Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Annual Specifications and Management Measures for the 2015 Tribal and Non-Tribal Fisheries for Pacific Whiting, 27588-27600 [2015-11607]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 93 (Thursday, May 14, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 27588-27600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11607]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 141219999-5432-02]
RIN 0648-BE74


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; 
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Annual Specifications and Management 
Measures for the 2015 Tribal and Non-Tribal Fisheries for Pacific 
Whiting

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

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues this final rule for the 2015 Pacific whiting 
fishery under the authority of the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery 
Management Plan (FMP), the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), and the Pacific Whiting Act of 
2006. This final rule announces the 2015 U.S. Total Allowable Catch 
(TAC) of 325,072 metric tons, establishes the tribal allocation of 
56,888 metric tons of Pacific whiting for 2015, authorizes NMFS to 
reapportion unused tribal allocation to the non-tribal sectors earlier 
in the fishing season, establishes a set-aside for research and bycatch 
of 1,500 metric tons, and announces the allocations of Pacific whiting 
to the non-tribal fishery for 2015. This rule will ensure that the 2015 
Pacific whiting fishery is managed in accordance with the goals and 
objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the FMP, the Pacific Whiting 
Act of 2006, and other applicable laws.

DATES: Effective May 14, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miako Ushio (West Coast Region, NMFS), 
phone: 206-526-4644, and email: Miako.Ushio@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Access

    This final rule is accessible via the Internet at the Office of the 
Federal Register Web site at https://www.federalregister.gov. 
Background information and documents are available at the NMFS West 
Coast Region Web site at https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/management/whiting/pacific_whiting.html and at the Pacific 
Fishery Management Council's Web site at https://www.pcouncil.org/.
    The final environmental impact statement (FEIS) regarding Harvest 
Specifications and Management Measures for 2015-2016 and Biennial 
Periods Thereafter is available on the NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region 
Web site at: www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/publications/nepa/groundfish/groundfish_nepa_documents.html and copies are available from 
Donald McIsaac, Executive Director, Pacific Fishery Management Council 
(Council), 7700 NE Ambassador Place, Portland, OR 97220, phone: 503-
820-2280.

Background

    This final rule announces the TAC for Pacific whiting, expressed in 
metric tons (mt). This is the fourth year that the TAC for Pacific 
whiting has been determined under the terms of the Agreement with 
Canada on Pacific Hake/Whiting (the Agreement) and the Pacific Whiting 
Act of 2006 (the Whiting Act), 16 U.S.C. 7001-7010. The Agreement and 
the Whiting Act establish bilateral bodies to implement the terms of 
the Agreement, each with various responsibilities, including: The Joint 
Management Committee (JMC), which is the decision-making body; the 
Joint Technical Committee (JTC), which conducts the stock assessment; 
the Scientific Review Group (SRG), which reviews the stock assessment; 
and the Advisory Panel (AP), which provides stakeholder input to the 
JMC (The Agreement, Art. II-IV; 16 U.S.C. 7001-7005). The Agreement 
establishes a default harvest policy (F-40 percent with a 40/10 
adjustment) and allocates 73.88 percent of the TAC to the United States 
and 26.12 percent of the TAC to Canada. The JMC is primarily 
responsible for developing a TAC recommendation to the Parties (United 
States and Canada). The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the 
Secretary of State, has the authority to accept or reject this 
recommendation.

2015 Pacific Whiting Stock Assessment

    The JTC prepared the stock assessment document ``Status of Pacific 
hake (whiting) stock in U.S. and Canadian waters in 2015,'' which was 
completed on March 4, 2015. The assessment presents a model that 
depends primarily upon 10 years of an acoustic survey biomass index and 
catches for information on the scale of the current Pacific whiting 
stock. No survey was conducted in 2014. Therefore the most recent 
survey information remains the survey conducted in 2013, which resulted 
in a survey biomass estimate of approximately 2.4 million tons. The 
stock is estimated to be near its highest biomass level since the early 
1990s as a result of an above average 2008 cohort and a very large 2010 
cohort. Recruitment in 2011 is estimated to have been below average. 
Cohorts from the years 2012-2014 have not been observed long enough to 
estimate their size or even if they are likely to be above or below 
average. The spawning biomass in 2015 is estimated to have declined 
from 2014 due to fishing and natural mortality of the 2008 and 2010 
cohorts which are now fully mature and no longer growing as rapidly as 
in previous years. The median of the estimated 2015 spawning biomass is 
over 70 percent of unfished equilibrium biomass, but is highly 
uncertain (with 95 percent confidence intervals from 34 percent to 150 
percent).
    As with past estimates, there is a high level of uncertainty. 
However, both age-composition data from the aggregated fisheries (1975-
2014) and the acoustic survey indicate a strong 2008 cohort (age-6 
whiting), and an exceptionally strong 2010 cohort (age-4 whiting) 
contributing to recent increases in the survey index. Coast-wide 
catches in recent years have depended on the 2008 and 2010 year-
classes, with the 2008 cohort being 70 percent of the 2011 catch and 33 
percent of the 2012 catch, while the 2010 cohort accounted for 40 
percent of the 2012 catch, 70 percent of the 2013 catch, and 64 percent 
of the 2014 catch. This is despite the fact that catches in Canada have 
had relatively small proportions of these two cohorts.
    The JTC provided tables showing catch alternatives for 2015. Using 
the default F-40 percent harvest rate identified in the Agreement 
(Paragraph 1 of Article III), the coastwide TAC for 2015 would be 
804,576 mt. The stock assessment model predicts that the probability of 
the spawning stock biomass dropping below 40 percent under the default 
harvest rate catch scenario, is 21 percent, and the probability of 
dropping below 10 percent of unfished biomass in 2015 is less than 1 
percent. Spawning biomass in 2016 is likely to be less than in 2015 
under any catch level. This is because the dominant 2010 cohort is 
projected to lose biomass due to natural mortality occurring at a 
faster rate than biomass will increase due to growth. Until cohorts are 
five or six years old, the model's ability to resolve cohort strength 
is poor. For many of the recent above average cohorts (2005, 2006, and 
2008), the size of the year class was overestimated when it was age 
two, compared to updated estimates as the

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cohort aged and more observations have been made in the fishery and 
survey. Given this trend and an uncertain 2010 year class, additional 
forecast decision tables were presented last year and a conservative 
estimate of the 2010 year class (the lowest 10 percent of the model-
estimated recruitment) was used to set the 2014 coastwide TAC. Survey 
and fishery dependent data from 2013 indicate a strong likelihood that 
the 2010 year class is of above average size, but there is still some 
uncertainty about how much above average.
    The SRG met in Vancouver, B.C., on February 24-27, 2015, to review 
the draft stock assessment document prepared by the JTC. The SRG noted 
that there was no acoustic survey in 2014 and that the 2015 assessment 
base model has the same structure as the 2014 model, with the addition 
of new catch and age composition data for 2014 and minor refinements to 
catch estimates for earlier years in the time series. They also noted 
that uncertainty in current stock status and projections is likely 
underestimated.
    The SRG noted that the 2013 survey biomass estimate (age 2+) in the 
base assessment model included biomass extrapolated outside the 
surveyed area as approximately 32 percent of its total, much greater 
than the 12 percent in the 2012 survey estimate. Sensitivity analyses 
conducted by the survey team showed that the 2013 survey biomass 
estimate was highly sensitive to changes in the area of extrapolation. 
Therefore, the SRG requested the inclusion of additional analysis 
results in which the extrapolated biomass in the 2012 and 2013 surveys 
was removed. The SRG believed that the two analyses (the base model and 
the alternative analysis with 2012 and 2013 extrapolated biomass 
removed) likely bracketed the range of uncertainty due to 
extrapolation. Applying the default harvest rate to the sensitivity 
analysis with zero extrapolated biomass would bring the coastwide catch 
down from 804,576 mt to 628,361 mt.
    The base assessment model forecasts that catches of 730,000 mt in 
2015 and 650,000 mt in 2016 could be achievable when fishing at the F-
40 target fishing intensity, with an equal probability of being above 
or below the target fishing intensity. In contrast, the sensitivity 
analysis recommended by the SRG using un-extrapolated 2012 and 2013 
survey index values forecasts that slightly lower catches of 580,000 mt 
in 2015 and 520,000 mt in 2016 may be achievable when fishing at the 
same F40[percnt] target. The 2015 median stock 
biomass estimate is well above the B40[percnt] 
(target) biomass threshold, and fishing intensity is well below the 
F40[percnt] target, in both the base and 
alternative models. The SRG concluded that the coastal Pacific whiting 
stock is not overfished and that overfishing is not occurring in either 
scenario.
    The AP met on March 17, 2015, and recommended a 2015 TAC to the JMC 
on March 18, 2015. At its March 18-19, 2015, meeting, the JMC reviewed 
the advice of the JTC, the SRG, and the AP, and agreed on a TAC 
recommendation for transmittal to the Parties. Paragraph 1 of Article 
III of the Agreement directs the default harvest rate to be used unless 
scientific evidence demonstrates that a different rate is necessary to 
sustain the offshore whiting resource. The JMC noted that there is 
still some uncertainty about the strength of the 2010 year class, 
acknowledged the overall stock is dominated by the 2010 year class, and 
that there is currently no evidence of large recruitments in more 
recent year classes. Because of these factors, the JMC did not apply 
the default harvest rate under the Agreement to determine a TAC for 
2015. Instead, the JMC recommended an unadjusted TAC of 383,365 mt for 
2015, which is less than half of what the TAC would be by using the 
default harvest rate. This conservative approach that focused on 
uncertainty of the 2010 year class strength, coupled with no evidence 
of large recruitments in more recent year classes, was endorsed by the 
AP. Both the United States and Canada caught less than their individual 
TAC in 2014. Therefore, the equivalent of 15 percent of the 2014 TAC is 
added to each Party's TAC in accordance with Article II of the 
Agreement, resulting in a 2015 adjusted coastwide TAC of 440,000 mt.
    The recommendation for an unadjusted 2015 United States TAC of 
283,230 mt, plus 41,842 mt carryover of uncaught quota from 2014 
(equivalent to 15 percent of the 2014 TAC) results in an adjusted 
United States TAC of 325,072 mt for 2015 (73.88 percent of the 
coastwide TAC). This recommendation is consistent with the best 
available science, provisions of the Agreement, and the Whiting Act. 
The recommendation was transmitted via letter to the Parties on March 
19, 2015. NMFS, under delegation of authority from the Secretary of 
Commerce, approved the adjusted TAC recommendation of 325,072 mt for 
U.S. fisheries on April 2, 2015.

