[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 28, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 45341-45343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16345]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 300

[Docket No. 200427-0121]
RTID 0648-XW034


Pacific Halibut Fisheries; Catch Sharing Plan; Inseason Action

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: This document announces additional season dates for the 
Washington and Columbia River Pacific halibut recreational fisheries in 
the International Pacific Halibut Commission's regulatory Area 2A off 
Washington, Oregon, and California. This action is intended to conserve 
Pacific halibut and provide angler opportunity where available.

DATES: This action is effective July 27, 2020, through December 31, 
2020. Submit comments on or before August 12, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2019-0120, by 
either of the following methods:
     Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2019-0120, click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, 
complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
     Mail: Submit written comments to Barry Thom, c/o Kathryn 
Blair, West Coast Region, NMFS, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100, 
Portland, OR 97232.
    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 them 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 is publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous 
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain 
anonymous).
    Docket: This rule is accessible via the internet at the Office of 
the Federal Register website at https://www.federalregister.gov/. 
Background information and documents are available at the NOAA 
Fisheries website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/2020-pacific-halibut-catch-sharing-plan and at the Council's website at 
http://www.pcouncil.org. Other comments received may be accessed 
through www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathryn Blair, phone: 503-231-6858,

[[Page 45342]]

fax: 503-231-6893, or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 1, 2020, NMFS published a final rule 
approving changes to the Pacific halibut Area 2A Catch Sharing Plan and 
recreational (sport) management measures for 2020 (85 FR 25317), as 
authorized by the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (16 U.S.C. 773-
773(k)). The 2020 Catch Sharing Plan provides a recommended framework 
for NMFS' annual management measures and subarea allocations based on 
the 2020 Area 2A Pacific halibut catch limit of 1,500,000 pounds (lb) 
(680.4 metric tons (mt)). These Pacific halibut management measures 
include recreational fishery season dates and subarea allocations.
    Federal regulations at 50 CFR 300.63(c), ``Flexible Inseason 
Management Provisions for Sport Halibut Fisheries in Area 2A,'' allow 
the NMFS' Regional Administrator, after consultation with the Chairman 
of the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), the Executive 
Director of the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), and 
the Fisheries Directors affected states, or their designees, to modify 
annual regulations during the season. These inseason provisions allow 
the Regional Administrator to modify sport fishing periods, bag limits, 
size limits, days per calendar week, and subarea quotas, if it is 
determined it is necessary to meet the allocation objectives and the 
action will not result in exceeding the catch limit.
    NMFS has determined that inseason action to modify the 2020 annual 
regulations is warranted at this time to ensure the Area 2A allocations 
as published in Table 1 of the final rule (85 FR 25317, May 1, 2020) 
are met. As stated above, inseason modification of the fishing season 
is authorized by Federal regulations at 50 CFR 300.63(c). After 
consultation with IPHC, the Council, the Washington Department of Fish 
and Wildlife (WDFW), and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 
(ODFW), NMFS determined the following inseason actions are necessary to 
meet the management objective of attaining the quota, and fall under 
inseason management provisions allowing for the modification of sport 
fishing periods and sport fishing days per calendar week. Notice of 
these additional dates and closure of the fisheries will also be 
announced on the NMFS hotline at 206-526-6667 or 800-662-9825.

Inseason Action

Inseason Action #1

    Description of the action: Inseason action #1 implements additional 
season dates for the Puget Sound, North and South Coast subareas in the 
State of Washington.
    Reason for the action: The purpose of this inseason action is to 
provide additional opportunity for anglers in Washington's Puget Sound, 
North and South Coast subareas to achieve the catch limit. Since late 
April, Washington anglers have been unable to access boat ramps and 
other facilities needed for recreational fishing in many coastal areas, 
resulting in lower than normal landings. For reference, in 2018 and 
2019, 92 percent of the available recreational quota was attained 
during the fishing season that concluded in June. Through June 2020, 
anglers in the Washington recreational fisheries have caught 17 percent 
of the available quota. Without additional season days, the season 
dates implemented in the May 1, 2020 (85 FR 25317) final rule would 
likely result in substantial unharvested quota.
    Therefore, in order for anglers to have the opportunity to achieve 
the subarea allocation, and with little risk of the quota being 
exceeded, through this action NMFS is announcing new season dates in 
August and September that were not previously announced in the May 1, 
2020 final rule (85 FR 25317). Specifically, the additional season 
dates for the Puget Sound and North Coast subareas are August 6-8, 13-
15, 20-22, 27-29, September 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, and 24-26, 2020. For the 
South Coast, the additional season dates are August 6, 13, 16, 20, 23, 
27, 30, September 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, and 27, 2020. If catch and 
effort are lower than anticipated, NMFS may also announce additional 
fishing days for the South Coast on the NMFS hotline at 206-526-6667 or 
800-662-9825, that may include August 28, September 4, and September 
11, 2020.
    These dates were determined in consultation with WDFW, the Council, 
and IPHC. Notice of these and potential additional dates and closure of 
the fisheries will also be announced on the NMFS hotline at 206-526-
6667 or 800-662-9825.

