[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 160 (Thursday, August 19, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51183-51185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20623]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 100218107-0199-01]
RIN 0648-XX92


Fisheries Off West Coast States; Modifications of the West Coast 
Commercial and Recreational Salmon Fisheries; Inseason Actions 
5, 6, 7, and 8

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

ACTION:  Modification of fishing seasons, gear restrictions, and 
landing and possession limits; request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  NOAA Fisheries announces four inseason actions in the ocean 
salmon fisheries. Inseason actions 5, 6, and 
7 modified the commercial fishery in the area from U.S./Canada 
Border to Cape Falcon, Oregon. Inseason action 8 modified the 
recreational fishery in the area from U.S./Canada Border to Cape 
Falcon, Oregon.

DATES:  Inseason action 5 was effective on June 18, 2010, and 
remains in effect until the closing date announced in the 2010 annual 
management measures or through additional inseason action. Inseason 
action 6 was effective on June 25, 2010, and remains in effect 
until the

[[Page 51184]]

closing date of the 2010 salmon season announced in the 2010 annual 
management measures or through additional inseason action. Inseason 
action 7 was effective July 1, 2010, and remains in effect 
until the closing date announced in the 2010 annual management measures 
or through additional inseason action. Inseason action 8 was 
effective July 8, 2010, and remains in effect until the closing date 
announced in the 2010 annual management measures or through additional 
inseason action. Comments will be accepted through September 3, 2010.

