Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Chinook Salmon Bycatch Management in the Gulf of Alaska Trawl Fisheries; Amendment 103, 62659-62667 [2016-21808]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 176 (Monday, September 12, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 62659-62667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21808]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[160229157-6781-02]
RIN 0648-BF84


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Chinook 
Salmon Bycatch Management in the Gulf of Alaska Trawl Fisheries; 
Amendment 103

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 to implement Amendment 103 to the 
Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). 
Amendment 103 and this final rule allow NMFS to reapportion unused 
Chinook salmon prohibited species catch (PSC) within and among specific 
trawl sectors in the Central and Western Gulf of Alaska (GOA), based on 
specific criteria and within specified limits. Amendment 103 and this 
final rule do not increase the current combined annual PSC limit of 
32,500 Chinook salmon that applies to Central and Western GOA trawl 
sectors under the FMP. Amendment 103 and this final rule promote more 
flexible management of GOA trawl Chinook salmon PSC, increase the 
likelihood that groundfish resources are more fully harvested, reduce 
the potential for fishery closures, and maintain the overall Chinook 
salmon PSC limits in the Central and Western GOA. Amendment 103 and 
this final rule are intended to promote the goals and objectives of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the FMP, and 
other applicable laws.

DATES: Effective on October 12, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of Amendment 103, the final Regulatory 
Impact Review (RIR), and the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 
prepared for this action; the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory 
Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis prepared for 
Amendment 97 to the FMP; and the Environmental Assessment/Regulatory 
Impact Review/Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis prepared for 
Amendment 93 to the FMP are available at https://www.regulations.gov or 
may be obtained from the NMFS Alaska Region Web site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov. All public comments submitted during the 
previous comment periods may be obtained from www.regulations.gov.
    An electronic copy of the November 30, 2000, Biological Opinion on 
the effects of the Alaska groundfish fisheries on Endangered Species 
Act (ESA)-listed Chinook salmon is available at: https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/protectedresources/stellers/plb/default.htm.
    Written comments regarding the burden-hour estimates or other 
aspects of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this 
rule may be submitted by mail to NMFS Alaska Region, P.O. Box 21668, 
Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Attn: Ellen Sebastian, Records Officer; in 
person at NMFS Alaska Region, 709 West 9th Street, Room 420A, Juneau, 
AK; by email to OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov; or by fax to 202-395-5806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff Hartman, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 62660]]

Background

    NMFS manages the groundfish fisheries in the U.S. Exclusive 
Economic Zone (EEZ) of the GOA under the FMP. The North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council (Council) prepared, and NMFS approved, the FMP under 
the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 
Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and implementing the FMP appear at 
50 CFR parts 600 and 679.
    NMFS published the Notice of Availability for Amendment 103 in the 
Federal Register on May 26, 2016 (81 FR 33456), with comments invited 
through July 25, 2016. NMFS published the proposed rule to implement 
Amendment 103 on June 16, 2016 (81 FR 39237), with comments invited 
through July 18, 2016. The Secretary of Commerce approved Amendment 103 
on August 24, 2016. NMFS received two comment letters containing seven 
unique substantive comments on Amendment 103 and the proposed rule. A 
summary of these comments and the responses by NMFS are provided under 
the heading Response to Comments below.
    The preamble to the proposed rule (81 FR 39237, June 16, 2016) 
contains a detailed review of the provisions of Amendment 103, the 
proposed regulations to implement Amendment 103, and the rationale for 
these regulations. The preamble to this final rule includes a brief 
description of (1) the Gulf of Alaska groundfish management areas and 
trawl fisheries affected by Amendment 103, (2) the management of 
Chinook salmon PSC limits in the GOA trawl fisheries, (3) the 
objectives and rationale for Amendment 103 and its implementing 
regulations, (4) the provisions of the Chinook salmon PSC measures, (5) 
the changes from proposed rule to final, and (6) response to comments.

Management Areas and Fisheries Affected

    Amendment 103 applies to federally-permitted vessels fishing for 
pollock and non-pollock groundfish with trawl gear (non-pollock trawl 
fisheries) in the Central and Western Reporting Areas of the GOA 
(Central and Western GOA). The Central and Western Reporting Areas, 
defined at Sec.  679.2 and shown in Figure 3 to 50 CFR part 679, 
consist of the Central and Western Regulatory Areas in the EEZ 
(Statistical Areas 610, 620, and 630) and the adjacent waters of the 
State of Alaska (0 to 3 nm).
    Vessels fishing for pollock and non-pollock groundfish are managed 
under annual total allowable catch (TAC) limits as recommended by the 
Council and approved by NMFS. Section 303(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act, the FMP, and regulations at 50 CFR 679.20(c) require that the 
Council recommend and NMFS specify an overfishing level (OFL), an 
acceptable biological catch (ABC), and a TAC for each stock or stock 
complex (i.e., each species or species group) of groundfish on an 
annual basis. The TAC is the annual catch limit for a species, derived 
from the ABC by considering social and economic factors and management 
uncertainty. The TACs for some species are subject to further 
apportionment on a seasonal basis and among vessels using specific 
types of gear in the GOA (see Sec.  679.20(a)). NMFS closes directed 
(i.e., targeted) fisheries when a TAC or seasonal apportionment of TAC 
is reached, and restricts fishing in other fisheries that may 
incidentally take a species or species group approaching its OFL.
    In the Central and Western GOA, trawl vessels target multiple 
groundfish species and are categorized by whether they participate in 
the directed fishery for pollock or other non-pollock species. Non-
pollock species include arrowtooth flounder, deep-water flatfish, 
flathead sole, Pacific cod, rex sole, rockfish, sablefish, shallow-
water flatfish, and other groundfish species. Many of the vessels 
participating in the non-pollock trawl fisheries catch and retain 
multiple groundfish species during a single fishing trip. The fisheries 
and five trawl sectors participating in these fisheries are described 
in detail in Section 3.4.2 of the RIR, and that description is 
summarized here.
    Pollock in the Central and Western GOA is allocated entirely to 
trawl catcher vessels (CVs) (see Sec.  679.20(a)(6)(i)). This final 
rule defines the Central and Western GOA pollock trawl CV fisheries as 
the Central GOA and Western GOA pollock sectors.
    The non-pollock fisheries in the Central and Western GOA are 
harvested by vessels using trawl and non-trawl gear (i.e., hook-and-
line, jig, and pot gear). Amendment 103 and this final rule categorize 
the non-pollock trawl fisheries into three distinct sectors: The Trawl 
catcher/processor (C/P) sector; the Rockfish Program (CV) sector; and 
the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector.
    The Trawl C/P sector includes trawl C/Ps that participate in a 
range of non-pollock groundfish fisheries in the Central and Western 
GOA such as arrowtooth flounder, deep-water flatfish, flathead sole, 
rex sole, rockfish and sablefish.
    The Rockfish Program CV sector includes any CV fishing for 
groundfish, other than pollock, with trawl gear in the Central GOA and 
operating under the authority of a Central GOA Rockfish Program 
cooperative quota permit. The Central GOA Rockfish Program is a limited 
access privilege program that authorizes vessels to fish for a variety 
of rockfish species, Pacific cod, and sablefish in the Central GOA. 
Additional detail on the Central GOA Rockfish Program and the Rockfish 
Program CV sector is provided in Section 1.1 of the RIR, and the final 
rule implementing the Central GOA Rockfish Program (76 FR 81248, 
December 27, 2011).
    The Non-Rockfish Program CV sector is defined as any catcher vessel 
fishing for groundfish, other than pollock, with trawl gear in the 
Central or Western Reporting Area of the GOA and not operating under 
the authority of a Central GOA Rockfish Program cooperative quota (CQ) 
permit assigned to the catcher vessel sector.