Tribal Fishery Allocation and Reapportionment

    This final rule establishes the tribal allocation of Pacific 
whiting for 2015 and modifies the timing of potential reapportionment 
from the tribal to the non-tribal sectors. NMFS issued a proposed rule 
regarding this allocation and change to management of the 2015 tribal 
Pacific whiting fishery on March 10, 2015 (80 FR 12611). This action 
finalizes the tribal allocation and reapportionment management 
measures.
    Since 1996, NMFS has been allocating a portion of the U.S. TAC of 
Pacific whiting to the tribal fishery using the process described in 
Sec.  660.50(d)(1). According to Sec.  660.55(b), the tribal allocation 
is subtracted from the total U.S. Pacific whiting TAC. The tribal 
Pacific whiting fishery is managed separately from the non-tribal 
Pacific whiting fishery, and is not governed by limited entry or open 
access regulations or allocations.
    The proposed rule described the tribal allocation as 17.5 percent 
of the U.S. TAC, and projected a range of potential tribal allocations 
for 2015 based on a range of U.S. TACs over the last 10 years, 2005 
through 2014 (plus or minus 25 percent to capture variability in stock 
abundance). As described in the proposed rule, the resulting range of 
potential tribal allocations was 17,842 mt to 63,635 mt.
    As described earlier in this preamble, the U.S. TAC for 2015 is 
325,072 mt. Applying the approach described in the proposed rule, NMFS 
is establishing the 2015 tribal allocation of 56,888 mt (17.5 percent 
of the U.S. TAC) at Sec.  660.50(f)(4) by this final rule. While the 
total amount of Pacific whiting to which the Tribes are entitled under 
their treaty right has not yet been determined, and new scientific 
information or discussions with the relevant parties may impact that 
decision, the best available scientific information to date suggests 
that 56,888 mt is within the likely range of potential treaty right 
amounts.
    As with prior tribal Pacific whiting allocations, this final rule 
is not intended to establish precedent for future Pacific whiting 
seasons, or for the determination of the total amount of whiting to 
which the Tribes are entitled under their treaty right. Rather, this 
rule adopts an interim allocation, pending the determination of the 
total treaty amount. That amount will be based on further development 
of scientific information and additional coordination and discussion 
with and among the coastal tribes and States of Washington and Oregon.
    This final rule would also revise the regulation authorizing NMFS 
to reapportion unused allocation from the tribal sector to the non-
tribal sectors. The change would allow NMFS to take reapportionment 
action earlier in the

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fishing season than was previously allowed. As described in the 
proposed rule (March 10, 2015, 80 FR 12611), NMFS is revising 
regulations at Sec.  660.131(h) to allow, in specific circumstances, 
reapportionment of Pacific whiting from the tribal fishery to the non-
tribal Pacific whiting fisheries prior to September 15. In some years, 
the participating tribes may determine, prior to September 15, that 
they will not use a portion of the tribal allocation. Regulations at 
Sec.  660.131(h) are revised by this final rule to allow NMFS to 
reapportion whiting earlier under these circumstances.

Harvest Guidelines and Allocations

    This final rule establishes the fishery harvest guideline (HG) and 
allocates it between the three sectors of the Pacific whiting fishery. 
The fishery harvest guideline, sometimes called the non-tribal 
allocation, was not included in the tribal whiting proposed rule 
published on March 10, 2015 (80 FR 12611), for two reasons related to 
timing and process. First, a recommendation on the coastwide TAC for 
Pacific whiting for 2015, under the terms of the Agreement with Canada, 
was not available until March 29, 2015. This recommendation for a U.S. 
TAC was approved by NMFS, under delegation of authority from the 
Secretary of Commerce, on April 2, 2015. Second, the fishery harvest 
guideline is established following deductions from the U.S. TAC for the 
tribal allocation (56,888 mt), mortality in scientific research 
activities, and fishing mortality in non-groundfish fisheries (1,500 
mt). The Council establishes the amounts deducted from the U.S. TAC for 
scientific research and non-groundfish fisheries on an annual basis at 
its April meeting, based on estimates of scientific research catch and 
estimated bycatch mortality in non-groundfish fisheries. For 2015, the 
Council recommended and the West Coast Region approves a research and 
bycatch set-aside of 1,500 mt. These amounts are not set until the TAC 
is available. The fishery HG is therefore being finalized with this 
rule.
    The 2015 fishery harvest guideline (HG), sometimes referred to as 
the non-tribal allocation, for Pacific whiting is 266,684 mt. This 
amount was determined by deducting from the total U.S. TAC of 325,072 
mt, the 56,888 mt tribal allocation, along with 1,500 mt for scientific 
research catch and fishing mortality in non-groundfish fisheries. 
Regulations at Sec.  660.55(i)(2) allocate the fishery HG among the 
non-tribal catcher/processor, mothership, and shorebased sectors of the 
Pacific whiting fishery. The Catcher/Processor Coop Program is 
allocated 34 percent (90,673 mt for 2015), the Mothership Coop Program 
is allocated 24 percent (64,004 mt for 2015), and the Shorebased IFQ 
Program is allocated 42 percent (112,007 mt for 2015). The fishery 
south of 42[deg] N. lat. may not take more than 5,600 mt (5 percent of 
the Shorebased IFQ Program allocation) prior to the start of the 
primary Pacific whiting season north of 42[deg] N. lat.
    The 2015 allocations of canary rockfish, darkblotched rockfish, 
Pacific ocean perch and widow rockfish to the Pacific whiting fishery 
were published in a final rule on March 10, 2015 (80 FR 12567). The 
allocations to the Pacific whiting fishery for these species are 
described in the footnotes to Table 1.b to Part 660, Subpart C and are 
not changed via this rulemaking.

Comments and Responses

    On March 10, 2015, NMFS issued a proposed rule for the allocation 
and management of the 2015 tribal Pacific whiting fishery. The comment 
period on the proposed rule closed on April 9, 2015. Two comment 
letters were received: Department of the Interior submitted a letter of 
``no comments'' and a member of the public submitted a comment letter 
supporting the proposed action. Specifically, they spoke in favor of 
the proposed tribal allocation and suggested that the proposed action 
mitigates potential negative effects to non-tribal industry from that 
tribal allocation.

Classification

    The Annual Specifications and Management Measures for the 2015 
Tribal and non-Tribal Fisheries for Pacific Whiting are issued under 
the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and the Pacific Whiting Act 
of 2006, and are in accordance with 50 CFR part 660, subparts C through 
G, the regulations implementing the FMP. NMFS has determined that this 
rule is consistent with the national standards of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act and other applicable laws. NMFS, in making the final determination, 
took into account the data, views, and comments received during the 
comment period.
    NMFS has determined that the tribal Pacific whiting fishery 
conducted off the coast of the State of Washington is consistent, to 
the maximum extent practicable, with the approved coastal zone 
management program of the States of Washington and Oregon. NMFS has 
also determined that the Pacific whiting fishery, both tribal and non-
tribal, is consistent, to the maximum extent practicable, with approved 
coastal zone management programs for the States of Washington and 
Oregon. NMFS sent letters to the State of Washington and the State of 
Oregon describing its determination of consistency dated February 3, 
2015. The State of Washington responded indicating agreement with the 
determination, and Oregon did not respond to the letters; therefore, 
consistency is inferred.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the NMFS Assistant Administrator 
finds good cause to waive prior public notice and comment and delay in 
effectiveness those provisions of this final rule that were not 
included in 80 FR 12611, e.g., the U.S. TAC, as delaying this rule 
would be contrary to the public interest. The annual harvest 
specifications for Pacific whiting must be implemented by the start of 
the primary Pacific whiting season, which begins on May 15, 2015, or 
the primary Pacific whiting season will effectively remain closed.
    Every year, NMFS conducts a Pacific whiting stock assessment in 
which U.S. and Canadian scientists cooperate. The 2015 stock assessment 
for Pacific whiting was prepared in early 2015, and included updated 
total catch, length and age data from the U.S. and Canadian fisheries 
from 2014, and biomass indices from the 2013 Joint U.S.-Canadian 
acoustic/midwater trawl surveys. Because of this late availability of 
the most recent data for the assessment, and the need for time to 
conduct the treaty process for determining the TAC using the most 
recent assessment, it would not be possible to allow for notice and 
comment before the start of the primary Pacific whiting season on May 
15.
    A delay in implementing the Pacific whiting harvest specifications 
to allow for notice and comment would be contrary to the public 
interest because it would require either a shorter primary whiting 
season or development of a TAC without the most recent data. A shorter 
season could prevent the tribal and non-tribal fisheries from attaining 
their 2015 allocations, which would result in unnecessary short-term 
adverse economic effects for the Pacific whiting fishing vessels and 
the associated fishing communities. A TAC determined without the most 
recent data could fail to account for significant fluctuations in the 
biomass of this relatively short-lived species. To prevent these 
adverse effects and to allow the Pacific whiting season to commence, it 
is in the public interest to waive prior notice and comment.
    In addition, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), the NMFS Assistant 
Administrator finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in 
effectiveness. Waiving the 30-day delay in

