[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48460-48462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22612]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 161020985-7181-02]
RIN 0648-XF762


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

DATES: Effective October 18, 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

[[Page 48461]]

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 flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole CDQ reserves 
specified in the BSAI are 1,463 metric tons (mt), 5,490 mt, and 16,117 
mt as established by the final 2017 and 2018 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the BSAI (82 FR 11826, February 27, 2017) and revised by 
flatfish exchange (82 FR 46422, October 5, 2017). The 2017 flathead 
sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves are 5,843 mt, 
11,106 mt and 11,789 mt as established by the final 2017 and 2018 
harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (82 FR 11826, 
February 27, 2017) and revised by flatfish exchange (82 FR 46422, 
October 5, 2017).
    The Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation has requested 
that NMFS exchange 175 mt of flathead sole CDQ reserves and 180 mt of 
rock sole CDQ reserves for 355 mt of yellowfin sole CDQ ABC reserves 
under Sec.  679.31(d). Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  679.31(d), 
NMFS exchanges 175 mt of flathead sole CDQ reserves and 180 mt of rock 
sole CDQ reserves for 355 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 
2017 and 2018 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (82 FR 
11826, February 27, 2017), and revised by flatfish exchange (82 FR 
46422, October 5, 2017), are further 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
                                                             District        District        District                                          BSAI
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TAC.....................................................           7,900           7,000           9,000          14,236          47,370         153,994
CDQ.....................................................             845             749             963           1,288           5,310          16,472
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  Rock         2017       2018  Flathead    2018  Rock         2018
                         Sector                                sole            sole       Yellowfin sole       sole            sole       Yellowfin sole
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ABC.....................................................          68,278         155,100         260,800          66,164         143,100         250,800
TAC.....................................................          14,236          47,370         153,994          14,500          47,100         154,000
ABC surplus.............................................          54,042         107,730         106,806          51,664          96,000          96,800
ABC reserve.............................................          54,042         107,730         106,806          51,664          96,000          96,800
CDQ ABC reserve.........................................           6,018          11,286          11,434           5,528          10,272          10,358
Amendment 80 ABC reserve................................          48,024          96,444          95,372          46,136          85,728          86,442
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 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 
October 10, 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.


[[Page 48462]]


    Dated: October 13, 2017.
Alan D. Risenhoover,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-22612 Filed 10-17-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P