Management of Chinook Salmon PSC Limits in the GOA Trawl Fisheries

    Trawl vessels that fish for pollock and non-pollock species tow 
nets through the water. Groundfish species that are caught in trawl 
nets can occur in the same locations as Chinook salmon. Consequently, 
Chinook salmon are incidentally caught in trawl nets as fishermen 
target groundfish. This incidental catch of unintended species in a 
groundfish fishery is referred to as ``bycatch.''
    Section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act defines bycatch as fish that 
are harvested in a fishery, and that are not sold or kept for personal 
use. Therefore, Chinook salmon caught in groundfish fisheries are 
considered bycatch under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the FMP, and NMFS 
regulations at 50 CFR part 679. Bycatch of any species is a concern of 
the Council and NMFS. National Standard 9 and section 303(a)(11) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act require the Council to recommend, and NMFS to 
implement, conservation and management measures that, to the extent 
practicable, minimize bycatch and bycatch mortality.
    The bycatch of culturally and economically valuable species like 
Chinook salmon are categorized as prohibited species under the FMP. The 
bycatch of Pacific salmon, and Chinook salmon in particular, is closely 
monitored and managed in the groundfish fisheries off Alaska. In 
addition to salmon, other species, including steelhead trout, Pacific 
halibut, king crab, Tanner crab, and

[[Page 62661]]

Pacific herring, are also classified as prohibited species catch (PSC) 
in the groundfish fisheries off Alaska. Fishermen must avoid salmon 
bycatch, and any salmon caught must either be donated to the Prohibited 
Species Donation (PSD) Program (see Sec.  679.26), or returned to 
Federal waters as soon as practicable, with a minimum of injury, after 
an observer has determined the amount of salmon bycatch and collected 
any scientific data or biological samples.
    Some Chinook salmon stocks in the Pacific Northwest, including 
Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, are listed as endangered or threatened 
under the ESA. Small amounts of these ESA-listed Chinook salmon are 
caught in GOA non-pollock trawl fisheries. The November 30, 2000, 
Biological Opinion on the effects of the Alaska groundfish fisheries on 
ESA-listed salmon of the Pacific Northwest included an incidental take 
statement (ITS) with an annual incidental take threshold of 40,000 
Chinook salmon for the GOA groundfish fisheries. Exceeding the ITS for 
Chinook salmon triggers reinitiation of section 7 consultation under 
the ESA (see Section 3 of the RIR) (see ADDRESSES).
    NMFS has implemented two programs to limit use of Chinook salmon 
PSC in the GOA trawl fisheries: Amendment 93 and Amendment 97 to the 
FMP. The combined annual GOA trawl PSC limits under Amendments 93 and 
97 are 32,500 Chinook salmon. Amendment 93, implemented in August 2012, 
established an aggregate Chinook salmon PSC limit of 25,000 divided 
among the directed pollock fisheries in the Central and Western GOA (77 
FR 42629, July 20, 2012). Amendment 93 establishes a Chinook salmon PSC 
limit of 18,316 salmon in the Central GOA, and 6,684 Chinook salmon in 
the Western GOA. Amendment 97, implemented on January 1, 2015, 
established a long-term average annual PSC limit of 7,500 Chinook 
salmon for the Central and Western GOA non-pollock trawl fisheries (79 
FR 71350, December 2, 2014). Under Amendment 97, this limit is divided 
among the three non-pollock trawl sectors: The Trawl C/P sector 
(3,600); the Rockfish Program CV sector (1,200); and the Non-Rockfish 
Program CV sector (2,700).
    On May 3, 2015, NMFS prohibited directed fishing for groundfish by 
the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector after determining that the sector 
had reached its annual Chinook salmon PSC limit of 2,700 Chinook 
salmon. While Chinook salmon PSC limits were not exceeded at that time 
in other trawl sectors, existing Federal regulations did not allow NMFS 
to reapportion unused GOA Chinook salmon PSC limits from the trawl C/P 
and other CV trawl sectors to the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector. On 
August 10, 2015, NMFS implemented an emergency rule that provided the 
Non-Rockfish Program sector with up to 1,600 additional Chinook salmon 
PSC for the remainder of 2015 (80 CFR 47864, August 10, 2015). With 
this additional Chinook salmon PSC, the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector 
was able to resume fishing in 2015.

