[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 11, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12897-12898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-1001]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 071106671-8010-02]
RIN 0648-XG19


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in 
Statistical Area 610 of the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; modification of a closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock in Statistical 
Area 610 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully 
use the A season allowance of the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of 
pollock specified for Statistical Area 610 of the GOA.

DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 7, 2008, 
through 2400 hrs, A.l.t., December 31, 2008. Comments must be received 
at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., March 21, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by 0648-
XG19, by any one of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal Web site at http://www.regulations.gov;
     Mail: P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802;
     Fax: (907) 586-7557; or
     Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th 
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
    Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record 
and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without 
change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, 
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly 
accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or 
otherwise sensitive or protected information.
    NMFS will accept anonymous comments. Attachments to electronic 
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or 
Adobe PDF file formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hogan, 907-586-7228.

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. 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.
    The 2008 pollock TAC specified for vessels in Statistical Area 610 
in the GOA is 3,322 metric tons (mt) as established by the 2008 and 
2009 harvest specifications for groundfish of

[[Page 12898]]

the GOA (73 FR 10562, February 27, 2008).
    NMFS closed the directed fishery for pollock in Statistical Area 
610 of the GOA under Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iii) on January 22, 2008 (73 FR 
4493, January 25, 2008). The fishery reopened on March 3, 2008 for 24 
hours (73 FR 12031, March 6, 2008).
    As of March 4, 2008, NMFS has determined that approximately 3,050 
mt of pollock remain in the directed fishing allowance in Statistical 
Area 610 of the GOA. Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  
679.25(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)(i)(C) and (a)(2)(iii)(D), and to fully utilize 
the A season allowance of the 2008 TAC of pollock in Statistical Area 
610, NMFS is terminating the previous closure and is reopening directed 
fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 of the GOA, effective 1200 
hrs, A.l.t., March 7, 2008.

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) and 50 CFR 679.25(c)(1)(ii) 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 opening of pollock in Statistical 
Area 610 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 March 4, 2008.
    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.
    Without this inseason adjustment, NMFS could not allow the fishery 
for pollock in Statistical Area 610 of the GOA to be harvested in an 
expedient manner and in accordance with the regulatory schedule. Under 
Sec.  679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit written 
comments on this action to the above address until March 21, 2008.
    This action is required by Sec.  679.20 and Sec.  679.25 and is 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: March 6, 2008.
Emily H. Menashes
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 08-1001 Filed 3-6-08; 2:55 pm]
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