Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska, 72534-72535 [2021-27648]

Download as PDF 72534 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 22, 2021 / Rules and Regulations 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). 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 Act. Virginia is transferring 70,000 lb (31,751 kg) to North Carolina, and Florida is transferring 40,000 lb (18,144 kg) to Rhode Island through mutual agreement of the states. These transfers were requested to ensure that North Carolina and Rhode Island would not exceed their 2021 state quota. The revised bluefish quotas for 2021 are: Virginia, 168,800 lb (76,566 kg); North Carolina, 1,057,377 lb (479,618 kg); Florida 238,432 lb (108,151 kg); and Rhode Island, 304,434 lb (138,089 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 exempted from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: December 16, 2021. Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2021–27650 Filed 12–17–21; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 648 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES [Docket No. 201209–0332; RTID 0648– XB660] Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Quota Transfers From DE to NC and MD to RI National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notification; quota transfers. AGENCY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:01 Dec 21, 2021 Jkt 256001 NMFS announces that the states of Delaware and Maryland are transferring a portion of their 2021 commercial bluefish quota to the states of North Carolina and Rhode Island, 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 Delaware, North Carolina, Maryland, and Rhode Island. DATES: Effective December 17, 2021, through December 31, 2021. 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 2021 allocations were published on December 16, 2020 (85 FR 81421). 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). 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 Act. Delaware is transferring 15,000 lb (6,804 kg) to North Carolina, and Maryland is transferring 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) to Rhode Island through mutual agreement of the states. These transfers were requested to ensure that North Carolina and Rhode Island would not exceed their 2021 state quota. The revised bluefish quotas for 2021 are: Delaware, 6,958 lb (3,156 kg); North Carolina, 1,072,377 lb (486,422 kg); SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 Maryland 43,084 lb (19,542 kg); and Rhode Island, 314,434 lb (142,625 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 exempted from review under Executive Order 12866. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: December 17, 2021. Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2021–27762 Filed 12–17–21; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 210210–0018; RTID 0648– XB656] Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation. AGENCY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) from catcher vessels using trawl gear to catcher/ processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to allow the 2021 TAC of Pacific cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA to be harvested. DATES: Effective December 21, 2021, through 2400 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), December 31, 2021. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 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. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\22DER1.SGM 22DER1 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 22, 2021 / Rules and Regulations khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES The 2021 Pacific cod TAC apportioned to catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 3,826 mt, as established by the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA (86 FR 10184, February 19, 2021). The 2021 Pacific cod TAC specified for catcher/processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 426 mt as established by the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA (86 FR 10184, February 19, 2021). The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has determined that catcher vessels using trawl gear will not be able to use 426 mt of the 2020 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those vessels under § 679.20(a)(12)(i)(B)(4). In accordance with § 679.20(a)(12)(ii)(B), the Regional Administrator has also determined that catcher/processors using trawl gear currently have the capacity to harvest this excess allocation. Therefore, NMFS apportions 435 mt of Pacific cod from the catcher vessels using trawl gear to catcher/processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. The harvest specifications for Pacific cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA included in the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA (86 FR 10184, February 19, 2021) are revised as follows: 3,391 to catcher vessels using trawl gear and 861 mt to catcher/ processors using trawl gear. 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, as it would prevent NMFS from responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and would delay the reallocation of Pacific cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a document providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of December 9, 2021. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:01 Dec 21, 2021 Jkt 256001 upon the reasons provided above for waiver of prior notice and opportunity for public comment. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: December 16, 2021. Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2021–27648 Filed 12–21–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 210210–0018; RTID 0648– XB658] Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Chinook Salmon Prohibited Species Catch Limits in the Gulf of Alaska National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment. AGENCY: NMFS is reapportioning the projected unused amount, 200 Chinook salmon prohibited species catch limit, from the vessels participating in directed fishing for pollock in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) to Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the GOA. DATES: Effective December 21, 2021, through 2400 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), December 31, 2021. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907–586–7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the fishery management plan appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679. The 2021 Chinook salmon prohibited species catch (PSC) limit for the Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector in the Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA is 1,200 Chinook salmon (§ 679.21(h)(4)(i)(B)). The 2021 Chinook salmon PSC limit for vessels directed fishing for pollock using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 16,966 Chinook salmon (§ 679.21(h)(2)(ii) and reallocation (86 FR 46792, August 20, 2021). SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 9990 72535 The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has determined that the vessels participating in directed fishing for pollock in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA will not require 200 Chinook salmon of the Chinook salmon PSC limit allocated to those vessels under § 679.21(h)(2)(ii). Therefore, in accordance with § 679.21(h)(5)(iii) and taking into account the need of the sectors for Chinook salmon PSC, and following the limits set forth in § 679.21(h)(5)(iv)(C), NMFS reapportions 200 Chinook salmon PSC limit to the Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. The 2021 Chinook salmon PSC limits are revised as follows: 16,766 Chinook salmon for vessels participating in directed fishing for pollock in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA (19,966 minus 200 Chinook salmon) and 1,400 Chinook salmon to the Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector in the Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA (1,200 plus 200 Chinook salmon). 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, as it would prevent NMFS from responding to the most recent fisheries data in a timely fashion and would delay the reallocation of Chinook salmon to the Rockfish Program catcher vessel sector in the Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a document providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of December 9, 2021. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA 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. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: December 16, 2021. Ngagne Jafnar Gueye, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2021–27649 Filed 12–21–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P E:\FR\FM\22DER1.SGM 22DER1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 22, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 72534-72535]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27648]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 210210-0018; RTID 0648-XB656]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation 
of Pacific Cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of Pacific 
cod total allowable catch (TAC) from catcher vessels using trawl gear 
to catcher/processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area 
of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to allow the 2021 
TAC of Pacific cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA to be 
harvested.

DATES: Effective December 21, 2021, through 2400 hours, Alaska local 
time (A.l.t.), December 31, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 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.

[[Page 72535]]

    The 2021 Pacific cod TAC apportioned to catcher vessels using trawl 
gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 3,826 mt, as 
established by the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for 
groundfish of the GOA (86 FR 10184, February 19, 2021).
    The 2021 Pacific cod TAC specified for catcher/processors using 
trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 426 mt as 
established by the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for 
groundfish of the GOA (86 FR 10184, February 19, 2021).
    The Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, (Regional Administrator) 
has determined that catcher vessels using trawl gear will not be able 
to use 426 mt of the 2020 Pacific cod TAC allocated to those vessels 
under Sec.  679.20(a)(12)(i)(B)(4).
    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(a)(12)(ii)(B), the Regional 
Administrator has also determined that catcher/processors using trawl 
gear currently have the capacity to harvest this excess allocation. 
Therefore, NMFS apportions 435 mt of Pacific cod from the catcher 
vessels using trawl gear to catcher/processors using trawl gear in the 
Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
    The harvest specifications for Pacific cod in the Central 
Regulatory Area of the GOA included in the final 2021 and 2022 harvest 
specifications for groundfish of the GOA (86 FR 10184, February 19, 
2021) are revised as follows: 3,391 to catcher vessels using trawl gear 
and 861 mt to catcher/processors using trawl gear.

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, 
as it would prevent NMFS from responding to the most recent fisheries 
data in a timely fashion and would delay the reallocation of Pacific 
cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. NMFS was unable to 
publish a document providing time for public comment because the most 
recent, relevant data only became available as of December 9, 2021.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA 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.

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

    Dated: December 16, 2021.
Ngagne Jafnar Gueye,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-27648 Filed 12-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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