Amendment 103 and This Final Rule

    As highlighted in the Council's purpose and need statement, 
Amendment 103 and this final rule (1) improve NMFS' inseason 
flexibility for reapportioning Chinook salmon PSC to minimize closures 
in the GOA, (2) are consistent with the goals of Amendments 93 and 97 
and maintain current PSC limits, (3) do not exceed the incidental take 
threshold for ESA-listed Chinook salmon, and (4) balance competing 
social and economic interests. Amendment 103 and this final rule are 
necessary to increase the likelihood that groundfish resources are more 
fully harvested and to reduce the potential for fishery closures.

Improve NMFS' Inseason Flexibility for Reapportioning Chinook Salmon 
PSC To Minimize Closures in the GOA

    Amendment 103 and this final rule provide NMFS the flexibility to 
reapportion unused Chinook salmon PSC among fishery sectors during 
years of high or unusual Chinook salmon PSC that may occur in one or 
more fishery sectors without revising the individual sector PSC limits 
that are currently set in regulation. It accomplishes that by 
authorizing NMFS to reapportion unused Chinook salmon PSC from any of 
the five pollock or non-pollock sectors to any other sector, except the 
Trawl C/P sector. For example, unused Chinook salmon PSC could be 
reapportioned from the Central GOA pollock trawl sector to the Non-
Rockfish Program CV sector. NMFS would only make such a reapportionment 
after NMFS has determined that the remaining amount of the Central GOA 
pollock trawl sector's PSC limit is greater than the amount of Chinook 
salmon PSC projected to be necessary to harvest the pollock TAC in the 
Central GOA pollock trawl sector for the remainder of the year.

Are Consistent With the Goals of Amendments 93 and 97 and Maintain 
Current PSC Limits

    Amendment 103 and this final rule do not change the annual Chinook 
salmon PSC limits at Sec.  679.21(h)(4) that were implemented under 
Amendments 93 and 97 because those PSC limits continue to be the most 
practicable Chinook salmon PSC limits for the Central and Western GOA 
trawl fisheries. They are practicable, in part, because they continue 
to apply the current incentives to minimize incidental catch of Chinook 
salmon PSC in the five trawl sectors. Amendment 103 and this final rule 
continue to apply the incentives created by Amendments 93 and 97 
because (1) the original PSC limits are set at an amount of PSC that is 
close to average historical use levels for most trawl sectors, (2) the 
amount of PSC that may be reapportioned among trawl sectors has been 
capped, and (3) potential receivers of Chinook salmon PSC 
reapportionments will continue to face uncertainty about whether and 
when NMFS will determine that unused Chinook salmon PSC is available to 
reapportion to them.
    The potential still remains that a fishery will be closed if a 
Chinook salmon PSC limit is reached. Based on the historical use of 
Chinook salmon PSC, the Central and Western GOA pollock sectors are 
expected to be able to harvest their pollock TACs despite the Chinook 
salmon PSC limits established under Amendment 93. Of the five sectors 
covered by Amendments 93 and 97, two non-pollock sectors (Rockfish 
Program CV sector and Non-Rockfish Program CV sector) are more likely 
to be constrained by their Chinook salmon PSC limits because Amendment 
97 set those two sectors' Chinook salmon PSC limits close to their 
levels of historic Chinook salmon PSC use (see the final rule for 
implementing Amendment 97 (79 FR 71350, December 2, 2014)). PSC limits 
established in Amendment 97 for the Trawl C/P sector provide a 
proportionally larger buffer measured from the sector's historical 
average Chinook salmon PSC use. The historic PSC use by the Trawl C/P 
sector indicates that this sector is not likely to exceed its current 
Amendment 97 PSC limit (Section 3.8 of the RIR). Therefore, trawl C/Ps 
are excluded from the additional reapportionments provided to other 
sectors in this final rule.
    Amendment 103 and this final rule establish a cap on the amount of 
unused Chinook salmon PSC that may be reapportioned to a sector in a 
single year (Sec.  679.21(h)(5)(iv)). Reapportionments of unused 
Chinook salmon PSC may not exceed 3,342 Chinook salmon to vessels 
participating in the Western GOA pollock sector, 9,158 Chinook salmon 
to vessels participating in the Central GOA pollock sector, 600 Chinook 
salmon to the Rockfish Program CV sector, and

[[Page 62662]]

1,350 Chinook salmon to the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector. By capping 
the amount of unused Chinook PSC that can be received by a sector 
through a reapportionment, this final rule balances the goal of 
flexibility to reapportion unused PSC with the goal to minimize PSC, 
consistent with National Standard 9 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
    This final rule also acknowledges that NMFS's ability to 
reapportion unused Chinook salmon PSC does not provide certainty for 
any pollock or non-pollock sector that a fishery will remain open. 
NMFS's ability to reapportion unused Chinook PSC within the caps 
designated in this final rule does not guarantee that unused Chinook 
salmon PSC will be available for reapportionment for a particular 
sector in a given year. Chinook salmon PSC encounter levels are highly 
variable across years. A sector is likely to reach its PSC limit in 
years when other GOA trawl sectors are experiencing similarly high 
Chinook salmon PSC levels, thus reducing the availability of 
reapportionments among those sectors. NMFS inseason managers will not 
necessarily reapportion unused Chinook salmon PSC to a closed sector. 
Although Amendment 103 and this final rule could prevent the closure of 
a sector during a particular year, the possibility exists that fishing 
opportunities might be forgone for at least part of that year. 
Reapportionment of unused Chinook salmon PSC is most likely to be from 
the Central or Western GOA pollock sectors, and most of the Chinook 
salmon PSC use in those two sectors occurs later in the year. NMFS will 
not make large reapportionments from either of these pollock sectors to 
a non-pollock sector until NMFS is able to reasonably project that a 
pollock sector's Chinook salmon PSC use will be below its PSC limit for 
the remainder of the year.
    Section 3.8 of the RIR identifies the potential for small increases 
in the annual use of Chinook salmon PSC under Amendment 103 and this 
final rule, relative to the status quo, due to the increased 
flexibility to reapportion unused Chinook salmon PSC. The Council and 
NMFS concluded that because any reapportionment must be debited from a 
sector, the potential aggregate increase in the use of Chinook PSC 
across all five sectors under this final rule is likely be small and is 
consistent with the goals of Amendments 93 and 97. The RIR estimates 
the maximum aggregate increase in Chinook salmon PSC due to 
reapportionment of unused PSC from all five sectors will be no more 
than 2,000 Chinook salmon in any year, or approximately 6 percent of 
the current combined 32,500 Chinook salmon PSC limit for the Central 
and Western GOA trawl fisheries.

