[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 21, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 35558-35561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12205]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 041126332-5039-02; I.D. 061405B]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation 
of Pollock from the Aleutian Islands Subarea to the Bering Sea Subarea

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 Community 
Development Quota (CDQ), incidental catch allowance (ICA) and non-CDQ 
pollock from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. 
These actions are necessary to allow the 2005 total allowable catch 
(TAC) of pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea to be harvested.

DATES: Effective June 21, 2005, through 2400 hrs, Alaska local time 
(A.l.t.), December 31, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh Keaton, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
BSAI 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 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 the Aleutian Islands subarea, the 2005 A season allowance of 
non-CDQ pollock is 9,800 metric tons (mt), the ICA of pollock is 1,200 
mt, and the CDQ pollock is 760 mt, as established by the 2005 and 2006 
final harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (70 FR 8979, 
February 24, 2005),

[[Page 35559]]

for the period 1200 hrs, A.l.t., January 1, 2005, through 1200 hrs, 
A.l.t., June 10, 2005.
    As of May 21, 2005, the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
(Regional Administrator) has determined that the following A season 
apportionments of pollock in the Aleutian Islands subarea will not be 
harvested: 9,600 of non-CDQ pollock, 460 mt of ICA pollock and 760 mt 
of CDQ pollock. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), NMFS reallocates 9,600 mt of non-CDQ pollock 
and 760 mt of CDQ pollock from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the 
Bering Sea subarea B season allocations. In accordance with Sec.  
679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii), NMFS reallocates 460 mt from the Aleutian 
Islands subarea pollock ICA to the B season non-CDQ directed pollock 
fishery.
    Also, the Regional Administrator has determined that the B season 
ICA is in excess of the necessary amount and is reallocating the excess 
B season apportionment of the ICA to the directed pollock fishery. In 
accordance with Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(2)(ii), NMFS reallocates 140 
mt from the B season apportionment of the Aleutian Islands subarea 
pollock ICA to the B season non-CDQ directed pollock fishery.
    Furthermore, the Regional Administrator has determined through 
consultation with the Aleut Corporation and the CDQ groups that 4,900 
mt of the B season non-CDQ pollock and 1,140 mt of the B season CDQ 
pollock allocations in the Aleutian Islands subarea will not be 
harvested. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(4), 
NMFS apportions 4,900 mt of non-CDQ pollock and 1,140 mt of CDQ pollock 
from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea B season 
allocations. Table 3 has been revised to reflect this reallocation.
    The harvest specifications for pollock in the Aleutian Islands 
subarea included in the harvest specifications for groundfish in the 
BSAI (70 FR 8979, February 24, 2005) are revised as follows: 200 mt to 
the A season allowance of non-CDQ pollock, 740 mt to the A season 
allowance of ICA pollock, 0 mt to the A season allowance of CDQ 
pollock, 1,000 mt to the B season allowance of non-CDQ pollock, 660 to 
the B season allowance of ICA pollock, and 0 mt to the B season 
allowance of CDQ pollock.
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(5), Tables 3 and 10 are revised for the 
2005 B season consistent with this reallocation. Footnote 1 continues 
to state the allocations under regulations at Sec.  679.20(a)(5).

