[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 184 (Thursday, September 22, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 58720-58721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24381]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 660

[Docket No. 0912281446-0111-02]
RIN 0648-XA709


Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species 
Fisheries; Closure

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 sardine off 
the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. This action is 
necessary because the directed harvest allocation total for the third 
seasonal period (September 15-December 31) is projected to be reached 
by the effective date of this rule. From the effective date of this 
rule until January 1, 2012, Pacific sardine may be harvested only as 
part of the live bait fishery or incidental to other fisheries; the 
incidental harvest of Pacific sardine is limited to 30-percent by 
weight of all fish per trip. Fishing vessels must be at shore and in 
the process of offloading at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time, on the 
date of closure.

DATES: Effective 12:01 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time Wednesday, September 
21, 2011, through 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, December 31, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua Lindsay, Southwest Region, 
NMFS, (562) 980-4034.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that based on the 
best available information recently obtained from the fishery and 
information on past effort, the directed fishing harvest allocation for 
the third allocation period (September 15-December 31) will be reached 
and therefore directed fishing for Pacific sardine is being closed 
until January 1, 2012. Fishing vessels must be at shore and in the 
process of offloading at the time of closure. From 12:01 am on the date 
of closure through December 31, 2011, Pacific sardine may be harvested 
only as part of the live bait fishery or incidental to other fisheries, 
with the incidental harvest of Pacific sardine limited to 30-percent by 
weight of all fish caught during a trip.
    NMFS manages the Pacific sardine fishery in the U.S. exclusive 
economic zone (EEZ) off the Pacific coast (California, Oregon, and 
Washington) in accordance with the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) 
Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Annual specifications published in the 
Federal Register establish the harvest guideline (HG) and allowable 
harvest levels for each Pacific sardine fishing season (January 1-
December 31). If during any of the seasonal allocation periods the 
applicable adjusted directed harvest allocation is projected to be 
taken only incidental harvest is allowed, and for the remainder of the 
period, any incidental Pacific sardine landings will be counted against 
that period's incidental set aside. In the event that an incidental 
set-aside is projected to be attained, all fisheries will be closed to 
the retention of Pacific sardine for the remainder of the period via 
appropriate rulemaking.
    Under 50 CFR 660.509, if the total HG or these apportionment levels 
for Pacific sardine are reached at any time, NMFS is required to close 
the Pacific sardine fishery via appropriate rulemaking and keep it 
closed until it re-opens either per the allocation scheme or the 
beginning of the next fishing season. In accordance with section 
660.509, the Regional Administrator shall publish a notice in the 
Federal Register announcing the date of the closure of the directed 
fishery for Pacific sardine.
    The above in-season harvest restrictions are not intended to affect 
the prosecution of the live bait portion of the Pacific sardine 
fishery.

Classification

    This action is required by 50 CFR 660.509 and is exempt from Office 
of Management and Budget review under Executive Order 12866.
    NMFS 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) for the closure of the directed harvest of 
Pacific sardine. For

[[Page 58721]]

the reasons set forth below, notice and comment procedures are 
impracticable and contrary to the public interest. For the same 
reasons, NMFS also finds good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive 
the 30-day delay in effectiveness for this action. This measure 
responds to the best available information and is necessary for the 
conservation and management of the Pacific sardine resource. A delay in 
effectiveness would cause the fishery to exceed the in-season harvest 
level. These seasonal harvest levels are important mechanisms in 
preventing overfishing and managing the fishery at optimum yield. The 
established directed and incidental harvest allocations are designed to 
allow fair and equitable opportunity to the resource by all sectors of 
the Pacific sardine fishery and to allow access to other profitable CPS 
fisheries, such as squid and Pacific mackerel.
    Many of the same fishermen who harvest Pacific sardine rely on 
these other fisheries for a significant portion of their income.

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

    Dated: September 19, 2011.
James P. Burgess,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-24381 Filed 9-19-11; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P