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effectiveness will not have a negative impact on any entities, as there 
are no new compliance requirements or other burdens placed on the 
fishing community with this rule. Failure to make this final rule 
effective at the start of the fishing year will undermine the intent of 
the rule, which is to promote the optimal utilization and conservation 
of Pacific whiting. Making this rule effective immediately would also 
serve the best interests of the public because it will allow for the 
longest possible Pacific whiting fishing season and therefore the best 
possible economic outcome for those whose livelihoods depend on this 
fishery. Because the 30-day delay in effectiveness would potentially 
cause significant financial harm without providing any corresponding 
benefits, this final rule is effective upon publication in the Federal 
Register.
    The preamble to the proposed rule and this final rule serve as the 
small entity compliance guide required by Section 212 of the Small 
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This action does 
not require any additional compliance from small entities that is not 
described in the preamble. Copies of this final rule are available from 
NMFS at the following Web site: https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/management/whiting/pacific_whiting.html
    The Office of Management and Budget has determined that this final 
rule is not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    When an agency proposes regulations, the Regulatory Flexibility Act 
(RFA) requires the agency to prepare and make available for public 
comment an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) document that 
describes the impact on small businesses, non-profit enterprises, local 
governments, and other small entities. The IRFA is to aid the agency in 
considering all reasonable regulatory alternatives that would minimize 
the economic impact on affected small entities. After the public 
comment period, the agency prepares a Final Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis (FRFA) that takes into consideration any new information and 
public comments. This FRFA incorporates the IRFA and a summary of the 
analyses completed to support the action. NMFS published a proposed 
rule on March 10, 2015 (80 FR 12611) for the allocation and management 
of the 2015 tribal Pacific whiting fishery. The comment period on the 
proposed rule closed on April 9, 2015, and neither for the two comments 
received by NMFS related to the IRFA.
    An IRFA was prepared and summarized in the Classification section 
of the preamble to the proposed rule. 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 Regulatory Flexibility Act, section 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.
    This final rule establishes the initial 2015 Pacific whiting 
allocations for the tribal fishery, the fishery HG, the allocations for 
the non-tribal sectors (catcher/processor, mothership, and shoreside), 
and the amount of Pacific whiting deducted from the TAC for scientific 
research and fishing mortality in non-groundfish fisheries. The amount 
of Pacific whiting allocated to these sectors is based on the U.S. TAC. 
From the U.S. TAC, the tribal allocation and small amounts of whiting 
that account for scientific research catch and for fishing mortality in 
non-groundfish fisheries are deducted. The remainder is the fishery HG. 
This fishery HG is then allocated among the other three sectors as 
follows: 34 percent for the C/P Coop Program; 24 percent for the MS 
Coop Program; and 42 percent for the Shorebased IFQ Program.
    There are four tribes that can participate in the tribal whiting 
fishery: The Hoh, Makah, Quileute, and Quinault. The current tribal 
fleet is composed of 5 trawlers but in recent years, there have been 
fewer vessels actually fishing. Based on groundfish ex-vessel revenues 
and on tribal enrollments (the population size of each tribe), the four 
tribes and their fleets are considered ``small'' entities. This rule 
would impact vessels in the non-tribal fishery that fish for Pacific 
whiting. Currently, there are three non-tribal sectors in the Pacific 
whiting fishery: Shorebased Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program--
Trawl Fishery; Mothership Coop (MS) Program--Whiting At-sea Trawl 
Fishery; and C/P Coop Program--Whiting At-sea Trawl Fishery.
    Currently, the Shorebased IFQ Program is composed of 149 quota 
share (QS) permits/accounts, 152 vessel accounts, and 43 first 
receivers. The MS Program is currently composed of a single coop, with 
six mothership processor permits, and 34 Mothership/Catcher-Vessel (MS/
CV) endorsed permits, with three permits each having two catch history 
assignments. The C/P Program is composed of 10 C/P permits owned by 
three companies that have formed a single coop.
    Many companies participate in two sectors and some participate in 
all three sectors. After accounting for cross participation, multiple 
QS account holders, and for affiliation through ownership, NMFS 
estimates that there are 103 non-tribal entities directly affected by 
these proposed regulations, 89 of which are considered to be ``small'' 
businesses. These numbers do not include affiliation via the two coops. 
All of the 34 mothership catch history assignments are associated with 
a single Mothership Coop and all ten of the C/P permits, these coops 
are considered large entities. These coops are considered large 
entities from several perspectives. They have participants that are 
large entities, whiting coop revenues exceed or have exceeded the $20.5 
million, or coop members are connected to American Fishing Act permits 
or coops where the NMFS Alaska Region has determined they are all large 
entities (79 FR 54597 (September 12, 2014)). Therefore, there are 17 
large entities and 89 small entities affected by this rule.
    There are no significant alternatives to the rule that accomplish 
the stated objectives of applicable statutes and that minimize any of 
the significant economic impact of the proposed rule

[[Page 27592]]

on small entities. NMFS believes this rule will not adversely affect 
small entities. There are no significant alternatives to the rule that 
accomplish the stated objectives of applicable statutes and the 
treaties with the affected tribes that minimize any of the significant 
economic impact of the proposed rule on small entities.
    For the years 2010 to 2014, the total Pacific whiting fishery 
(tribal and non-tribal) averaged harvests of approximately 183,000 mt 
annually, worth over $43 million in ex-vessel revenues. As the U.S. 
Pacific whiting TAC has been highly variable during this time, so have 
harvests. In the past five years, harvests have ranged from 160,000 mt 
(2012) to 264,000 mt (2014). Ex-vessel revenues have also varied. 
Annual ex-vessel revenues have ranged from $30 million (2010) to $65 
million (2013). Total Pacific whiting harvest in 2013 was approximately 
233,000 mt worth $65 million, at an ex-vessel price of $280 per mt. Ex-
vessel revenues in 2014 were over $64 million with a harvest of 
approximately 264,000 tons and ex-vessel price of $240 per mt. The 
prices for Pacific whiting are largely determined by the world market 
for groundfish, because most of the Pacific whiting harvested is 
exported. Note that the use of ex-vessel values does not take into 
account the wholesale or export value of the fishery or the costs of 
harvesting and processing Pacific whiting into a finished product. NMFS 
does not have sufficient information to make a complete assessment of 
these values. In 2014, the total estimated catch of Pacific whiting by 
tribal and non-tribal fishermen was 264,000 mt, or 84 percent of the 
U.S. TAC (316,206 mt). There were two fall reapportionments totaling 
45,000 mt of Pacific whiting from the tribal to non-tribal sectors 
(September 12 and October 23, 2014). Using the average 2014 ex-vessel 
price of $240, these reapportionments were valued at approximately 
$10.8 million. The 2014 tribal harvest was less than 1,000 mt, of the 
final tribal allocation of 10,336 mt. In total, non-tribal sectors 
harvested 98 percent of the final non-tribal allocation of 234,040 mt. 
The revised Pacific whiting allocations for 2014 were: Tribal 10,336 
mt, C/P Coop 103,486 mt; MS Coop 73,049 mt; and Shorebased IFQ Program 
127,835 mt. This rule increases the U.S. adjusted TAC for 2015 to 
325,072 mt, and the tribal allocation of 17.5 percent of the U.S. TAC 
is 56,888 mt. After setting aside 1,500 mt for scientific research 
catch and fishing mortality in non-groundfish fisheries, the U.S. 
fishery HG for 2015 is 266,684 mt. Sector allocations are higher than 
sector catches in 2014, so this rule will be beneficial to both large 
and small entities. The initial 2015 allocations to these non-tribal 
sectors are 3% higher than their 2014 initial allocations. This rule 
will be beneficial to both large and small entities.
    The RFA can be found at https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/laws/regulatory-flexibility/. The NMFS Economic Guidelines that 
describe the RFA and EO 12866 can be found at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/domes_fish/EconomicGuidelines.pdf.
    There are no recordkeeping requirements associated with this final 
rule. No Federal rules have been identified that duplicate, overlap, or 
conflict with this action.
    NMFS issued Biological Opinions under the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA) on August 10, 1990, November 26, 1991, August 28, 1992, September 
27, 1993, May 14, 1996, and December 15, 1999, pertaining to the 
effects of the Groundfish FMP fisheries on Chinook salmon (Puget Sound, 
Snake River spring/summer, Snake River fall, upper Columbia River 
spring, lower Columbia River, upper Willamette River, Sacramento River 
winter, Central Valley spring, California coastal), coho salmon 
(Central California coastal, southern Oregon/northern California 
coastal), chum salmon (Hood Canal summer, Columbia River), sockeye 
salmon (Snake River, Ozette Lake), and steelhead (upper, middle and 
lower Columbia River, Snake River Basin, upper Willamette River, 
central California coast, California Central Valley, south/central 
California, northern California, southern California). These biological 
opinions have concluded that implementation of the FMP is not expected 
to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened 
species under the jurisdiction of NMFS, or result in the destruction or 
adverse modification of critical habitat.
    NMFS issued a Supplemental Biological Opinion on March 11, 2006, 
concluding that neither the higher observed bycatch of Chinook in the 
2005 whiting fishery nor new data regarding salmon bycatch in the 
groundfish bottom trawl fishery required a reconsideration of its prior 
``no jeopardy'' conclusion. NMFS also reaffirmed its prior 
determination that implementation of the FMP is not likely to 
jeopardize the continued existence of any of the affected ESUs. Lower 
Columbia River coho (70 FR 37160, June 28, 2005) and Oregon Coastal 
coho (73 FR 7816, February 11, 2008) were relisted as threatened under 
the ESA. The 1999 biological opinion concluded that the bycatch of 
salmonids in the Pacific whiting fishery were almost entirely Chinook 
salmon, with little or no bycatch of coho, chum, sockeye, and 
steelhead.
    NMFS has reinitiated section 7 consultation on the Pacific Coast 
Groundfish FMP with respect to its effects on listed salmonids. In the 
event the consultation identifies either reasonable and prudent 
alternatives to address jeopardy concerns, or reasonable and prudent 
measures to minimize incidental take, NMFS would coordinate with the 
Council to put additional alternatives or measures into place, as 
required. After reviewing the available information, NMFS has concluded 
that, consistent with sections 7(a)(2) and 7(d) of the ESA, this action 
will not jeopardize any listed species, would not adversely modify any 
designated critical habitat, and will not result in any irreversible or 
irretrievable commitment of resources that would have the effect of 
foreclosing the formulation or implementation of any reasonable and 
prudent alternative measures.
    On December 7, 2012, NMFS completed a biological opinion concluding 
that the groundfish fishery is not likely to jeopardize non-salmonid 
marine species, including listed eulachon, the southern distinct 
population segment (DPS) of green sturgeon, humpback whales, the 
eastern DPS of Steller sea lions, and leatherback sea turtles. The 
opinion also concluded that the fishery is not likely to adversely 
modify critical habitat for green sturgeon and leatherback sea turtles. 
An analysis included in the same document as the opinion concludes that 
the fishery is not likely to adversely affect green sea turtles, olive 
ridley sea turtles, loggerhead sea turtles, sei whales, North Pacific 
right whales, blue whales, fin whales, sperm whales, Southern Resident 
killer whales, Guadalupe fur seals, or the critical habitat for Steller 
sea lions. Since that biological opinion, the eastern DPS of Steller 
sea lions was delisted on November 4, 2013 (78 FR 66140); however, this 
delisting did not change the designation of the codified critical 
habitat for the eastern DPS of Steller sea lions. On January 21, 2013, 
NMFS informally consulted on the fishery's effects on eulachon to 
consider whether the 2012 opinion should be reconsidered for eulachon 
in light of new information from the 2011 fishery and the proposed 
chafing gear modifications. NMFS determined that information about 
bycatch of eulachon in 2011 and chafing gear regulations did not change 
the effects that were