        TABLE 3--2005 AND 2006 ALLOCATIONS OF POLLOCK TACS TO THE DIRECTED POLLOCK FISHERIES AND TO THE CDQ DIRECTED FISHING ALLOWANCES (DFA)\1\
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                         2005 A season\1\      2005 B                      2006 A season\1\      2006 B
                                                                      ---------------------- season\1\                  ---------------------- season\1\
                   Area and sector                          2005                     SCA    -----------       2006                     SCA    ----------
                                                        Allocations     A season   harvest    B season    Allocations     A season   harvest    B season
                                                                          DFA      limit\2\     DFA                         DFA      limit\2\     DFA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bering Sea subarea                                          1,478,500      .....      .....      .....        1,487,756      .....      .....      .....
 CDQ DFA                                                      147,850     59,140     41,398     90,610          148,776     59,510     41,657     89,265
 ICA\1\                                                        44,577      .....      .....      .....           44,856      .....      .....      .....
 AFA Inshore                                                  643,037    257,215    180,050    393,072          647,062    258,825    181,177    388,237
 AFA Catcher/Processors\3\                                    514,429    205,772    144,040    314,458          517,650    207,060    144,942    310,590
 Catch by C/Ps                                                470,703    188,281      .....    287,729          473,650    189,460      .....    284,190
 Catch by CVs\3\                                               43,726     17,491      .....     26,729           44,000     17,600      .....     26,400
 Unlisted C/P Limit\4\                                          2,572      1,029      .....      1,572            2,588      1,035      .....      1,553
AFA Motherships                                               128,607     51,443     36,010     78,614          129,412     51,765     36,235     77,647
Excessive Harvesting Limit\5\                                 225,063      .....      .....      .....          226,472      .....      .....      .....
Excessive Processing Limit\6\                                 385,822      .....      .....      .....          388,237      .....      .....      .....
Total Bering Sea DFA                                        1,433,923    573,570    401,498    876,754        1,487,756    577,160    404,012    865,740
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aleutian Islands subarea\1\                                     2,600      .....      .....      .....           19,000      .....      .....      .....
 CDQ DFA                                                        .....      .....      .....      .....            1,900        760      .....      1,140
 ICA                                                            1,400        740      .....        660            2,000      1,200      .....        800
 Aleut Corporation                                              1,200        200      .....      1,000           15,100      9,800      .....      5,300
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bogoslof District ICA\7\                                           10      .....      .....      .....               10      .....      .....      .....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Under Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea pollock after subtraction for the CDQ DFA - 10 percent and the ICA - 3.35 percent, the
  pollock TAC is allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore component - 50 percent, catcher/processor component - 40 percent, and mothership component - 10
  percent. In the Bering Sea subarea, the A season, January 20 - June 10, is allocated 40 percent of the DFA and the B season, June 10 - November 1 is
  allocated 60 percent of the DFA. The Aleutian Islands (AI) directed pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut Corporation remains after first
  subtracting for the CDQ DFA - 10 percent and second the ICA - 2,000 mt. The Aleut Corporation directed pollock fishery is closed to directed fishing
  until the management provisions for the AI directed pollock fishery become effective under Amendment 82. In the AI subarea, the A season is allocated
  40 percent of the ABC and the B season is allocated the remainder of the directed pollock fishery.
\2\In the Bering Sea subarea, no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before April 1. The remaining 12 percent of
  the annual DFA allocated to the A season may be taken outside of SCA before April 1 or inside the SCA after April 1. If 28 percent of the annual DFA
  is not taken inside the SCA before April 1, the remainder is available to be taken inside the SCA after April 1.
\3\Under Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4), not less than 8.5 percent of the DFA allocated to listed catcher/processors shall be available for harvest only
  by eligible catcher vessels delivering to listed catcher/processors.
\4\Under Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(4)(iii), the AFA unlisted catcher/processors are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the catcher/
  processors sector's allocation of pollock.
\5\Under Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(6) NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the pollock DFAs.
\6\Under Sec.   679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(7) NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the pollock DFAs.
\7\The Bogoslof District is closed by the final harvest specifications to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for ICA only, and are
  not apportioned by season or sector.


[[Page 35560]]


                   TABLE 10--2005 AND 2006 BERING SEA SUBAREA INSHORE COOPERATIVE ALLOCATIONS
                                          [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                        Sum of member       Percentage of      2005 Annual        2006 Annual
Cooperative name and member vessels   vessel's official    inshore sector      cooperative        cooperative
                                      catch histories\1\     allocation         allocation         allocation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Akutan Catcher Vessel Association    245,922              28.130%           182,925            182,018
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, MARK I, 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
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Arctic Enterprise Association        36,807               4.210%            27,378             27,242
BRISTOL EXPLORER, OCEAN EXPLORER,
 PACIFIC EXPLORER
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative    73,656               8.425%            54,788             54,516
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          23,850               2.728%            17,740             17,652
AJ, AMBER DAWN, AMERICAN BEAUTY,
 ELIZABETH F, MORNING STAR, OCEAN
 LEADER, OCEANIC, PACIFIC
 CHALLENGER, PROVIDIAN, TOPAZ,
 WALTER N
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unalaska Cooperative                 106,737              12.209%           79,395             79,001
ALASKA ROSE, BERING ROSE,
 DESTINATION, GREAT PACIFIC,
 MESSIAH, MORNING STAR, MS AMY,
 PROGRESS, SEA WOLF, VANGUARD,
 WESTERN DAWN
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UniSea Fleet Cooperative             213,521              24.424%           158,824            158,037
ALSEA, AMERICAN EAGLE, ARGOSY,
 AURIGA, AURORA, DEFENDER, GUN-MAR,
 MAR-GUN, NORDIC STAR, PACIFIC
 MONARCH, SEADAWN, STARFISH,
 STARLITE, STARWARD
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Westward Fleet Cooperative           173,744              19.874%           129,236            128,595
ALASKAN COMMAND, ALYESKA, ARCTIC
 WIND, CAITLIN ANN, CHELSEA K, DONA
 MARTITA, FIERCE ALLEGIANCE,
 HICKORY WIND, OCEAN HOPE 3,
 PACIFIC KNIGHT, PACIFIC PRINCE,
 VIKING, WESTWARD I
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Open access AFA vessels              0                    0.00%             0                  0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total inshore allocation             874,238              100%              650,287            647,062
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\1\According to regulations at 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 (AA), 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 impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest. This requirement is 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 Aleutian Islands subarea pollock to the 
Bering Sea subarea B season. At the end of May 2005, NMFS was notified 
by the Aleut Corporation and the CDQ groups that the pollock 
allocations in the Aleutian Islands subarea will not be harvested. 
Since the B season opens June 10, it is important to immediately inform 
the industry as to the final Bering Sea subarea B season allocations. 
Immediate notification is necessary in order to allow an orderly 
transition into the B season and to provide timely information to allow 
for the orderly conduct and efficient operation of this fishery thereby 
allowing the industry to plan for the fishing season and avoid 
potential disruption to the fishing fleet as well as processors.
    The AA 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 required by Sec.  679.20 and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.

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


[[Page 35561]]


    Dated: June 14, 2005.
John H. Dunnigan
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-12205 Filed 6-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S