[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 192 (Monday, October 5, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 60073-60074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25291]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 141021887-5172-02]
RIN 0648-XE223


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Exchange of 
Flatfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; reallocation.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is exchanging unused Community Development Quota (CDQ) 
for CDQ acceptable biological catch (ABC) reserves. This action is 
necessary to allow the 2015 total allowable catch of flathead sole, 
rock sole, and yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 
management area to be harvested.

DATES: Effective October 5, 2015 through December 31, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) according to the 
Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
Islands Management Area (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 2015 flathead sole, rock sole and yellowfin sole CDQ reserves 
specified in the BSAI are 2,320 metric tons (mt), 7,085 mt, and 16,543 
mt as established by the final 2015 and 2016 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015) and following 
revisions (80 FR 58220, September 28, 2015). The 2015 flathead sole, 
rock sole, and yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves are 4,756 mt, 12,357 mt, 
and 10,079 mt as established by the final 2015 and 2016 harvest 
specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 5, 2015) 
and following revisions (80 FR 58220, September 28, 2015).
    The Aleutian Pribilof Islands Community Development Association has 
requested that NMFS exchange 568 mt of flathead sole and 210 mt of rock 
sole CDQ reserves for 778 mt of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves under 
Sec.  679.31(d). Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  679.31(d), NMFS 
exchanges 568 mt of flathead sole and 210 mt of rock sole CDQ reserves 
for 778 mt of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves in the BSAI. This action 
also decreases and increases the TACs and CDQ ABC reserves by the 
corresponding amounts. Tables 11 and 13 of the final 2015 and 2016 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (80 FR 11919, March 
5, 2015) and following revisions (80 FR 58220, September 28, 2015) are 
further revised as follows:

 Table 11--Final 2015 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAs), and Amendment 80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands
                                     Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                                                              Pacific ocean perch                 Flathead    Rock sole   Yellowfin sole
                                                               ------------------------------------------------     sole    ----------------------------
                            Sector                                  Eastern         Central         Western    -------------
                                                                   Aleutian        Aleutian        Aleutian                      BSAI          BSAI
                                                                   District        District        District         BSAI
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TAC...........................................................           8,000           7,000           9,000       17,787       67,265         157,448
CDQ...........................................................             856             749             963        1,752        6,875          17,321
ICA...........................................................             100              75              10        5,000        8,000           5,000
BSAI trawl limited access.....................................             704             618             161            0            0          16,165
Amendment 80..................................................           6,340           5,558           7,866       11,035       52,390         118,962
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative.................................           3,362           2,947           4,171        1,708       13,318          44,455
Alaska Seafood Cooperative....................................           2,978           2,611           3,695        9,327       39,072          74,507
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Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.


[[Page 60074]]


 Table 13--Final 2015 and 2016 ABC Surplus, Community Development Quota (CDQ) ABC Reserves, and Amendment 80 ABC Reserves in the BSAI for Flathead Sole,
                                                              Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole
                                                              [Amounts are in metric tons]
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                                               2015  Flathead                      2015  Yellowfin   2016  Flathead                      2016  Yellowfin
                   Sector                           sole         2015  Rock sole        sole              sole         2016  Rock sole        sole
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ABC.........................................            66,130           181,700           248,800            63,711           164,800           245,500
TAC.........................................            17,787            67,265           157,448            24,250            69,250           149,000
ABC surplus.................................            48,343           114,435            91,352            39,461            95,550            96,500
ABC reserve.................................            48,343           114,435            91,352            39,461            95,550            96,500
CDQ ABC reserve.............................             5,324            12,567             9,301             4,222            10,224            10,326
Amendment 80 ABC reserve....................            43,019           101,868            82,051            35,239            85,326            86,175
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for 2015 \1\..             3,836            24,840            35,408               n/a               n/a               n/a
Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2015 \1\.....            39,183            77,028            46,643               n/a               n/a               n/a
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\1\ The 2016 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until
  eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2015.

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 flatfish exchange by the Aleutian Pribilof Islands 
Community Development Association in the BSAI. Since these fisheries 
are currently open, it is important to immediately inform the industry 
as to the revised allocations. Immediate notification is necessary to 
allow for the orderly conduct and efficient operation of this fishery, 
to allow the industry to plan for the fishing season, and to avoid 
potential disruption to the fishing fleet as well as processors. 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, 2015.
    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.  679.20 and is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866.

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

    Dated: September 30, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-25291 Filed 10-2-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P