[[Page 27593]]

analyzed in the December 7, 2012, biological opinion, or provide any 
other basis to reinitiate consultation.
    On November 21, 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) 
issued a biological opinion concluding that the groundfish fishery will 
not jeopardize the continued existence of the short-tailed albatross. 
The FWS also concurred that the fishery is not likely to adversely 
affect the marbled murrelet, California least tern, southern sea otter, 
bull trout, nor bull trout critical habitat.
    West Coast pot fisheries for sablefish are considered Category II 
fisheries under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), indicating 
occasional interactions. All other West Coast groundfish fisheries, 
including the trawl fishery, are considered Category III fisheries 
under the MMPA, indicating a remote likelihood of or no known serious 
injuries or mortalities to marine mammals. MMPA section 101(a)(5)(E) 
requires that NMFS authorize the taking of ESA-listed marine mammals 
incidental to U.S. commercial fisheries if it makes the requisite 
findings, including a finding that the incidental mortality and serious 
injury from commercial fisheries will have a negligible impact on the 
affected species or stock. As noted above, NMFS concluded in its 
biological opinion for the 2012 groundfish fisheries that these 
fisheries were not likely to jeopardize Steller sea lions or humpback 
whales. The eastern distinct population segment of Steller sea lions 
was delisted under the ESA on November 4, 2013 (78 FR 66140). On 
September 4, 2013, based on its negligible impact determination dated 
August 28, 2013, NMFS issued a permit for a period of 3 years to 
authorize the incidental taking of humpback whales by the sablefish pot 
fishery (78 FR 54553).
    Pursuant to Executive Order 13175, this final rule was developed 
after meaningful consultation and collaboration with tribal officials 
from the area covered by the FMP. Consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act at 16 U.S.C. 1852(b)(5), one of the voting members of the Pacific 
Council is a representative of an Indian tribe with federally 
recognized fishing rights from the area of the Council's jurisdiction. 
In addition, NMFS has coordinated specifically with the tribes 
interested in the whiting fishery regarding the issues addressed by 
this final rule.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 660

    Fisheries, Fishing, Indian fisheries.

    Dated: May 8, 2015.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 660 is amended 
as follows:

PART 660--FISHERIES OFF WEST COAST STATES

0
1. The authority citation for part 660 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., and 16 
U.S.C. 7001 et seq.


0
2. In Sec.  660.50, revise paragraph (f)(4) to read as follows:


Sec.  660.50  Pacific Coast treaty Indian fisheries.

* * * * *
    (f) * * *
    (4) Pacific whiting. The tribal allocation for 2015 is 56,888 mt.
* * * * *
0
3. Tables 1a and 1b to part 660, subpart C, are revised to read as 
follows:

[[Page 27594]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR14MY15.003

    \a\ Annual catch limits (ACLs), annual catch targets (ACTs) and 
harvest guidelines (HGs) are specified as total catch values.
    \b\ Fishery harvest guidelines means the harvest guideline or 
quota after subtracting Pacific Coast treaty Indian tribes 
allocations and projected catch, projected research catch, 
deductions for fishing mortality in non-

[[Page 27595]]

