[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 236 (Monday, December 9, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67183-67184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26433]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

15 CFR Part 902

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 191203-0100]
RIN 0648-BI53


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Halibut Deck 
Sorting Monitoring Requirements for Trawl Catcher/Processors Operating 
in Non-Pollock Groundfish Fisheries Off Alaska; Correction

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

ACTION: Final rule; correcting amendments; stay of effectiveness.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is correcting a final rule that published on October 15, 
2019, issuing regulations to implement catch handling and monitoring 
requirements to allow Pacific halibut (halibut) bycatch to be sorted on 
the deck of trawl catcher/processors (C/Ps) and motherships 
participating in the non-pollock groundfish fisheries off Alaska. The 
final rule incorrectly stated that the collection-of-information 
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) had been 
approved by the Office of Management and Business (OMB) at the time the 
final rule was published. The final rule also inadvertently omitted 
amendatory language to remove a now obsolete and unnecessary 
regulation. The intent of this final rule is to make corrections and to 
stay the effectiveness of associated collection-of-information 
requirements.

DATES: This rule is effective December 9, 2019. Effective December 9, 
2019, 50 CFR 679.28(d)(9) and (10) and (l) and Sec.  679.120(b), (c), 
(d), and (e) are stayed indefinitely.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Krieger, 907-586-7228 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Need for Correction

    NMFS published the final rule issuing regulations to implement 
catch handling and monitoring requirements to allow halibut bycatch to 
be sorted on the deck of trawl C/Ps and motherships participating in 
the non-pollock groundfish fisheries off Alaska in the Federal Register 
on October 15, 2019 (84 FR 55044). The final rule incorrectly stated 
that the collection-of-information

[[Page 67184]]

requirements subject to the PRA had been approved by the OMB under 
Control Number 0648-0318 (North Pacific Observer Program) and Control 
Number 0648-0330 (Alaska Region, Scale and Catch Weighing Requirements) 
at the time the final rule was published. The effective date for the 
final rule's collection of information requirements is delayed. When 
OMB approval is received, NOAA will publish a document in the Federal 
Register announcing the effective date for these information collection 
requirements.
    Although the proposed and final rule preambles explained that 
certain obsolete and unnecessary regulations would be removed, the 
final rule inadvertently omitted amendatory language to remove a now 
obsolete and unnecessary regulation. This rule corrects this error.

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. With respect to the final rule's inadvertent omission of 
amendatory text that would remove the obsolete and unnecessary 
regulation, the public was already provided with notice and opportunity 
to comment via electronic submission (www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2018-0122) and by mail during the proposed 
rule public comment period which began on April 16, 2019 and ended on 
May 16, 2019. Further delay would result in public confusion with 
respect to the effectiveness of the remaining regulations established 
by the final rule.
    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 to Final Rule

    In final rule FR Doc. 2019-22198, published on October 15, 2019 (84 
FR 55044), the following corrections are made:
    1. On page 55044, in the second column, under ``National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration'', ``15 CFR 902.1'' is removed and ``15 
CFR part 902'' added in its place.
    2. On page 55050, second column, the heading ``OMB Revisions to PRA 
References in 15 CFR 902.1(b)'' and corresponding paragraph are 
removed.
    3. On page 55051, first column, the first sentence of the last 
paragraph is corrected to read as follows:
    This final rule contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to review and approval by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). These requirements have 
been submitted to OMB for approval under Control Number 0648-0318 
(North Pacific Observer Program) and Control Number 0648-0330 (Alaska 
Region, Scale and Catch Weighing Requirements). When approval is 
received, NMFS will announce in the Federal Register the effective date 
for these information collection requirements.

List of Subjects

15 CFR Part 902

    Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

50 CFR Part 679

    Alaska, Fisheries, Pacific halibut, Recordkeeping and reporting 
requirements.

    Dated: December 3, 2019.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

    Accordingly, 15 CFR part 902 and 50 CFR part 679 are corrected by 
making the following correcting amendments:

Title 15--Commerce and Foreign Trade

PART 902--NOAA INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE 
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT: OMB CONTROL NUMBERS

0
1. The authority citation for part 902 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.


Sec.  [thinsp]902.1  [Amended]

0
2. In Sec.  [thinsp]902.1, in the table in paragraph (b), under the 
entry ``50 CFR'', remove the entries for ``679.28(l)'', ``679.120(b)'', 
and ``679.120(c), (d), and (e)''.
* * * * *

Title 50--Wildlife and Fisheries

PART 679--FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA

0
3. The authority citation for 50 CFR part 679 continues to read as 
follows:

     Authority:  16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 1801 et seq.; 3631 et seq.; 
Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 111-281.


Sec.  679.28  [Amended]

0
4. Amend Sec.  679.28 by removing paragraphs (i)(1)(iii) and (iv).

[FR Doc. 2019-26433 Filed 12-6-19; 8:45 am]
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