[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 7, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55636-55638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24371]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 300

RIN 0648-XG515


Fraser River Sockeye Salmon Fisheries; Inseason Orders

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Temporary orders; inseason orders.

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SUMMARY: NMFS publishes Fraser River salmon inseason orders to regulate

[[Page 55637]]

treaty and non-treaty (all citizen) commercial salmon fisheries in U.S. 
waters. The orders were issued by the Fraser River Panel (Panel) of the 
Pacific Salmon Commission (Commission) and subsequently approved and 
issued by NMFS during the 2018 salmon fisheries within the U.S. Fraser 
River Panel Area. These orders established fishing dates, times, and 
areas for the gear types of U.S. treaty Indian and all citizen 
commercial fisheries during the period the Panel exercised jurisdiction 
over these fisheries.

DATES: The effective dates for the inseason orders are set out in this 
document under the heading Inseason Orders.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Mundy at 206-526-4323.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Treaty between the Government of the 
United States of America and the Government of Canada concerning 
Pacific Salmon was signed at Ottawa on January 28, 1985, and 
subsequently was given effect in the United States by the Pacific 
Salmon Treaty Act (Act) at 16 U.S.C. 3631-3644.
    Under authority of the Act, Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 300, 
subpart F, provide a framework for the implementation of certain 
regulations of the Commission and inseason orders of the Commission's 
Fraser River Panel for U.S. sockeye salmon fisheries in the Fraser 
River Panel Area.
    The regulations close the U.S. portion of the Fraser River Panel 
Area to U.S. sockeye salmon tribal and non-tribal commercial fishing 
unless opened by Panel orders that are given effect by inseason 
regulations published by NMFS. During the fishing season, NMFS may 
issue regulations that establish fishing times and areas consistent 
with the Commission agreements and inseason orders of the Panel. Such 
orders must be consistent with domestic legal obligations and are 
issued by the Regional Administrator, West Coast Region, NMFS. Official 
notification of these inseason actions is provided by two telephone 
hotline numbers described at 50 CFR 300.97(b)(1) and in 84 FR 19005 
(May 1, 2018). The inseason orders are published in the Federal 
Register as soon as practicable after they are issued. Due to the 
frequency with which inseason orders are issued, publication of 
individual orders is impractical.

Inseason Orders

    The following inseason orders were adopted by the Panel and issued 
for U.S. fisheries by NMFS during the 2018 fishing season. Each of the 
following inseason actions was effective upon announcement on telephone 
hotline numbers as specified at 50 CFR 300.97(b)(1) and in 84 FR 19005 
(May 1, 2018); those dates and times are listed herein. The times 
listed are local times, and the areas designated are Puget Sound 
Management and Catch Reporting Areas as defined in the Washington State 
Administrative Code at Chapter 220-22.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-01: Issued 11:40 a.m., July 24, 
2018

Treaty Indian Fishery
    Areas 4B, 5, and 6C: Open to drift gillnets from 12 p.m. (noon), 
Friday, July 27, 2018, to 12 p.m. (noon), Tuesday, July 31, 2018.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-02: Issued 11:40 a.m., July 27, 
2018

Treaty Indian Fishery
    Areas 4B, 5, and 6C: Extend for drift gillnets from 12 p.m. (noon), 
Tuesday, July 31, 2018, to 12 p.m. (noon), Wednesday, August 1, 2018.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-03: Issued 11:40 a.m., July 31, 
2018

Treaty Indian Fishery
    Areas 4B, 5, and 6C: Extend for drift gillnets from 12 p.m. (noon), 
Wednesday, August 1, 2018, to 12 p.m. (noon), Saturday, August 4, 2018.
    Areas 6, 7, and 7A: Open to net fishing from 5 a.m., Thursday, 
August 2, 2018, to 9 a.m., Friday, August 3, 2018, and from 5 a.m., 
Saturday, August 4, 2018, to 9 a.m., Sunday, August 5, 2018.
All Citizen Fisheries
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to purse seines from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, 
August 3, 2018.
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to gillnets from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. 
(midnight), Friday, August 3, 2018.
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to reefnets from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday, 
August 6, 2018.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-04: Issued 1:25 p.m., August 3, 
2018

Treaty Indian Fisheries
    Areas 4B, 5, and 6C: Extend for drift gillnets from 12 p.m. (noon), 
Saturday, August 4, 2018, to 12 p.m. (noon), Wednesday, August 8, 2018.
    Areas 6, 7, and 7A: Open to net fishing from 5 a.m., Tuesday, 
August 7, 2018, to 9 a.m., Thursday, August 9, 2018.
All Citizen Fisheries
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to purse seines from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday, 
August 6, 2018.
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to gillnets from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. 
(midnight), Monday, August 6, 2018.
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to reefnets from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, 
August 8, 2018.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-05: Issued 12 p.m., August 7, 2018