groundfish fisheries, and deductions for EFPs from the ACL or ACT.
    \c\ Bocaccio. A bocaccio stock assessment update was conducted 
in 2013 for the bocaccio stock between the U.S.-Mexico border and 
Cape Blanco. The stock is managed with stock-specific harvest 
specifications south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. and within the Minor 
Shelf Rockfish complex north of 40[deg]10 N. lat. A historical catch 
distribution of approximately 6 percent was used to apportion the 
assessed stock to the area north of 40[deg]10' N. lat. The bocaccio 
stock was estimated to be at 31.4 percent of its unfished biomass in 
2013. The OFL of 1,444 mt is projected in the 2013 stock assessment 
using an FMSY proxy of F50[percnt]. 
The ABC of 1,380 mt is a 4.4 percent reduction from the OFL 
([sigma]=0.36/P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The 349 mt ACL is 
based on the current rebuilding plan with a target year to rebuild 
of 2022 and an SPR harvest rate of 77.7 percent. 8.3 mt is deducted 
from the ACL to accommodate the incidental open access fishery (0.7 
mt), EFP catch (3.0 mt) and research catch (4.6 mt), resulting in a 
fishery HG of 340.7 mt. The California recreational fishery has an 
HG of 178.8 mt.
    \d\ Canary rockfish. A canary rockfish stock assessment update 
was conducted in 2011 and the stock was estimated to be at 23.2 
percent of its unfished biomass coastwide in 2011. The coastwide OFL 
of 733 mt is projected in the 2011 rebuilding analysis using an 
FMSY proxy of F50[percnt]. The ABC 
of 701 mt is a 4.4 percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/
P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The ACL of 122 mt is based on 
the current rebuilding plan with a target year to rebuild of 2030 
and an SPR harvest rate of 88.7 percent. 15.2 mt is deducted from 
the ACL to accommodate the Tribal fishery (7.7 mt), the incidental 
open access fishery (2 mt), EFP catch (1.0 mt) and research catch 
(4.5 mt) resulting in a fishery HG of 106.8 mt. Recreational HGs 
are: 3.4 mt (Washington); 11.7 mt (Oregon); and 24.3 mt 
(California).
    \e\ Cowcod. A stock assessment for the Conception Area was 
conducted in 2013 and the stock was estimated to be at 33.9 percent 
of its unfished biomass in 2013. The Conception Area OFL of 55.0 mt 
is projected in the 2013 rebuilding analysis using an 
FMSY proxy of F50[percnt]. The OFL 
contribution of 11.6 mt for the unassessed portion of the stock in 
the Monterey area is based on depletion-based stock reduction 
analysis. The OFLs for the Monterey and Conception areas were summed 
to derive the south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. OFL of 66.6 mt. The ABC 
for the area south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. is 59.9 mt. The assessed 
portion of the stock in the Conception Area is considered category 
2, with a Conception area contribution to the ABC of 50.2 mt, which 
is an 8.7 percent reduction from the Conception area OFL 
([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.45). The unassessed portion of the stock in the 
Monterey area is considered a category 3 stock, with a contribution 
to the ABC of 9.7 mt, which is a 16.6 percent reduction from the 
Monterey area OFL ([sigma]=1.44/P*=0.45). A single ACL of 10.0 mt is 
being set for both areas combined. The ACL of 10.0 mt is based on 
the rebuilding plan with a target year to rebuild of 2020 and an SPR 
harvest rate of 82.7 percent, which is equivalent to an exploitation 
rate (catch over age 11+ biomass) of 0.007. 2.0 mt is deducted from 
the ACL to accommodate EFP fishing (less than 0.02 mt) and research 
activity (2.0 mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 8.0 mt. Any 
additional mortality in research activities will be deducted from 
the ACL. A single ACT of 4.0 mt is being set for both areas 
combined.
    \f\ Darkblotched rockfish. A 2013 stock assessment estimated the 
stock to be at 36 percent of its unfished biomass in 2013. The OFL 
of 574 mt is projected in the 2013 stock assessment using an 
FMSY proxy of F50[percnt]. The ABC 
of 549 mt is a 4.4 percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/
P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The ACL of 338 mt is based on 
the current rebuilding plan with a target year to rebuild of 2025 
and an SPR harvest rate of 64.9 percent. 20.8 mt is deducted from 
the ACL to accommodate the Tribal fishery (0.2 mt), the incidental 
open access fishery (18.4 mt), EFP catch (0.1 mt) and research catch 
(2.1 mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 317.2 mt.
    \g\ Pacific Ocean Perch. A POP stock assessment was conducted in 
2011 and the stock was estimated to be at 19.1 percent of its 
unfished biomass in 2011. The OFL of 842 mt for the area north of 
40[deg]10' N. lat. is projected in the 2011 rebuilding analysis 
using an F50[percnt] FMSY proxy. 
The ABC of 805 mt is a 4.4 percent reduction from the OFL 
([sigma]=0.36/P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The ACL of 158 mt 
is based on the current rebuilding plan with a target year to 
rebuild of 2051 and an SPR harvest rate of 86.4 percent. 15 mt is 
deducted from the ACL to accommodate the Tribal fishery (9.2 mt), 
the incidental open access fishery (0.6 mt), and research catch (5.2 
mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 143.0 mt.
    \h\ Petrale sole. A 2013 stock assessment estimated the stock to 
be at 22.3 percent of its unfished biomass in 2013. The OFL of 2,946 
mt is projected in the 2013 assessment using an 
F30[percnt] FMSY proxy. The ABC of 
2,816 mt is a 4.4 percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/
P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The ACL is based on the 25-5 
harvest control rule specified in the current rebuilding plan; since 
the stock is projected to be rebuilt at the start of 2014, the ACL 
is set equal to the ABC. 236.6 mt is deducted from the ACL to 
accommodate the Tribal fishery (220 mt), the incidental open access 
fishery (2.4 mt), and research catch (14.2 mt), resulting in a 
fishery HG of 2,579.4 mt.
    \i\ Yelloweye rockfish. A stock assessment update was conducted 
in 2011. The stock was estimated to be at 21.4 percent of its 
unfished biomass in 2011. The 52 mt coastwide OFL was projected in 
the 2011 rebuilding analysis using an FMSY proxy of 
F50[percnt]. The ABC of 43 mt is a 16.7 
percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.40) as it's a 
category 2 stock. The 18 mt ACL is based on the current rebuilding 
plan with a target year to rebuild of 2074 and an SPR harvest rate 
of 76.0 percent. 5.8 mt is deducted from the ACL to accommodate the 
Tribal fishery (2.3 mt), the incidental open access fishery (0.2 
mt), EFP catch (0.03 mt) and research catch (3.3 mt) resulting in a 
fishery HG of 12.2 mt. Recreational HGs are: 2.9 mt (Washington); 
2.6 mt (Oregon); and 3.4 mt (California).
    \j\ Arrowtooth flounder. The arrowtooth flounder stock was last 
assessed in 2007 and was estimated to be at 79 percent of its 
unfished biomass in 2007. The OFL of 6,599 mt is derived from the 
2007 assessment using an F30[percnt] 
FMSY proxy. The ABC of 5,497 mt is a 16.7 percent 
reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.40) as it's a category 2 
stock. The ACL is set equal to the ABC because the stock is above 
its target biomass of B25[percnt]. 2,087 mt is 
deducted from the ACL to accommodate the Tribal fishery (2,041 mt), 
the incidental open access fishery (30 mt), and research catch (16.4 
mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 3,410 mt.
    \k\ Black rockfish south (Oregon and California). A stock 
assessment was conducted for black rockfish south of 45[deg]46' N. 
lat. (Cape Falcon, Oregon) to Central California (i.e., the 
southern-most extent of black rockfish, Love et al. 2002) in 2007. 
The biomass in the south was estimated to be at 70 percent of its 
unfished biomass in 2007. The OFL from the assessed area is derived 
from the 2007 assessment using an FMSY harvest rate proxy 
of F50[percnt] plus 3 percent of the OFL from 
the stock assessment conducted for black rockfish north of 
45[deg]46' N. lat., to cover the portion of the stock occurring off 
Oregon north of Cape Falcon (the 3% adjustment is based on 
historical catch distribution). The resulting OFL for the area south 
of 46[deg]16' N. lat. is 1,176 mt. The ABC of 1,124 mt is a 4.4 
percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/P*=0.45) as it's a 
category 1 stock. The 2015 ACL is 1,000 mt, which maintains the 
constant catch strategy designed to keep the stock above its target 
biomass of B40[percnt]. 1 mt is deducted from 
the ACL to accommodate EFP catch, resulting in a fishery HG of 999 
mt. The black rockfish ACL, in the area south of 46[deg]16' N. lat. 
(Columbia River), is subdivided with separate HGs for waters off 
Oregon (579 mt/58 percent) and for waters off California (420 mt/42 
percent).
    \l\ Black rockfish north (Washington). A stock assessment was 
conducted for black rockfish north of 45[deg]46' N. lat. (Cape 
Falcon, Oregon) in 2007. The biomass in the north was estimated to 
be at 53 percent of its unfished biomass in 2007. The OFL from the 
assessed area is derived from the 2007 assessment using an 
FMSY harvest rate proxy of 
F50[percnt]. The resulting OFL for the area 
north of 46[deg]16' N. lat. is 421 mt and is 97 percent of the OFL 
from the assessed area based on the area distribution of historical 
catch. The ABC of 402 mt for the north is a 4.4 percent reduction 
from the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The 
ACL is set equal to the ABC since the stock is above its target 
biomass of B40[percnt]. 14 mt is deducted from 
the ACL to accommodate the Tribal fishery, resulting in a fishery HG 
of 388 mt.
    \m\ Cabezon (California). A cabezon stock assessment was 
conducted in 2009. The cabezon spawning biomass in waters off 
California was estimated to be at 48.3 percent of its unfished 
biomass in 2009. The OFL of 161 mt is calculated using an 
FMSY proxy of F45[percnt]. The ABC 
of 154 mt is based on a 4.4 percent reduction from the OFL 
([sigma]=0.36/P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The ACL is set 
equal to the ABC because the stock is above its target biomass of 
B40[percnt]. There are no

[[Page 27596]]

