[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 130 (Thursday, July 7, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39792-39793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17046]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE



National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration



50 CFR Part 679



[Docket No. 101126522-0640-02]

RIN 0648-XA544




Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific 

Ocean Perch, Northern Rockfish, and Pelagic Shelf Rockfish in the 

Western Regulatory Area and the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of 

Alaska



AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.



ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.



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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch, 

northern rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish by catcher/processors 

participating in the limited access or opt-out fisheries that are 

subject to sideboard limits established under the Central Gulf of 

Alaska (GOA) Rockfish Program in the Western Regulatory Area and West 

Yakutat district of the GOA. This action is necessary to prevent 

exceeding the



[[Page 39793]]



2011 sideboard limits of Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, and 

pelagic shelf rockfish established for catcher/processors participating 

in the limited access or opt-out fisheries in the Western Regulatory 

Area and West Yakutat district of the GOA.



DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), July 1, 2011, 

through 1200 hrs, A.l.t., July 31, 2011.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7269.



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 2011 pelagic shelf rockfish sideboard limit established for 

catcher/processors participating in the limited access or opt-out 

fisheries that are subject to sideboard limits in the Central GOA 

Rockfish Program in the Western Regulatory Area is 0.4 mt.

    The 2011 pelagic shelf rockfish and Pacific ocean perch in the West 

Yakutat district, and Pacific ocean perch and northern rockfish in the 

Western Regulatory Area sideboard limits established for catcher/

processors participating in the limited access or opt-out fisheries 

that are subject to sideboard limits in the Central GOA Rockfish 

Program is 0 mt. The sideboard limits are established by the final 2011 

and 2012 harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA (76 FR 11111, 

March 1, 2011) and as posted as the 2011 Rockfish Program Catcher/

Processor Sideboards at http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/sustainablefisheries/goarat/default.htm.

    In accordance with Sec.  679.82(d)(7)(i)(A), the Administrator, 

Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 

2011 pelagic shelf rockfish sideboard limit established for catcher/

processors participating in the limited access or opt-out fisheries in 

the Western Regulatory Area will soon be reached. Therefore, the 

Regional Administrator is establishing a directed fishing allowance of 

0 mt, and is setting aside the remaining 0.4 mt as bycatch to support 

other anticipated groundfish fisheries. In accordance with Sec.  

679.82(d)(7)(ii), the Regional Administrator finds that this directed 

fishing allowance will soon be reached. Consequently, NMFS is 

prohibiting directed fishing for the Pacific ocean perch, northern 

rockfish, and pelagic shelf rockfish sideboard limits established for 

catcher/processors participating in the limited access or opt-out 

fisheries in the Western Regulatory Area and West Yakutat district of 

the GOA.

    After the effective date of this closure the maximum retainable 

amounts at Sec.  679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip.



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 closure of pelagic shelf rockfish, northern rockfish, 

and Pacific ocean perch sideboard limits for catcher/processors 

participating in the limited access or opt-out fisheries in the Western 

Regulatory Area and the West Yakutat district 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 June 30, 

2011.

    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.  679.82 and is exempt from review 

under Executive Order 12866.



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



    Dated: July 1, 2011.

James P. Burgess,

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 

Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 2011-17046 Filed 7-1-11; 4:15 pm]

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