Do Not Exceed the Incidental Take Threshold for ESA-Listed Chinook 
Salmon

    Under Amendment 103 and this final rule, trawl fisheries will 
continue to avoid exceeding the annual Chinook salmon ESA threshold of 
40,000 Chinook salmon that was identified in the incidental take 
statement accompanying the November 30, 2000, Biological Opinion (see 
ADDRESSES). Establishing a limit on the amount of Chinook salmon PSC 
that may be taken on an annual basis in the pollock and non-pollock 
trawl fisheries in the Central and Western GOA will accomplish that 
goal. This final rule will continue to limit the combined annual 
Chinook salmon PSC in the Central and Western GOA trawl fisheries to 
32,500 Chinook salmon, much less than the 40,000 Chinook salmon 
threshold.

Balance Competing Social and Economic Interests (National Standards)

    As discussed in this preamble and the preamble to the proposed rule 
(81 FR 39237, June 16, 2016), the Council concluded, and NMFS agrees, 
that Amendment 103 and this final rule reduce the potential for Chinook 
salmon PSC limits implemented under Amendments 93 and 97 to cause 
adverse social and economic effects from a fishery closure and, at the 
same time, continue to minimize Chinook salmon PSC to the extent 
practicable. Reapportioning unused Chinook salmon PSC to a sector to 
avoid a closure or to reopen a fishery may prevent negative impacts to 
harvesters, processors, and GOA coastal communities that depend on that 
groundfish resource. Amendment 103 and this final rule are consistent 
with the National Standards 1, 5, 6, 8, and 9 (see Section 4.1 of the 
RIR). Amendment 103 and this final rule increase the likelihood that 
groundfish TACs will be achieved, allow for management actions to 
adjust to the variation in Chinook salmon PSC rates among sectors 
within a year, and decrease the likelihood that harvesters, processors, 
and communities will be adversely affected by fishery closures due to 
Chinook salmon PSC limits. Those objectives are consistent with 
National Standards 1, 5, 6, 8, and 9.

Reorganization of Regulations for Chinook Salmon PSC Limits

    This final rule consolidates under Sec.  679.21(h) the regulations 
for Chinook salmon PSC limits in the GOA pollock and non-pollock trawl 
fisheries that are currently found at Sec.  679.21(h) and (i), 
respectively. This final rule consolidates under Sec.  679.21(h) all 
the current Chinook salmon PSC limits and management measures as well 
as the regulations to authorize the reapportionment of Chinook salmon 
PSC limits among the GOA pollock and non-pollock trawl sectors. 
Consolidation of the Chinook salmon PSC limit regulations under Sec.  
679.21(h) will not result in any technical or substantive changes to 
the existing procedures, policies, and requirements that were 
implemented under Amendments 93 and 97. Consolidation allows for more 
efficient, clear, and concise regulations applicable to the entities 
regulated by this final rule.

Changes From Proposed to Final Rule

    NMFS has not made any changes to the final rule or to the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act analysis.

Responses to Comments

    NMFS received one letter from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(USFWS) acknowledging its review of the proposed rule, but USFWS 
submitted no comments. NMFS also received a comment letter from the 
representative of the GOA trawl fishing industry interest group 
expressing support for the proposed rule and providing additional 
comments.
    Comment 1: The commenter noted that the proposed rule provides 
additional flexibility to GOA pollock and non-pollock trawl fisheries 
and recommends that the final rule be implemented. The commenter stated 
that the proposed rule will increase the likelihood that groundfish 
resources are more fully harvested, reduce the potential for fishery 
closures and resulting adverse socioeconomic impacts on harvesters, 
processors, and communities, and yet still maintain the overall Chinook 
salmon PSC limits in the Central and Western GOA.
    Response: NMFS agrees that the added flexibility for reapportioning 
Chinook salmon PSC in Amendment 103 and this final rule will reduce the 
potential for fishery closures in the GOA pollock and non-pollock 
fisheries.
    Comment 2: The commenter agreed with NMFS's assessment in the 
preamble to the proposed rule that fishery participants are unlikely to 
reduce their ongoing effort to avoid Chinook salmon as a result of 
Amendment 103 and the proposed rule.
    Response: NMFS acknowledges this comment.

