[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 1 (Monday, January 3, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 60-65]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-34030]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 991223349-9349-01; I.D. 122199A]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands Area; Interim 2000 Harvest Specifications for 
Groundfish

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

ACTION: Interim 2000 harvest specifications for groundfish; associated 
management measures.

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SUMMARY: NMFS issues interim 2000 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts 
for each category of groundfish, Community Development Quota (CDQ) 
amounts, and prohibited species catch (PSC) amounts for the groundfish 
fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). 
Without interim specifications in effect on January 1, the groundfish 
fisheries would not be able to open on that date, which would result in 
unnecessary closures and disruption within the fishing industry. This 
action is necessary to conserve and manage the groundfish resources of 
the BSAI and is intended to implement the goals and objectives of the 
Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish Fishery of the Bering Sea 
and Aleutian Islands Area (FMP).

EFFECTIVE DATE: Effective 0001 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), 
January 1, 2000, until the effective date of the final 2000 harvest 
specifications for BSAI groundfish, which will be published in the 
Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared for 
this action and the Preliminary 2000 Stock Assessment and Fishery 
Evaluation (SAFE) report, dated September 1999, is available from the 
North Pacific Fishery Management Council, West 4th Avenue, Suite 306, 
Anchorage, AK 99510-2252 (907-271-2809).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shane Capron, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679 implement the FMP and govern 
the groundfish resources of the BSAI. The North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council (Council) prepared the FMP, and NMFS approved it, 
under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. 
General regulations that also pertain to the U.S. fisheries appear at 
subpart H of 50 CFR part 600.
    The Council met in October 1999 to review scientific information 
concerning groundfish stocks. The Council adopted for public review the 
preliminary SAFE Report for the 2000 BSAI groundfish fisheries. The 
preliminary SAFE Report, dated September 1999, provides an update on 
the status of stocks. Copies of the SAFE Report are available from the 
Council (see ADDRESSEES). The Council recommended a proposed total 
acceptable biological catch (ABC) of 2,247,846 mt and a proposed total 
TAC of 2 million metric tons (mt) for the 2000 fishing year. The 
proposed TAC amounts for each species were based on the best available 
biological and socioeconomic information.
    In accordance with Sec. 679.20(c)(1), NMFS published in the Federal 
Register proposed harvest specifications and associated management 
measures for groundfish in the BSAI for the 2000 fishing year (64 FR 
69464 December 13, 1999). That document contains a detailed discussion 
of the proposed 2000 TACs, initial TACs (ITACs) and related 
apportionments, ABC amounts, overfishing levels, PSC amounts, and 
associated management measures of the BSAI groundfish fishery.
    This action provides interim harvest specifications and 
apportionments thereof for the 2000 fishing year that will become 
available on January 1, 2000, and remain in effect until superseded by 
the final 2000 harvest

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specifications. Background information concerning the 2000 groundfish 
harvest specification process upon which this interim action is based 
is provided in the above mentioned proposed specification document.
    NMFS intends to initiate rulemaking that would affect the pollock 
fisheries. That rulemaking will include: (1) An FMP amendment to 
implement the American Fisheries Act as contained within the Omnibus 
Appropriations Bill for FY 99; Pub. L. No. 105-277 (AFA), and (2) A 
regulatory amendment to implement reasonable and prudent alternatives 
to avoid jeopardizing the continued existence of the endangered western 
population of Steller sea lions or adversely modifying its critical 
habitat. Because each of these rulemakings would affect the allocation 
and apportionment of the pollock TAC, these interim specifications 
provide pollock TAC amounts under the general allocative scheme as 
defined by the AFA itself, but do not specify apportionments of that 
interim TAC. Apportionments will be addressed in each of these 
rulemakings individually and in the final 2000 specifications and will 
be effective prior to the start of the pollock fishery which is 
scheduled to open on January 20, 2000.

