Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod in the Western Aleutian Islands District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, 9787-9788 [2016-04205]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 38 / Friday, February 26, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with RULES
projected to be reached, by filing a
notification to that effect with the Office
of the Federal Register, as established by
Regulatory Amendment 18 (78 FR
47574, August 6, 2013). The reduced
commercial trip limit is 500 lb (227 kg),
gutted weight, 555 lb (252 kg), round
weight. Based on current information,
NMFS has determined that 75 percent of
the available commercial quota for the
January 1 through June 30, 2016, fishing
season for vermilion snapper will be
reached by March 2, 2016. Accordingly,
NMFS is reducing the commercial trip
limit for vermilion snapper to 500 lb
(227 kg), gutted weight, 555 lb (252 kg),
round weight, in or from the South
Atlantic EEZ at 12:01 a.m., local time,
on March 2, 2016. This reduced
commercial trip limit will remain in
effect until the start of the next fishing
season on July 1, 2016, or until the
commercial quota is reached and the
commercial sector closes, whichever
occurs first.
Classification
The Regional Administrator,
Southeast Region, NMFS, has
determined this temporary rule is
necessary for the conservation and
management of South Atlantic
vermilion snapper and is consistent
with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and
other applicable laws.
This action is taken under 50 CFR
622.191(a)(6)(ii) and is exempt from
review under Executive Order 12866.
These measures are exempt from the
procedures of the Regulatory Flexibility
Act because the temporary rule is issued
without opportunity for prior notice and
comment.
This action responds to the best
scientific information available. The
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA (AA), finds that the need to
immediately implement this
commercial trip limit reduction
constitutes good cause to waive the
requirements to provide prior notice
and opportunity for public comment
pursuant to the authority set forth in 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B), because prior notice
and opportunity for public comment on
this temporary rule is unnecessary and
contrary to the public interest. Such
procedures are unnecessary, because the
rule establishing the trip limit has
already been subject to notice and
comment, and all that remains is to
notify the public of the trip limit
reduction. Prior notice and opportunity
for public comment is contrary to the
public interest, because any delay in
reducing the commercial trip limit
could result in the commercial quota
being exceeded. There is a need to
immediately implement this action to
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17:33 Feb 25, 2016
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protect the vermilion snapper resource,
since the capacity of the fishing fleet
allows for rapid harvest of the
commercial quota. Prior notice and
opportunity for public comment on this
action would require time and increase
the probability that the commercial
sector could exceed its quota.
For the aforementioned reasons, the
AA also finds good cause to waive the
30-day delay in the effectiveness of this
action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3).
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: February 23, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–04191 Filed 2–25–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 141021887–5172–02]
RIN 0648–XE471
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod in the
Western Aleutian Islands District of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing for Pacific cod, including for the
Community Development Quota
program (CDQ), in the Western Aleutian
Islands district of the Bering Sea and
Aleutian Islands management area
(BSAI). This action is necessary to
prevent exceeding the Western Aleutian
Islands district Pacific cod harvest limit
of the 2016 total allowable catch (TAC)
in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the
BSAI.
SUMMARY:
Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local
time (A.l.t.), February 23, 2016, through
2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh
Keaton, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI according to the Fishery
Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area (FMP) prepared by
the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council under authority of the
DATES:
PO 00000
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9787
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act.
Regulations governing fishing by U.S.
vessels in accordance with the FMP
appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600
and 50 CFR part 679.
The Western Aleutian Islands district
Pacific cod harvest limit of the 2016
TAC in the Aleutian Islands subarea of
the BSAI is 3,377 metric tons (mt) as
established by the final 2015 and 2016
harvest specifications for groundfish in
the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015)
and inseason adjustment (81 FR 184,
January 5, 2016). In accordance with
§ 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator,
Alaska Region, NMFS, has determined
that the Area 543 Pacific cod harvest
limit of the 2016 Pacific cod TAC in the
Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI
will soon be reached. Therefore, the
Regional Administrator is establishing a
directed fishing allowance of 2,377 mt,
and is setting aside the remaining 1,000
mt as incidental catch in directed
fishing for other species. In accordance
with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional
Administrator finds that this directed
fishing allowance has been reached.
Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting
directed fishing for Pacific cod in the
Western Aleutian Islands district of the
BSAI.
After the effective date of this closure
the maximum retainable amounts at
§ 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time
during a trip.
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 directed fishing closure of
Pacific cod in the Western Aleutian
Islands district of the BSAI. NMFS was
unable to publish a notice providing
time for public comment because the
most recent, relevant data only became
available as of February 22, 2016.
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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 38 / Friday, February 26, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
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: February 23, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–04205 Filed 2–23–16; 4:15 pm]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 38 (Friday, February 26, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9787-9788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04205]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 141021887-5172-02]
RIN 0648-XE471
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod
in the Western Aleutian Islands District of the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands Management Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod,
including for the Community Development Quota program (CDQ), in the
Western Aleutian Islands district of the Bering Sea and Aleutian
Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent
exceeding the Western Aleutian Islands district Pacific cod harvest
limit of the 2016 total allowable catch (TAC) in the Aleutian Islands
subarea of the BSAI.
DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), February 23,
2016, through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh Keaton, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP) prepared by the
North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Regulations
governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at
subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The Western Aleutian Islands district Pacific cod harvest limit of
the 2016 TAC in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI is 3,377
metric tons (mt) as established by the final 2015 and 2016 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015)
and inseason adjustment (81 FR 184, January 5, 2016). In accordance
with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, has
determined that the Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit of the 2016
Pacific cod TAC in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI will soon
be reached. Therefore, the Regional Administrator is establishing a
directed fishing allowance of 2,377 mt, and is setting aside the
remaining 1,000 mt as incidental catch in directed fishing for other
species. In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional
Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance has been
reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific
cod in the Western Aleutian Islands district of the BSAI.
After the effective date of this closure the maximum retainable
amounts at Sec. 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip.
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 directed fishing closure of Pacific cod in the Western
Aleutian Islands district of the BSAI. NMFS was unable to publish a
notice providing time for public comment because the most recent,
relevant data only became available as of February 22, 2016.
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.
[[Page 9788]]
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: February 23, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-04205 Filed 2-23-16; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
