[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 71 (Friday, April 12, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14887-14890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-07276]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 180831813-9332-03]
RIN 0648-XG471
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Gulf of
Alaska; Final 2019 and 2020 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish;
Correction
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule; correction.
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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service is correcting a final
rule that published on March 14, 2019, implementing the final 2019 and
2020 harvest specifications and prohibited species catch allowances for
the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska. One table in the document
contains errors associated with flathead sole. These corrections are
necessary to provide the correction information about the amount of
flathead sole available for commercial harvest in 2019, thus allowing
commercial fishermen to maximize their economic opportunities in this
fishery. This correction also is necessary to comport with the
requirements of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf
of Alaska.
DATES: Effective April 12, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Need for Correction
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published the Gulf of
Alaska (GOA) final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications in the Federal
Register on March 14, 2019 (84 FR 9416). The harvest specifications
were effective March 14, 2019. A table (Table 1) providing information
about the 2019 overfishing levels, acceptable biological catch (ABC),
and total allowable catch (TAC) for groundfish of the GOA contains
errors associated with the flathead sole ABC for the Central Regulatory
Area of the GOA, as well as the flathead sole ABCs and TACs in the West
Yakutat (WYK) and Southeast Outside (SEO) Districts of the Eastern
Regulatory Area of the GOA. In Table 1 on page 9420 of the harvest
specifications published in the Federal Register, NMFS inadvertently
used incorrect values for the flathead sole
[[Page 14888]]
ABCs and TACs for these management areas. The correct 2019 flathead
sole ABC for the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 21,109 metric
tons (mt). The correct 2019 flathead sole ABCs for the WYK and SEO
Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA are 2,016 mt and
423 mt, respectively. The correct 2019 flathead sole TACs for the WYK
and SEO Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA are 2,016
mt and 423 mt, respectively. These corrections also require the
corresponding grand total of the 2019 flathead sole ABCs and TACs to be
revised to 36,782 mt and 26,489 mt, respectively.
Classification
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 unnecessary and contrary to the public
interest. This correcting amendment makes changes to correct mis-
specified 2019 flathead sole ABCs and TACs in Table 1, as described
above, and does not change operating practices in the fisheries. This
correcting action is consistent with the harvest specifications
recommended by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in December
2018, and ensures that the flathead sole TACs that the fishing industry
expected to be available in 2019 are correct. If this correction is
delayed to allow for notice and comment, it would result in confusion
for participants in the fisheries, given that the final rule
implementing the 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications already is
effective. Therefore, in order to avoid any negative consequences that
could result from this correction, the AA finds good cause to waive the
requirement to provide prior notice and opportunity for public comment.
The correct 2019 flathead sole TACs for the WYK and SEO Districts of
the Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA are slightly more than the
incorrectly specified TACs for these two management areas. Without this
correction, commercial fishermen may believe that there is less
flathead sole available for harvest in 2019 then is actually available,
to their economic detriment.
For the reasons above, the AA also finds good cause under 5 U.S.C.
553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day delay in effective date and make this
rule effective immediately upon publication.
Correction
In the final rule, published on March 14, 2019 (84 FR 9416), the
following corrections are made to Table 1:
On page 9420, in Table 1, columns 4 and 5 are corrected to
incorporate the correct amounts for the 2019 flathead sole ABCs and
TACs.
