[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 194 (Thursday, October 6, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69442-69443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-24185]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 150916863-6211-02]
RIN 0648-XE935


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

DATES: Effective October 6, 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 yellowfin sole CDQ reserves specified in 
the BSAI are 1,617 metric tons (mt), and 16,933 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 64782, 
September 21, 2016). The 2016 flathead sole and yellowfin sole CDQ ABC 
reserves are 5,472 mt and 5,719 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 64782, September 21, 
2016).
    The Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association has 
requested that NMFS exchange 80 mt of flathead sole CDQ reserves for 80 
mt of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves under Sec.  679.31(d). Therefore, 
in accordance with Sec.  679.31(d), NMFS exchanges 80 mt of flathead 
sole CDQ reserves for 80 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 
2016 and 2017 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (81 FR 
14773, March 18, 2016), and following revision (81 FR 64782, September 
21, 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          16,390          55,180         150,530
CDQ.....................................................             845             749             963           1,537           5,215          17,013
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           9,853          43,965         115,038
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative...........................           3,271           2,947           4,171           1,411          11,129          43,748
Alaska Seafood Cooperative..............................           2,898           2,611           3,695           8,442          32,836          71,290
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Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.


 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  Rock         2016       2017  Flathead    2017  Rock         2017
                         Sector                                sole            sole       Yellowfin sole       sole            sole       Yellowfin sole
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ABC.....................................................          66,250         161,100         211,700          64,580         145,000         203,500
TAC.....................................................          16,390          55,180         150,530          21,000          57,100         144,000
ABC surplus.............................................          49,860         105,920          61,170          43,580          87,900          59,500
ABC reserve.............................................          49,860         105,920          61,170          43,580          87,900          59,500
CDQ ABC reserve.........................................           5,552          12,023           5,639           4,663           9,405           6,367
Amendment 80 ABC reserve................................          44,308          93,897          55,531          38,917          78,495          53,134

[[Page 69443]]

 
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for 2016 \1\..............           4,145          22,974          24,019             n/a             n/a             n/a
Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2016 \1\.................          40,163          70,923          31,512             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 Aleutian Pribilof Island 
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 30, 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: October 3, 2016.
Emily H. Menashes,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-24185 Filed 10-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P