[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 188 (Wednesday, September 30, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 50145-50146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23578]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 0910091344-9056-02]
RIN 0648-XR90


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in 
Statistical Area 620 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 reopening directed fishing for pollock in Statistical 
Area 620 of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully 
use the C season allowance of the 2009 total

[[Page 50146]]

allowable catch (TAC) of pollock specified for Statistical Area 620 of 
the GOA.

DATES:  Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), September 29, 
2009, through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., October 1, 2009. Comments must be 
received at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t., 
October 15, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Sue Salveson, Assistant Regional 
Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS, 
Attn: Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by [RIN 
0648-XR90], by any one of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal website at http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: P. O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802.
     Fax: (907) 586-7557.
     Hand delivery to the Federal Building: 709 West 9th 
Street, Room 420A, Juneau, AK.
    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 (e.g., name, address) 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 (enter N/A in the required 
fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic 
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or 
Adobe portable document file (pdf) formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Obren Davis, 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.
    NMFS closed the directed fishery for pollock in Statistical Area 
620 of the GOA under Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iii) on August 31, 2009 (74 FR 
44772, August 31, 2009).
    NMFS has determined that approximately 2,048 mt of pollock remain 
in the directed fishing allowance in Statistical Area 620 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 C season allowance of the 2009 
TAC of pollock in Statistical Area 620, NMFS is terminating the 
previous closure and is reopening directed fishing for pollock in 
Statistical Area 620 of the GOA. This will enhance the socioeconomic 
well-being of harvesters dependent upon pollock in this area. The 
Administrator, Alaska Region (Regional Administrator) considered the 
following factors in reaching this decision: (1) the current catch of 
pollock by the GOA trawl sector and, (2) the harvest capacity and 
stated intent on future harvesting patterns of vessels in participating 
in this fishery.
    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional 
Administrator finds that this directed fishing allowance will be 
reached after 48 hours. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed 
fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 620 of the GO, effective 1200 
hrs, A.l.t., October 1, 2009.

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 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 620 
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 September 24, 2009.
    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 620 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 October 15, 2009.
    This action is required bySec.  679.20 and Sec.  679.25 and is 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: September 25, 2009.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-23578 Filed 9-25-09; 4:15 pm]
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