[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 163 (Friday, August 21, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51672-51673]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18399]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 200221-0062]
RTID 0648-XA414


Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Sablefish in 
the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

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

ACTION: Temporary rule; closure.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is prohibiting retention of sablefish by vessels using 
trawl gear and not participating in the cooperative fishery of the 
Rockfish Program in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska 
(GOA). This action is necessary because the 2020 total allowable catch 
of sablefish allocated to vessels using trawl gear and not 
participating in the cooperative fishery of the Rockfish Program in the 
Central Regulatory Area of the GOA has been reached.

DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), August 18, 
2020, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2020.

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 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 sablefish allocated to 
vessels using trawl gear and not participating in the cooperative 
fishery of the Rockfish Program in the Central Regulatory Area of the 
GOA is 626 metric tons (mt) as established by the final 2020 and 2021

[[Page 51673]]

harvest specifications for groundfish of the GOA (85 FR 13802, March 
10, 2020).
    In accordance with Sec.  679.20(d)(2), the Administrator, Alaska 
Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has determined that the 2020 TAC 
of sablefish allocated to vessels using trawl gear and not 
participating in the cooperative fishery of the Rockfish Program in the 
Central Regulatory Area of the GOA will be reached. Therefore, NMFS is 
requiring that sablefish caught by vessels using trawl gear and not 
participating in the cooperative fishery of the Rockfish Program in the 
Central Regulatory Area of the GOA be treated as prohibited species in 
accordance with Sec.  679.21(b). This closure does not apply to fishing 
by vessels participating in the cooperative fishery of the Rockfish 
Program for the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

Classification

    NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-
Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR part 679, which was 
issued pursuant to section 304(b), and is exempt from review under 
Executive Order 12866.
    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(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, 
as it would prevent NMFS from responding to the most recent fisheries 
data in a timely fashion and would delay the prohibited retention of 
sablefish by vessels using trawl gear and not participating in the 
cooperative fishery of the Rockfish Program in the Central Regulatory 
Area 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 August 17, 2020.

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

    Dated: August 18, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-18399 Filed 8-18-20; 4:15 pm]
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