[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 26, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48722-48723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17593]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 150916863-6211-02]
RIN 0648-XE745


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 flathead sole Community Development 
Quota (CDQ) for rock sole CDQ acceptable biological catch (ABC) 
reserves in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This 
action is necessary to allow the 2016 total allowable catch of flathead 
sole and rock sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management 
area to be harvested.

DATES: Effective July 26, 2016 through December 31, 2016.

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 2016 flathead sole and rock sole CDQ reserves specified in the 
BSAI are 2,232 metric tons (mt), and 5,760 mt as established by the 
final 2016 and 2017 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI 
(81 FR 14773, March 18, 2016) and following revision (81 FR 41253, June 
24, 2016). The 2016 flathead sole and rock sole CDQ ABC reserves are 
4,857 mt and 11,478 mt as established by the final 2016 and 2017 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (81 FR 14773, March 
18, 2016) and following revision (81 FR 41253, June 24, 2016).
    The Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation has requested 
that NMFS exchange 400 mt of flathead sole CDQ reserves for 400 mt of 
rock sole CDQ ABC reserves under Sec.  679.31(d). Therefore, in 
accordance with Sec.  679.31(d), NMFS exchanges 400 mt of flathead sole 
CDQ reserves for 400 mt of rock 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 2016 and 2017 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (81 FR 14773, March 
18, 2016), and following revision (81 FR 41253, June 24, 2016), are 
revised as follows:

 Table 11--Final 2016 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 sole     Rock sole    Yellowfin sole
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Sector                               Eastern         Central         Western
                                                             Aleutian        Aleutian        Aleutian          BSAI            BSAI            BSAI
                                                             District        District        District
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TAC.....................................................           7,900           7,000           9,000          20,585          57,150         144,365
CDQ.....................................................             845             749             963           1,832           6,160          15,773
ICA.....................................................             200              75              10           5,000           6,000           3,500
BSAI trawl limited access...............................             685             618             161               0               0          14,979
Amendment 80............................................           6,169           5,558           7,866          13,753          44,990         110,113
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative...........................           3,271           2,947           4,171           1,411          11,129          43,748
Alaska Seafood Cooperative..............................           2,898           2,611           3,695          12,342          33,861          66,365
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Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.


[[Page 48723]]


 Table 13--Final 2016 and 2017 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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                                                           2016 Flathead                  2016 Yellowfin   2017 Flathead                  2017 Yellowfin
                         Sector                                sole       2016 Rock sole       sole            sole       2017 Rock sole       sole
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ABC.....................................................          66,250         161,100         211,700          64,580         145,000         203,500
TAC.....................................................          20,585          57,150         144,365          21,000          57,100         144,000
ABC surplus.............................................          45,665         103,950          67,335          43,580          87,900          59,500
ABC reserve.............................................          45,665         103,950          67,335          43,580          87,900          59,500
CDQ ABC reserve.........................................           5,257          11,078           6,879           4,663           9,405           6,367
Amendment 80 ABC reserve................................          40,408          92,872          60,456          38,917          78,495          53,134
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for 2016 \1\..............           4,145          22,974          24,019             n/a             n/a             n/a
Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2016 \1\.................          36,263          69,898          36,437             n/a             n/a             n/a
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\1\ The 2017 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, 2016.

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 Norton Sound 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 July 
14, 2016.
    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: July 20, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-17593 Filed 7-25-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P