Establishment of Interim TACs

    Regulations at Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(i) require that 15 percent of the 
TAC for each target species or species group, except for the hook-and-
line and pot gear allocation of sablefish, be placed in a non-specified 
reserve. The AFA supersedes this provision for pollock by requiring 
that the TAC for this species be fully allocated among the CDQ program, 
incidental catch allowance, and inshore, catcher/processor, and 
mothership directed fishery allowances.
    Regulations at Sec. 679.20(b)(1)(iii) require that one-half of each 
TAC amount placed in the non-specified reserve be allocated to the 
groundfish CDQ reserve and that 20 percent of the hook-and-line and pot 
gear allocation of sablefish be allocated to the fixed gear sablefish 
CDQ reserve. Section 206(a) of the AFA requires that 10 percent of the 
pollock TAC be allocated to the pollock CDQ reserve. With the exception 
of the hook-and-line and pot gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the CDQ 
reserves are not further apportioned by gear. Regulations at 
Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(i) also require that 7.5 percent of each PSC limit, 
with the exception of herring, be withheld as a PSQ reserve for the CDQ 
fisheries. Regulations governing the management of the CDQ and PSQ 
reserves are set forth at Secs. 679.30 and 679.31.
    Regulations at Sec. 679.20(c)(2) provide that interim 
specifications become effective at 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, and 
remain in effect until superseded by the final groundfish harvest 
specifications. The regulations further provide that the interim 
specifications will be established as one-fourth of each proposed ITAC 
amount and apportionment thereof (not including the first seasonal 
allowance of pollock and Atka mackerel), one-fourth of each prohibited 
species catch (PSC) allowance established under Sec. 679.21, and the 
first seasonal allowance of pollock and Atka mackerel TAC. As stated in 
the proposed specifications publication (64 FR 69464 December 13, 
1999), no harvest of groundfish was authorized prior to the effective 
date of this action implementing the interim specifications.

Apportionment of Pollock TAC to Vessels Using Nonpelagic Trawl Gear

    Regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(5)(i)(B) authorize NMFS, in 
consultation with the Council, to limit the amount of pollock that may 
be taken in the directed fishery for pollock using nonpelagic trawl 
gear. At its June 1998 meeting, the Council adopted management measures 
that, if approved by NMFS, would prohibit the use of nonpelagic trawl 
gear in the directed fishery for pollock and reduce specified 
prohibited species bycatch limits by amounts equal to anticipated 
savings in bycatch or bycatch mortality that would be expected from 
this prohibition. If NMFS approves these measures, a rule to implement 
them could be effective by mid-2000. NMFS, therefore, proposed to 
allocate 0 mt of the BSAI pollock TAC to the directed fishery for 
pollock with nonpelagic trawl gear, in order to reduce unnecessary 
bycatch in the 2000 pollock fishery and to carry out the Council's 
intent for this fishery. As a result of this proposed specification, 0 
mt of BSAI pollock are available to the directed fishery for pollock 
with nonpelagic trawl gear on an interim basis.

Interim 2000 BSAI Groundfish Harvest Specifications

    Table 1 provides interim TAC and CDQ amounts and apportionments 
thereof. Regulations at Sec. 679.20(c)(2)(ii) do not provide for an 
interim specification for the non-trawl sablefish CDQ reserve or for 
sablefish managed under the Individual Fishing Quota program. As a 
result, fishing for the non-trawl allocation of CDQ sablefish and 
sablefish harvested with fixed gear is prohibited until the effective 
date of the final 2000 groundfish specifications.

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Interim Allocation of PSC Limits for Crab, Halibut, and Herring

    Under Sec. 679.21(e), annual PSC limits are specified for red king 
crab, Chionoecetes bairdi Tanner crab, and C. opilio crab in applicable 
Bycatch Limitation Zones (see Sec. 679.2) of the Bering Sea subarea, 
and for Pacific halibut and Pacific herring throughout the BSAI. 
Regulations under Sec. 679.21(e) authorize the apportionment of each 
PSC limit into PSC allowances for specified fishery categories. Under 
Sec. 679.21(e)(1)(i), 7.5 percent of each PSC limit specified for 
halibut, crab, and salmon is reserved as a PSQ reserve for use by the 
groundfish CDQ program.
    Regulations at Sec. 679.20(c)(2)(ii) provide that one-fourth of 
each proposed PSC and PSQ allowance be made available on an interim 
basis for harvest at the beginning of the fishing year, until 
superseded by the final harvest specifications. The fishery specific 
interim PSC allowances for halibut and crab are specified in Table 2 
and are in effect at 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2000.

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    Prior to the beginning of the 2000 fishing year, NMFS will 
implement fishery closures based on these interim specifications if the 
Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, determines that interim 
TAC amounts are required as incidental catch to support other 
anticipated groundfish fisheries or if the PSC allowance for a fishery 
has been reached. NMFS may implement other closures at the time the 
final 2000 harvest specifications are implemented or during the 2000 
fishing year, as necessary for effective management.