deductions from the ACL so the fishery HG is equal to the ACL of 154 
mt.
    \n\ Cabezon (Oregon). A cabezon stock assessment was conducted 
in 2009. The cabezon spawning biomass in waters off Oregon was 
estimated to be at 52 percent of its unfished biomass in 2009. The 
OFL of 49 mt is calculated using an FMSY proxy of 
F45[percnt]. The ABC of 47 mt is based on a 
4.4 percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/P*=0.45) as it's a 
category 1 species. The ACL is set equal to the ABC because the 
stock is above its target biomass of 
B40[percnt]. There are no deductions from the 
ACL so the fishery HG is also equal to the ACL of 47 mt.
    \o\ California scorpionfish was assessed in 2005 and was 
estimated to be at 79.8 percent of its unfished biomass in 2005. The 
OFL of 119 mt is projected in the 2005 assessment using an 
FMSY harvest rate proxy of 
F50[percnt]. The ABC of 114 mt is a 4.4 
percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/P*=0.45) as it's a 
category 1 stock. The ACL is set equal to the ABC because the stock 
is above its target biomass of B40[percnt]. 2 
mt is deducted from the ACL to accommodate the incidental open 
access fishery, resulting in a fishery HG of 112 mt.
    \p\ Chilipepper. The coastwide chilipepper stock was assessed in 
2007 and estimated to be at 70 percent of its unfished biomass in 
2006. Chilipepper are managed with stock-specific harvest 
specifications south of 40[deg]10 N. lat. and within the Minor Shelf 
Rockfish complex north of 40[deg]10' N. lat. Projected OFLs are 
stratified north and south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. based on the 
average 1998-2008 assessed area catch, which is 93 percent for the 
area south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. and 7 percent for the area north of 
40[deg]10' N. lat. The OFL of 1,703 mt for the area south of 
40[deg]10' N. lat. is projected in the 2007 assessment using an 
FMSY proxy of F50[percnt]. The ABC 
of 1,628 mt is a 4.4 percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/
P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The ACL is set equal to the ABC 
because the stock is above its target biomass of 
B40[percnt]. 24 mt is deducted from the ACL to 
accommodate the incidental open access fishery (5 mt), EFP fishing 
(10 mt), and research catch (9 mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 
1,604 mt.
    \q\ Dover sole. A 2011 Dover sole assessment estimated the stock 
to be at 83.7 percent of its unfished biomass in 2011. The OFL of 
66,871 mt is projected in the 2011 stock assessment using an 
FMSY proxy of F30[percnt]. The ABC 
of 63,929 mt is a 4.4 percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/
P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The ACL could be set equal to 
the ABC because the stock is above its target biomass of 
B25[percnt]. However, the ACL of 50,000 mt is 
set at a level below the ABC and higher than the maximum historical 
landed catch. 1,594 mt is deducted from the ACL to accommodate the 
Tribal fishery (1,497 mt), the incidental open access fishery (55 
mt), and research catch (41.9 mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 
48,406 mt.
    \r\ English sole. A 2013 stock assessment was conducted, which 
estimated the stock to be at 88 percent of its unfished biomass in 
2013. The OFL of 10,792 mt is projected in the 2013 assessment using 
an FMSY proxy of F30[percnt]. The 
ABC of 9,853 mt is an 8.7 percent reduction from the OFL 
([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.45) as it is a category 2 stock. The ACL is set 
equal to the ABC because the stock is above its target biomass of 
B25[percnt]. 213 mt is deducted from the ACL 
to accommodate the Tribal fishery (200 mt), the incidental open 
access fishery (7 mt) and research catch (5.8 mt), resulting in a 
fishery HG of 9,640 mt.
    \s\ Lingcod north. A lingcod stock assessment was conducted in 
2009. The lingcod spawning biomass off Washington and Oregon was 
estimated to be at 62 percent of its unfished biomass in 2009. The 
OFL for Washington and Oregon of 1,898 mt is calculated using an 
FMSY proxy of F45[percnt]. The OFL 
is re-apportioned by adding 48% of the OFL from California, 
resulting in an OFL of 3,010 mt for the area north of 40[deg]10' N. 
lat. The ABC of 2,830 mt is based on a 4.4 percent reduction from 
the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/P*=0.45) for the area north of 42[deg] N. lat. 
as it's a category 1 stock, and an 8.7 percent reduction from the 
OFL ([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.45) for the area between 42[deg] N. lat. and 
40[deg]10' N. lat. as it's a category 2 stock. The ACL is set equal 
to the ABC. 278 mt is deducted from the ACL for the Tribal fishery 
(250 mt), the incidental open access fishery (16 mt), EFP catch (0.5 
mt) and research catch (11.7 mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 2,552 
mt.
    \t\ Lingcod south. A lingcod stock assessment was conducted in 
2009. The lingcod spawning biomass off California was estimated to 
be at 74 percent of its unfished biomass in 2009. The OFL for 
California of 2,317 mt is projected in the assessment using an 
FMSY proxy of F45%. The OFL is re-apportioned by 
subtracting 48% of the OFL, resulting in an OFL of 1,205 mt for the 
area south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. The ABC of 1,004 mt is based on a 
16.7 percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.40) as it's a 
category 2 stock. The ACL is set equal to the ABC since the stock is 
above its target biomass of B40[percnt]. 9 mt 
is deducted from the ACL to accommodate the incidental open access 
fishery (7 mt), EFP fishing (1 mt), and research catch (1.1 mt), 
resulting in a fishery HG of 995 mt.
    \u\ Longnose skate. A stock assessment was conducted in 2007 and 
the stock was estimated to be at 66 percent of its unfished biomass. 
The OFL of 2,449 mt is derived from the 2007 stock assessment using 
an FMSY proxy of F50[percnt]. The 
ABC of 2,341 mt is a 4.4 percent reduction from the OFL 
([sigma]=0.36/P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The ACL of 2,000 
mt is a fixed harvest level that provides greater access to the 
stock and is less than the ABC. 73 mt is deducted from the ACL to 
accommodate the Tribal fishery (56 mt), incidental open access 
fishery (3.8 mt), and research catch (13.2 mt), resulting in a 
fishery HG of 1,927 mt.
    \v\ Longspine thornyhead. A 2013 longspine thornyhead coastwide 
stock assessment estimated the stock to be at 75 percent of its 
unfished biomass in 2013. A coastwide OFL of 5,007 mt is projected 
in the 2013 stock assessment using an F50[percnt] 
FMSY proxy. The ABC of 4,171 mt is a 16.7 percent 
reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.40) as it's a category 2 
stock. For the portion of the stock that is north of 34[deg]27' N. 
lat., the ACL is 3,170 mt, and is 76 percent of the coastwide ABC 
based on the average swept-area biomass estimates (2003-2012) from 
the NMFS NWFSC trawl survey. 47 mt is deducted from the ACL to 
accommodate the Tribal fishery (30 mt), the incidental open access 
fishery (3 mt), and research catch (13.5 mt) resulting in a fishery 
HG of 3,124 mt. For that portion of the stock south of 34[deg]27' N. 
lat. the ACL is 1,001 mt and is 24 percent of the coastwide ABC 
based on the average swept-area biomass estimates (2003-2012) from 
the NMFS NWFSC trawl survey. 3 mt is deducted from the ACL to 
accommodate the incidental open access fishery (2 mt), and research 
catch (1 mt) resulting in a fishery HG of 998 mt.
    \w\ Pacific cod. The 3,200 mt OFL is based on the maximum level 
of historic landings. The ABC of 2,221 mt is a 30.6 percent 
reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=1.44/P*=0.40) as it's a category 3 
stock. The 1,600 mt ACL is the OFL reduced by 50 percent as a 
precautionary adjustment. 509 mt is deducted from the ACL to 
accommodate the Tribal fishery (500 mt), research catch (7 mt), and 
the incidental open access fishery (2.0 mt), resulting in a fishery 
HG of 1,091 mt.
    \x\ Pacific whiting. The coastwide stock assessment was 
conducted in 2015 and estimated the stock to be at 74 percent of its 
unfished biomass. The 2015 OFL of 804,576 mt is based on the 2015 
assessment with an F40[percnt] FMSY 
proxy. The 2015 coastwide, unadjusted Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 
383,365 mt is based on the 2015 stock assessment. Consistent with 
the provisions of the Pacific Hake/Whiting Agreement, up to 15 
percent of each party's unadjusted 2014 TAC (41,842 mt for the U.S. 
and 14,793 mt for Canada) is added to the 2015 unadjusted TAC, 
resulting in an adjusted coastwide 2015 TAC of 440,000 mt. The U.S. 
TAC is 73.88 percent of the coastwide TAC. The U.S. adjusted 2015 
TAC is 325,072 mt. From the adjusted U.S. TAC, 56,888 mt is deducted 
to accommodate the Tribal fishery, and 1,500 mt is deducted to 
accommodate research and bycatch in other fisheries, resulting in a 
fishery HG of 266,684 mt. The TAC for Pacific whiting is established 
under the provisions of the Pacific Hake/Whiting Agreement with 
Canada and the Pacific Whiting Act of 2006, 16 U.S.C. 7001-2010, and 
the international exception applies. Therefore, no ABC or ACL values 
are provided for Pacific whiting.
    \y\ Sablefish north. A coastwide sablefish stock assessment was 
conducted in 2011. The coastwide sablefish biomass was estimated to 
be at 33 percent of its unfished biomass in 2011. The coastwide OFL 
of 7,857 mt is projected in the 2011 stock assessment using an 
FMSY proxy of F45[percnt]. The ABC 
of 7,173 mt is an 8.7 percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.36/
P*=0.40). The 40-10 adjustment is applied to the ABC to derive a 
coastwide ACL value because the stock is in the precautionary zone. 
This coastwide ACL value is not specified in regulations. The 
coastwide ACL value is apportioned north and south of 36[deg] N. 
lat., using the 2003-2010 average estimated swept area biomass from 
the NMFS NWFSC trawl survey, with 73.6 percent apportioned north of 
36[deg] N. lat. and 26.4 percent apportioned south of 36[deg] N. 
lat. The northern ACL is 4,793 mt and is reduced by 479 mt for the 
tribal allocation (10 percent of the ACL north of 36[deg] N. lat.). 
The 479 mt

[[Page 27597]]

