[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 246 (Monday, December 23, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 70436-70438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27539]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 180831813-9170-02; RTID 0648-XY058]


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Inseason 
Adjustment to the 2020 Gulf of Alaska Pollock and Pacific Cod Total 
Allowable Catch Amounts

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is adjusting the 2020 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts 
for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) pollock and Pacific cod fishery. This 
action is necessary because NMFS has determined these TACs are 
incorrectly specified, and will ensure the GOA pollock and Pacific cod 
TACs are the appropriate amount based on the best available scientific 
information for pollock and Pacific cod in the GOA. This action is 
consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan 
for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.

DATES: Effective 0001 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 1, 
2020, until the effective date of the final 2020 and 2021 harvest 
specifications for GOA groundfish, unless otherwise modified or 
superseded through publication of a notification in the Federal 
Register.
    Comments must be received at the following address no later than 
4:30 p.m., A.l.t., January 7, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2018-0103 by 
any of the following methods:
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2018-0103, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant 
Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region 
NMFS, Attn: Records. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-
1668.
    Instructions: NMFS may not consider comments if they are sent by 
any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after 
the comment period ends. All comments received are a part of the public 
record, and NMFS will post the comments for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address), confidential business information, 
or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender 
will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter 
``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obren Davis, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the 
GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan 
for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP) prepared by the North 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (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 final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications for groundfish in 
the GOA (84 FR 9416, March 14, 2019) set the 2020 pollock TAC at 
114,943 metric tons (mt) in the GOA. In December 2019, the North 
Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended a 2020 pollock 
TAC of 115,930 mt for the GOA, which is more than the 114,943 mt 
established by the final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications for 
groundfish in the GOA. The Council's recommended 2020 TAC, and the area 
and seasonal apportionments, is based on the Stock Assessment and 
Fishery Evaluation report (SAFE), dated November 2019.
    The final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications for groundfish in 
the GOA (84 FR 9416, March 14, 2019) set the 2020 Pacific cod TAC at 
15,709 metric tons (mt) in the GOA. In December 2019, the North Pacific 
Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended a 2020 Pacific cod TAC 
of 6,431 mt for the GOA, which is less than the 15,709 mt established 
by the final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications for groundfish in the 
GOA. The Council's recommended 2020 TAC, and the area and seasonal 
apportionments, is based on the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation 
report (SAFE), dated November 2019.
    Steller sea lions occur in the same location as the pollock and 
Pacific cod fisheries and are listed as endangered under the Endangered 
Species Act (ESA). Pollock and Pacific cod are principal prey species 
for Steller sea lions in the GOA. The seasonal apportionment of pollock 
and Pacific

[[Page 70437]]

cod harvests are necessary to ensure the groundfish fisheries are not 
likely to cause jeopardy of extinction or adverse modification of 
critical habitat for Steller sea lions. The regulations at Sec.  
679.20(a)(5)(iv) specify how the pollock TAC will be apportioned and 
the regulations at Sec.  679.20(a)(6)(ii) and (a)(12)(i) specify how 
the Pacific cod TAC will be apportioned.
    In accordance with Sec.  679.25(a)(1)(iii), (a)(2)(i)(B), and 
(a)(2)(iv) the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional 
Administrator), has determined that, based on the best available 
scientific information for this fishery, the current GOA pollock and 
Pacific cod TACs are incorrectly specified. Consequently, pursuant to 
Sec.  679.25(a)(1)(iii), the Regional Administrator is adjusting the 
2020 GOA pollock TAC to 115,930 mt and the 2020 Pacific cod TAC to 
6,431 mt. Therefore, Tables 4 and 6 of the final 2019 and 2020 harvest 
specifications for groundfish in the GOA (84 FR 9416, March 14, 2019) 
are revised consistent with this adjustment.
    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(5)(iv), Table 4 of the final 2019 and 
2020 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA (84 FR 9416, 
March 14, 2019) is revised for the 2020 TACs of pollock in the Central 
and Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