[[Page 62663]]

    Comment 3: The commenter sought clarification of the dates in the 
proposed rule for providing NMFS with the discretion to reapportion 
Chinook salmon PSC from the Rockfish Program CV Sector to the Non-
Rockfish Program CV sector on October 1. The proposed rule would have 
provided discretion for the Regional Administrator to reallocate any 
unused Chinook salmon PSC from the Rockfish Program CV Sector, in 
excess of 150 Chinook salmon, to the Non-Rockfish Program CV Sector on 
October 1. As described in the Analysis, the Council's intent for this 
provision and the overall intent of Amendment 103 and the proposed rule 
is to provide the Regional Administrator the discretion to reapportion 
unused Chinook salmon PSC from the Rockfish Program CV sector to the 
Non-Rockfish Program CV sector either before, on, or after October 1. 
The commenter recommended revising text at Sec.  679.21(h)(5)(i) to 
delete ``On October 1'' to provide the Regional Administrator greater 
flexibility regarding when to reapportion PSC as intended by the 
Council.
    Response: NMFS agrees that a principal goal of Amendment 103 and 
this final rule is to increase the flexibility for inseason 
reapportionments of unused Chinook salmon PSC from the Rockfish Program 
CV sector to the Non-Rockfish Program CV sector, or to the Central GOA 
pollock or Western GOA pollock sectors, throughout the fishing year. 
This final rule accomplishes that goal since it provides NMFS with the 
discretion to reapportion unused Chinook salmon PSC from the Rockfish 
Program CV sector at any time during the year with two limitations. 
First, Sec.  679.21(h)(5)(iv) imposes caps on the amount of Chinook 
salmon PSC that NMFS may reapportion. Second, Sec.  679.21(h)(5)(i) and 
(ii) provide that, if on October 1, there are fewer than 150 Chinook 
salmon PSC available to the Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector, 
NMFS may not reapportion any of that PSC until November 15. 
Accordingly, between October 1 and November 15 of each year, NMFS has 
more limited discretion with regard to reapportionments from the 
Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector than compared to other times of 
the year. Prior to October 1, there is no express requirement that NMFS 
leave at least 150 Chinook salmon PSC for the Rockfish Program catcher 
vessel sector's use. However, NMFS will authorize a reapportionment 
after taking into consideration the amount of Chinook salmon PSC 
necessary to enable the transferor to prosecute its directed fisheries 
for the year.
    The preamble to the proposed rule may not have been clear on the 
scope of NMFS's discretion to make a reapportionment prior to October 
1. The text to Amendment 103 and the regulatory text, however, are 
clear, and this response provides additional background in order to 
remove any potential ambiguity.
    Accordingly, with regard to the request to delete the October 1 and 
November 15 dates from the rule, NMFS declines to do so, as the dates 
are established in the FMP. In addition, in this Council-initiated 
action, the Council modified the provisions, but left the dates intact. 
Under section 304(a)(3) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, NMFS must approve, 
disapprove, or partially approve the proposed amendment. Because the 
Council did not amend the dates, NMFS has no basis for deleting those 
dates from the FMP Amendment or its implementing regulations.
    Comment 4: The provision at Sec.  679.21(h)(5)(ii) of the proposed 
rule, which requires NMFS to reserve 150 Chinook salmon PSC for the 
Rockfish Program CV sector until November 15, is not consistent with 
the intent of this amendment to provide NMFS with flexibility to 
reapportion PSC as necessary after consultation with the industry. NMFS 
should have the discretion to reapportion any amount of PSC to a 
fishery at any time during the fishing year for consistency with the 
overall purpose and need for this action.
    Response: NMFS addressed this comment in its response to Comment 3.
    Comment 5: The commenter states that the cap on the amount of 
Chinook salmon PSC that can be reapportioned to any trawl sector based 
on 50 percent of that sector's initial PSC limit as defined at Sec.  
679.21(h)(4) limits flexibility and is unnecessarily restrictive.
    Response: The amounts of Chinook salmon PSC that may be received in 
a reapportionment are itemized for each sector at Sec.  
679.21(h)(5)(iv). The preambles to the proposed rule and this final 
rule provide a thorough discussion of why the Council recommended and 
NMFS is implementing this final rule with sector-level PSC 
reapportionment caps.
    The Council and NMFS examined a range of cap limits, prior to 
selecting a cap based on 50 percent of a sector's Chinook salmon PSC 
limit. The Council and NMFS determined that a cap larger than 50 
percent of a sector's Chinook salmon PSC limit may reduce the incentive 
to minimize bycatch to the extent practicable. For example, with higher 
caps, or no cap on reapportionments, some sectors could significantly 
exceed their historical average use of Chinook salmon PSC. As noted 
earlier in this preamble, Amendment 103 and this rule were not intended 
to remove the Chinook salmon PSC limits established under Amendments 93 
and 97. Rather, they are designed to provide additional flexibility 
while maintaining PSC levels reflective of each sector's historic use. 
The Council and NMFS also considered a range of cap limits that were 
lower than 50 percent of a sector's Chinook salmon PSC limit and 
concluded that a smaller cap could preclude the reapportionment of 
sufficient amounts of Chinook salmon PSC to avoid fishery closures, 
particularly for sectors such as the Rockfish Program CV sector that 
have small initial Chinook salmon PSC limits (See Analysis, Section 
3.8). For the reasons previously discussed in this preamble and the 
preamble to the proposed rule for this action (81 FR 39237, June 16, 
2016), none of these alternative cap limits had the potential to 
increase the flexibility for reapportioning Chinook salmon PSC within 
pollock and non-pollock sectors, while achieving the objectives of this 
action to reduce bycatch of Chinook salmon to the extent practicable.
    Comment 6: The commenter stated that in the GOA pollock trawl 
fishery, Chinook salmon PSC estimates are derived from a census of 
observed vessels whereas in the non-pollock trawl fisheries, Chinook 
salmon PSC estimates are based on randomly selected samples taken by 
observers at sea. Due to the sampling design applied to the non-pollock 
fisheries, a non-pollock fishery sector's Chinook salmon PSC estimates 
could be derived from a single vessel's use of Chinook salmon PSC 
during a specific trip which may not be representative of the Chinook 
salmon PSC by other vessels in that sector. The commenter asserted that 
NMFS should modify observer sampling protocols in the non-pollock trawl 
fisheries and employ a census method on all observed vessels.
    Response: PSC sampling and catch accounting methods for the non-
pollock trawl fisheries are outside the scope of Amendment 103 and this 
final rule. The observer sampling methods for Chinook salmon PSC in the 
GOA trawl fisheries were established by Amendment 93 and Amendment 97 
and are described in the preambles to both of those final rules.
    Comment 7: The commenter stated that Amendment 103 does not provide 
all of the tools needed to fully utilize allocated Chinook salmon PSC 
or