ADDRESSES:  You may submit comments, identified by 0648-XX92, by any 
one of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov
     Fax: 206-526-6736, Attn: Peggy Busby
     Mail: 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Building 1, Seattle, WA, 
98115
    Instructions: No comments will be posted for public viewing until 
after the comment period has closed. 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 (enter N/A in the required 
fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). You may submit attachments to 
electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF 
file formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Peggy Busby, by phone at 206-526-
4323.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the 2010 annual management measures for 
ocean salmon fisheries (75 FR 24482, May 5, 2010), NMFS announced the 
commercial and recreational fisheries in the area from the U.S./Canada 
Border to the U.S./Mexico Border, beginning May 1, 2010.
    The Regional Administrator (RA) consulted with representatives of 
the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), Washington Department 
of Fish and Wildlife, and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on 
June 15, 2010. The information considered during this consultation 
related to Chinook salmon catch to date and Chinook salmon catch rates 
compared to quotas and other management measures established preseason.
    Inseason action 5 opened the commercial salmon fishery 
from the U.S./Canada Border to Cape Falcon, Oregon for the five-day 
period June 18, 2010 through June 22, 2010, with a landing and 
possession limit of 75 Chinook salmon per vessel per open period north 
of Leadbetter Point or 75 Chinook salmon per vessel per open period 
south of Leadbetter Point. This action was taken to allow access to the 
full quota of Chinook salmon established preseason and to prevent 
exceeding the quota. On June 15, 2010, the states recommended this 
action and the RA concurred; inseason action 5 took effect on 
June 18, 2010. Modification of quota and/or fishing seasons is 
authorized by 50 CFR 660.409 (b)(1)(i).
    The RA consulted with representatives of the Council, Washington 
Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Oregon Department of Fish and 
Wildlife on June 24, 2010. The information considered during this 
consultation related to catch to date for Chinook salmon, and Chinook 
salmon catch rates compared to quotas and other management measures 
established preseason.
    Inseason action 6 opened the commercial salmon fishery 
from the U.S./Canada Border to Cape Falcon, Oregon for the five-day 
period June 25, 2010 through June 29, 2010, with a landing and 
possession limit of 25 Chinook salmon per vessel per open period north 
of Leadbetter Point or 25 Chinook salmon per vessel per open period 
south of Leadbetter Point. This action was taken to allow access to the 
full quota of Chinook salmon established preseason and to prevent 
exceeding the quota. On June 24, 2010, the states recommended this 
action and the RA concurred; inseason action 6 took effect on 
June 25, 2010. Modification of quota and/or fishing seasons is 
authorized by 50 CFR 660.409 (b)(1)(i) .
    Inseason action 7 reduced the landing and possession 
limits for the commercial salmon fishery from the U.S./Canada Border to 
Cape Falcon, Oregon scheduled to open July 1, 2010. The landing and 
possession limits of 150 Chinook salmon and 50 coho described in the 
2010 annual management measures were reduced to 40 Chinook salmon and 
30 coho per vessel per open period north of Leadbetter Point or 40 
Chinook salmon and 30 coho per vessel per open period south of 
Leadbetter Point. This action was taken to manage the Chinook salmon 
catch rate and allow full access to the coho quota established 
preseason, extending the availability of quota as much as possible 
through the season, which is scheduled into September. On June 24, 
2010, the states recommended this action and the RA concurred; inseason 
action 7 took effect on July 1, 2010. Modification of quota 
and/or fishing seasons is authorized by 50 CFR 660.409 (b)(1)(i) .
    The RA consulted with representatives of the Council, Washington 
Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Oregon Department of Fish and 
Wildlife on July 6, 2010. The information considered during this 
consultation related to catch to date for Chinook and coho salmon, and 
Chinook and coho salmon catch rates compared to quotas and other 
management measures established preseason.
    Inseason action 8 modified the daily bag limit for the 
recreational salmon fishery from the U.S./Canada Border to Cape Falcon, 
Oregon. The limit set preseason was two fish per day, only one of which 
could be a Chinook salmon; inseason action 8 modified the 
limit to two fish per day, both of which can be Chinook salmon. Based 
on early catch rate data, there was concern that unless the bag limit 
was modified, the coho quota would be exhausted before the full Chinook 
salmon guideline established preseason could be used, which would 
ultimately require the season to be closed early. On July 6, 2010, the 
states recommended this action and the RA concurred; inseason action 
8 took effect on July 8, 2010. Modification of quota and/or 
fishing seasons is authorized by 50 CFR 660.409 (b)(1)(i).
    All other restrictions and regulations remain in effect as 
announced in the 2010 Ocean Salmon Fisheries Annual Management Measures 
and previous inseason actions.
    The RA determined that the best available information indicated 
that the catch and effort data, and projections, supported the above 
inseason actions recommended by the states. The states manage the 
fisheries in state waters adjacent to the areas of the U.S. exclusive 
economic zone in accordance with these Federal actions. As provided by 
the inseason notice procedures of 50 CFR 660.411, actual notice of the 
described regulatory actions was given, prior to the date the action 
was effective, by telephone hotline number 206-526-6667 and 800-662-
9825, and by U.S. Coast Guard Notice to Mariners broadcasts on Channel 
16 VHF-FM and 2182 kHz.

[[Page 51185]]

Classification

    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA), finds that 
good cause exists for this notification to be issued without affording 
prior notice and opportunity for public comment under 5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(B) because such notification would be impracticable. As 
previously noted, actual notice of the regulatory actions was provided 
to fishers through telephone hotline and radio notification. These 
actions comply with the requirements of the annual management measures 
for ocean salmon fisheries (75 FR 24482, May 5, 2010), the West Coast 
Salmon Plan, and regulations implementing the West Coast Salmon Plan 50 
CFR 660.409 and 660.411. Prior notice and opportunity for public 
comment was impracticable because NMFS and the state agencies had 
insufficient time to provide for prior notice and the opportunity for 
public comment between the time the fishery catch and effort data were 
collected to determine the extent of the fisheries, and the time the 
fishery modifications had to be implemented in order to ensure that 
fisheries are managed based on the best available scientific 
information, thus allowing fishers access to the available fish at the 
time the fish were available while ensuring that quotas are not 
exceeded. The AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in 
effectiveness required under U.S.C. 553(d)(3), as a delay in 
effectiveness of these actions would allow fishing at levels 
inconsistent with the goals of the Salmon Fishery Management Plan and 
the current management measures.
    These actions are authorized by 50 CFR 660.409 and 660.411 and are 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: August 13, 2010.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-20623 Filed 8-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S