 Table 4--Final 2020 Distribution of Pollock in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the GOA; Seasonal Biomass Distribution, Area Apportionments;
                                                          and Seasonal Allowances of Annual TAC
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Season \1\                                      Shumagin (area 610)
                                                Chirikof (area 620)
                                                 Kodiak (area 630)             Total \2\
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A (Jan 20-Mar 10).......................             517           2.06%          18,757          74.86%           5,783          23.08%          25,057
B (Mar 10-May 31).......................             517           2.06%          22,222          88.68%           2,318           9.25%          25,057
C (Aug 25-Oct 1)........................           9,070          36.20%           6,739          26.89%           9,248          36.91%          25,057
D (Oct 1-Nov 1).........................           9,070          36.20%           6,739          26.89%           9,248          36.91%          25,057
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Annual Total........................          19,175  ..............          54,456  ..............          26,597  ..............         100,228
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\1\ As established by Sec.   679.23(d)(2)(i) through (iv), the A, B, C, and D season allowances are available from January 20 to March 10, March 10 to
  May 31, August 25 to October 1, and October 1 to November 1, respectively. The amounts of pollock for processing by the inshore and offshore
  components are not shown in this table.
\2\ The WYK and SEO District pollock TACs are not allocated by season and are not included in the total pollock TACs shown in this table.
Note: Seasonal apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton and percentages are rounded to the
  nearest 0.01.

    Pursuant to Sec.  679.20(a)(6)(ii) and (a)(12)(i), Table 6 of the 
final 2019 and 2020 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA 
(84 FR 9416, March 14, 2019) is revised for the 2020 TACs of Pacific 
cod in the GOA.

Table 6--Final 2020 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocation of Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch (TAC) Amounts in
    the GOA; Allocations in the Western GOA and Central GOA Sectors, and the Eastern GOA Inshore and Offshore
                                              Processing Components
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                                                             A Season                        B Season
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                                     Annual          Sector                           Sector
   Regulatory area and sector      allocation     percentage of      Seasonal      percentage of     Seasonal
                                      (mt)       annual non-jig  allowances (mt)  annual non-jig    allowances
                                                       TAC                              TAC            (mt)
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Western GOA:
    Jig (2.5% of TAC)..........              52             N/A              31              N/A              21
    Hook-and-line CV...........              28            0.70              14             0.70              14
    Hook-and-line C/P..........             401           10.90             221             8.90             180
    Trawl CV...................             777           27.70             561            10.70             217
    Trawl C/P..................              49            0.90              18             1.50              30
    All Pot CV and Pot C/P.....             769           19.80             401            18.20             368
                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total..................           2,076           60.00           1,246            40.00             830
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Central GOA:
    Jig (1.0% of TAC)..........              38             N/A              23              N/A              15
    Hook-and-line <50 CV.......             550            9.32             351             5.29             199
    Hook-and-line >=50 CV......             253            5.61             211             1.10              41
    Hook-and-line C/P..........             192            4.11             155             1.00              38
    Trawl CV \1\...............           1,567           21.14             796            20.45             771
    Trawl C/P..................             158            2.00              75             2.19              83
All Pot CV and Pot C/P.........           1,048           17.83             672             9.97             376
                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Total..................           3,806           60.00           2,284            40.00           1,522
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Eastern GOA:                       Inshore (90% of Annual TAC)
                                  Offshore (10% of Annual TAC)
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                                            549                      494
                                                     55
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\1\ Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 145 mt, of the
  annual Central GOA TAC (see Table 28c to 50 CFR part 679), which is deducted from the Trawl CV B season
  allowance (see Table 12. Final 2020 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary Species in the Central GOA and Table
  28c to 50 CFR part 679).
Note: Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton.


[[Page 70438]]

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 allow for harvests that exceed the appropriate allocation for 
pollock and Pacific cod based on the best scientific information 
available. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for 
public comment because the most recent, relevant data only became 
available as of December 9, 2019, and additional time for prior public 
comment would result in conservation concerns for the ESA-listed 
Steller sea lions.
    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.
    Under Sec.  679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit 
written comments on this action to the above address until January 7, 
2020.
    This action is required by Sec. Sec.  679.20 and 679.25 and is 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

    Authority:  16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

    Dated: December 17, 2019.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-27539 Filed 12-20-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P