Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish Managed Under the Individual Fishing Quota Program, 18832-18833 [2024-05680]

Download as PDF 18832 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 52 / Friday, March 15, 2024 / Rules and Regulations khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES commercial quotas for Virginia and New Jersey. DATES: Effective March 14, 2024, through December 31, 2024. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Deighan, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9184. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery are found in 50 CFR 648.100 through 648.111. These regulations require annual specification of a commercial quota that is 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 2024 allocations were published on December 21, 2023 (88 FR 88266). The final rule implementing amendment 5 to the Summer Flounder FMP, 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 is required to consider three criteria in the evaluation of requests for quota transfers or combinations: (1) the transfers or combinations would not preclude the overall annual quota from being fully harvested; (2) the transfers address an unforeseen variation or contingency in the fishery; and (3) the transfers are consistent with the objectives of the FMP and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The Regional Administrator has determined these three criteria have been met for the transfer approved in this notification. Virginia is transferring 2,860 pounds (lb; 1,297 kilograms (kg)) to New Jersey through a mutual agreement between the states. This transfer was requested to repay landings made by an out-of-state permitted vessel under a safe harbor agreement. The revised summer flounder quotas for 2024 are: Virginia, 1,876,941 lb (851,366 kg); and New Jersey, 1,472,958 lb (668,123 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) through (iv), which was issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempted from review under Executive Order 12866. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:00 Mar 14, 2024 Jkt 262001 Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: March 11, 2024. Everett Wayne Baxter, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2024–05603 Filed 3–14–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 240227–0061 and 240304–0068; RTID 0648–XD758] Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish Managed Under the Individual Fishing Quota Program National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; opening. AGENCY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The season will open 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 15, 2024, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., December 7, 2024. This period is the same as the 2024 commercial halibut fishery opening dates adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission, except the hours are not the same. The IFQ and CDQ halibut season dates are the same as specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures, which should be referenced for the halibut specific open and closure times. DATES: Effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 15, 2024, until 1200 hours, A.l.t., December 7, 2024. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Zaleski, 907–586–7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning in 1995, fishing for Pacific halibut and sablefish with fixed gear in the IFQ regulatory areas defined in 50 CFR 679.2 has been managed under the IFQ Program. The IFQ Program is a regulatory regime designed to promote the conservation and management of these fisheries and to further the objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Northern Pacific Halibut Act. Persons holding quota share receive an annual allocation of IFQ. Persons SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00084 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 receiving an annual allocation of IFQ are authorized to harvest IFQ species within specified limitations. Further information on the implementation of the IFQ Program, and the rationale supporting it, are contained in the preamble to the final rule implementing the IFQ Program published in the Federal Register, November 9, 1993 (58 FR 59375) and subsequent amendments. This announcement is consistent with § 679.23(g)(1), which requires that the directed fishing season for sablefish managed under the IFQ Program be specified by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and announced by publication in the Federal Register. This method of season announcement was selected to facilitate coordination between the sablefish season, chosen by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and the halibut season, adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC). The directed fishing season for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the IFQ Program will open 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 15, 2024, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., December 7, 2024. This period runs concurrently with the IFQ season for Pacific halibut announced by the IPHC, except the hours are not the same. The IFQ and CDQ halibut season will be specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62. There is a difference in the time of day for opening and closing the halibut IFQ and CDQ commercial fishery and the Alaska IFQ and CDQ sablefish commercial fishery. IPHC regulations open the halibut IFQ and CDQ fishery at 0600 hours on March 15, 2024, and NMFS will open the Alaska IFQ and CDQ sablefish fishery at 1200 hours on March 15, 2024. Therefore, if gear is deployed to fish for halibut in the commercial fishery of Alaska before 1200 hours on March 15, 2024, then IFQ or CDQ sablefish caught from that deployment may