Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical Area 620 in the Gulf of Alaska, 51399 [2018-22141]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 197 / Thursday, October 11, 2018 / Rules and Regulations
notifying the public. The Purse Seine
category fishery closes on December 31
of each year.
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(5) Harpoon category quota. The total
amount of large medium and giant
bluefin tuna that may be caught,
retained, possessed, landed, or sold by
vessels that possess Harpoon category
Atlantic Tunas permits is 46 mt. The
Harpoon category fishery commences on
June 1 of each year, and closes on
November 15 of each year.
(6) Trap category quota. The total
amount of large medium and giant
bluefin tuna that may be caught,
retained, possessed, or landed by
vessels that possess Trap category
Atlantic Tunas permits is 1.2 mt.
(7) * * *
(i) The total amount of bluefin tuna
that is held in reserve for inseason or
annual adjustments and research using
quota or subquotas is 29.5 mt, which
may be augmented by allowable
underharvest from the previous year, or
annual reallocation of Purse Seine
category quota as described under
paragraph (a)(4)(v) of this section.
Consistent with paragraphs (a)(8)
through (10) of this section, NMFS may
allocate any portion of the Reserve
category quota for inseason or annual
adjustments to any fishing category
quota.
(ii) The total amount of school bluefin
tuna that is held in reserve for inseason
or annual adjustments and fisheryindependent research is 18.5 percent
(23.5 mt) of the total school bluefin tuna
Angling category quota as described
under paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
This amount is in addition to the
amounts specified in paragraph (a)(7)(i)
of this section. Consistent with
paragraph (a)(8) of this section, NMFS
may allocate any portion of the school
bluefin tuna Angling category quota
held in reserve for inseason or annual
adjustments to the Angling category.
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(10) * * *
(iii) Regardless of the estimated
landings in any year, NMFS may adjust
the annual school bluefin tuna quota to
ensure compliance with the ICCATrecommended procedures for
addressing overharvest of school bluefin
tuna.
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(e) * * *
(1) Annual quota. Consistent with
ICCAT recommendations and domestic
management objectives, the total
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:54 Oct 10, 2018
Jkt 247001
baseline annual fishery quota is 632.4
mt ww. The total quota, after any
adjustments made per paragraph (e)(2)
of this section, is the fishing year’s total
amount of northern albacore tuna that
may be landed by persons and vessels
subject to U.S. jurisdiction.
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[FR Doc. 2018–22034 Filed 10–10–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 170816769–8162–02]
RIN 0648–XG529
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in Statistical
Area 620 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
620 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This
action is necessary to prevent exceeding
the 2018 total allowable catch of pollock
for Statistical Area 620 in the GOA.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), October 6, 2018,
through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31,
2018.
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 2018 total allowable catch (TAC)
of pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the
GOA is 79,938 metric tons (mt) as
established by the final 2018 and 2019
harvest specifications for groundfish in
the GOA (83 FR 8768, March 1, 2018)
and one in-season adjustment (83 FR
42609, August 23, 2018).
SUMMARY:
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Fmt 4700
Sfmt 9990
51399
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i),
the Regional Administrator has
determined that the 2018 TAC of
pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the
GOA will soon be reached. Therefore,
the Regional Administrator is
establishing a directed fishing
allowance of 79,838 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 620 of the GOA.
While this closure is effective 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 closure of directed fishing for
pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the
GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a
notice providing time for public
comment because the most recent,
relevant data only became available as
of October 4, 2018.
The AA also finds good cause to
waive the 30-day delay in the effective
date of this action under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3). This finding is based upon
the reasons provided above for waiver of
prior notice and opportunity for public
comment.
This action is required by § 679.20
and is exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Margo B. Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018–22141 Filed 10–5–18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 197 (Thursday, October 11, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 51399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22141]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 170816769-8162-02]
RIN 0648-XG529
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in
Statistical Area 620 in the Gulf of Alaska
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in
Statistical Area 620 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is
necessary to prevent exceeding the 2018 total allowable catch of
pollock for Statistical Area 620 in the GOA.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), October 6,
2018, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2018.
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 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 2018 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in Statistical Area
620 of the GOA is 79,938 metric tons (mt) as established by the final
2018 and 2019 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA (83 FR
8768, March 1, 2018) and one in-season adjustment (83 FR 42609, August
23, 2018).
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional
Administrator has determined that the 2018 TAC of pollock in
Statistical Area 620 of the GOA will soon be reached. Therefore, the
Regional Administrator is establishing a directed fishing allowance of
79,838 mt and is setting aside the remaining 100 mt as bycatch to
support other anticipated groundfish fisheries. 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 pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the
GOA.
While this closure is effective 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 closure of directed fishing for pollock in Statistical
Area 620 of the GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time
for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became
available as of October 4, 2018.
The AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the
effective date of this action under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3). This finding is
based upon the reasons provided above for waiver of prior notice and
opportunity for public comment.
This action is required by Sec. 679.20 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Margo B. Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-22141 Filed 10-5-18; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
