4 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/
processors sector’s allocation of pollock.
5 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
6 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ
pollock DFAs.
7 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in
Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC. The Bogoslof District is closed
by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and are not apportioned by season or
sector.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
Classification
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
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 AI pollock.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:47 Jan 23, 2015
Jkt 235001
Since the pollock fishery opens January
20, 2015, it is important to immediately
inform the industry as to the final
Bering Sea subarea pollock allocations.
Immediate notification is necessary to
allow for the orderly conduct and
efficient operation of this fishery; allow
the industry to plan for the fishing
season and avoid potential disruption to
the fishing fleet as well as processors;
and provide opportunity to harvest
increased seasonal pollock allocations
while value is optimum. NMFS was
unable to publish a notice providing
time for public comment because the
most recent, relevant data only became
available as of January 15, 2014.
PO 00000
Frm 00053
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
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: January 21, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–01302 Filed 1–23–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
E:\FR\FM\26JAR1.SGM
26JAR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 16 (Monday, January 26, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3916-3917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01302]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 131021878-4158-02]
RIN 0648-XD728
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation
of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the
Community Development Quota pollock directed fishing allowances from
the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is
necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2015 total
allowable catch of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of
the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands Management Area.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 26,
2015, until the effective date of the final 2015 and 2016 harvest
specifications for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish,
unless otherwise modified or superseded through publication of a
notification in the Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 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 Management Area
(FMP) prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council
(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.
In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the portion of the 2015 pollock
total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to the Community Development
Quota (CDQ) directed fishing allowance (DFA) is 1,900 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 as adjusted by
an inseason adjustment (80 FR 188, January 5, 2015).
As of January 15, 2015, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS,
(Regional Administrator) has determined that 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ
DFA in the Aleutian Islands subarea will not be harvested. Therefore,
in accordance with Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS reallocates
1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the
2015 Bering Sea subarea allocations. The 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA is
added to the 2015 Bering Sea CDQ DFA. As a result, the 2015 harvest
specifications for pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea included in
the final 2014 and 2015 harvest specifications for groundfish in the
BSAI (79 FR 12108, March 4, 2014) are revised as follows: 0 mt to CDQ
DFA. Furthermore, pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5), Table 3 of the final
2014 and 2015 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (79 FR
12108, March 4, 2014), as adjusted by the inseason adjustment (80 FR
188, January 5, 2015), is revised to make 2015 pollock allocations
consistent with this reallocation. This reallocation results in
adjustments to the 2015 CDQ pollock allocations established at Sec.
679.20(a)(5).
Table 3--Final 2015 Allocations of Pollock TACS to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed
Fishing Allowances (DFA) \1\
[Amounts are in metric tons]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 A season \1\ 2015 B season \1\
--------------------------------------------------------
Area and sector 2015 Allocations SCA harvest limit
A season DFA \2\ B season DFA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea TAC \1\.......... 1,310,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA............................. 132,900 53,160 37,212 79,740
ICA \1\............................. 47,160 n/a n/a n/a
AFA Inshore......................... 565,920 226,368 158,458 339,552
AFA Catcher/Processors \3\.......... 452,736 181,094 126,766 271,642
Catch by C/Ps................... 414,253 165,701 n/a 248,552
Catch by CVs \3\................ 38,483 15,393 n/a 23,090
Unlisted C/P Limit \4\.......... 2,264 905 n/a 1,358
AFA Motherships..................... 113,184 45,274 31,692 67,910
Excessive Harvesting Limit \5\...... 198,072 n/a n/a n/a
Excessive Processing Limit \6\...... 339,552 n/a n/a n/a
Total Bering Sea DFA................ 1,131,840 452,736 316,915 679,104
Aleutian Islands subarea ABC........ 29,659 n/a n/a n/a
Aleutian Islands subarea TAC \1\.... 19,000 n/a n/a n/a
CDQ DFA............................. 0 0 n/a 0
ICA................................. 2,400 1,200 n/a 1,200
Aleut Corporation................... 15,100 12,259 n/a 2,841
[[Page 3917]]
Area harvest limit: 541............. 8,898 n/a n/a n/a
542............................. 4,449 n/a n/a n/a
543............................. 1,483 n/a n/a n/a
Bogoslof District ICA \7\........... 100 n/a n/a n/a
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the BS subarea pollock, after subtracting the CDQ DFA (10 percent)
and the ICA (4.0 percent), is allocated as a DFA as follows: Inshore sector--50 percent, catcher/processor
sector (C/P)--40 percent, and mothership sector--10 percent. In the BS subarea, 40 percent of the DFA is
allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 60 percent of the DFA is allocated to the B season (June 10-
November 1). Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(i) and (ii), the annual AI pollock TAC, after
subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second the ICA (2,400 mt), is
allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is
allocated 40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the pollock directed fishery.
\2\ In the BS subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before
April 1.
\3\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/
processors shall be available for harvest only by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/
processors.
\4\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting
not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/processors sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5
percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\6\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0
percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.
\7\ Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(6), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in
Area 541 no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 no more than 5 percent
of the Aleutian Islands pollock ABC. The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to
directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only and are not apportioned by season or
sector.
Note: Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.
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 AI pollock. Since the pollock fishery
opens January 20, 2015, it is important to immediately inform the
industry as to the final Bering Sea subarea pollock allocations.
Immediate notification is necessary to allow for the orderly conduct
and efficient operation of this fishery; allow the industry to plan for
the fishing season and avoid potential disruption to the fishing fleet
as well as processors; and provide opportunity to harvest increased
seasonal pollock allocations while value is optimum. NMFS was unable to
publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most
recent, relevant data only became available as of January 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: January 21, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-01302 Filed 1-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
