[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 58 (Wednesday, March 25, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16913-16914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06227]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 200221-0062; RTID 0648-XY091]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pollock in
the West Yakutat District in the Gulf of Alaska
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; modification of closure
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SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock in the West
Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary
to fully use the 2020 total allowable catch of pollock in the West
Yakutat District of the GOA.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 24,
2020, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2020. Comments must be
received at the following address no later than 4:30 p.m., A.l.t.,
April 7, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by FDMS
Docket Number NOAA-NMFS-2019-0102 by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2019-0102, click the
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or
attach your comments.
Mail: Address written comments to Glenn Merrill, Assistant
Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region
NMFS, Attn: Records Office. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK
99802-1668.
Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period,
may not be considered by NMFS. 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, etc.), 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: Josh Keaton, 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 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 2020 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in the West Yakutat
District of the GOA is 5,554 metric tons (mt) as established by the
final 2020 and 2021 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA
(85 FR 13802, March 10, 2020).
NMFS closed directed fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat
District of the GOA under Sec. 679.20(d)(1)(iii) on March 13, 2020 (85
FR 15392, March 18, 2020).
As of March 17, 2020, NMFS has determined that approximately 780 mt
of pollock remains in the West Yakutat District of the GOA. Therefore,
in accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(i), (a)(2)(i)(C), and
(a)(2)(iii)(D), and to fully utilize the 2020 TAC of pollock in the
West Yakutat District of the GOA, NMFS is terminating the previous
closure and is reopening directed fishing for pollock in the West
Yakutat District of the GOA, effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 24,
2020.
The Administrator, Alaska Region (Regional Administrator)
considered the following factors in reaching this
[[Page 16914]]
decision: (1) The catch of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the
GOA and, (2) the harvest capacity and stated intent on future
harvesting patterns of vessels in participating in this fishery.
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 opening of directed fishing for pollock in the West
Yakutat District of the GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a notice
providing time for public comment because the most recent, relevant
data only became available as of March 17, 2020.
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.
Without this inseason adjustment, NMFS could not allow the fishery
for pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA to be harvested in
an expedient manner and in accordance with the regulatory schedule.
Under Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit
written comments on this action to the above address until April 7,
2020.
This action is required by Sec. 679.25 and is exempt from review
under Executive Order 12866.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: March 20, 2020.
H[eacute]l[egrave]ne M.N. Scalliet,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-06227 Filed 3-23-20; 8:45 am]
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