Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, 81155-81156 [2020-27526]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 241 / Tuesday, December 15, 2020 / Rules and Regulations apportioned among the coastal states from Maine through North Carolina. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state is described in § 648.102 and final 2020 allocations were published on October 9, 2019 (84 FR 54041). The final rule implementing Amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder Fishery Management Plan, as published in the Federal Register on December 17, 1993 (58 FR 65936), provided a mechanism for transferring summer flounder commercial quota from one state to another. Two or more states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator, can transfer or combine summer flounder commercial quota under § 648.102(c)(2). The Regional Administrator must approve any such transfer based on the criteria in § 648.102(c)(2)(i). In evaluating requests to transfer a quota or combine quotas, the Regional Administrator shall consider whether: The transfer or combinations would preclude the overall annual quota from being fully harvested; the transfer addresses an unforeseen variation or contingency in the fishery; and the transfer is consistent with the objectives of the FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens Act. North Carolina is transferring 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) to Connecticut. This transfer is occurring through mutual agreement of the states. This transfer was requested to ensure Connecticut would not exceed its 2020 quota. The revised summer flounder quotas for fishing year 2020 are now: North Carolina, 3,035,501 lb (1,376,880 kg); and Connecticut, 350,241 lb (158,867 kg). Classification NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 648.102(c)(2)(i)(A) through (C), which was issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempted from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: December 10, 2020. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2020–27561 Filed 12–10–20; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:21 Dec 14, 2020 Jkt 253001 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 [Docket No. 200623–0167; RTID 0648– XA706] Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfers From MA to NC, DE to RI, and VA to NY National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notification; quota transfers. AGENCY: NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State of Delaware, and the Commonwealth of Virginia are transferring a portion of their 2020 commercial bluefish quota to the State of North Carolina, the State of Rhode Island, and the State of New York, respectively. These quota adjustments are necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial bluefish quotas for Massachusetts, North Carolina, Delaware, Rhode Island, Virginia, and New York. DATES: Effective December 14, 2020 through December 31, 2020. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Hansen, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9225. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.160 through 648.167. These regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that is apportioned among the coastal states from Maine through Florida. The process to set the annual commercial quota and the percent allocated to each state is described in § 648.162, and the final 2020 allocations were published on June 29, 2020 (85 FR 38794). The final rule implementing Amendment 1 to the Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) published in the Federal Register on July 26, 2000 (65 FR 45844), and provided a mechanism for transferring bluefish quota from one state to another. Two or more states, under mutual agreement and with the concurrence of the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator, can request approval to transfer or combine bluefish commercial quota under § 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii). SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00071 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 81155 The Regional Administrator must approve any such transfer based on the criteria in § 648.162(e). In evaluating requests to transfer a quota or combine quotas, the Regional Administrator shall consider whether: The transfer or combinations would preclude the overall annual quota from being fully harvested; the transfer addresses an unforeseen variation or contingency in the fishery; and the transfer is consistent with the objectives of the FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Massachusetts is transferring 55,000 lb (24,948 kg) of bluefish commercial quota to North Carolina; Delaware is transferring 30,000 lb (13,608 kg) to Rhode Island; and Virginia is transferring 50,000 lb (22,679 kg) to New York, through mutual agreement of the states. These transfers were requested to ensure that North Carolina, Rhode Island, and New York would not exceed their 2020 state quotas. The revised bluefish quotas for 2020 are: Massachusetts, 115,838 lb (52,543 kg); North Carolina, 1,056,058 lb (479,020 kg); Delaware, 21,966 lb (9,964 kg); Rhode Island, 343,366 lb (155,748 kg); Virginia, 203,682 lb (92,389 kg); and New York, 387,335 lb (175,692 kg). Classification NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR 648.162(e)(1)(i) through (iii), which was issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: December 10, 2020. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2020–27538 Filed 12–14–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 200227–0066; RTID 0648– XA701] Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. AGENCY: E:\FR\FM\15DER1.SGM 15DER1 81156 ACTION: Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 241 / Tuesday, December 15, 2020 / Rules and Regulations Temporary rule; reallocation. NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from vessels using jig gear and trawl catcher vessels (CVs) to CVs less than 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear and American Fisheries Act (AFA) catcher/processors (CPs) in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2020 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested. DATES: Effective December 14, 2020, through 2400 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), December 31, 2020. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 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 2020 Pacific cod TAC specified for vessels using jig gear in the BSAI is 178 metric tons (mt), the 2020 Pacific cod TAC specified for trawl CVs in the BSAI is 30,707 mt, the 2020 Pacific cod SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:21 Dec 14, 2020 Jkt 253001 TAC specified for CVs less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI is 4,807 mt, and the 2020 Pacific cod TAC specified for AFA CPs in the BSAI is 3,196 mt as established by the final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (85 FR 13553, March 9, 2020) and reallocations (85 FR 4601, January 27, 2020 and 85 FR 49976, August 17, 2020). The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has determined that jig vessels will not be able to harvest 160 mt of the 2020 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those vessels under § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(1) and trawl CVs will not be able to harvest 1,014 mt of the 2020 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those vessels under § 679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(9). Therefore, in accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(C), NMFS apportions 160 mt of Pacific cod from the jig gear apportionment to the annual amount specified for catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. Also, in accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(iii)(B), NMFS reallocates 1,014 mt from trawl CVs to the annual amount specified for AFA CPs. The harvest specifications for 2020 Pacific cod included in final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (85 FR 13553, March 9, 2020) and reallocations (85 FR 4601, January 27, 2020 and 85 FR 49976, August 17, 2020) are revised as PO 00000 Frm 00072 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 follows: 18 mt to vessels using jig gear, 29,693 mt to trawl CVs, 4,967 mt to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear, and 4,210 mt to AFA CPs. Classification NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR part 679, which was issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice and comment would be 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 allow for harvests that exceed the originally specified apportionment of the Pacific cod TAC. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of December 1, 2020. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: December 10, 2020. Jennifer M. Wallace, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2020–27526 Filed 12–14–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P E:\FR\FM\15DER1.SGM 15DER1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 241 (Tuesday, December 15, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 81155-81156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27526]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 200227-0066; RTID 0648-XA701]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation 
of Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

