Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska, 30039 [2019-13568]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 123 / Wednesday, June 26, 2019 / Rules and Regulations
Closed Area I Scallop Access Area. The
projected date on which the LAGC IFQ
fleet will have taken all of its allocated
trips in an Access Area becomes
apparent only as trips into the area
occur on a real-time basis and as activity
trends begin to appear. As a result,
NMFS can only make an accurate
projection very close in time to when
the fleet has taken all of its trips. In
order to propose a closure for purposes
of receiving prior public comment,
NMFS would need to make a projection
based on very little information, which
would result in a closure too early or too
late. To allow LAGC IFQ scallop vessels
to continue to take trips in the Closed
Area I Scallop Access Area during the
period necessary to publish and receive
comments on a proposed rule would
likely result in the vessels taking much
more than the allowed number of trips
in the Closed Area I Scallop Access
Area. Excessive trips and harvest from
the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area
would result in excessive fishing effort
in the area, where effort controls are
critical, thereby undermining
conservation objectives of the Atlantic
Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan
and requiring more restrictive future
management measures. Also, the public
had prior notice and full opportunity to
comment on this closure process when
it was enacted. For these same reasons,
NMFS further finds good cause to waive
the 30-day delayed effectiveness period.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 21, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–13567 Filed 6–21–19; 4:15 pm]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 180831813–9170–02]
RIN 0648–XY002
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in the West
Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is prohibiting retention
of pollock in the West Yakutat District
of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action
is necessary because the 2019 total
allowable catch of pollock in the West
Yakutat District of the GOA has been
reached.
SUMMARY:
Effective 1200 hours, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), June 21, 2019,
through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31,
2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mary Furuness, 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 2019 total allowable catch (TAC)
of pollock in the West Yakutat District
of the GOA is 5,748 metric tons (mt) as
established by the final 2019 and 2020
harvest specifications for groundfish of
the GOA (84 FR 9416, March 14, 2019).
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 4700
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30039
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS
(Regional Administrator), has
determined that the 2019 TAC of
pollock in the West Yakutat District of
the GOA will be reached. Therefore,
NMFS is requiring that pollock in the
West Yakutat District of the GOA be
treated as prohibited species in
accordance with § 679.21(a)(2).
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 prohibiting the retention of
pollock in the West Yakutat District 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 June 18, 2019.
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 § 679.21 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 21, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–13568 Filed 6–21–19; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 26, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 30039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13568]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 180831813-9170-02]
RIN 0648-XY002
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in
the West Yakutat District of 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 retention of pollock in the West Yakutat
District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because
the 2019 total allowable catch of pollock in the West Yakutat District
of the GOA has been reached.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), June 21, 2019,
through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 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 2019 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in the West Yakutat
District of the GOA is 5,748 metric tons (mt) as established by the
final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA
(84 FR 9416, March 14, 2019).
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(2), the Administrator, Alaska
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 2019 TAC
of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA will be reached.
Therefore, NMFS is requiring that pollock in the West Yakutat District
of the GOA be treated as prohibited species in accordance with Sec.
679.21(a)(2).
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 prohibiting the retention of pollock in the West Yakutat
District 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 June 18, 2019.
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 Sec. 679.21 and is
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: June 21, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-13568 Filed 6-21-19; 4:15 pm]
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