Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher/Processors Using Trawl Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska, 68120-68121 [2024-18916]
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68120
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted
vessels with a commercial sale
endorsement when fishing
commercially for BFT and is taken
consistent with the regulations at
§ 635.28(a)(1).
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES
Waiver for Remaining June Through
August RFDs
On May 31, 2024 (89 FR 47095),
NMFS published a final rule, which
among other things, implemented RFDs
every Sunday, Tuesday, Friday, and
Saturday from July 1 through November
30, 2024. Since the fishery will be
closed for the remainder of the June
through August time period, NMFS has
decided to waive the previouslyscheduled RFDs for the remainder of
that time period. Previously-scheduled
RFDs (i.e., every Sunday, Tuesday,
Friday, and Saturday) will resume on
September 1, 2024.
With the RFDs waived during a
closure, consistent with § 635.23(a)(7)
fishermen aboard General category
permitted vessels and HMS Charter/
Headboat permitted vessels may tag and
release BFT of all sizes, subject to the
requirements of the catch-and-release
and tag-and-release programs at
§ 635.26. All BFT that are released must
be handled in a manner that will
maximize their survival, and without
removing the fish from the water,
consistent with requirements at
§ 635.21(a)(1). For additional
information on safe handling, see the
‘‘Careful Catch and Release’’ brochure
available at https://www.fisheries.
noaa.gov/resource/outreach-andeducation/careful-catch-and-releasebrochure/.
Monitoring and Reporting
NMFS will continue to monitor the
BFT fisheries closely. Per
§ 635.5(b)(2)(i)(A), dealers are required
to submit landing reports within 24
hours of a dealer receiving BFT. Late
reporting by dealers compromises
NMFS’ ability to timely implement
actions such as quota and retention
limit adjustments, as well as closures,
and may result in enforcement actions.
Additionally, and separate from the
dealer reporting requirement, General
and HMS Charter/Headboat category
vessel owners are required per
§ 635.5(a)(4) to report their own catch of
all BFT retained or discarded dead
within 24 hours of the landing(s) or end
of each trip, by accessing https://
hmspermits.noaa.gov, using the HMS
Catch Reporting app, or calling 888–
872–8862 (Monday through Friday from
8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.).
After the fishery reopens on
September 1, depending on the level of
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16:00 Aug 22, 2024
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fishing effort and catch rates of BFT,
NMFS may determine that additional
adjustments are necessary to ensure
available subquotas are not exceeded or
to enhance scientific data collection
from, and fishing opportunities in, all
geographic areas as specified under
§ 635.27(a)(7). If needed, subsequent
adjustments will be published in the
Federal Register. In addition, fishermen
may access https://hmspermits.
noaa.gov, for updates on quota
monitoring and inseason adjustments.
Dated: August 20, 2024.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
Classification
[Docket No. 240227–0061; RTID 0648–
XE061]
NMFS issues this action pursuant to
section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens
Act (16 U.S.C. 1855(d)) and regulations
at 50 CFR part 635 and this action is
exempt from review under Executive
Order 12866.
The Assistant Administrator for
NMFS (AA) finds that pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B), it is impracticable and
contrary to the public interest to provide
prior notice of, and an opportunity for
public comment on this action, for the
following reasons. Specifically, the
regulations implementing the 2006
Consolidated HMS FMP and
amendments provide for inseason
retention limit adjustments and fishery
closures to respond to the unpredictable
nature of BFT availability on the fishing
grounds, the migratory nature of this
species, and the regional variations in
the BFT fishery. Providing for prior
notice and an opportunity to comment
is impracticable and contrary to the
public interest as this fishery is
currently underway and, based on the
most recent landings information, the
available time period subquota is
projected to be reached shortly.
Delaying this action could result in BFT
landings that exceed the June through
August time period subquota, which
may result in future potential quota
reductions for other BFT categories,
depending on the magnitude of a
potential overharvest. Taking this action
does not raise conservation and
management concerns and would
support effective management of the
BFT fishery. NMFS notes that the public
had an opportunity to comment on the
underlying rulemakings that established
the U.S. BFT quota and the inseason
adjustment and closure criteria.
For all of the above reasons, the AA
also finds that pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
553(d), there is good cause to waive the
30-day delay in effective date.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq. and 1801
et seq.
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[FR Doc. 2024–18972 Filed 8–20–24; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
50 CFR Part 679
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic
Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by
Catcher/Processors Using Trawl Gear
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; closure.
AGENCY:
NMFS is prohibiting retention
of Pacific cod by catcher/processors
using trawl gear in the Central
Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska
(GOA). This action is necessary because
the 2024 total allowable catch of Pacific
cod allocated to catcher/processors
using trawl gear in the Central
Regulatory Area of the GOA has been
reached.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska
local time (A.l.t.), August 20, 2024,
through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31,
2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Krista Milani, 907–581–2062.
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 (Magnuson-Stevens
Act). Regulations governing fishing by
U.S. vessels in accordance with the FMP
appear at subpart H of 50 CFR parts 600
and 679.
The 2024 total allowable catch (TAC)
of Pacific cod allocated to catcher/
processors using trawl gear in the
Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is
635 metric tons as established by the
final 2024 and 2025 harvest
specifications for groundfish of the GOA
(89 FR 15484, March 4, 2024).
In accordance with § 679.20(d)(2), the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\23AUR1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2024 / Rules and Regulations
(Regional Administrator), has
determined that the 2024 TAC of Pacific
cod allocated to catcher/processors
using trawl gear in the Central
Regulatory Area of the GOA has been
reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring
that Pacific cod caught by catcher/
processors using trawl gear in the
Central Regulatory Area of the GOA be
treated as prohibited species in
accordance with § 679.21(a)(2).
Classification
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with RULES
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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:00 Aug 22, 2024
Jkt 262001
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 prohibiting the
retention of Pacific cod by catcher/
processors using trawl gear in the
Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
NMFS was unable to publish a notice
providing time for public comment
because the most recent, relevant data
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68121
only became available as of August 19,
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: August 19, 2024.
Lindsay Fullenkamp,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–18916 Filed 8–20–24; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 164 (Friday, August 23, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 68120-68121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18916]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 240227-0061; RTID 0648-XE061]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod
by Catcher/Processors Using Trawl Gear 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; closure.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention of Pacific cod by catcher/
processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf
of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2024 total
allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher/processors using
trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA has been reached.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), August 20,
2024, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Krista Milani, 907-581-2062.
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 (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance with the
FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR parts 600 and 679.
The 2024 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to
catcher/processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of
the GOA is 635 metric tons as established by the final 2024 and 2025
harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA (89 FR 15484, March 4,
2024).
In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(2), the Administrator, Alaska
Region, NMFS
[[Page 68121]]
(Regional Administrator), has determined that the 2024 TAC of Pacific
cod allocated to catcher/processors using trawl gear in the Central
Regulatory Area of the GOA has been reached. Therefore, NMFS is
requiring that Pacific cod caught by catcher/processors using trawl
gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA be treated as prohibited
species in accordance with Sec. 679.21(a)(2).
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 prohibiting the retention of
Pacific cod by catcher/processors using trawl gear in the Central
Regulatory Area 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 August 19, 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: August 19, 2024.
Lindsay Fullenkamp,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-18916 Filed 8-20-24; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
