[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 174 (Monday, September 9, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57183-57184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-22807]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 011218304-1304-01; I.D. 082802G]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation 
of Pollock in the Bering Sea subarea

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

ACTION: Reallocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is reallocating projected unused amounts of Bering Sea 
subarea (BS) pollock from the incidental catch account to the directed 
fisheries. This action is necessary to allow the 2002 total allowable 
catch (TAC) of pollock to be harvested.

DATES: Effective September 4, 2002 until 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 
2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furuness, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
BSAI according to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish 
Fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 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.
    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i)(C)(1) and the American 
Fisheries Act (AFA) (Public Law 105-277, Division C, Title II), NMFS 
specified a pollock incidental catch allowance equal to 4 percent of 
the pollock total allowable catch after subtraction of the ten percent 
Community Development Quota reserve in the emergency rule implementing 
2002 harvest specifications and associated management measures for the 
groundfish fisheries off Alaska (67 FR 956, January 8, 2002, and 67 FR 
34860, May 16, 2002).
    As of August 17, 2002, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS 
(Regional Administrator), has determined that approximately 22,104 
metric tons (mt) of pollock remain in the incidental catch account. 
Based on projected harvest rates of other groundfish species and the 
expected bycatch of pollock in those fisheries, the Regional 
Administrator has determined that 9,000 mt of pollock specified in the 
incidental catch account will not be necessary as incidental catch. 
Therefore, NMFS is apportioning the projected unused amount, 9,000 mt, 
of pollock from the incidental catch account to the directed fishing 
allowances established at Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i)(C)(2). This transfer 
will increase the allocation to catcher vessels harvesting pollock for 
processing by the inshore component by 4,500 mt, to catcher/processors 
and catcher vessels harvesting pollock for processing by catcher 
processors in the offshore component by 3,600 mt and to catcher vessels 
harvesting pollock for processing by motherships in the offshore 
component by 900 mt. Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i)(C)(2)(ii), no 
less than 8.5 percent of the 3,600 mt allocated to catcher processors 
in the offshore component, 306 mt, will be available for harvest only 
by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher processors.
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(i)(C)(3), Table 1, which is a 
revision of Table 11 in the Final 2002 Harvest Specifications (67 FR 
956, January 8, 2002), revises the final 2002 BS subarea allocations to 
include the seven inshore catcher vessel pollock cooperatives that have 
been approved and permitted by NMFS for the 2002 fishing year 
consistent with this reallocation.

                           TABLE 1. BERING SEA SUBAREA INSHORE COOPERATIVE ALLOCATIONS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Sum of member
                                                         vessel's official    Percentage of       Annual co-op
          Cooperative name and member vessels                  catch          inshore sector       allocation
                                                            histories\1\        allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Akutan Catcher Vessel Association                                  245,527            28.085%            181,433
ALDEBARAN, ARCTIC EXPLORER,                              .................  .................  .................
ARCTURUS, BLUE FOX, CAPE                                 .................  .................  .................
KIWANDA, COLUMBIA, DOMINATOR,                            .................  .................  .................
EXODUS, FLYING CLOUD,                                    .................  .................  .................
GOLDEN DAWN, GOLDEN PISCES,                              .................  .................  .................
HAZEL LORRAINE, INTREPID                                 .................  .................  .................
EXPLORER, LESLIE LEE, LISA MELINDA,                      .................  .................  .................
MAJESTY, MARCY J, MARGARET LYN,                          .................  .................  .................
NORDIC EXPLORER, NORTHERN                                .................  .................  .................
PATRIOT, NORTHWEST EXPLORER,                             .................  .................  .................
PACIFIC RAM, PACIFIC VIKING,                             .................  .................  .................
PEGASUS, PEGGY JO,                                       .................  .................  .................
PERSEVERANCE, PREDATOR, RAVEN,                           .................  .................  .................
ROYAL AMERICAN, SEEKER,                                  .................  .................  .................
SOVEREIGNTY, TRAVELER,                                   .................  .................  .................
VIKING EXPLORER                                          .................  .................  .................
Arctic Enterprise Association                                       36,807             4.210%             27,198
BRISTOL EXPLORER,                                        .................  .................  .................
OCEAN EXPLORER, PACIFIC EXPLORER                         .................  .................  .................

[[Page 57184]]

 
Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative                                   73,656             8.425%             54,429
ANITA J, COLLIER BROTHERS,
COMMODORE, EXCALIBUR II,
GOLDRUSH, HALF MOON BAY, MISS
BERDIE, NORDIC FURY, PACIFIC FURY,
POSEIDON, ROYAL ATLANTIC,
SUNSET BAY, STORM PETREL
Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative                                         18,693             2.138%             13,813
AMBER DAWN, AMERICAN BEAUTY,
ELIZABETH F, MORNING STAR, OCEAN
LEADER, OCEANIC, PROVIDIAN, TOPAZ,
WALTER N
Unalaska Cooperative                                               106,737            12.209%             78,874
ALASKA ROSE, BERING ROSE,
DESTINATION, GREAT PACIFIC,
MESSIAH, MORNING STAR, MS AMY,
PROGRESS, SEA WOLF, VANGUARD,
WESTERN DAWN
UniSea Fleet Cooperative                                           201,566            23.056%            148,948
ALSEA, AMERICAN EAGLE, ARGOSY,
AURIGA, AURORA, DEFENDER,
GUN-MAR, NORDIC STAR, PACIFIC
MONARCH, SEADAWN, STARFISH,
STARLITE
Westward Fleet Cooperative                                         189,544            21.681%            140,064
A.J., ALASKAN COMMAND, ALYESKA,
ARCTIC WIND, CAITLIN ANN,
CHELSEA K, DONA MARTITA,
FIERCE ALLEGIANCE, HICKORY WIND,
OCEAN HOPE 3, PACIFIC KNIGHT,
PACIFIC PRINCE, STARWARD, VIKING,
WESTWARD I
Open access AFA vessels                                              1,707             0.195%              1,261
Total inshore allocation                                           874,238               100%            646,020
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Under Sec.   679.62(e)(1) the individual catch history for each vessel is equal to the vessel's best 2 of 3
  years inshore pollock landings from 1995 through 1997 and includes landings to catcher/processors for vessels
  that made 500 or more mt of landings to catcher/processors from 1995 through 1997.

Classification

    This action responds to the best available information recently 
obtained from the fishery. The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 
NOAA, finds good cause to waive the requirement to provide prior notice 
and opportunity for public comment pursuant to the authority set forth 
at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such requirement is contrary to the public 
interest. This requirement is contrary to the public interest as it 
would delay the implementation of these measures in a timely fashion in 
order to allow full utilization of the pollock TAC and, therefore, 
reduce the public's ability to use and enjoy the fishery resource.
    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.
    This action is taken under 50 CFR 679.20, and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: August 30, 2002.
Virginia M. Fay,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 02-22807 Filed 9-4-02; 1:52 pm]
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