Tribal allocation is reduced by 1.6 percent to account for discard 
mortality. Detailed sablefish allocations are shown in Table 1c.
    \z\ Sablefish south. The ACL for the area south of 36[deg] N. 
lat. is 1,719 mt (26.4 percent of the calculated coastwide ACL 
value). 5 mt is deducted from the ACL to accommodate the incidental 
open access fishery (2 mt) and research catch (3 mt), resulting in a 
fishery HG of 1,714 mt.
    \aa\ Shortbelly rockfish. A non-quantitative shortbelly rockfish 
assessment was conducted in 2007. The spawning stock biomass of 
shortbelly rockfish was estimated to be 67 percent of its unfished 
biomass in 2005. The OFL of 6,950 mt is based on the estimated MSY 
in the 2007 stock assessment. The ABC of 5,789 mt is a 16.7 percent 
reduction of the OFL ([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.40) as it's a category 2 
stock. The 500 mt ACL is set to accommodate incidental catch when 
fishing for co-occurring healthy stocks and in recognition of the 
stock's importance as a forage species in the California Current 
ecosystem. 2 mt is deducted from the ACL to accommodate research 
catch, resulting in a fishery HG of 498 mt.
    \bb\ Shortspine thornyhead. A 2013 coastwide shortspine 
thornyhead stock assessment estimated the stock to be at 74.2 
percent of its unfished biomass in 2013. A coastwide OFL of 3,203 mt 
is projected in the 2013 stock assessment using an 
F50[percnt] FMSY proxy. The 
coastwide ABC of 2,668 mt is a 16.7 percent reduction from the OFL 
([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.40) as it's a category 2 stock. For the portion 
of the stock that is north of 34[deg]27' N. lat., the ACL is 1,745 
mt. The northern ACL is 65.4 percent of the coastwide ABC based on 
the average swept-area biomass estimates (2003-2012) from the NMFS 
NWFSC trawl survey. 59 mt is deducted from the ACL to accommodate 
the Tribal fishery (50 mt), the incidental open access fishery (2 
mt), and research catch (7 mt) resulting in a fishery HG of 1,686 mt 
for the area north of 34[deg]27' N. lat. For that portion of the 
stock south of 34[deg]27' N. lat. the ACL is 923 mt. The southern 
ACL is 35.6 percent of the coastwide ABC based on the average swept-
area biomass estimates (2003-2012) from the NMFS NWFSC trawl survey. 
42 mt is deducted from the ACL to accommodate the incidental open 
access fishery (41 mt) and research catch (1 mt), resulting in a 
fishery HG of 881 mt for the area south of 34[deg]27' N. lat.
    \cc\ Spiny dogfish. A coastwide spiny dogfish stock assessment 
was conducted in 2011. The coastwide spiny dogfish biomass was 
estimated to be at 63 percent of its unfished biomass in 2011. The 
coastwide OFL of 2,523 mt is derived from the 2011 assessment using 
an FMSY proxy of F50[percnt]. The 
coastwide ABC of 2,101 mt is a 16.7 percent reduction from the OFL 
([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.40) as it's a category 2 stock. The ACL is set 
equal to the ABC because the stock is above its target biomass of 
B40[percnt]. 338 mt is deducted from the ACL 
to accommodate the Tribal fishery (275 mt), the incidental open 
access fishery (49.5 mt), EFP catch (1 mt), and research catch (12.5 
mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 1,763 mt.
    \dd\ Splitnose rockfish. A splitnose rockfish coastwide 
assessment was conducted in 2009 that estimated the stock to be at 
66 percent of its unfished biomass in 2009. Splitnose rockfish in 
the north is managed in the Minor Slope Rockfish complex and with 
species-specific harvest specifications south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. 
The coastwide OFL is projected in the 2009 assessment using an 
FMSY proxy of F50[percnt]. The 
coastwide OFL is apportioned north and south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. 
based on the average 1916-2008 assessed area catch resulting in 64.2 
percent of the coastwide OFL apportioned south of 40[deg]10' N. 
lat., and 35.8 percent apportioned for the contribution of splitnose 
rockfish to the northern Minor Slope Rockfish complex. The southern 
OFL of 1,794 mt results from the apportionment described above. The 
southern ABC of 1,715 mt is a 4.4 percent reduction from the 
southern OFL ([sigma]=0.36/P*=0.45) as it's a category 1 stock. The 
ACL is set equal to the ABC because the stock is estimated to be 
above its target biomass of B40[percnt]. 10.5 
mt is deducted from the ACL to accommodate research catch (9 mt) and 
EFP catch (1.5 mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 1,705 mt.
    \ee\ Starry Flounder. The stock was assessed in 2005 and was 
estimated to be above 40 percent of its unfished biomass in 2005 (44 
percent in Washington and Oregon, and 62 percent in California). The 
coastwide OFL of 1,841 mt is derived from the 2005 assessment using 
an FMSY proxy of F30[percnt]. The 
ABC of 1,534 mt is a 16.7 percent reduction from the OFL 
([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.40) as it's a category 2 stock. The ACL is set 
equal to the ABC because the stock is estimated to be above its 
target biomass of B25[percnt]. 10.3 mt is 
deducted from the ACL to accommodate the Tribal fishery (2 mt), and 
the incidental open access fishery (8.3 mt), resulting in a fishery 
HG of 1,524 mt.
    \ff\ Widow rockfish. The widow rockfish stock was assessed in 
2011 and was estimated to be at 51.1 percent of its unfished biomass 
in 2011. The OFL of 4,137 mt is projected in the 2011 stock 
assessment using an F50[percnt] 
FMSY proxy. The ABC of 3,929 mt is a 5 percent reduction 
from the OFL ([sigma]=0.41/P*=0.45). A unique sigma of 0.41 was 
calculated for widow rockfish since the variance in estimated 
biomass was greater than the 0.36 used as a proxy for other category 
1 stocks. The ACL could be set equal to the ABC because the stock is 
above its target biomass of B40[percnt]. 
However, the ACL of 2,000 mt is less than the ABC due to high 
uncertainty in estimated biomass, yet this level of allowable 
harvest will allow access to healthy co-occurring species, such as 
yellowtail rockfish. 120.2 mt is deducted from the ACL to 
accommodate the Tribal fishery (100 mt), the incidental open access 
fishery (3.3 mt), EFP catch (9 mt), and research catch (7.9 mt), 
resulting in a fishery HG of 1,880 mt.
    \gg\ Yellowtail rockfish. A 2013 yellowtail rockfish stock 
assessment was conducted for the portion of the population north of 
40[deg]10' N. lat. The estimated stock depletion is 69 percent of 
its unfished biomass in 2013. The OFL of 7,218 mt is projected in 
the 2013 stock assessment using an FMSY proxy of 
F50[percnt]. The ABC of 6,590 mt is an 8.7 
percent reduction from the OFL ([sigma]=0.72/P*=0.45) as it is a 
category 2 stock. The ACL is set equal to the ABC because the stock 
is above its target biomass of B40[percnt]. 
1,029.6 mt is deducted from the ACL to accommodate the Tribal 
fishery (1,000 mt), the incidental open access fishery (3 mt), EFP 
catch (10 mt), and research catch (16.6 mt), resulting in a fishery 
HG of 5,560 mt.
    \hh\ Minor Nearshore Rockfish north. The OFL for Minor Nearshore 
Rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N. lat. of 88 mt is the sum of the OFL 
contributions for the component species managed in the complex. The 
ABCs for the minor rockfish complexes are based on a sigma value of 
0.72 for category 2 stocks (i.e., blue rockfish in California, brown 
rockfish, China rockfish, and copper rockfish) and a sigma value of 
1.44 for category 3 stocks (all others) with a P* of 0.45. The 
resulting ABC of 77 mt is the summed contribution of the ABCs for 
the component species. The ACL of 69 mt is the sum of contributing 
ABCs of healthy assessed stocks and unassessed stocks plus the ACL 
contributions for blue rockfish in California and China rockfish 
where the 40-10 adjustment was applied to the ABC contributions for 
these two stocks, because those stocks are in the precautionary 
zone. No deductions are made to the ACL, thus the fishery HG is 
equal to the ACL, which is 69 mt. Between 40[deg]10' N. lat. and 
42[deg] N. lat. the Minor Nearshore Rockfish complex north has a 
harvest guideline of 23.7 mt. Blue rockfish south of 42[deg] N. lat. 
has a species-specific HG, described in footnote kk.
    \ii\ Minor Shelf Rockfish north. The OFL for Minor Shelf 
Rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N. lat. of 2,209 mt is the sum of the 
OFL contributions for the component species within the complex. The 
ABCs for the minor rockfish complexes are based on a sigma value of 
0.72 for category 2 stocks (i.e., greenspotted rockfish between 
40[deg]10' and 42[deg] N. lat. and greenstriped rockfish) and a 
sigma value of 1.44 for category 3 stocks (all others) with a P* of 
0.45. The resulting ABC of 1,944 mt is the summed contribution of 
the ABCs for the component species. The ACL of 1,944 mt is the sum 
of contributing ABCs of healthy assessed stocks and unassessed 
stocks, plus the ACL contribution of greenspotted rockfish in 
California where the 40-10 adjustment was applied to the ABC 
contribution because the stock is in the precautionary zone (the ACL 
is slightly less than the ABC but rounds to the ABC value). 72 mt is 
deducted from the ACL to accommodate the Tribal fishery (30 mt), the 
incidental open access fishery (26 mt), EFP catch (3 mt), and 
research catch (13.4 mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 1,872 mt.
    \jj\ Minor Slope Rockfish north. The OFL for Minor Slope 
Rockfish north of 40[deg]10' N. lat. of 1,831 mt is the sum of the 
OFL contributions for the component species within the complex. The 
ABCs for the Minor Slope Rockfish complexes are based on a sigma 
value of 0.39 for aurora rockfish, a sigma value of 0.36 for other 
category 1 stocks (i.e., splitnose rockfish), a sigma value of 0.72 
for category 2 stocks (i.e., rougheye rockfish, blackspotted 
rockfish and sharpchin rockfish), and a sigma value of 1.44 for 
category 3 stocks (all others) with a P* of 0.45. A unique sigma of 
0.39 was calculated for aurora rockfish since the variance in 
estimated spawning biomass was greater than the 0.36 used as a proxy 
for other category

[[Page 27598]]

