[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 166 (Wednesday, August 26, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52489-52490]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18687]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 200227-0066; RTID 0648-XA415]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Blackspotted
and Rougheye Rockfish in the Central Aleutian Islands and Western
Aleutian Islands Districts of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands
Management Area
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 blackspotted and rougheye
rockfish in the Central Aleutian Islands and Western Aleutian Islands
districts (CAI/WAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management
area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2020 blackspotted and
rougheye rockfish total allowable catch (TAC) in the CAI/WAI of the
BSAI has been reached.
DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), August 20,
2020, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the
BSAI according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the
Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (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 blackspotted and rougheye rockfish TAC in the CAI/WAI of
the BSAI is 264 metric tons (mt) as established by the final 2020 and
2021 harvest specifications for groundfish in the BSAI (85 FR 13553,
March 9, 2020). In accordance with Sec. 679.20(d)(2), the
Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator), has
determined that the 2020 blackspotted and rougheye rockfish TAC in the
CAI/WAI of the BSAI has been reached. Therefore, NMFS is requiring that
blackspotted and rougheye rockfish in the CAI/WAI of the BSAI be
treated in the same manner as a prohibited species, as described under
Sec. 679.21(a), for the remainder of the year, except blackspotted and
rougheye rockfish species in the CAI/WAI caught by catcher vessels
using hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear as described in Sec. 679.20(j).
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
[[Page 52490]]
and would delay the prohibited retention of blackspotted and rougheye
rockfish in the CAI/WAI of the BSAI. 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 20, 2020.
Jennifer M. Wallace,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-18687 Filed 8-20-20; 4:15 pm]
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