[[Page 62664]]

minimize bycatch to the extent practicable, and that a regulated catch 
share program that explicitly allocates target species and bycatch 
species such as salmon would accomplish these objectives.
    Response: The consideration of alternatives and options for a GOA 
trawl bycatch management program is outside the scope of this action, 
which is limited to reapportionment of unused Chinook salmon PSC within 
and among specific trawl sectors in the GOA, within certain parameters. 
The Council is currently discussing alternatives for a GOA trawl 
bycatch management program that may provide additional tools to manage 
Chinook salmon PSC in the future. NMFS published a notice of intent to 
prepare an environmental impact statement for a new bycatch management 
program for GOA groundfish trawl fisheries in the Federal Register on 
July 28, 2016 (81 FR 49614). We encourage the commenter to provide 
input on GOA trawl bycatch management through that process.

Classification

    The NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that Amendment 103 
and this final rule are necessary for the conservation and management 
of the groundfish fishery, and that they are consistent with the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act and other applicable law.
    This rule has been determined to be not significant for the 
purposes of Executive Order 12866.

Small Entity Compliance Guide

    Section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness 
Act of 1996 states that, for each rule or group of related rules for 
which an agency is required to prepare a final regulatory flexibility 
analysis (FRFA), the agency shall publish one or more guides to assist 
small entities in complying with the rule, and shall designate such 
publications as ``small entity compliance guides.'' The preambles to 
the proposed rule and this final rule serve as the small entity 
compliance guide. This action does not require any additional 
compliance from small entities that is not described in the preambles. 
Copies of the proposed rule and this final rule are available from the 
NMFS Web site at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov.

Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    This FRFA incorporates the IRFA, a summary of the significant 
issues raised by the public comments, NMFS' responses to those 
comments, and a summary of the analyses completed to support this 
action.
    Section 604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) requires that, 
when an agency promulgates a final rule under section 553 of Title 5 of 
the U.S. Code, after being required by that section or any other law to 
publish a general notice of proposed rulemaking, the agency shall 
prepare a FRFA. Section 604 describes the required contents of a FRFA: 
(1) A statement of the need for, and objectives of, the rule; (2) a 
statement of the significant issues raised by the public comments in 
response to the IRFA, a statement 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) the response of the agency to any 
comments filed by the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration (SBA) in response to the proposed rule, and a detailed 
statement of any change made to the proposed rule in the final rule as 
a result of the comments; (4) a description of 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; (5) 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 requirements, and the type of professional 
skills necessary for preparation of the report or record; and (6) 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 the reason the agency rejected each of 
the other significant alternatives that affect the impact on small 
entities.
Need for, and Objectives of, This Rule
    A statement of the need for, and objectives of, this rule is 
included earlier in this preamble and is not repeated here.
Summary of Significant Issues Raised During Public Comment
    NMFS published the proposed rule to implement Amendment 103 on June 
16, 2016 (81 FR 39237). An IRFA was prepared and summarized in the 
Classification section of the preamble to the proposed rule. The 
comment period on the proposed rule closed on July 18, 2016. NMFS 
received two letters of public comment on the proposed rule and 
Amendment 103. The Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the SBA did not file 
any comments on the proposed rule. No comments were received on the 
IRFA. No changes were made to this rule or the RFA analysis as a result 
of public comments.
Number and Description of Directly Regulated Small Entities
    The action directly regulates federally permitted or licensed 
entities that participate in harvesting groundfish from the Federal or 
State-managed parallel pollock and non-pollock trawl fisheries of the 
Central and Western GOA. These entities include vessels participating 
in five trawl sectors (Central GOA pollock, Western GOA pollock, Trawl 
C/P, Rockfish CV, and Non-Rockfish Program CV) in the Central and 
Western GOA.
    On December 29, 2015, NMFS issued a final rule establishing a small 
business size standard of $11 million in annual gross receipts for all 
businesses primarily engaged in the commercial fishing industry (80 FR 
81194). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 
for commercial fishing is NAICS 11411 for RFA compliance purposes only. 
The $11 million standard became effective on July 1, 2016, and replaces 
the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) current standards of 
$20.5 million, $5.5 million, and $7.5 million for the finfish (NAICS 
114111), shellfish (NAICS 114112), and other marine fishing (NAICS 
114119) sectors of the U.S. commercial fishing industry in all NMFS 
rules subject to the RFA after July 1, 2016 (80 FR 81194). Taking this 
change into consideration, NMFS has identified no additional 
significant alternatives that accomplish statutory objectives and 
minimize any significant economic impacts of the proposed rule on small 
entities. Revising the size standard from $20.5 million to $11.0 
million reduces the number of small entities for this action. Further, 
the new size standard does not affect the decision to prepare a FRFA as 
opposed to a certification for this regulatory action.
    Fishing vessels are considered small entities for this FRFA if 
their total annual gross revenues, from all their activities combined, 
are less than $11.0 million. Further, the SBA requires consideration of 
affiliations among entities for the purpose of assessing if an entity 
is small. Trawl vessels engaged in one of the trawl sectors regulated 
by this action and affiliated with an American Fisheries Act pollock 
cooperative, Amendment 80 cooperative, or Central GOA Rockfish Program 
cooperative are large entities if gross annual revenues of the 
affiliate exceed $11.0 million.

[[Page 62665]]

    Based on 2013 and 2014 data, this FRFA identifies 10 CVs that are 
defined as small entities. Twenty CVs were affiliated with a catch 
share program and their affiliate exceeded the $11.0 million annual 
gross revenue standard. All of the C/Ps regulated by this final rule 
are affiliated through one or more catch share program, and no trawl C/
P qualifies as a small entity. Therefore, 10 small entities are 
directly regulated by this final rule. As noted above, all 10 small 
entities will benefit from, and will not be adversely impacted by this 
action.