1 stocks. The resulting ABC of 1,693 mt is the summed contribution 
of the ABCs for the component species. The ACL is set equal to the 
ABC because all the assessed component stocks are above the target 
biomass of B40[percnt]. 64 mt is deducted from 
the ACL to accommodate the Tribal fishery (36 mt), the incidental 
open access fishery (19 mt), EFP catch (1 mt), and research catch 
(8.1 mt), resulting in a fishery HG of 1,629 mt.
    \kk\ Minor Nearshore Rockfish south. The OFL for the Minor 
Nearshore Rockfish complex south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. of 1,313 mt 
is the sum of the OFL contributions for the component species within 
the complex. The ABC for the southern Minor Nearshore Rockfish 
complex is based on a sigma value of 0.36 for category 1 stocks 
(i.e., gopher rockfish north of 34[deg]27' N. lat.), a sigma value 
of 0.72 for category 2 stocks (i.e., blue rockfish north of 
34[deg]27' N. lat., brown rockfish, China rockfish, and copper 
rockfish), and a sigma value of 1.44 for category 3 stocks (all 
others) with a P* of 0.45. The resulting ABC of 1,169 mt is the 
summed contribution of the ABCs for the component species. The ACL 
of 1,114 mt is the sum of contributing ABCs of healthy assessed 
stocks and unassessed stocks, plus the ACL contribution for blue 
rockfish north of 34[deg]27' N. lat. where the 40-10 adjustment was 
applied to the ABC contribution for this stock because it is in the 
precautionary zone. 4 mt is deducted from the ACL to accommodate the 
incidental open access fishery (1.4 mt) and research catch (2.6 mt), 
resulting in a fishery HG of 1,110 mt. Blue rockfish south of 
42[deg] N. lat. has a species-specific HG set equal to the 40-10-
adjusted ACL for the portion of the stock north of 34[deg]27' N. 
lat. (133.6 mt) plus the ABC contribution for the unassessed portion 
of the stock south of 34[deg]27' N. lat. (60.8 mt). The California 
(i.e., south of 42[deg] N. lat.) blue rockfish HG is 194.4 mt.
    \ll\ Minor Shelf Rockfish south. The OFL for the Minor Shelf 
Rockfish complex south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. of 1,918 mt is the sum 
of the OFL contributions for the component species within the 
complex. The ABCs for the southern Minor Shelf Rockfish complex is 
based on a sigma value of 0.72 for category 2 stocks (i.e., 
greenspotted and greenstriped rockfish) and a sigma value of 1.44 
for category 3 stocks (all others) with a P* of 0.45. The resulting 
ABC of 1,625 mt is the summed contribution of the ABCs for the 
component species. The ACL of 1,624 mt is the sum of contributing 
ABCs of healthy assessed stocks and unassessed stocks, plus the ACL 
contribution of greenspotted rockfish in California where the 40-10 
adjustment was applied to the ABC contribution for this stock 
because it is in the precautionary zone. 49 mt is deducted from the 
ACL to accommodate the incidental open access fishery (9 mt), EFP 
catch (30 mt), and research catch (9.6 mt), resulting in a fishery 
HG of 1,575 mt.
    \mm\ Minor Slope Rockfish south. The OFL for the Minor Slope 
Rockfish complex south of 40[deg]10' N. lat. of 813 mt is the sum of 
the OFL contributions for the component species within the complex. 
The ABC for the southern Minor Slope Rockfish complex is based on a 
sigma value of 0.39 for aurora rockfish, a sigma value of 0.72 for 
category 2 stocks (i.e., blackgill rockfish, rougheye rockfish, 
blackspotted rockfish, and sharpchin rockfish), and a sigma value of 
1.44 for category 3 stocks (all others) with a P* of 0.45. A unique 
sigma of 0.39 was calculated for aurora rockfish since the variance 
in estimated biomass was greater than the 0.36 used as a proxy for 
other category 1 stocks. The resulting ABC of 705 mt is the summed 
contribution of the ABCs for the component species. The ACL of 693 
mt is the sum of contributing ABCs of healthy assessed stocks and 
unassessed stocks, plus the ACL contribution of blackgill rockfish 
where the 40-10 adjustment was applied to the ABC contribution for 
this stock because it is in the precautionary zone. 20 mt is 
deducted from the ACL to accommodate the incidental open access 
fishery (17 mt), EFP catch (1 mt), and research catch (2 mt), 
resulting in a fishery HG of 673 mt. Blackgill rockfish has a 
species-specific HG set equal to the species' contribution to 40-10-
adjusted ACL. The blackgill rockfish HG is 114 mt.
    \nn\ Other Flatfish. The Other Flatfish complex is comprised of 
flatfish species managed in the PCGFMP that are not managed with 
species-specific OFLs/ABCs/ACLs. Most of the species in the Other 
Flatfish complex are unassessed and include butter sole, curlfin 
sole, flathead sole, Pacific sanddab (assessed in 2013 but the 
assessment results were too uncertain to inform harvest 
specifications), rock sole, sand sole, and rex sole (assessed in 
2013). The Other Flatfish OFL of 11,453 mt is based on the sum of 
the OFL contributions of the component stocks. The ABC of 8,749 mt 
is based on a sigma value of 0.72 for category 2 stocks (i.e., rex 
sole) and a sigma value of 1.44 for category 3 stocks (all others) 
with a P* of 0.40. The ACL is set equal to the ABC since all of the 
assessed stocks (i.e., Pacific sanddabs and rex sole) were above 
their target biomass of B25[percnt]. 204 mt is 
deducted from the ACL to accommodate the Tribal fishery (60 mt), the 
incidental open access fishery (125 mt), and research catch (19 mt), 
resulting in a fishery HG of 8,545 mt.
    \oo\ Other Fish. The Other Fish complex is comprised of kelp 
greenling coastwide, cabezon off Washington, and leopard shark 
coastwide. These species are unassessed. The OFL of 291 mt is the 
sum of the OFL contributions for kelp greenling off California (the 
SSC has not approved methods for calculating the OFL contributions 
for kelp greenling off Oregon and Washington), cabezon off 
Washington, and leopard shark coastwide. The ABC of 242 mt is the 
sum of ABC contributions for kelp greenling off California, cabezon 
off Washington and leopard shark coastwide calculated by applying a 
P* of 0.45 and a sigma of 1.44 to the OFL contributions for those 
stocks. The ACL is set equal to the ABC. There are no deductions 
from the ACL so the fishery HG is equal to the ACL of 242 mt.

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[[Page 27600]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR14MY15.005

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0
4. In Sec.  660.131, revise paragraph (h) to read as follows:


Sec.  660.131  Pacific whiting fishery management measures.

* * * * *
    (h) Reapportionment of Pacific whiting. (1) Upon receipt of written 
notice to the Regional Administrator from the tribe(s) participating in 
the fishery that they do not intend to use a portion of the tribal 
allocation, the Regional Administrator may, no earlier than 7 days 
following notice to other treaty tribes with rights to whiting, 
reapportion any remainder to the other sectors of the trawl fishery as 
soon as practicable after receiving such notice. If no such 
reapportionment has occurred prior to September 15 of the fishing year, 
the Regional Administrator will, based on discussions with 
representatives of the tribes participating in the Pacific whiting 
fishery for that fishing year, consider the tribal harvests to date and 
catch projections for the remainder of the year relative to the tribal 
allocation of Pacific whiting, as specified at Sec.  660.50. That 
portion of the tribal allocation that the Regional Administrator 
determines will not be used by the end of the fishing year may be 
reapportioned to the other sectors of the trawl fishery on September 15 
or as soon as practicable thereafter. Subsequent reapportionments may 
be made based on subsequent determinations by the Regional 
Administrator based on the factors described above in order to ensure 
full utilization of the resource. However, no reapportionments will 
occur after December 1 of the fishing year.
    (2) NMFS will reapportion unused tribal allocation to the other 
sectors of the trawl fishery in proportion to their initial 
allocations.
    (3) The reapportionment of surplus whiting will be made effective 
immediately by actual notice under the automatic action authority 
provided at Sec.  660.60(d)(1).
    (4) Estimates of the portion of the tribal allocation that will not 
be used by the end of the fishing year will be based on the best 
information available to the Regional Administrator.

0
5. In Sec.  660.140, revise paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(D) to read as follows:


Sec.  660.140  Shorebased IFQ Program.

* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (ii) * * *
    (D) For the trawl fishery, NMFS will issue QP based on the 
following shorebased trawl allocations:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             2015 shorebased    2016 shorebased
                IFQ species                         Management area          trawl allocation   trawl allocation
                                                                                   (mt)               (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arrowtooth flounder........................  .............................           3,193.93           3,033.38
BOCACCIO...................................  South of 40[deg]10' N. lat...              81.89              85.02
CANARY ROCKFISH............................  .............................              43.26              44.48
Chilipepper................................  South of 40[deg]10' N. lat...           1,203.00           1,196.25
COWCOD.....................................  South of 40[deg]10' N. lat...               1.44               1.44
DARKBLOTCHED ROCKFISH......................  .............................             285.61             292.81
Dover sole.................................  .............................          45,980.80          45,980.80
English sole...............................  .............................           9,153.19           6,636.64
Lingcod....................................  North of 40[deg]10' N. lat...           1,133.32           1,083.37
Lingcod....................................  South of 40[deg]10' N. lat...             447.71             421.61
Longspine thornyhead.......................  North of 34[deg]27' N. lat...           2,962.33           2,815.08
Minor Shelf Rockfish complex...............  North of 40[deg]10' N. lat...           1,091.70           1,096.52
Minor Shelf Rockfish complex...............  South of 40[deg]10' N. lat...             192.20             192.32
Minor Slope Rockfish complex...............  North of 40[deg]10' N. lat...           1,219.41           1,229.94
Minor Slope Rockfish complex...............  South of 40[deg]10' N. lat...             423.99             425.25
Other Flatfish complex.....................  .............................           7,670.50           6,315.10
Pacific cod................................  .............................           1,031.41           1,031.41
PACIFIC OCEAN PERCH........................  North of 40[deg]10' N. lat...             118.45             124.15
Pacific Whiting............................  .............................         112,007.45  .................
PETRALE SOLE...............................  .............................           2,539.40           2,633.40
Sablefish..................................  North of 36[deg] N. lat......           2,199.37           2,411.24
Sablefish..................................  South of 36[deg] N. lat......             719.88             787.50
Shortspine thornyhead......................  North of 34[deg]27' N. lat...           1,581.49           1,563.44
Shortspine thornyhead......................  South of 34[deg]27' N. lat...              50.00              50.00
Splitnose rockfish.........................  South of 40[deg]10' N. lat...           1,619.28           1,648.73
Starry flounder............................  .............................             756.85             759.35
Widow rockfish.............................  .............................           1,420.62           1,420.62
YELLOWEYE ROCKFISH.........................  .............................               1.00               1.08
Yellowtail rockfish........................  North of 40[deg]10' N. lat...           4,593.15           4,376.67
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2015-11607 Filed 5-13-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P