[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 101 (Friday, May 26, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 24253-24254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10861]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 161020985-7181-02]
RIN 0648-XF458


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 yellowfin 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 2017 total allowable catch of rock 
sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area to be 
harvested.

DATES: Effective May 26, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

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 2017 rock sole and yellowfin sole CDQ reserves specified in the 
BSAI are 5,040 metric tons (mt), and 16,478 mt as established by the 
final 2017 and 2018 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI 
(82 FR 11826; February 27, 2017). The 2017 rock sole and yellowfin sole 
CDQ ABC reserves are 11,556 mt and 11,428 mt as established by the 
final 2017 and 2018 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI 
(82 FR 11826; February 27, 2017).
    The Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association has 
requested that NMFS exchange 700 mt of yellowfin sole CDQ reserves for 
700 mt of rock sole CDQ ABC reserves under Sec.  679.31(d). Therefore, 
in accordance with Sec.  679.31(d), NMFS exchanges 700 mt of yellowfin 
sole CDQ reserves for 700 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 2017 and 
2018 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (82 FR 11826; 
February 27, 2017), are revised as follows:

 Table 11--Final 2017 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          14,500          47,800         153,300
CDQ.....................................................             845             749             963           1,552           5,740          15,778
ICA.....................................................             100              60              10           4,000           5,000           4,500
BSAI trawl limited access...............................             695             619             161               0               0          18,151
Amendment 80............................................           6,259           5,572           7,866           8,949          37,060         114,871
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative...........................           3,319           2,954           4,171             918           9,168          45,638
Alaska Seafood Cooperative..............................           2,940           2,617           3,695           8,031          27,893          69,233
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Note: Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.


 Table 13--Final 2017 and 2018 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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                                                           2017 Flathead                  2017 Yellowfin   2018 Flathead                  2018 Yellowfin
                         Sector                                sole       2017 Rock sole       sole            sole       2018 Rock sole       sole
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ABC.....................................................          68,278         155,100         260,800          66,164         143,100         250,800
TAC.....................................................          14,500          47,800         153,300          14,500          47,100         154,000
ABC surplus.............................................          53,778         107,300         107,500          51,664          96,000          96,800
ABC reserve.............................................          53,778         107,300         107,500          51,664          96,000          96,800
CDQ ABC reserve.........................................           5,754          10,856          12,128           5,528          10,272          10,358
Amendment 80 ABC reserve................................          48,024          96,444          95,372          46,136          85,728          86,442

[[Page 24254]]

 
Alaska Groundfish Cooperative for 2017 \1\..............           4,926          23,857          37,891             n/a             n/a             n/a
Alaska Seafood Cooperative for 2017 \1\.................          43,098          72,587          57,481             n/a             n/a             n/a
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\1\ The 2018 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, 2017.

Classification

    This action responds to the best available information recently 
obtained from the fishery. The Acting 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 May 18, 2017.
    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: May 23, 2017.
Margo B. Schulze-Haugen,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National 
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-10861 Filed 5-25-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P