Recordkeeping, Reporting, and Other Compliance Requirements

    This final rule does not revise any existing recordkeeping, 
reporting, or other compliance requirements.

Description of Significant Alternatives Considered to the Final Action 
That Minimize Adverse Impacts on Small Entities

    This action partially relieves a restriction on small entities by 
providing additional management flexibility for reapportioning Chinook 
salmon PSC limits in the GOA trawl fishery, and thus is a benefit to 
these small entities. During consideration of this action, the Council 
and NMFS evaluated a number of alternatives including (1) no action; 
(2) authorizing reapportionment of unused Chinook salmon PSC limit to 
the trawl C/P sector; and (3) limiting the percent of Chinook salmon 
PSC that can be reapportioned to or from a sector based on the amount 
of the Chinook salmon PSC initially assigned to a sector (between 10 
percent and 50 percent of the initial Chinook salmon PSC limit). For 
the reasons previously discussed in this preamble and the preamble to 
the proposed rule for this action (81 FR 39237, June 16, 2016), none of 
these alternatives had the potential to further reduce the economic 
burden on small entities, while achieving the objectives of this 
action. Section 2 of the RIR discusses alternatives considered and 
eliminated from detailed analysis (see ADDRESSES).
    The no action alternative fails to provide tools to reapportion 
Chinook salmon PSC limits to pollock and non-pollock trawl sectors to 
avoid fishery closures, and thus fails to meet the principal objective 
of this final rule. Providing reapportionment of Chinook salmon PSC 
with lower or higher caps than those selected would either reduce 
incentives to minimize PSC if the cap were too low, or eliminate the 
effectiveness of reapportionment if the cap is too high. Based on the 
best available scientific data and information, none of the 
alternatives except the preferred alternative have the potential to 
accomplish the stated objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other 
applicable law (as reflected in this action), while minimizing 
significant adverse economic impact on small entities.

Collection-of-Information Requirements

    This rule reorganizes regulatory text that contains a previously 
approved collection-of-information requirement subject to the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA), and which has been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under control number 0648-0515. This rule 
makes no revisions to the collection-of-information requirements. The 
eLandings at-sea production report or eLandings groundfish landing 
report are mentioned in this final rule, but the individual responses 
for each requirement is not changed.
    Public reporting burden for the eLandings landing report is 
estimated to average ten minutes per individual response and for the 
eLandings production report is estimated to average five minutes per 
response. These estimates include the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is 
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty 
for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the 
requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays 
a currently valid OMB control number. All currently approved NOAA 
collections of information may be viewed at: https://www.cio.noaa.gov/services_programs/prasubs.html.

 List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 679

    Alaska, Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: September 6, 2016.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
    For the reasons set out in the preamble, NMFS amends 50 CFR part 
679 as follows:

PART 679--FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA

0
1. The authority citation for part 679 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et seq., 3631 et seq.; 
and Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 111-281.


0
2. In Sec.  679.7, revise paragraph (b)(8) to read as follows:


Sec.  679.7  Prohibitions.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (8) Prohibitions specific to salmon discard in the Western and 
Central Reporting Areas of the GOA directed fisheries for groundfish. 
Fail to comply with any requirements of Sec.  679.21(h).
* * * * *

0
3. In Sec.  679.21:
0
a. Revise paragraph (h); and
0
b. Remove paragraph (i) to read as follows:


Sec.  679.21  Prohibited species bycatch management.

* * * * *
    (h) GOA Chinook Salmon PSC Management--(1) Applicability. 
Regulations in this paragraph apply to trawl vessels participating in 
the directed fishery for groundfish in the Western and Central 
reporting areas of the GOA and processors receiving deliveries from 
these vessels.
    (2) GOA Chinook salmon PSC limits for the pollock sectors 
(fisheries). (i) The annual PSC limit for vessels participating in the 
directed fishery for pollock in the Western reporting area of the GOA 
is 6,684 Chinook salmon.
    (ii) The annual PSC limit for vessels participating in the directed 
fishery for pollock in the Central reporting area of the GOA is 18,316 
Chinook salmon.
    (3) GOA non-pollock trawl sectors. For the purposes of accounting 
for the annual Chinook salmon PSC limits at paragraph (h)(4)(i) of this 
section, the non-pollock trawl sectors are:
    (i) Trawl catcher/processor sector. The Trawl catcher/processor 
sector is any catcher/processor vessel fishing for groundfish, other 
than pollock, with trawl gear in the Western or Central GOA reporting 
area and processing that groundfish at sea;
    (ii) Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector. The Rockfish Program 
catcher vessel sector is any catcher vessel fishing for groundfish, 
other than pollock, with trawl gear in the Western or Central reporting 
area of the GOA and operating under the authority of a Central GOA 
Rockfish Program CQ permit assigned to the catcher vessel sector; and
    (iii) Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector. The Non-Rockfish 
Program catcher vessel sector is any catcher vessel fishing for 
groundfish, other than pollock, with trawl gear in the Western or 
Central reporting area of