Table 1 is corrected and reprinted in its entirety to read as
follows:
Table 1--Final 2019 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs of Groundfish for the Western/Central/West Yakutat, Western, Central,
Eastern Regulatory Areas, the West Yakutat and Southeast Outside Districts of the Eastern Regulatory Area, and
Gulfwide Districts of the Gulf of Alaska
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
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Species Area \1\ OFL ABC TAC
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Pollock \2\........................ Shumagin (610)............. n/a 24,875 24,875
Chirikof (620)............. n/a 67,388 67,388
Kodiak (630)............... n/a 34,443 34,443
WYK (640).................. n/a 5,748 5,748
W/C/WYK (subtotal) \2\..... 194,230 135,850 132,454
SEO (650).................. 11,697 8,773 8,773
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 205,927 144,623 141,227
Pacific cod \3\.................... W.......................... n/a 7,633 5,343
C.......................... n/a 7,667 5,750
E.......................... n/a 1,700 1,275
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 23,669 17,000 12,368
Sablefish \4\...................... W.......................... n/a 1,581 1,581
C.......................... n/a 5,178 5,178
WYK........................ n/a 1,828 1,828
SEO........................ n/a 2,984 2,984
E (WYK and SEO) (subtotal). n/a 4,812 4,812
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 25,227 11,571 11,571
Shallow-water flatfish \5\......... W.......................... n/a 25,620 13,250
C.......................... n/a 25,731 25,731
WYK........................ n/a 2,279 2,279
SEO........................ n/a 1,957 1,957
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 68,309 55,587 43,217
Deep-water flatfish \6\............ W.......................... n/a 416 416
C.......................... n/a 3,443 3,443
WYK........................ n/a 3,280 3,280
SEO........................ n/a 2,362 2,362
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 11,434 9,501 9,501
Rex sole........................... W.......................... n/a 2,951 2,951
C.......................... n/a 8,357 8,357
WYK........................ n/a 1,657 1,657
SEO........................ n/a 1,727 1,727
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 17,889 14,692 14,692
Arrowtooth flounder................ W.......................... n/a 35,994 14,500
[[Page 14889]]
C.......................... n/a 70,995 70,995
WYK........................ n/a 15,911 6,900
SEO........................ .............. 22,941 6,900
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 174,598 145,841 99,295
Flathead sole...................... W.......................... n/a 13,234 8,650
C.......................... n/a 21,109 15,400
WYK........................ n/a 2,016 2,016
SEO........................ n/a 423 423
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 44,865 36,782 26,489
Pacific ocean perch \7\............ W.......................... n/a 3,227 3,227
C.......................... n/a 19,646 19,646
WYK........................ n/a 3,296 3,296
W/C/WYK subtotal........... 31,113 26,169 26,169
SEO........................ 2,838 2,386 2,386
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Total................... 33,951 28,555 28,555
Northern rockfish \8\.............. W.......................... n/a 1,190 1,190
C.......................... n/a 3,338 3,338
E.......................... n/a 1 ..............
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 5,402 4,529 4,528
Shortraker rockfish \9\............ W.......................... n/a 44 44
C.......................... n/a 305 305
E.......................... n/a 514 514
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 1,151 863 863
Dusky rockfish \10\................ W.......................... n/a 781 781
C.......................... n/a 2,764 2,764
WYK........................ n/a 95 95
SEO........................ n/a 60 60
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 4,521 3,700 3,700
Rougheye and Blackspotted rockfish W.......................... n/a 174 174
\11\.
C.......................... n/a 550 550
E.......................... n/a 704 704
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 1,715 1,428 1,428
Demersal shelf rockfish \12\....... SEO........................ 411 261 261
Thornyhead rockfish................ W.......................... n/a 326 326
C.......................... n/a 911 911
E.......................... n/a 779 779
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 2,688 2,016 2,016
Other rockfish 13 14............... W and C.................... n/a 1,737 1,737
WYK........................ n/a 368 368
SEO........................ n/a 3,489 3,489
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 7,356 5,594 5,594
Atka mackerel...................... GW......................... 6,200 4,700 3,000
Big skate \15\..................... W.......................... n/a 504 504
C.......................... n/a 1,774 1,774
E.......................... n/a 570 570
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 3,797 2,848 2,848
Longnose skate \16\................ W.......................... n/a 149 149
C.......................... n/a 2,804 2,804
E.......................... n/a 619 619
-----------------------------------------------
Total................... 4,763 3,572 3,572
Other skates \17\.................. GW......................... 1,845 1,384 1,384
Sculpins........................... GW......................... 6,958 5,301 5,301
Sharks............................. GW......................... 10,913 8,184 8,184
Octopus............................ GW......................... 1,300 975 975
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Total.......................... ........................... 664,889 509,507 430,569
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\1\ Regulatory areas and districts are defined at Sec. 679.2. (W = Western Gulf of Alaska; C = Central Gulf of
Alaska; E = Eastern Gulf of Alaska; WYK = West Yakutat District; SEO = Southeast Outside District; GW = Gulf-
wide).