not be retained. If a vessel operator holds both halibut and sablefish IFQ or CDQ, and the operator intends to retain sablefish on March 15, then the vessel should deploy its commercial fishing gear after 1200 hours. IPHC regulations close the halibut IFQ and CDQ fishery at 2359 hours on December 7, 2024, and NMFS will close the Alaska IFQ and CDQ sablefish fishery at 1200 hours on December 7, 2024. Therefore, if gear is deployed to fish for halibut in the commercial fishery off Alaska after 1200 hours on December 7, 2024, then IFQ and CDQ sablefish caught from that deployment may only be retained up to the E:\FR\FM\15MRR1.SGM 15MRR1 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 52 / Friday, March 15, 2024 / Rules and Regulations Maximum Retainable Amount (MRA). If a vessel operator holds both halibut and sablefish IFQ or CDQ, and the operator intends to retain sablefish on December 7, 2024, after 1200 hours then the vessel may only retain IFQ or CDQ sablefish in accordance with the MRA regulations at § 679.20(e). DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Classification Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pollock in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 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 delay the opening of the sablefish fishery thereby increasing bycatch and regulatory discards between the sablefish fishery and the halibut fishery, and prevent the accomplishment of the management objective for simultaneous opening of these two fisheries. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of March 11, 2024. 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: March 12, 2024. Everett Wayne Baxter, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2024–05680 Filed 3–14–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 240304–0068; RTID 0648– XD774] 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 the Aleut Corporation and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) pollock directed fishing allowance (DFA) from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide the opportunity for the harvest of the 2024 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 15, 2024, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2024. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the BSAI exclusive economic zone 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 (Council) under authority of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens SUMMARY: 18833 Act). Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR parts 600 and 679. In the Aleutian Islands subarea, the portion of the 2024 pollock TAC allocated to the Aleut Corporation and CDQ DFA is 13,680 metric tons (mt) and 1,900 mt, respectively, as established by the final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (89 FR 17287, March 11, 2024). As of March 8, 2024, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, (Regional Administrator) has determined that 11,680 mt of the Aleut Corporation’s DFA and 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA in the Aleutian Islands subarea will not be harvested. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS reallocates 11,680 mt of the Aleut Corporation’s DFA and 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea allocations. The 1,900 mt of pollock CDQ DFA is added to the 2024 Bering Sea CDQ DFA. The 11,680 mt of pollock Aleut Corporation’s DFA is apportioned to the American Fisheries Act (AFA) inshore sector (50 percent), AFA catcher/processor (CP) sector (40 percent), and the AFA mothership sector (10 percent). The 2024 Bering Sea subarea pollock incidental catch allowance remains at 50,000 mt. As a result, the 2024 harvest specifications for pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea included in the final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (89 FR 17287, March 11, 2024) are revised as follows: 0 mt to CDQ DFA and 2,000 mt to the Aleut Corporation’s DFA. Furthermore, pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5), table 4 is revised to make 2024 pollock allocations consistent with this reallocation. This reallocation results in an adjustment to the 2024 CDQ pollock allocation established at § 679.20(a)(5). TABLE 4—FINAL 2024 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA) 1 [Amounts are in metric tons] 2024 A season 1 2024 Allocations khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES Area and sector Bering Sea subarea TAC 1 ........................................................................ CDQ DFA ................................................................................................... ICA 1 ........................................................................................................... Total Bering Sea non-CDQ DFA ............................................................... AFA Inshore ............................................................................................... AFA Catcher/Processors 3 ......................................................................... Catch by CPs ..................................................................................... Catch by CVs 3 ................................................................................... Unlisted CP Limit 4 .............................................................................. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:00 Mar 14, 2024 Jkt 262001 PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4700 1,313,580 131,900 50,000 1,131,680 565,840 452,672 414,195 38,477 2,263 Sfmt 4700 A season DFA SCA harvest limit 2 n/a 59,355 n/a 509,256 254,628 203,702 186,388 17,315 1,019 E:\FR\FM\15MRR1.SGM 15MRR1 n/a 36,932 n/a 316,870 158,435 126,748 n/a n/a n/a 2024 B season 1 B season DFA n/a 72,545 n/a 622,424 311,212 248,970 227,807 21,162 1,245