Inseason Action #2

    Description of the action: Inseason action #2 implements additional 
season dates for the Columbia River subarea, an area that includes 
waters off both the States of Washington and Oregon.
    Reason for the action: The purpose of this inseason action is to 
provide additional opportunity for anglers in the Columbia River 
subarea to achieve the catch limit. Since late April, Washington and 
Oregon anglers have been unable to access boat ramps and other 
facilities needed for recreational fishing in the Columbia River 
subarea, and have therefore not attained any of the 18,450 lb (8.37 mt) 
allocation. As a result, NMFS is adding season dates in addition to 
those implemented in the May 1, 2020 final rule (85 FR 25317). For 
reference, in 2018 and 2019, anglers harvested all of the available 
quota during May and June. Without additional days, the fishery would 
likely result in substantial unharvested quota.
    Therefore, in order for anglers to have the opportunity to achieve 
the subarea allocation, NMFS is adding season dates to August and 
September. Specifically, the additional season dates for the all-depth 
fishery in the Columbia River subarea are August 6, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 
30, September 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, and 27, 2020. If catch and 
effort are lower than anticipated, NMFS may also announce additional 
fishing days for the Columbia River on the NMFS hotline at 206-526-6667 
or 800-662-9825, that may include August 28, September 4, and September 
11, 2020. For the nearshore fishery in the Columbia River subarea, the 
fishery will be open August 10, 2020, and continue on Monday, Tuesday, 
and Wednesday each week until the nearshore allocation is taken or 
September 30, 2020, whichever is earlier.
    Weekly quota monitoring reports for the recreational fisheries in 
Washington, Oregon, and California are available on their respective 
websites. NMFS and the IPHC will continue to monitor recreational catch 
obtained via state sampling procedures, and, if necessary, will make 
inseason adjustments to the Pacific halibut recreational fishery. NMFS 
will provide notice of inseason changes on the NMFS hotline at 206-526-
6667 or 800-662-9825. The IPHC will announce inseason changes via news 
release on their website at https://iphc.int/.

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to the Northern Pacific Halibut 
Act of 1982. This action is required by 50 CFR 300.63(c) and authorized 
by IPHC regulations published March 13, 2020 (85 FR 14586), which is 
exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), there is good cause to waive 
prior notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action, as 
notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public 
interest. Prior notice and

[[Page 45343]]

opportunity for public comment was impracticable because NMFS had 
insufficient time between when adequate landings information became 
available to determine if additional days would be necessary, and when 
those dates needed to occur within the season. To ensure the regulated 
public is fully aware of this action, notice of this regulatory action 
will also be provided to anglers through a telephone hotline, news 
release, and by the relevant state fish and wildlife agencies. This 
notice complies with the requirements of the annual management measures 
for Pacific halibut recreational fisheries published May 1, 2020 (85 FR 
25317) and IPHC regulations published March 13, 2020 (85 FR 14586). 
While there is not time for prior notice and comment, NMFS will receive 
public comments for 15 days after publication of this action, in 
accordance with 50 CFR 300.63(c)(4)(ii). No aspect of this action is 
controversial, and changes of this nature were anticipated in the final 
rule for the Pacific halibut Catch Sharing Plan and annual management 
measures which published May 1, 2020 (85 FR 25317).
    There is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to waive the 30-day 
delay in effective date and make this action effective immediately upon 
publication, as a delay in effectiveness of this action would constrain 
fishing opportunity and be inconsistent with the goals of the Catch 
Sharing Plan and current management measures, as well as potentially 
cause economic harm to the associated fishing communities. Regulations 
allow the Regional Administrator to modify sport fishing periods, bag 
limits, size limits, days per calendar week, and subarea quotas, 
provided that the action allows allocation objectives to be met and 
will not result in exceeding the catch limit for the area. NMFS 
recently received information on the progress of landings in the 
recreational fisheries in Washington and the Columbia River subareas, 
necessitating new dates be added to the fishery to ensure optimal and 
sustainable harvest of the quota. A delay in the effectiveness of these 
new dates would not allow the allocation objectives of this fishery to 
be met, as the fishery is scheduled to conclude by September 30, 
according to both the May 1, 2020 final rule (85 FR 25317) and the 
Council's Catch Sharing Plan.

    Dated: July 23, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-16345 Filed 7-27-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P