[[Page 62666]]

the GOA and not operating under the authority of a Central GOA Rockfish 
Program CQ permit assigned to the catcher vessel sector.
    (4) GOA Chinook salmon PSC limits for non-pollock trawl fisheries. 
(i) The annual Chinook salmon PSC limits in the Western and Central 
reporting areas of the GOA for the sectors defined in paragraph (h)(3) 
of this section are as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             Unless, the use     If so, in the
                                                         The total Chinook    of the Chinook       following
                                                          salmon PSC limit   salmon PSC limit    calendar year,
       For the following sectors defined in Sec.          in each calendar   for that sector      the Chinook
                   679.21(h)(3) . . .                      year is . . .      in a calendar     salmon PSC limit
                                                                              year does not     for that sector
                                                                               exceed . . .      will be . . .
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A) Trawl catcher/processor sector.....................              3,600              3,120              4,080
                                                                           -------------------------------------
(B) Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector.............              1,200                   N/A
                                                                           -------------------------------------
(C) Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector.........              2,700              2,340              3,060
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (ii) For the Trawl catcher/processor sector defined in paragraph 
(h)(3)(i) of this section:
    (A) The seasonal PSC limit prior to June 1 is 2,376 Chinook salmon 
if the annual Chinook salmon PSC limit is 3,600. The seasonal PSC limit 
prior to June 1 is 2,693 Chinook salmon if the annual Chinook salmon 
PSC limit is 4,080.
    (B) The number of Chinook salmon PSC available on June 1 through 
the remainder of the calendar year is the annual Chinook salmon PSC 
limit specified for the Trawl catcher/processor sector minus the number 
of Chinook salmon used by that sector prior to June 1 and any Chinook 
salmon PSC limit reapportioned to another sector specified at paragraph 
(h)(5)(iii) of this section prior to June 1.
    (5) Inseason reapportionment of Chinook salmon PSC limits. (i) On 
October 1, the Regional Administrator may reallocate any unused Chinook 
salmon PSC available to the Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector, 
defined in paragraph (h)(3)(ii) of this section, in excess of 150 
Chinook salmon to the Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector, but 
not to exceed the Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector's limit on 
Chinook salmon PSC reapportionment as defined in paragraph 
(h)(5)(iv)(D) of this section.
    (ii) On November 15, the Regional Administrator may reallocate all 
remaining Chinook salmon PSC available to the Rockfish Program catcher 
vessel sector, defined in paragraph (h)(3)(ii) of this section, to the 
Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector, but not to exceed the Non-
Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector's limit on Chinook salmon PSC 
reapportionment as defined in paragraph (h)(5)(iv)(D) of this section.
    (iii) Any Chinook salmon PSC limit in paragraphs (h)(2) or (h)(4) 
of this section projected by the Regional Administrator to be unused 
during the remainder of the fishing year may be reapportioned subject 
to the Chinook salmon PSC limits in paragraphs (h)(5)(iv)(A) through 
(D) of this section for the remainder of the fishing year. NMFS will 
publish notification in the Federal Register announcing any Chinook 
salmon PSC limit reapportionments in the GOA.
    (iv) On an annual basis, NMFS shall not reapportion an amount of 
unused Chinook salmon PSC greater than the following amounts:
    (A) 3,342 Chinook salmon to vessels participating in the directed 
fishery for pollock in the Western reporting area of the GOA;
    (B) 9,158 Chinook salmon to vessels participating in the directed 
fishery for pollock in the Central reporting area of the GOA;
    (C) 600 Chinook salmon to the Rockfish Program catcher vessel 
sector defined in paragraph (h)(3)(ii) of this section; and
    (D) 1,350 Chinook salmon to the Non-Rockfish Program catcher vessel 
sector defined in paragraph (h)(3)(iii) of this section.
    (6) Salmon retention. (i) The operator of a vessel, including but 
not limited to a catcher vessel or tender, must retain all salmon until 
delivered to a processing facility.
    (ii) The operator of a catcher/processor or the owner and manager 
of a shoreside processor or SFP receiving groundfish deliveries from 
trawl vessels must retain all salmon until the number of salmon by 
species has been accurately recorded in the eLandings at-sea production 
report or eLandings groundfish landing report.
    (iii) The owner and manager of a shoreside processor or SFP 
receiving pollock deliveries must, if an observer is present, retain 
all salmon until the observer is provided the opportunity to count the 
number of salmon and collect scientific data or biological samples from 
the salmon.
    (iv) The operator of a catcher/processor must retain all salmon 
until an observer is provided the opportunity to collect scientific 
data or biological samples from the salmon.
    (7) Salmon discard. Except for salmon under the PSD program defined 
in Sec.  679.26, all salmon must be discarded after the requirements at 
paragraph (h)(6)(ii) or (h)(6)(iii) of this section have been met.
    (8) GOA Chinook salmon PSC closures. If, during the fishing year, 
the Regional Administrator determines that:
    (i) Vessels participating in the directed fishery for pollock in 
the Western reporting area or Central reporting area of the GOA will 
reach the applicable Chinook salmon PSC limit specified for that 
reporting area under paragraph (h)(2) of this section or the applicable 
limit following any reapportionment under paragraph (h)(5) of this 
section, NMFS will publish notification in the Federal Register closing 
the applicable regulatory area to directed fishing for pollock;
    (ii) Vessels in a sector defined in paragraph (h)(3) of this 
section will reach the applicable Chinook salmon PSC limit specified 
for that sector under paragraph (h)(4)(i) of this section or the 
applicable limit following any reapportionment under paragraph (h)(5) 
of this section, NMFS will publish notification in the Federal Register 
closing directed fishing for all groundfish species, other than 
pollock, with trawl gear in the Western and Central reporting areas of 
the GOA for that sector; or
    (iii) Vessels in the Trawl catcher/processor sector defined in 
paragraph (h)(3)(i) of this section will reach the seasonal Chinook 
salmon PSC limit specified at paragraph (h)(4)(ii)(A) of this section 
prior to June 1, NMFS will publish notification in the Federal

[[Page 62667]]

Register closing directed fishing for all groundfish species, other 
than pollock, with trawl gear in the Western and Central reporting 
areas of the GOA for all vessels in the Trawl catcher/processor sector 
until June 1. Directed fishing for groundfish species, other than 
pollock will reopen on June 1 for the Trawl catcher/processor sector 
defined in paragraph (h)(3)(i) of this section with the Chinook salmon 
PSC limit determined at paragraph (h)(4)(ii)(B) of this section unless 
NMFS determines that the amount of Chinook salmon PSC available to the 
sector is insufficient to allow the sector to fish and not exceed its 
annual Chinook salmon PSC limit.

[FR Doc. 2016-21808 Filed 9-9-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P