Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Individual Bluefin Quota Program; Inseason Transfers, 8821 [2017-02043]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 19 / Tuesday, January 31, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
documents that have published in the
Federal Register but not yet taken effect,
for the purpose of ‘‘reviewing questions
of fact, law, and policy they raise.’’
Because its effective date has already
passed, we are enacting this stay of the
rule published on December 29, 2016, at
81 FR 95903 (see DATES above) until
March 21, 2017.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 635
[Docket No. 160527473–6999–02]
RIN 0648–BG09
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 635
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species;
Individual Bluefin Quota Program;
Inseason Transfers
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Stay of final rule.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
memorandum of January 20, 2017, from
the Assistant to the President and Chief
of Staff, entitled ‘‘Regulatory Freeze
Pending Review,’’ published in the
Federal Register on January 24, 2017
(the Memorandum), this action stays the
final rule NMFS published on December
29, 2016, in order to delay its effective
date.
DATES: Effective January 31, 2017, the
final rule amending 50 CFR part 635,
that published on December 29, 2016, at
81 FR 95903, is stayed until March 21,
2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas Warren or Sarah McLaughlin,
978–281–9260; Carrie Soltanoff, 301–
427–8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
December 29, 2016, NMFS published
this final rule modifying the Atlantic
highly migratory species (HMS)
regulations regarding the distribution of
inseason Atlantic bluefin tuna quota
transfers to the Longline category. This
final rule provides NMFS the ability to
distribute quota inseason either to all
qualified Individual Bluefin Quota (IBQ)
share recipients (i.e., share recipients
who have associated their permit with
a vessel) or only to permitted Atlantic
Tunas Longline vessels with recent
fishing activity, whether or not they are
associated with IBQ shares. This action
is necessary to optimize fishing
opportunity in the directed pelagic
longline fishery for target species such
as tuna and swordfish and to improve
the functioning of the IBQ Program and
its leasing provisions consistent with
the objectives of Amendment 7 to the
2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery
Management Plan.
On January 20, 2017, the White House
issued a memo instructing Federal
agencies to temporarily postpone the
effective date for 60 days after January
20, 2017, of any regulations or guidance
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:52 Jan 30, 2017
Jkt 241001
Fisheries, Fishing, Fishing vessels,
Foreign relations, Imports, Penalties,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Treaties.
Dated: January 26, 2017.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
For the reasons set out in the
preamble, 50 CFR part 635 is amended
as follows:
PART 635—ATLANTIC HIGHLY
MIGRATORY SPECIES
1. The authority citation for part 635
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.; 16 U.S.C.
1801 et seq.
§ 635.15
[Amended]
2. In § 635.15, paragraphs (b)
introductory text and (b)(9) are stayed
until March 21, 2017.
■
[FR Doc. 2017–02043 Filed 1–30–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 150818742–6210–02]
8821
Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local
time (A.l.t.), January 27, 2017, through
1200 hrs, A.l.t., March 10, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh
Keaton, 907–586–7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS
manages the groundfish fishery in the
GOA exclusive economic zone
according to the Fishery Management
Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of
Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council
under authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act. Regulations governing
fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance
with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50
CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.
The A season allowance of the 2017
total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in
Statistical Area 610 of the GOA is 2,232
metric tons (mt) as established by the
final 2016 and 2017 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the GOA
(81 FR 14740, March 18, 2016) and
inseason adjustment (81 FR 95063,
December 27, 2016).
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),
the Regional Administrator has
determined that the A season allowance
of the 2017 TAC of pollock in Statistical
Area 610 of the GOA will soon be
reached. Therefore, the Regional
Administrator is establishing a directed
fishing allowance of 2,132 mt and is
setting aside the remaining 100 mt as
bycatch to support other anticipated
groundfish fisheries. 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 pollock in Statistical
Area 610 of the GOA.
After the effective date of this closure
the maximum retainable amounts at
§ 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time
during a trip.
DATES:
Classification
RIN 0648–XF170
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical
Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is prohibiting directed
fishing for pollock in Statistical Area
610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This
action is necessary to prevent exceeding
the A season allowance of the 2017 total
allowable catch of pollock for Statistical
Area 610 in the GOA.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
This action responds to the best
available information recently obtained
from the fishery. The Acting 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 closure of directed fishing for
pollock in Statistical Area 610 of the
GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a
E:\FR\FM\31JAR1.SGM
31JAR1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 31, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 8821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02043]
[[Page 8821]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 635
[Docket No. 160527473-6999-02]
RIN 0648-BG09
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Individual Bluefin Quota
Program; Inseason Transfers
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Stay of final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2017, from
the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled
``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' published in the Federal Register
on January 24, 2017 (the Memorandum), this action stays the final rule
NMFS published on December 29, 2016, in order to delay its effective
date.
DATES: Effective January 31, 2017, the final rule amending 50 CFR part
635, that published on December 29, 2016, at 81 FR 95903, is stayed
until March 21, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Warren or Sarah McLaughlin,
978-281-9260; Carrie Soltanoff, 301-427-8503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 29, 2016, NMFS published this
final rule modifying the Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS)
regulations regarding the distribution of inseason Atlantic bluefin
tuna quota transfers to the Longline category. This final rule provides
NMFS the ability to distribute quota inseason either to all qualified
Individual Bluefin Quota (IBQ) share recipients (i.e., share recipients
who have associated their permit with a vessel) or only to permitted
Atlantic Tunas Longline vessels with recent fishing activity, whether
or not they are associated with IBQ shares. This action is necessary to
optimize fishing opportunity in the directed pelagic longline fishery
for target species such as tuna and swordfish and to improve the
functioning of the IBQ Program and its leasing provisions consistent
with the objectives of Amendment 7 to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery
Management Plan.
On January 20, 2017, the White House issued a memo instructing
Federal agencies to temporarily postpone the effective date for 60 days
after January 20, 2017, of any regulations or guidance documents that
have published in the Federal Register but not yet taken effect, for
the purpose of ``reviewing questions of fact, law, and policy they
raise.'' Because its effective date has already passed, we are enacting
this stay of the rule published on December 29, 2016, at 81 FR 95903
(see DATES above) until March 21, 2017.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 635
Fisheries, Fishing, Fishing vessels, Foreign relations, Imports,
Penalties, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Treaties.
Dated: January 26, 2017.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 50 CFR part 635 is amended
as follows:
PART 635--ATLANTIC HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES
0
1. The authority citation for part 635 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Sec. 635.15 [Amended]
0
2. In Sec. 635.15, paragraphs (b) introductory text and (b)(9) are
stayed until March 21, 2017.
[FR Doc. 2017-02043 Filed 1-30-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