Classification

    This action is authorized under 50 CFR 679.20 and is exempt from 
review under E.O. 12866.
    NMFS has prepared an EA for this action which describes the impact 
on the human environment that would result from implementation of the 
interim specifications. In December 1998, NMFS issued a Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) on the groundfish TAC 
specifications and PSC limits under the BSAI and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) 
groundfish FMPs. In July 1999, the District Court for the Western 
District of Washington held that the 1998 SEIS did not adequately 
address aspects of the BSAI and GOA FMPs. Notwithstanding the 
deficiencies the court noted in the 1998 SEIS, NMFS believes that the 
discussion of impacts and alternatives in the 1998 SEIS is directly 
applicable to this interim action and the EA for the interim 2000 
harvest specifications, which ``tiers off'' (incorporates by reference) 
the 1998 SEIS.
    Pursuant to section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), NMFS has 
completed a consultation on the effects of the 1999 to 2002 pollock and 
Atka mackerel fisheries on listed species, including the Steller sea 
lion, and designated critical habitat. The Biological Opinion prepared 
for this consultation, dated December 3, 1998, concluded that the Atka 
mackerel fisheries in the BSAI are not likely to jeopardize the 
continued existence of Steller sea lions or adversely modify their 
designated critical habitat. However, the Biological Opinion concluded 
that the pollock fisheries in the BSAI and the GOA would cause jeopardy 
and adverse modification.
    NMFS is developing a proposed rule to implement permanent 
reasonable and prudent alternatives (RPAs) to avoid the likelihood that 
the pollock fisheries off Alaska will jeopardize the continued 
existence of the western population of Steller sea lions or adversely 
modify its critical habitat. Emergency measures which implemented RPAs 
for 1999, are in effect until December 31, 1999 (July 21, 1999, 64 FR 
39087). Regulations implementing permanent RPAs must be effective prior 
to the start of the BSAI and GOA pollock fisheries which are scheduled 
to open on January 20, 2000, or NMFS will be obligated under the ESA to 
close all fishing for pollock until such measures can be implemented.
    NMFS has also completed consultations on the effects of the 2000 
BSAI groundfish fisheries on listed species, including the Steller sea 
lion and salmon, and on designated critical habitat. These 
consultations were completed December 23, 1999 and December 22, 1999 
respectively.
    A biological opinion on the BSAI hook-and-line groundfish fishery 
and the BSAI trawl groundfish fishery for the ESA listed short-tailed 
albatross was issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 
March 1999. The conclusion continued the no jeopardy determination and 
the incidental take statement expressing the requirement to immediately 
reinitiate consultations if incidental takes exceed four short-tailed 
albatross over two years' time (1999-2000).
    In order for the BSAI groundfish fishing season to begin on January 
1 (see Sec. 679.23), Sec. 679.20(c)(2) requires NMFS to establish 
interim harvest specifications to be effective on January 1 and to 
remain in effect until superseded by the filing of final harvest 
specifications with the Office of the Federal Register. Without interim 
specifications in effect on January 1, the groundfish fisheries would 
not be able to open on that date, which would result in unnecessary 
closures and disruption within the fishing industry. NMFS anticipates 
that the interim specifications will be in effect for only a short 
period of time before they are superseded by the final specifications. 
The proposed specifications were published as a proposed rule in the 
Federal Register on December 13, 1999 (64 FR 69464). Regulations at 
Sec. 679.20(c)(2)(ii) require that the interim TACs be established at 
specified fractional amounts of the proposed harvest specifications. 
Accordingly, the opportunity for public comment on the proposed 
specifications provides opportunity for comment on these interim 
specifications. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), 
finds for good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) that the need to 
establish interim TAC limitations and other restrictions on fisheries 
in the BSAI, effective on January 1, 2000, makes it impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest to provide prior notice and opportunity 
for public comment on this rule. Likewise, the AA finds for good cause 
under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) that the need to establish interim TAC levels 
and other management measures in the BSAI, effective on January 1, 
2000, makes it impractical and contrary to the public interest to delay 
the effective date of the limits and measures for 30 days.
    Because these interim specifications are not required to be issued 
with prior notice and opportunity for public comment, the analytical 
requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act do not apply. 
Consequently, no regulatory flexibility analysis has been prepared.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq., 1801 et seq., and 3631 et seq.

    Dated: December 27, 1999.
Penelope D. Dalton,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisherie's 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-34030 Filed 12-28-99; 4:25 pm]
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