[[Page 14890]]
\2\ The total for the W/C/WYK Regulatory Areas pollock ABC is 135,850 mt. After deducting 2.5 percent (3,396 mt)
of that ABC for the State's pollock GHL fishery, the remaining pollock ABC of 132,454 mt (for the W/C/WYK
Regulatory Areas) is apportioned among four statistical areas (Areas 610, 620, 630, and 640). These
apportionments are considered subarea ACLs, rather than ABCs, for specification and reapportionment purposes.
The ACLs in Areas 610, 620, and 630 are further divided by season, as detailed in Table 3 (final 2019 seasonal
biomass distribution of pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas, area apportionments, and seasonal
allowances). In the West Yakutat (Area 640) and Southeast Outside (Area 650) Districts of the Eastern
Regulatory Area, pollock is not divided into seasonal allowances.
\3\ The annual Pacific cod TAC is apportioned 60 percent to the A season and 40 percent to the B season in the
Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA. Pacific cod TAC in the Eastern Regulatory Area of the GOA is
allocated 90 percent to vessels harvesting Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component and 10 percent
to vessels harvesting Pacific cod for processing by the offshore component. Table 5 lists the final 2019
Pacific cod seasonal apportionments.
\4\ Sablefish is allocated to trawl and fixed gear in 2019 and trawl gear in 2020. Table 7 lists the final 2019
allocations of sablefish TACs.
\5\ ``Shallow-water flatfish'' means flatfish not including ``deep-water flatfish,'' flathead sole, rex sole, or
arrowtooth flounder.
\6\ ``Deep-water flatfish'' means Dover sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, and deepsea sole.
\7\ ``Pacific ocean perch'' means Sebastes alutus.
\8\ ``Northern rockfish'' means Sebastes polyspinis. For management purposes, the 1 mt apportionment of ABC to
the WYK District of the Eastern Gulf of Alaska has been included in the ``other rockfish'' species group.
\9\ ``Shortraker rockfish'' means Sebastes borealis.
\10\ ``Dusky rockfish'' means Sebastes variabilis.
\11\ ``Rougheye and blackspotted rockfish'' means Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye) and Sebastes melanostictus
(blackspotted).
\12\ ``Demersal shelf rockfish'' means Sebastes pinniger (canary), S. nebulosus (china), S. caurinus (copper),
S. maliger (quillback), S. helvomaculatus (rosethorn), S. nigrocinctus (tiger), and S. ruberrimus (yelloweye).
\13\ ``Other rockfish'' means Sebastes aurora (aurora), S. melanostomus (blackgill), S. paucispinis (bocaccio),
S. goodei (chilipepper), S. crameri (darkblotch), S. elongatus (greenstriped), S. variegatus (harlequin), S.
wilsoni (pygmy), S. babcocki (redbanded), S. proriger (redstripe), S. zacentrus (sharpchin), S. jordani
(shortbelly), S. brevispinis (silvergrey), S. diploproa (splitnose), S. saxicola (stripetail), S. miniatus
(vermilion), S. reedi (yellowmouth), S. entomelas (widow), and S. flavidus (yellowtail). In the Eastern GOA
only, other rockfish also includes northern rockfish, S. polyspinis.
\14\ ``Other rockfish'' in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas and in the West Yakutat District means other
rockfish and demersal shelf rockfish. The ``other rockfish'' species group in the SEO District only includes
other rockfish.
\15\ ``Big skate'' means Raja binoculata.
\16\ ``Longnose skate'' means Raja rhina.
\17\ ``Other skates'' means Bathyraja and Raja spp.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540 (f), 1801 et
seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 105-277; Pub. L. 106-31; Pub.
L. 106-554; Pub. L. 108-199; Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 109-241; Pub.
L 109-479.
Dated: April 8, 2019.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-07276 Filed 4-11-19; 8:45 am]
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