Treaty Indian Fisheries
    Areas 4B, 5, and 6C: Extend for drift gillnets from 12 p.m. (noon), 
Wednesday, August 8, 2018, to 12 p.m. (noon), Saturday, August 11, 
2018.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-06: Issued 12:05 p.m., August 8, 
2018

All Citizen Fisheries
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to purse seines from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., 
Thursday, August 9, 2018.
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to gillnets from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. 
(midnight), Thursday, August 9, 2018.
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to reefnets from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday, 
August 9, 2018.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-07: Issued 1:35 p.m., August 10, 
2018

Treaty Indian Fisheries
    Areas 4B, 5, and 6C: Extend for drift gillnets from 12 p.m. (noon), 
Saturday, August 11, 2018, to 12 p.m. (noon), Wednesday, August 15, 
2018.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-08: Issued 1:30 p.m., August 14, 
2018

Treaty Indian Fisheries
    Areas 4B, 5, and 6C: Extend for drift gillnets from 12 p.m. (noon), 
Wednesday, August 15, 2018, to 12 p.m. (noon), Saturday, August 18, 
2018.
    Areas 6, 7, and 7A: Open to net fishing from 5 a.m., Wednesday, 
August 15, 2018, to 9 a.m., Friday, August 17, 2018.
All Citizen Fisheries
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to purse seines from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, 
August 17, 2018.
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to gillnets from 2:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., 
Friday, August 17, 2018.
    Areas 7 and 7A: Open to reefnets from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 
Saturday, August 18, 2018.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-09: Issued 2:05 p.m., August 17, 
2018

Treaty Indian Fisheries
    Areas 4B, 5, and 6C: Extend for drift gillnets from 12 p.m. (noon), 
Saturday, August 18, 2018, to 12 p.m. (noon), Wednesday, August 22, 
2018.

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Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-10: Issued 1:05 p.m., August 21, 
2018

Treaty Indian Fisheries
    Areas 4B, 5, and 6C: Extend for drift gillnets from 12 p.m. (noon), 
Wednesday, August 22, 2018, to 1 p.m., Friday, August 24, 2018.
    Areas 6, 7, and 7A: Open to net fishing from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., 
Friday, August 24, 2018.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-11: Issued 3:10 p.m., August 23, 
2018

Treaty Indian Fisheries
    Areas 4B, 5, and 6C: Extend for drift gillnets from 1 p.m. to 11:59 
p.m. (midnight), Friday August 24, 2018.
    Areas 6, 7, and 7A: Extend for purse seines from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., 
Friday, August 24, 2018. Extend for gillnets from 1 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. 
(midnight), Friday, August 24, 2018.

Fraser River Panel Order Number 2018-12: Issued 12:10 p.m., September 
11, 2018

Treaty Indian and All Citizen Fisheries
    Areas 4B, 5, 6, 6C, 7, and 7A, excluding the Apex: Relinquish 
regulatory control effective 11:59 p.m. (midnight), Saturday, September 
15, 2018. The Apex is those waters north and west of the Area 7A ``East 
Point Line,'' defined as a line projected from the low water range 
marker in Boundary Bay on the International Boundary through the east 
tip of Point Roberts in the state of Washington to the East Point light 
on Saturna Island in the Province of British Columbia.

Classification

    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries NOAA (AA), finds that 
good cause exists for the inseason orders to be issued without 
affording the public prior notice and opportunity for comment under 5 
U.S.C. 553(b)(B) as such prior notice and opportunity for comments is 
impracticable and contrary to the public interest. Prior notice and 
opportunity for public comment is impracticable because NMFS has 
insufficient time to allow for prior notice and opportunity for public 
comment between the time the stock abundance information is available 
to determine how much fishing can be allowed and the time the fishery 
must open and close in order to harvest the appropriate amount of fish 
while they are available.
    The AA also finds good cause to waive the 30-day delay in the 
effective date, required under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), of the inseason 
orders. A delay in the effective date of the inseason orders would not 
allow fishers appropriately controlled access to the available fish at 
that time they are available.
    This action is authorized by 50 CFR 300.97, and is exempt from 
review under Executive Order 12866.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 3636(b).

    Dated: November 2, 2018.
Karen H. Abrams,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-24371 Filed 11-6-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P