[[Page 81156]]


ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific 
cod from vessels using jig gear and trawl catcher vessels (CVs) to CVs 
less than 60 feet (18.3 m) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or 
pot gear and American Fisheries Act (AFA) catcher/processors (CPs) in 
the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action 
is necessary to allow the 2020 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific 
cod to be harvested.

DATES: Effective December 14, 2020, through 2400 hours, Alaska local 
time (A.l.t.), December 31, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 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 2020 Pacific cod TAC specified for vessels using jig gear in 
the BSAI is 178 metric tons (mt), the 2020 Pacific cod TAC specified 
for trawl CVs in the BSAI is 30,707 mt, the 2020 Pacific cod TAC 
specified for CVs less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or 
pot gear in the BSAI is 4,807 mt, and the 2020 Pacific cod TAC 
specified for AFA CPs in the BSAI is 3,196 mt as established by the 
final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI 
(85 FR 13553, March 9, 2020) and reallocations (85 FR 4601, January 27, 
2020 and 85 FR 49976, August 17, 2020).
    The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, (Regional Administrator) 
has determined that jig vessels will not be able to harvest 160 mt of 
the 2020 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those vessels under Sec.  
679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(1) and trawl CVs will not be able to harvest 1,014 
mt of the 2020 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those vessels under Sec.  
679.20(a)(7)(ii)(A)(9).
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  679.20(a)(7)(iv)(C), NMFS 
apportions 160 mt of Pacific cod from the jig gear apportionment to the 
annual amount specified for catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) 
LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear. Also, in accordance with Sec.  
679.20(a)(7)(iii)(B), NMFS reallocates 1,014 mt from trawl CVs to the 
annual amount specified for AFA CPs.
    The harvest specifications for 2020 Pacific cod included in final 
2020 and 2021 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (85 FR 
13553, March 9, 2020) and reallocations (85 FR 4601, January 27, 2020 
and 85 FR 49976, August 17, 2020) are revised as follows: 18 mt to 
vessels using jig gear, 29,693 mt to trawl CVs, 4,967 mt to catcher 
vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear, 
and 4,210 mt to AFA CPs.

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR part 679, which was 
issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempt from review under 
Executive Order 12866.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior 
notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as notice 
and comment would be 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 allow for harvests that exceed the 
originally specified apportionment of the Pacific cod TAC. NMFS was 
unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because 
the most recent, relevant data only became available as of December 1, 
2020.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 10, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-27526 Filed 12-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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