[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 210 (Friday, October 30, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66839-66840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27694]



[[Page 66839]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 141021887-5172-02]
RIN 0648-XE274


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 rock sole and 
yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area 
to be harvested.

DATES: Effective October 30, 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 rock sole and yellowfin sole CDQ reserves specified in the 
BSAI are 6,875 metric tons (mt) and 17,321 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 65663, 
October 27, 2015). The 2015 rock sole, and yellowfin sole CDQ ABC 
reserves are 12,567 mt and 9,301 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 65663, October 27, 
2015).
    The Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation has requested that 
NMFS exchange 600 mt of rock sole CDQ reserves for 600 mt of yellowfin 
sole CDQ ABC reserves under Sec.  679.31(d). Therefore, in accordance 
with Sec.  679.31(d), NMFS exchanges 600 mt of rock sole CDQ reserves 
for 600 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 65663, October 27, 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]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Pacific ocean perch                Flathead sole     Rock sole    Yellowfin sole
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Sector                               Eastern         Central         Western
                                                             Aleutian        Aleutian        Aleutian          BSAI            BSAI            BSAI
                                                             District        District        District
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TAC.....................................................           8,000           7,000           9,000          17,187          65,315         159,998
CDQ.....................................................             856             749             963           1,752           6,275          17,921
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          10,435          51,040         120,912
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative...........................           3,362           2,947           4,171           1,708          13,318          44,455
Alaska Seafood Cooperative..............................           2,978           2,611           3,695           8,727          37,722          76,457
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Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.


 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]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           2015 Flathead                  2015 Yellowfin   2016 Flathead                  2016 Yellowfin
                         Sector                                sole       2015 Rock sole       sole            sole       2016 Rock sole       sole
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABC.....................................................          66,130         181,700         248,800          63,711         164,800         245,500
TAC.....................................................          17,187          65,315         159,998          24,250          69,250         149,000
ABC surplus.............................................          48,943         116,385          88,802          39,461          95,550          96,500
ABC reserve.............................................          48,943         116,385          88,802          39,461          95,550          96,500
CDQ ABC reserve.........................................           5,324          13,167           8,701           4,222          10,224          10,326
Amendment 80 ABC reserve................................          43,619         103,218          80,101          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\.................          39,783          78,378          44,693             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.


[[Page 66840]]

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 Bristol Bay Economic 
Development Corporation 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 
October 20, 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: October 27, 2015.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-27694 Filed 10-29-15; 8:45 am]
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