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 52 (Friday, March 15, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 18832-18833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05680]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 240227-0061 and 240304-0068; RTID 0648-XD758]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Sablefish 
Managed Under the Individual Fishing Quota Program

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; opening.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear 
managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the 
Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The season will open 1200 
hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 15, 2024, and will close 1200 
hours, A.l.t., December 7, 2024. This period is the same as the 2024 
commercial halibut fishery opening dates adopted by the International 
Pacific Halibut Commission, except the hours are not the same. The IFQ 
and CDQ halibut season dates are the same as specified by a separate 
publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures, 
which should be referenced for the halibut specific open and closure 
times.

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 15, 2024, until 1200 hours, 
A.l.t., December 7, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Zaleski, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning in 1995, fishing for Pacific 
halibut and sablefish with fixed gear in the IFQ regulatory areas 
defined in 50 CFR 679.2 has been managed under the IFQ Program. The IFQ 
Program is a regulatory regime designed to promote the conservation and 
management of these fisheries and to further the objectives of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the 
Northern Pacific Halibut Act. Persons holding quota share receive an 
annual allocation of IFQ. Persons receiving an annual allocation of IFQ 
are authorized to harvest IFQ species within specified limitations. 
Further information on the implementation of the IFQ Program, and the 
rationale supporting it, are contained in the preamble to the final 
rule implementing the IFQ Program published in the Federal Register, 
November 9, 1993 (58 FR 59375) and subsequent amendments.
    This announcement is consistent with Sec.  679.23(g)(1), which 
requires that the directed fishing season for sablefish managed under 
the IFQ Program be specified by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and 
announced by publication in the Federal Register. This method of season 
announcement was selected to facilitate coordination between the 
sablefish season, chosen by the Administrator, Alaska Region, and the 
halibut season, adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission 
(IPHC). The directed fishing season for sablefish with fixed gear 
managed under the IFQ Program will open 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 15, 
2024, and will close 1200 hours, A.l.t., December 7, 2024. This period 
runs concurrently with the IFQ season for Pacific halibut announced by 
the IPHC, except the hours are not the same. The IFQ and CDQ halibut 
season will be specified by a separate publication in the Federal 
Register of annual management measures pursuant to 50 CFR 300.62.
    There is a difference in the time of day for opening and closing 
the halibut IFQ and CDQ commercial fishery and the Alaska IFQ and CDQ 
sablefish commercial fishery. IPHC regulations open the halibut IFQ and 
CDQ fishery at 0600 hours on March 15, 2024, and NMFS will open the 
Alaska IFQ and CDQ sablefish fishery at 1200 hours on March 15, 2024. 
Therefore, if gear is deployed to fish for halibut in the commercial 
fishery of Alaska before 1200 hours on March 15, 2024, then IFQ or CDQ 
sablefish caught from that deployment may not be retained. If a vessel 
operator holds both halibut and sablefish IFQ or CDQ, and the operator 
intends to retain sablefish on March 15, then the vessel should deploy 
its commercial fishing gear after 1200 hours.
    IPHC regulations close the halibut IFQ and CDQ fishery at 2359 
hours on December 7, 2024, and NMFS will close the Alaska IFQ and CDQ 
sablefish fishery at 1200 hours on December 7, 2024. Therefore, if gear 
is deployed to fish for halibut in the commercial fishery off Alaska 
after 1200 hours on December 7, 2024, then IFQ and CDQ sablefish caught 
from that deployment may only be retained up to the

[[Page 18833]]

Maximum Retainable Amount (MRA). If a vessel operator holds both 
halibut and sablefish IFQ or CDQ, and the operator intends to retain 
sablefish on December 7, 2024, after 1200 hours then the vessel may 
only retain IFQ or CDQ sablefish in accordance with the MRA regulations 
at Sec.  679.20(e).

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 delay the opening of the sablefish fishery thereby 
increasing bycatch and regulatory discards between the sablefish 
fishery and the halibut fishery, and prevent the accomplishment of the 
management objective for simultaneous opening of these two fisheries. 
NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment 
because the most recent, relevant data only became available as of 
March 11, 2024.
    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: March 12, 2024.
Everett Wayne Baxter,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-05680 Filed 3-14-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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